Tuesday, 29 January 2013

Is Apple Finally Going To Announce The Apple TV In 2013?

Is Apple Got Somthing To New Announce In 2013?



Topic Covers: Investing Basics, Investing News

Maybe, maybe not. That seems to be how Apple (Nasdaq:AAPL) operates, although some of that is changing. Apple is finding it increasingly difficult to keep a secret these days. With everybody from the smallest tech blogger to the largest media outlets fighting to get the first glimpse of a new Apple product, "anonymous" overseas informants in Apple's supply chain have leaked everything from pictures of pieces and parts of Apple products to the newest patents filed by Apple. The new Apple TV, called the iTV by some, should not be confused with the Apple TV that is already on the market. Now in its second generation, the current version of Apple TV connects to your TV and allows you to download movies, stream music and use your TV as a monitor for your MacBook among other features. Although the second generation sold 2.7 million units in the first five months of 2012, by Apple standards, that is not wildly impressive.

If we assume that the iTV does (or will) exist, it may use many of the features that come with the current Apple TV, but insiders are hoping that the iTV is actually a TV. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Apple is working with Sharp (OTC:SHCAY) and Hon Hai Precision (better known as Foxconn) to produce a prototype, flat-screen HD TV, but it is unclear how far along Apple is in the process. Some analysts believe that the Apple TV would likely hit shelves in 2014 or 2015, while others point out that rumors of an actual TV set have been swirling since 2009, making all of the buzz and industry noise largely that: noise.

 

The Problem with a TV


Some say that it is hard to believe that Apple would simply build a TV with an Apple logo and some nice-looking Apple icons on it. That is not Apple's style, according to a Forbes article. Apple wants to disrupt the market with everything it does. Think of the iPod, iPhone and iPad. These products were new and innovative, and along with these products came deals with the music and cellular industry that would make it advantageous to Apple not only to sell the product, but profit off the industry.
In order to do that with a TV, Apple will have to strike lucrative deals with cable and satellite providers, content creators and others in the TV business. If history is any guide, coming to any kind of "disruptive" deal like it did with the music and cellular industry will be quite the tall order. Consumers who have read the scrolling messages on their TVs about content negotiations know that TV execs do not play well with each other or with others.

Not everybody agrees. PC Magazine suggests that all Apple has to do is make a better TV. Maybe something lighter and more easily hung on a wall even if the TV is large. To the list of improvements, the magazine adds OLEDs for a sharper picture and a way to receive signals wirelessly, cutting down on the need for the mass of cables that now sits behind most TVs.

What About a Set Top Box?


CNN recently reported that Steve Jobs believed that producing an actual TV was a low-margin, slow-turnover business and isn't exactly what Apple is looking for out of its next big item. CNN also reminds us that many of Apple's best products are innovations of earlier products. The iPad came from the iPod Touch and the iPod Touch evolved from the iPhone, for example. Maybe the Apple TV that everybody is waiting for is already sitting next to millions of viewers' TVs. Maybe it will be a large-scale improvement on the current Apple TV. Like most things Apple, however, it is only a rumor.

 

The Bottom Line


Long before announcement of the iPhone 5 and iPad Mini, consumers knew a lot about the products due to leaks in Apple's massive international supply chain. It is for this reason that many now believe the Apple TV is not close to being complete. If it were in production, we would likely know about it.

5 Tips For Diversifying Your Portfolio

 Diversifying Your Portfolio


Topic Covers:  Bonds, Financial Theory, Index Funds, Investing Basics, Portfolio Diversification, Portfolio Management, Risk Management, Stock Analysis, Stocks

For establishing a strategy that tempers potential losses in a bear market, the investment community preaches the same thing that the real estate market preaches for buying a house: "location, location, location."

Diversification is a battle cry for many financial planners, fund managers, and individual investors alike. When the market is booming, it seems almost impossible to sell a stock for any less than the price at which you bought it. When the indexes are on their way up, it may seem foolish to be in anything but equities. But because we can never be sure of what the market will do at any moment, we cannot forget the importance of a well-diversified portfolio (in any market condition).

Looking Back: A Lesson in the Importance of Diversification


With the luxury of hindsight, we can sit back and critique the gyrations and reactions of the markets as they began to stumble after the '90s, and again in 2007. Diversification is not a new concept. We should remember that investing is an art form, not a knee-jerk reaction, so the time to practice disciplined investing with a diversified portfolio is before diversification becomes a necessity. By the time an average investor "reacts" to the market, 80% of the damage is done. Here, more than most places, a good offense is your best defense and in general, a well-diversified portfolio combined with an investment horizon of three to five years can weather most storms. Here are some diversification tips:

1. Spread the Wealth


Equities are wonderful, but don't put all of your investment in one stock or one sector. Create your own virtual mutual fund by investing in a handful of companies you know, trust, and perhaps even use in your day-to-day life. People will argue that investing in what you know will leave the average investor too heavily retail-oriented, but knowing a company or using its goods and services can be a healthy and wholesome approach to this sector.

 

2. Consider Index or Bond Funds

Consider adding index funds or fixed-income funds to the mix. Investing in securities that track various indexes make a wonderful long-term diversification investment for your portfolio. By adding some fixed-income solutions, you are further hedging your portfolio against market volatility and uncertainty.
SEE: Why It Pays To Be A Lazy Investor

 

3. Keep Building

Add to your investments on a regular basis. Lump-sum investing may be a sucker's bet. If you have $10,000 to invest, use dollar-cost averaging. This approach is used to smooth out the peaks and valleys created by market volatility: you invest money on a regular basis into a specified portfolio of stocks or funds.

 

4. Know When to Get Out

Buying and holding and dollar-cost averaging are sound strategies, but just because you have your investments on autopilot does not mean you should ignore the forces at work. Stay current with your investment and remain in tune with overall market conditions. Know what is happening to the companies you invest in.

 

5. Keep a Watchful Eye on Commissions

If you are not the trading type, understand what you are getting for the fees you are paying. Some firms charge a monthly fee, while others charge transactional fees. Be cognizant of what you are paying and what you are getting for it. Remember, the cheapest choice is not always the best.

 

The Bottom Line

Investing can (and should) be fun. It can be educational, informative and rewarding. By taking a disciplined approach and using diversification, buy-and-hold and dollar-cost-averaging strategies, you may find investing rewarding - even in the worst of times.

Monday, 28 January 2013

Important Forex News & Tape Bombs

Important Forex News & Tape Bombs


As the market began to crash in 2008 everything began to change. Through 2006-2008 we had some of the best most consistent price action in the forex market in and around financial news. Not only did the brokers have no idea how to stop spike trading auto click software, but the overall reaction to market news was very consistent. More often than not it would spike, retrace 6.18% of the move which would give a great chance for an entry, and then continue off in the original direction of the spike. Trading forex news was extremely straight forward and quite frankly many made a small fortune. During this time I was using the original piece of spike trading software. Brokers were completely caught off guard and really had no way to stop it. To fight back they began much more aggressively using the dirty tricks you see as common place today today. Until that time massive spreads, re quotes, and huge slippage was more of a rarity than a market standard. Now a days however those things are the market standard, with honest forex brokers being the rarity. We have moved from a much more “simpler” trading environment to a dynamic one that is always changing to say the least. How can you stay on top of forex news important to you?

First of all not all financial news is important, and just because ForexFactory labels it a “high impact” news release doesn’t mean it will necessarily move the marketplace. Times are changing and the impact financial news has on markets will change even faster. What’s important today will not necessarily be important 6 months from now. How can you keep an eye on a market changing so fast? One way is to keep up to date on the response you should expect with each release. As we mentioned an important piece of financial news will not necessarily move the market, and therefore it is critical we understand how a specific piece of news will move the market, and what type of deviation does it take from the expected number to do it. We can do this by using tools such as ForexPeaceArmy News Calendar which is able to show you actual charts of all past releases. This is critical information as you can see how the market responds to the news.

Additionally the current days forex news is covered in the daily market commentary. What is nice about the commentary is how all the information is already boiled down for you. Hours of research go into each daily market review saving our 12,000+ monthly readers massive amounts of time they can spend elsewhere. Remember the second part of this sections heading….”tape bombs”. What is a tape bomb? A tape bomb is an unexpected major news release that was not scheduled. Often comments from influential financial leaders, or comments from a central bank can makes massive spikes in the market leaving traders more often than not frustrated. You will never be able to avoid every unexpected news release. With that being said you can however take certain steps to be as prepared each trading day as possible. How so?

Knowing what is happening in the financial world can keep you abreast of the potential for a tape bomb. More often than not meetings between financial heads cannot be found on news calendars. Not knowing when these meetings are to take place can be devastating as you are left not knowing the cause of the massive market move or major volatility increase. Because of this I always start my trading day by first reading through Chad’s commentary, and as a general rule of thumb the most important information I need to know is covered saving me a huge amount of time daily.

Happy Trading,

Picking Your Entry Points

Picking Your Entry Points
 


As a day trader in the forex market your success or failure relies not only on understanding the most likely direction in the market (trend), but it also relies on precise trade entries. Without precision day trading forex profitably becomes nearly impossible. As a short term trader our advantage comes from our ability to place tight stop losses. Without a tight stop you lose your ability to achieve high risk/reward ratios which is key to day trading successfully. Although precise entries are more often related to short term trading strategies, all trading styles (swing traders & position traders alike) can benefit from selecting better entries points. How then can we select better entry points?

Because banks move such massive positions they struggle for liquidity. This struggle for liquidity makes them predictable which is a massive advantage for us….but only if we know how to use it.  To understand this we must first understand how any transaction in all markets actually takes place. If for example you are looking to buy the EUR/USD you must find someone willing to sell an equal amount of EUR/USD. You cannot buy what someone is not willing to sell, and you cannot sell what someone is not willing to buy. Because banks move such large positions they have to create a massive supply to satisfy their demand. Often this is done through what is know as a “false push” or a stop run reversal. Essentially by pushing the market in the opposite direction they can either sell into artificially created buying pressure, or buy into artificially created selling pressure. This is why so many traders feel like they get into the market at exactly the wrong time. This is neither a coincidence nor does it happen by accident, rather it is a well executed plan banks repeat over and over on a daily basis.

Why is that information important in regards to selecting better entry points? It is really quite simple. If you understand where there will be a massing of orders you will have a good indication of where the banks are likely to drive the market, in an effort to accumulate those orders before reversing the price. The beauty is retail forex traders are predictable, and most place not only their stop orders but entry orders as well in very predictable spots. A few of these key price points are covered in the daily market commentary, with the complete list and further detail outlined in the video daily market review. However the entry is not taken blindly as price reaches these levels. It is critical that we see the market break through and then reverse back below or above that price point such as you would see in a stop run reversal setup. Our daily market analysis will point out multiple manipulation points with a high probability of seeing a positive response. Once you spot the manipulation around these key price points covered in the daily commentary it will allow you to take more precise entries, therefore enabling you to maintain a much better Risk/Reward ratio.

Understand Forex Market Daily Trends

Understand Forex Market Daily Trends
 


The basic starting point for anyone’s day regardless of your trading strategy or system is overall market direction. Understand market direction is essential in order to avoid figuratively ”swimming upstream”. It is unfortunate but determining market trend is not always the easiest task as you more than likely well know. Why? The classic definition of an uptrend for example is higher highs and higher lows and the opposite for a down trend. Many try to use this in their trading but always seem to sell near the bottom of any down trend, and buy near the top of any clear uptrend. This is not uncommon, as the classic definition of a trend often means you will identify a nice move near its ending point rather than near its beginning. This can be extremely frustrating as well as discouraging to struggling forex traders. With over 10 years of market experience and a proper understand of how the banks tend to move the forex market, Chad has a nose for market trends.

Everyday the expected direction of both the EUR/USD and the GBP/USD is discussed in the daily market commentary. For many beginners to the forex market this can be a great starting point to begin your trading day. If you as a retail trader get the direction right, you have essentially won half the battle! For those already experienced, it can be a great second opinion you can use to cross check with on a daily basis. It is important to remember that the banks rule the forex market. 10 banks control well over 70% of the daily volume, and therefore they dictate intra-day trend. If you can identify the next direction of the mega banks, you can identify the next direction of the market with a high degree of certainty. This tracking of the banks is at the core of our daily market analysis, and thus why it is so powerful when it comes to giving us probable market trend. How else can you benefit for this daily commentary?

Trading Forex Trend Reversals – End Of Day Forex System

Trading Forex Trend Reversals – End Of Day Forex System


Knowing when a trend is going to end can be a very powerful and profitable piece of knowledge. For those with even a limited knowledge of the trading strategies that we teach you probably notice how consistently Smart Money (banks) tend to cycle the market is pushes of three over the span of 3-4 days. Understand just this small piece of information can keep you from placing a trade when the market has a higher probability of reversing. But what else can we use to more effectively predict when the weekly trend is going to reverse? This forex training article is going to be extremely valuable. In it we are going to completely cover a forex trading strategy that can stand alone, or you can use it along side any trading system you are already using. The strategy is what I call the Weekly Trend Exhaustion Reversal. Learning how to spot reversal is critical for many reasons. One key reason we all need to know how to spot reversals is to avoid fighting shifts in the trend that wipe out other traders. Second these reversals often get us in near the beginning of the three to four day trend thus allowing us to take high risk/reward trade setups.



Criteria For The Trend Exhaustion Reversal Setup



Before we discuss the criteria for this specific reversal trade setup we need to lay the foundation. For those familiar with our forex bank trading strategies much of this information will be familiar. If you are new however, you may want to read other training article and videos on the site covering how to determine market trend. So then what criteria do we generally look for before considering market reversal?

1.) Do we have 3 clear cycles?

2.) Are those cycles moving at least the Average Daily Range (ADR), and preferably 90 pips or more each?

3.) Have these 3 cycles occurred over the course of 3 or 4 days?

4.) Was the overall move (From the start of the first cycle to the end of the third) at least 150 pips?



Once this criteria has been satisfied the foundation for an “exhausted” market becomes established, and the possibility of a reversal begins to rise. Its important to remember that in trading we must be adaptable. There will be slight variations from the four points listed above and using some common sense goes a long way in those circumstances. Let’s say for example that we see only 2 cycles but they are much larger than average both moving 160+ pips each, and it occurred over 3 days. We have to remember that some level of human intervention in trading is always necessary. It is important to remember why those rules are in place. They are in place to give us a set of guidelines as to how the market tends to trend on a weekly basis. Since all trends in the forex market are not the same it is more important to understand the principle behind the rules rather than a strict adherence to the rules no matter what. In general the most important part of the above rules are numbers 3 & 4. These two rules alone tend to more often than not make an adequate foundation to move forward from when determining possible forex trend reversals.


Identifying Market Exhaustion


We have to this point laid the foundation of when we should begin looking to trade a forex trend reversal. When though is the trade taken and what exactly are we looking for to signal a trade entry. One thing I always say to members is “we need to see manipulation at a high probability point” before taking a trade. In the example of a exhaustion setup I do as well prefer to see a high probability point (Major previous S/R level, 200EMA, Daily Pivot, ADR, 61.8% Fib, Cross Pair Confluence, Ect) being broken and then rejected away from. Unlike any other setup I take however, I will take these reversal trades without a high probability area….let me explain why.



To explain why we do not have to have a high probability level during an exhaustion reversal setup we first must understand what the setup itself is, and what it looks like. Lets assume we have the “foundation” already set in place as we discussed earlier. In order to be an exhaustion candle I want to see a 1 hour candle that is at least double the 21 period Average True Range to begin. There are times where the candle following the exhaustion candle will move up slightly, but in general to have a valid setup I want to see the market retrace the entire exhaustion candle before the following days Asian session ends at 2:00 AM Eastern. In the picture above the arrow second from the right marks the grey Asian box. The end of that box marks the end of the Asian session. Above is a perfect setup, and a great recent occurrence of this trend reversal strategy. The exhaustion candle is well over twice the 21 period ATR. Immediately after it closed the market begins to retrace, and easily retraces the entire candle.

In the example above you can see I labeled a previous major daily high. As you can see the exhaustion candle breaks through that high, takes the stops, and then quickly gets rejected back down away from that level. Preferably there will be a major resistance or support level where the stop run can take place, but as I mentioned earlier that is not essential in this trade setup. Now that we have a basic understanding of what an exhaustion candle looks like lets explain why seeing that manipulation is not necessary in the trading strategy. This question is answered once we understand what is happening during this move and what the purpose of it is.

 

Why Does The Market Frequently Create Exhaustion Type Trend Reversals




In an earlier article series entitled learn to trade forex with smart money we broke down the very basic foundation of how the banks MUST trade. They first begin accumulating positions over the course of hours. Next they create manipulation in the form of a false push or stop run reversal. After this they then quickly snap the price back and start the trend in their direction, and the rest of the market begins to pile on after fueling the trade all the more. Therefore when they complete their weekly trend and the profit targets have been achieved they now have to exit this large position. Remember how it took them hours, and a manipulation move to enter their position? Wouldn’t it take the same to exit that position? Of course it would! How does moving the price up help allow them to exit their long position? If you are long how do you close out that position? Anyone in a long position must eventually sell that position back, and therefore they must have buyers to sell their position to. By allowing the price to move up it creates more buyers as it looks like the market is going to just make another push up in the already established up trend. This however is the trap!

These manipulation moves are often created near the beginning of a major session opening. Generally from 2-5 AM Eastern or during the NY Session from 8-11 AM Eastern. Why is this done? In order to drive the market up they use what is referred to as general order flow. Remember banks primary job is to exchange money for global commerce to take place. During the overnight sessions massive amounts of general order flow (money that needs to be exchanged for general world wide commerce to take place) stack up and needs to be processed. On days where they look to create the trend reversal and in the example above exit their long position they simple begin aggressively pouring all the buy orders (client general order flow) into the market creating a rapid spike up. When this happens the rest of the market begins to pile on to the aggressive buying thinking they are missing the boat. Guess who is more than happy to sell to all those buyers?:) You guessed it the banks! The trap has been set, and the traders took the bait. They have done it in the past, they do it now, and traders will continue to take the bait in the future.

Now that you know what happens during these exhaustion reversal setups you now know why it is not critical that a high probability manipulation point is broken. Banks break through high probability levels to take out stops and accumulate or exit positions. In these day trading setups however the move itself creates enough liquidity for them to exit their position therefore breaking through a high probability level is not essential.

How To Ride The Wave The Banks Create


Its important to not be greedy. We could try to figure out a way to catch the exhaustion move itself but in general its much easier to take the trade the following day. Not only does taking the trade the following day give us time to really be sure were not forcing a trade, but it also gives the market time to provide even more confirmation of direction. How then is the entry taken the following day. In the chart below the grey box to the left is the same Asian session box you see in the charts above. The taller/skinnier box is the 8-11 AM Eastern NY session time block.




In the chart above this is the 15 minute chart the day after the 1H exhaustion candle setup the day before. The trade is taken when we see a proper stop run or stop run topping formation above the Asian highs. If you are unfamiliar with the criteria needed for these two entries you can check out the forex training video on timing your entires. Within this trade setup we see a massive amount of confirmation. Not only did the initial exhaustion trend reversal itself show you the change in market direction, but the following day smart money creates the stop run or false push which validates the day trading setup and entry even more.

At best you should expect to see this once a week per pair. It you to trade forex and work a full time job, and do so with a sound and logical trading strategy. For those who cannot be around the following day to place entries manually, pending orders can be used above the highest probability manipulation points. This allows you to look at the market once a day after coming home from work. Like anything else it will take practice. Forex is anything and everything BUT a get rich quick scheme. It takes a logical and sound forex trading strategy to trade forex profitably. If you would like to learn how to trade the Trend Exhaustion Reversal setup you can check out our advanced forex bank trading course. Additionally in our members daily market review we list the highest probability manipulation points each and everyday. If you are struggling with doing so yourself you might find our daily market reviews useful. Next week I will more than likely be doing a training video on this strategy so make sure to look out for that. I hope you all find this trading strategy useful and I wish you all the best…Happy Trading!

7 Easy To Understand ETFs To Replace A Savings Account

Understand ETFs To Replace A Savings Account

Topic Covers:   ETFs, Personal Savings

If you have a savings account or certificate of deposit (CD), you're probably not making much more than 1% each year from interest. That's better than spending the money, but in order for it to truly to grow in value, it has to perform better than the rate of inflation. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the 2012 average inflation rate was 2.1%. Most financial planners use 3.0% as the historical average.
Investing in exchange traded funds (ETFs) is the hottest trend since the mutual fund. There are 1,445 U.S.-listed exchange traded products with a total trading volume of $1.2 trillion monthly. A 2011 Charles Schwab study found that 44% of investors planned to expand the use of ETFs in their portfolios.

Within these 1,400-plus product offerings, there are many easy-to-understand ETFs that have the potential to outperform inflation. To yield better results, you have to take on more risk, but some ETFs offer much lower risk than individual stocks. For investors with a longer-term time horizon, these ETFs can build long-term savings better than a savings account or CD.

Index ETFs

Index ETFs follow a large market index. Investors use these funds as core holdings along with bond ETFs, which are explained later in this article. When developing an investment portfolio, it is important to take a balanced approach. Some financial planners recommend that the younger you are, the more weight stock market index ETFs should have in your portfolio.

 

Here are three index ETFs to take a closer look at:


SPDR S&P 500
The SPDR S&P 500 (NYSE: SPY) is an index fund that mirrors the performance of the S&P 500. It is the largest ETF in the world, as well as the oldest. The fund's fees are only 0.09% - far below the category average of 0.35%. Over the last five years, this fund has quadrupled the performance of most savings accounts each year: SPY yields 2.1%.

 

iShares Russell 2000 Value Index

If you want to capture the performance of smaller companies, you need the iShares Russell 2000 Value Index ETF (NYSE: IWM). With an expense ratio of 0.2%, its cost is still below the industry average, and this fund is a favorite among small cap investors. IWM yields 2%.

Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF

If you want the broadest representation of the U.S. stock market, consider the Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (NYSE: VTI). The fund follows an index that invests in a sample of stocks from the New York Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ. Like any Vanguard product, it is inexpensive, with an expense ratio of just 0.05%. VTI yields 2.1%.

 

Bond ETFs

Bond ETFs allow you to invest in the safety of bonds without the risk of holding one or two individual bonds. These funds invest in hundreds or thousands of bonds at the same time, making your money relatively safe. Don't expect to see big price gains in these ETFs. It's the dividend yield that should interest you. The older you are, the more your investment dollars should be in bonds.

 

Here are two bond ETFs to consider:


iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (NYSE: HYG)
This fund gives investors exposure to the higher-yielding corporate bonds on the market. It has a yield of more than 5% and an expense ratio of 0.5%.
iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF

Higher yields come with higher risk. To capture the returns of higher-rated bonds, look at the iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corp Bond Fund (NYSE: LQD). This ETF not only gives you the safety of investing in a large basket of bonds, but all are highly rated with little chance of default. The expense ratio is only 0.15%, and the yield is 3.1%.

Sector ETFs

Sector ETFs are riskier than the index ETFs discussed previously. Investors use these securities to add more weight in an area of the economy that they believe may outperform the rest of the economy in coming years.

You expose your portfolio to much higher risk with sector ETFs, so you should use them sparingly, but investing 5% to 10% of your total portfolio assets may be appropriate. If you want to be highly conservative, don't use these at all.
If you are interested, consider these two:

Financial Select Sector SPDR


With an average trading volume of 51.5 million shares, the Financial Select Sector SPDR (NYSE: XLF) is the most popular sector ETF. The fund invests in a basket of stocks that represent the financial sector.

The largest holdings in the fund are Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) and JP Morgan Chase (NYSE: JPM). Expenses are a respectable 0.18%. The fund yields 1.7%.
STRONG>PowerShares QQQ Trust Series 1

Although not technically a sector ETF, the PowerShares QQQ (NASDAQ: QQQ) is the ETF of choice for investors who want to capture the performance of the technology sector. Of the fund's assets, 63%, including all of the top 10 holdings, are invested in technology stocks. The fund has an expense ratio of 0.2%. This fund has no yield.

The Bottom Line


Keeping money in a savings account might feel safe, but its value is eroding due to inflation. That might change in future years as interest rates rise, but for now, a relatively safe way to put your money to work is through ETFs.
Use this article as a guide to start learning more. Take a look at each fund's website and learn all you can about each security you are interested in adding to your portfolio. You should be able to talk to your friends or family about the details of the fund before investing real money. If you can't do that, you're not ready to invest.