Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Url: Betonmarkets. Com& Betonmarkets. Co. Uk

Category: Finance.

Last week Oil continued its ascent into record territory. Strangely the price still hasn t topped too many headlines, perhaps because prices still sit below �00 per litre in the UK.



Just shy of$ 90 per barrel the much talked about$ 100 per barrel isn t too far off. If that dam bursts, UK consumers could be in for a shock says Betonmarket s Michael Wright. Last week we saw the first sign that the US government worries were not baseless, with the release of the consumer inflation report. The latest surge has taken prices deep into uncharted territory, nearing the inflation- adjusted peak of 198There are fears that this could be one step too far for an already creaking world economy. This showed that the Consumer Price Index increased by 3 percent last month as energy costs( which had been falling for three months) posted an increase and food prices jumped by the largest amount since June. Core inflation, which excludes energy and food, was up a more moderate 2 percent, in line with expectations. The CPI increase was slightly above the 2 percent that economists had been expecting.


This is what the FOMC was mostly worried about when they cut interest rates the last time, as inflation increases at a higher pace when interest rates are low. Some traders concur, noting the flood of cash now chasing returns after the U. While there are many reasons for the increase in energy costs, OPEC blames speculators for driving up the price. Unprecedented weakness in the U. Federal Reserve cut interest rates and added billions of dollars of temporary reserves to the banking system. S. dollar has also pushed investors into commodities at the start of the fourth quarter, when some investors will have reviewed allocations. Being" short" means that traders were predicting that the US Dollar would weaken against the Canadian Dollar.


All this commodity positive investments has been a nice bonus for the USD/ CAD( US Dollar/ Canadian Dollar) traders who were short. The pair broke below the 00 mark in October, and some analysts see the pair trading as low as 95 cents by the end of the year. With the oil outlook being bullish for the near term, there is a good chance that the USD will continue to weaken compared to the CAD. In the foreign exchange circles the USD/ CAD pair is referred to as the commodities pair, and for a reason, if you overlap the oil price chart and the gold chart with the USD/ CAD you will see a very nice correlation. Betonmarkets. com allows you to take advantage of this, by buying a no touch bet on the USD/ CAD. A no touch with a 26 day term and barrier 400 pips above current spot could yield 8% ROI. This rewards you if a certain level is never touched.


This means the USD could strengthen slightly, flat line or fall further against the Canadian Dollar and you win. - THE END- Contact Details: Email: editor@ my. regentmarkets. com. Url: Betonmarkets. com& Betonmarkets. co. uk. Tel: +44 1624 678 883. Address: Regent Markets( IOM) Limited. 3rd Floor, 1- 5 Church Street. IM1 2AG. Douglas, Isle of Man. Betonmarkets. com is the leading fixed- odds financial betting website.


Betonmarkets offers a wide range of fixed- odds financial bets on forex rates, and international stocks, stock indices. The website has processed over 10 million bets since inception in 2000, and generates annual turnover in excess of US$ 100 million. Betonmarkets is operated by the Regent Markets Group of companies. Regent Markets has offices in three countries, and holds bookmakers licenses in the Isle of Man, and Malta, the UK. Regent Markets is affiliated to the Regent Pacific Group, a Hong Kong- listed investment group. Fixed- odds financial betting offers particular advantages over other forms of financial betting and investments, such as limited risk, and unique market, potentially high payouts opportunities. Betonmarkets also offers the following bet types: the Bull/ Bear bet, the One Touch bet, the No Touch bet, the Range and Expiry Range bets, the Double One Touch and Double No- Touch bets, and a variety of intraday bets.


Particularly popular is Betonmarket s Range Bet, which offers the opportunity to profit from a period of quiet market action. Contracts are available on foreign exchange rates, and stocks, major stock indices. BetOnMarkets Bet Types: One Touch Bet: You would buy a one- touch bet if you believe the market will touch a given point at least once before the bet expires. Fixed- odds bets are also known as binary options, contingent claims, binary bets, spot options, clickoptions, box options, and offer market participants a unique tool to profit from market movements. In other words, a one- touch pays out, if at any time prior to expiration, the market touches or trades through the specified barrier. You would buy a no- touch bet if you think the market will never reach a certain level within a specified range of time.


Example: [Pays 100 if the FTSE touches X between today and date T] No Touch Bet: A no- touch bet is the opposite of the one- touch bet. Example: [Pays 100 if the FTSE does not touch X between today and date T] Bull Bet: You would buy a bull bet if you believe the underlying security/ index/ currency pair will be higher than a certain evel( also referred to as the barrier level) on the maturity date. Example: [Pays 100 if the FTSE closes lower than X on date T] Expiry Range Bet: You believe that the market will be between two distinct levels( high and low) on the expiry date. Example: [Pays 100 if the FTSE closes higher than X on date T] Bear Bet: You would buy a bear bet if you believe the underlying security/ index/ currency pair will be lower than a certain level( also referred to as the barrier level) on the maturity date. Example: [Pays 100 if the FTSE closes between X and Y on date T] Barrier Range Bet: You believe that the market will never touch two pre- determined barrier levels( high and low) before r on the date the bet expires. Example: [Pays 100 if the FTSE never touches X and Y between today and date T] Double Touch Bet: You believe that the market will touch two pre- determined barrier levels( high and low) before or on the date the bet expires.


In other words, when you buy a barrier range you will win only if the market never touches the two barrier levels you have chosen. In other words, when you buy a barrier range you will win only if the market touches both of the two barrier levels you have chosen. Example: [Pays 100 if the FTSE touches either X or Y between today and date T] Double Up Bet: A Double Up bet pays two times the premium if the market rises above a given level between the time of purchase and the close of trading. Example: [Pays 100 if the FTSE touches both X and Y between today and date T] Up or Down Bet: You win if the market touches either of two pre- determined barriers before or on the date the bet expires. It expires at the close of business on the day of purchase of the bet. It expires at the close of business on the day of purchase of the bet. Example: [Pays 100 if the FTSE closes above X between now and the close of trading today] Double Down Bet: A Double Down Bet pays two times the premium if the market drops below a given level between the time of purchase and the close of trading.


Example: [Pays 100 if the FTSE closes below X between now and the close of trading today] Intraday Double Up Bet: Buy this bet to play a market rise between two given hourly market times today. Example: [Pays 100 if the FTSE rises between the starting time hour and the expiry hour] Intraday Double Down Bet: Buy this bet to play a market drop between two given hourly market times today. You will have the possibility to set the starting hour of the bet and the ending hour of the bet, and you will win double your stake if the market follows your prediction. You will have the possibility to set the starting hour of the bet and the ending hour of the bet, and you will win double your stake if the market follows your prediction. So you can make money in seconds. Example: [Pays 100 if the FTSE declines between the starting time hour and the expiry hour] Run Bets: These fun bets are over in the space of less than a minute.


Here, you have to guess the last decimal digit of say, the USD/ JPY( predict 3rd decimal place) after 5 ticks.

Read more...

It S Far More Likely That A Loan Might Be Needed And This Article Aims To Show You How - Finance Blog:

If you re a tenant and you re looking to buy a new car, an unsecured loan could be the perfect solution. People, don, quite wisely t keep that sort of money lying around under the mattress.

This Could Avoid Potentially Years Of Civil Action And Tearing Your Family Apart - Finance:

Are you worried about what would happen to your family in the event of your death?

The Credit Check Can Be Done There And Then Over The Telephone And A Decision To Grant The Loan Or Not Can Be Given - Finance Articles:

At some point in our lives most of us need to have some cash fast to have that once in a lifetime car deal or last minute holiday. Obviously the down side to not saving is that you will inevitably have to pay interest on any personal loan you take out and the longer you spread the term out for the more interest you will end up paying.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Home Equity Lenders Do Not Charge The Same Home Equity Loan Interest Rates

Category: Finance.

Although homeowners place a lot of emphasis on obtaining the lowest interest rate on their home equity loan, getting the lowest rate may not necessarily be the most important factor.



If seeking low monthly payments, a home equity loan with an adjustable rate may be a suitable option. If it turns out you need a loan, mortgage refinancing from your fixed mortgage rate to an adjustable mortgage rate( ARM) with an initial low interest or getting a small 2nd mortgage may help you cash out on your home equity to make the repairs without putting too much strain on your budget. This is good news for homeowners everywhere as this gives you the opportunity to unlock the valuable equity in your home, thus gaining you access to a large amount of credit at a low interest rate. Home equity lenders do not charge the same home equity loan interest rates. Home equity loan refinancing is becoming a more popular choice for todays homeowner, and lenders are aggressively seeking the attention of potential borrowers by offering ever more competitive interest rates on their marketable loans. In most states, Home Equity loan interest is tax deductible- -any interest you pay during the year can be deducted on that year s taxes.


A very good piece of advice when you have completed your home equity loan is to cut up or close the credit cards that contributed to your high debt. No matter how bad things get, it is important to remember that your home is your most valuable asset, putting it on the line with a home equity loan that you cannot afford may result in the loss of your home. A bad credit home equity loan is a kind of secured loan, which is offered to people with bad credit history where the collateral offered by the borrowers is their home. For example, if the original mortgage amount was$ 200, and the amount, 000 owed to the mortgage company is$ 130, the home has, 000 acquired$ 70, 000 in equity. Some borrowers take out equity loans thinking it can help cut their mortgage payments on the 1st loan. You are not required to use your current mortgage lender for a home equity loan.


So if you find yourself struggling with outstanding bills and monthly payments, you should consider using a home equity loan to consolidate bills. The bottom line you need to focus on is whether or not the home equity loan offers you monthly savings by consolidating your debt. You can use the equity in your home to consolidate your debts.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Through A Free Merchant Account

Category: Finance.

Once in our lives, we ve made a trip to the shrink( since our friends would be too tired to listen to us rant) or hired the services of a life coach.



However, this" i have an appointment with my shrink" has also translated itself to the ecommerce market. Some may shirk away from the idea of having somebody coach our lives, or listen to us rant about things private to us. Let s just say they ve gone bigtime and have been offering to online consumers as well. How? If you re a life coach, you can double your revenue, possibly make it more convenient for your patients to benefit from your products and services. Through a free merchant account.


Having a website alone isn t enough. Here are ways to maximize the capabilities of your free merchant account: Offer to other countries. Offering your services online to your countrymen as well as to other interested customers outside of your borders can prove rewarding financially and work- wise. A free merchant account can accept their credit card payments for your services. You get to tackle the different situations of different customers located in different parts of the world. Recurring billing. Like most life coaches, you send out different newsletters, and a host of products and services to your customers.


Ever heard of recurring billing? They can opt to pay at their convenience with recurring billing. They don t have to stop by your clinic, or miss a monthly payment. Recurring billing automatically charges your customers accounts for fees to products or services they ve subscribed to. Your free merchant account can deal with that for you. Selling your books has never been easier with a free merchant account.


Sell your ebooks online. Simply promote your books on your site and your customers can make purchases with their credit cards. Audio. No more waiting for check payments and you don t have to deal with fraudulent characters who make purchases and run. As much as life coaches are great in giving advice, sometimes the written word cannot compensate for the spoken word, hence the rise of podcasts and audio recordings. Send to their emails and receive payments by offering credit card processing on your site using a free merchant account. You can offer audio recordings of stress- relieving meditations easily.


Real time consultations over the net. Offer one on one webcam consultations over the net for your customers who aren t in your area( or if they don t feel like getting off the couch) . This one s pretty new. Charge by the minute or by the hour. Pre booking of seminars. They can simply pay via your free merchant account, and you get their payments in your bank account. You ve got a seminar in Denver, or a bootcamp in Chicago and you ve still got a couple of people from other parts of the globe clamoring for you to have seminars in their area.


However, if you have pre booking of seminars on your site, it can be easier for your team to finalize locations, and other details for your seminar. It s a big risk for you to just go there, and not have anyone fix the seminar details for you. Case in point: If you only have 3 people who have pre- booked a seminar in a certain place, you can cancel the seminar or make necessary changes to it easily. Reduced level of risk for you. By paying for the seminar fees via your free merchant account, they are already signifying their intent to attend your seminar- and whether they show up or not, you ve already been paid. Life coaches deal with different situations.


Having a website can allow you to widen your network, and help more, gain more revenue people in the process. And they deal with people in different locations.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Don' T Max Out Your Credit Cards

Category: Finance.

Over 30 million people in the U. A. have FICO credit scores low enough, that's less. than 640, to make shopping for low mortgage loan rates very difficult at. best.



The major credit reporting agencies use a slightly different system to. arrive at a credit score. A FICO credit score can range from 300 to 800, but most borrowers fall into the. 600- 800 FICO credit score range. The best known is called the FICO. credit score, developed by Fair Isaac and Company( FICO) . A high FICO credit score is your reward for paying bills on time. If you' ve had a few credit" bumps in the road" recently, and you' re asking. yourself, "How can I improve my FICO credit score" ? This is one of. the most important factors that determine your California home mortgage loan. rate. Here are 5 ways to boost. your FICO credit score: Paying your bills on time is the first step in improving your FICO. credit score.


If you don' t like writing checks, go online and automate your bill paying. Late payments can have a big negative impact on your FICO credit score. 30 days or more late on one account can lower your FICO credit score 50. points or more. Don' t max out your credit cards. Also, if you are planning to purchase a new car or other major item, wait until you get that low mortgage loan rate. The smaller balance gives you a wider. difference between your balance and your credit limit. If you are sincerely interested in improving your FICO credit score, bankruptcy MUST be avoided! Get credit counseling if you have too much debt and begin to fall behind, or can' t see a way out.


Bankruptcy is more negative than late payments. or collection accounts. Keep old paid off accounts in an open status. If you close an old account it could make you look like a" rookie" in the. credit world. If you close an account, it. won' t help your FICO credit score but it could lower your FICO credit score. A factor in obtaining credit is how long you' ve had credit. For more information on how to improve your. If your FICO credit scores are over 640, but you want to raise it, obtain a. copy of your credit report and request that the credit bureau remove any. errors.


FICO credit score please call 866 398 4664 or go to. http: //www. goldmedalmortgage. com/

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Others Relied On Open- Book Credit

Category: Finance.

It was only inevitable that Americans would invent the credit card.



The Europeans who started colonizing America in the 1600s came from countries that had put aside old prejudices about borrowing and lending, and the new attitudes toward credit were transplanted on North American soil. Americans have always been comfortable about using credit. Americans have also always needed credit: borrowing to buy land, to establish a business, to travel west in pursuit of valuable animal furs or in search of precious metals. By 1800 the United States was an independent nation, with debt being a way of life for many of its citizens. Others went into debt in order to get to America in the first place- as the colonies' indentured servants did- or stumbled into debt, and were released by royal decree to join English general James Oglethorpe in establishing the colony of Georgia. New York City pawnbrokers gave out loans against 149, 000 separate pieces of collateral in 1828- versus a population of only around 200, people bought horses, 00In rural areas, carriages, seeds, plows, clocks and household furniture on credit.


Others relied on open- book credit. Many promised to pay in full at harvest time. Open- book credit was used to purchase inexpensive necessities of life such as food and clothing. Yet very few fell into drowning debt. A shopkeeper allowed customers to take home the goods they needed, and to pay what they could afford to, paying in part but not all of their balance each month- much like many credit card owners do today. Both credit card debt and open- book credit are classified as revolving credit. These plans were limited to well- to- do customers who purchased expensive items like a piano or a carpet.


Early 19th century merchants also offered a non- revolving type of credit, the installment plan. By the turn of the century, installment buying was no longer limited to the rich, and even working class families could purchase" discretionary" goods on installment. A further refinement on installment plans came early in the 20th century with the introduction of the department store house card or the charge card. It got so that installment buying became associated with the needy. The charge card was first offered, like installment plans had originally been, to buyers of luxury goods. The house card was convenient: they didn' t have to carry large amounts of cash or undergo the identification hassle if they paid by check. Up market stores provided the house card to their prized customers, which naturally made them very happy.


The customer merely presented the house card to a clerk for recording of the sale, and received a bill once a month for thirty days' worth of purchases. The store charged nothing for the service, but gained customer loyalty. The customer settled the bill in full each month. This charge card made it easy for the store to keep track of sales, the biggest advantage, but was that the charge card increased sales per customer. Autos were necessary but expensive to buy as a single purchase. The history of credit took a big turn with a new development: growing automobile sales. Everyone needed the auto, and everyone was forced to buy cars with credit.


The other significance of automobiles on credit was that they allowed people to go long distances in a short time, to places where they were total strangers. Installment buying for automobiles gave respectability to buying on credit. And what if the car broke down? Drivers could wind up far from home, in need of costly repairs, and without enough cash to pay for them. That was common with the early autos. To solve that problem, oil companies came out with their own type of credit card. Unlike the department store charge card or house card, the oil company credit card could be used everywhere around the country.


This credit card could be used to buy oil, and mechanical service, gas. Thus, by the 1920s the essentials of the modern credit card were at hand: Oil companies showed the charge cards could be used nationwide. Americans had felt comfortable with credit for centuries. Automobile buying needs showed buying on time was respectable. It took another thirty years before the credit card as we know it was invented. The charge card or house card boosted sales and customer loyalty, the charge accounts, but without interest by themselves did not generate revenue. Three men finally accomplished this over lunch in a New York City restaurant in 194 They were convinced that there was money to be made in consumer credit, and tried to find a way to tap it.


Installment sales did produce interest, but that was meant to cover the seller's costs, and not to earn income. Suppose this third party promised the sellers many customers, those who would not have gone to them otherwise. Suppose, that a third, the three wondered party inserted itself between buyers and sellers. Suppose the same party offered affluent people with good credit records a diverse choice of establishments( not just one department store or a chain of gas stations) where they could charge what they bought, no questions asked. Wouldn' t business owners, seeing their sales increase and their profits soar, be willing to return a small percentage to the third party that helped provide them with the new customer base? Wouldn' t these well- heeled spenders be more inclined to patronize those establishments where they had credit?


Wouldn' t those small percentages add up to a small fortune? The owner replied, "Seven percent. " And, Diners Club was in business. They sounded out the restaurant owner, asking how much credit card business that went his way would be worth. The early Diners Club credit card looked like miniature books. Inside were the names of establishments that had agreed to accept the credit card. The owner's name was on the front of the credit card booklet. Owners didn' t pay any interest or annual fees, but they paid off their entire credit card bill every month.


Four years later, the familiar plastic credit card replaced the original paper credit card. By 1951, Diners Club had gone international and shown its first credit card related profit. In 1950, Diners Club had begun charging an annual$ 3 fee and had a selection of 300 businesses for over 35, 000 credit card holders. The founders' dream of a universal credit card, used for various purchases all over the world, was being realized. By the mid- 1960s, hotels, restaurants, airlines, retail shops and the like were happy to accept the Diners Club credit card. Diners Club had its imitators. All three were known as travel and entertainment credit cards, distinguishing them from another type of credit card, the bankcard.


In 1958, American Express issued its own credit card and the Hilton Hotel chain introduced Carte Blanch. Seeing Diners Club's success, banks entered the credit card market during the early 1950s, and by 1955 over one hundred US banks offered credit cards to their customers. In 1958, the largest US credit card operation belonged to Bank of America, but its BankAmericard could be used only in California. They were slowly making money, but they had no national credit card distribution because the law restricted interstate banking. To expand the newly fledged credit card's geographical usefulness, Bank of America pioneered the national interchange that would enable all banks all over the country to offer BankAmericard. This move solved the credit card distribution problem.


This credit card association later metamorphosed into Visa. It also prompted large banks in the east to form a rival national credit card network, Interbank Card Association which became Master Charge, MasterCard, and later. The credit card industry had come of age. Despite initial resistance from department stores, and other house card and charge card issuers, the two credit card associations eventually signed them up in the 1980s. Today, it is a rare business that does not display the Visa and MasterCard logos, along with those of the other credit card companies.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Debit Cards Defined

If you are new to credit cards and banking, you may have heard of debit cards but be unsure of their exact features.



Here is some useful on debit cards and how to use them to your advantage. Debit cards are a viable alternative to credit cards, or can work in conjunction with credit cards to give you a variety of payment options. Debit cards defined. This means that you can pay by card or draw money out of an ATM. A debit card is a plastic card that looks like a credit card, and it allows you to withdraw funds on deposit in your account. The debit card payment withdraws funds that are already in your account, effectively paying for things with cash you already have. Although debit cards look like credit cards, they are quite different.


How do they differ from credit cards? The funds you spend on a credit card are loaned to you by your card issuer, and when you make a purchase you are basically borrowing money or' credit' . There is no credit facility on a debit card, so you cannot spend more than the money you already have. However, with debit cards you are simply making a card purchase using the available funds in your bank account. Advantages of a debit card. You have the convenience and safety of a credit card without having to borrow money. The advantage of a debit card is that you can spend your own money without having to withdraw it.


It also stops you from overspending and getting into debt because you are only spending what you earn. Drawbacks of a debit card. You can also get cash from merchants when you make a purchase, just like using an ATM. The advantages of a debit card are also its drawbacks. This gives you less financial flexibility and means you have to save up to buy large items. You are only spending your own money, so you cannot buy large items on credit like you would with a credit card. Also, the security features of a debit card are not as good as credit cards, so you can lose money if anything goes wrong, especially when making purchases online.


You can get debit cards from most banks and financial institutions. Where can I get debit cards? Most current accounts are issued with a debit card automatically, which allows you to spend the money from your account on a card. Should I have a debit card? If you don' t have one on your current account, then ask your bank for details. A debit card can be a very useful financial tool, as it means you don' t have to carry cash around all the time.


However, because you cannot spend more than you have you are limited in what you can buy, and so using a debit card in conjunction with a credit card is probably the most sensible option. Also, debit cards stop you from spending too much money that you don' t have.