Share market upbeat on foreign investment

The KSE-100 index surged by 461.46 points, or 5.4 percent, during the week ended on September 5, 2009 and closed at nine-month high at 9,002.68 points on the back of foreign investors´ interest. A net inflow of $86.4 million of foreign portfol

BSE Sensex Ends Up 0.7%

Positive closes in most regional markets and fund buying in some blue chips sent Indian shares higher for a third straight session Tuesday.

The Bombay Stock Exchange's 30-stock Sensitive Index ended 0.7% at 16,123.67. It traded between 16,030.56 and 16,232.16 during the session.

The index last closed above this level May 30, 2008, when it ended at 16,415.57. The Sensex, which declined 1.5% in the previous week, has gained nearly 67% in 2009, aided by sustained buying by overseas funds.

Foreign funds have bought $8.34 billion worth of shares in calendar year 2009 until Monday. They sold $11.97 billion worth of shares in 2008.

"The markets are probably picking up on those stocks which have been neglected so far in the recent rally," said Deven Choksey, managing director of K.R. Choksey Securities.

On the National Stock Exchange, the 50-stock S&P CNX Nifty closed up 0.5% to 4,805.25.

The Nifty has breached the key 4,730 resistance level, which is fueling the momentum in the market, said Alex Mathew, head of research at Geojit Financial Services.

Reports of revival of the monsoon in some parts of the country also drove optimism, he added.

Total traded volume on the Bombay Stock Exchange was 71.76 billion rupees ($1.47 billion), up from 60.82 billion rupees Monday. However, losers outnumbered gainers 1,462 to 1,360, while 67 stocks were unchanged.

The Sensex is expected to trade in a 15,500-16,350 range in the near term, local brokerage Khandwala Securities said.

Gains were led by Reliance Industries. India's most valued company closed up 3.7% at 2,075.15 rupees, its highest level since Aug. 5. The company has underperformed the Sensex by about 5% over the past month amid the ongoing gas pricing dispute with Reliance Natural Resources.

State Bank of India, the country's largest lender by assets, rose 4.4% to 1,894.15 rupees after Chairman O.P. Bhatt said earnings for the quarter ended Sep. 30 are expected to grow 30%-35%. Mr. Bhatt's comment that the bank had no mark-to-market losses in its treasury operations as of now in this quarter helped sentiments.

Metal stocks continued to witness buying and ended higher for a third straight session on hopes the recent uptick in global base metal prices could help improve sales.

"The international outlook for metals is very bullish and that is driving basic and nonferrous metal stocks in India," Geojit's Mathew said.

Copper producer Sterlite Industries closed up 4.8% at 740.30 rupees, Tata Steel rose 3.2% to 456.15 rupees and aluminum maker Hindalco Industries ended up 6.1% at 114.85 rupees.

However, consumer goods maker Hindustan Unilever fell 2.7% to 266.70 rupees amid concerns weak monsoon rains this year could hurt demand for its products in rural India.

Reliance Communications finished 2.3% lower on profit-taking. The stock had jumped about 20% in the previous five sessions.

Dollar near US70c as CSL boosts Australian sharemarket

THE Australian dollar inched towards US70 cents this afternoon and shares rose as bargain hunters swooped on healthcare stocks. The was trading at US69.91 cents from yesterday’s close of...

Financial Insights Releases Global Stock Exchange Update; New York Stock Exchange is Now the...

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. -- Leading independent research and advisory firm, Financial Insights, an IDC company, today announced the release of a new report that examines the history and the consolidation trends among global stock exchanges. The study, Shall We Dance?: Global Stock Exchange Update, looks at the consolidation drivers and the relation to current market environments. The report reviews the rationale and challenges of further consolidation among the leading global stock exchanges.

The report discusses the recent failures of Deutsche Borse, Euronext, Maquarie Bank, and Nasdaq to achieve a merger with the London Stock Exchange (LSE). Financial Insights believes that New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is now well positioned to accomplish what others have not, even in the face of further challenges from Nasdaq. Financial limitations of the players, regulatory issues, and cultural biases will each play a role in how this dance unfolds.

"Consolidation in the United States and Europe will continue to be a fact of life over the next 5-10 years. As the largest exchanges become even larger through mergers, look for the smaller national and regional exchanges to find ways to remain relevant. This will occur either by partnering/merging with the larger exchanges or by trying to develop technology that will give them an edge in wrestling away small pieces of the pie," said Randy Grossman, research manager, Capital Markets at Financial Insights.

The research further analyzes the potential for consolidation of national exchanges in Asia. Financial Insights predicts very limited consolidation, however partnerships and strategic alliances will continue. In addition, the Tokyo Stock Exchange will be investing heavily in its infrastructure to prevent a recurrence of its recent technology meltdowns

A stock exchange

A stock exchange, securities exchange or (in Europe) bourse is a corporation or mutual organization which provides "trading" facilities for stock brokers and traders, to trade stocks and other securities. Stock exchanges also provide facilities for the issue and redemption of securities as well as other financial instruments and capital events including the payment of income and dividends. The securities traded on a stock exchange include: shares issued by companies, unit trusts and other pooled investment products and bonds. To be able to trade a security on a certain stock exchange, it has to be listed there. Usually there is a central location at least for recordkeeping, but trade is less and less linked to such a physical place, as modern markets are electronic networks, which gives them advantages of speed and cost of transactions. Trade on an exchange is by members only. The initial offering of stocks and bonds to investors is by definition done in the primary market and subsequent trading is done in the secondary market. A stock exchange is often the most important component of a stock market. Supply and demand in stock markets is driven by various factors which, as in all free markets, affect the price of stocks

ollar Pares Losses vs Euro on Geithner Clarification

The U.S. dollar slid against the euro Wednesday after U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner expressed openness to expanded use of an IMF currency basket even as he said the greenback would remain...

Wall Street heads for lower open

MADLEN READ The Associated Press NEW YORK - Investors are preparing to sell off again, concerned that the Federal Reserve's plan to inject more money into the economy will lead to some damaging... (photo: AP / Richard Drew

Active Directory Exchange Reports

Microsoft Exchange server is one of the sensitive areas where all the changes, attributes and user properties deserve a scrutinised monitoring to prevent from worse effects on the information exchange and the email communication process. You can’t let attribute and properties changes impact its availability, message security and compliance. So a proactive monitoring of all the exchange attributes and users is recommended and that's what 'Exchange Reports' in ADManager Plus does.

The Active Directory Exchange Reports provides a quick insight into exchange attributes of the users and members of the distribution and non-distribution lists. This helps the administrators to validate the members and update members to or from the distribution list; view the proxy addresses, email addresses, mailbox store, recipient settings, POP3 etc.

Independent Value brands help to drive Sainsbury's sales growth

J Sainsbury trumpeted its growing momentum yesterday by posting its best underlying sales growth for at least five years, driven by booming sales of its own-label value lines and grabbing market share... (photo: GFDL Photo )

Wall St slides as investors study gov't plan

NEW YORK — US stocks slid on Tuesday as investors paused to reassess the likely success of the government's latest plans to clean up bank balance sheets and revive the financial system, a day after... (photo: AP / Richard Drew)
Bank Financial Photos Stock Wall Street

Pakistan's Stock Exchange Needs Life Support

Here’s a quick quiz: Which Asian stock market has declined the least in the past two months? The answer is the Karachi Stock Exchange , which thanks to a “circuit breaker” that put a price floor on all shares on August 28, the index hasn’t moved since then. Since then, trading has all but halted. On Monday October 27, less than 250,000 shares traded hands.

When I spoke to Karachi Stock Exchange CEO and managing director Adnan Afridi about 10 days ago, the plan was to remove the floor and allow normal trading to resume by now. But the October 27 deadline has passed and things have been pushed back until the end of the month, ostensibly to give the government enough time to tee up a stock market stabilization package. worth about $600 million. That’s right, just $600 million, not billion. That may sound like chump change compared to the mammoth bailouts U.S. and European governments are coughing up, but Afridi says the package should do the trick. About 40% will be used to invest in seven state-owned companies [call it reverse privatization] and 60% will go to financing a put option available to foreign investors who can buy it to minimize further losses when the market goes south.

What I can’t figure out is how they are going to price this put option. Considering the stock market has been in paralysis for two months while other bourses have plunged, the KSE has at least 30% to fall just to catch up with the rest of the pack. The KSE is only down less than 35% so far this year. But the longer the authorities delay the lifting of the price floor, the further things will fall once normal trading does resume. And then there’s an additional downside for the country risk—both because of its highly unstable security situation, and the fact that Pakistan may be just days away from seeking an IMF bailout.

Trading Cycle in Kuwait Stock Exchange:

1 - Open an account at the Kuwait Clearing Company (KCC).
2 - A Copy of the civil identification, the name of the bank the client deals with (3 K.D for individuals, 5 K.D for corporate).
3 - Choose one of the registered Brokerage Firms in KSE.
4 - When issuing a selling order, share certificates should be presented the following day after the transaction.
5 - When issuing a buying order, payment should be submitted to the broker the following day before 11:00 am if the client’s balance with KCC is insufficient.
6 - Commission is calculated 1.250 K.D for each one Thousand K.D, commission is calculated 1 K.D for each one Thousand K.D for transaction of Fifty Thousand K.D and above.
7 - A cheque will be issued by KCC in favor of the client every Sunday and Wednesday.
8 - KSE account is accredited 500 fils for each executed transaction.
9 - Share prices can fluctuate 5 pricing units daily according to its category.

WTO stimulates stocke exchange of Vietnam

Two weeks ago the socialist republic of Vietnam reached an agreement with the US with the aim to join the world trade organisation WTO. Unlike the neighbouring country Cambodia, which joined the WTO some time ago, the dynamic of Vietnam's economic development makes it one the tiger states in the East-Asian region with growth rates only comparable to China. Vietnam's econonmy is growing at a medium rate of 7 percent and even saw a growth rate of 8.4 percent in 2005.

The stock exchange of Ho Ch Minh City (HSTC) reacted positively to the WTO announcement. The VN index which comprises the 36 listed companies has already been touching the 600 points mark. At the end of last year it had only shown a record of 250 points. Presently, the index is following the general Asian trend with a latest downwards correction to 545.39 points (- 8.7% in May).

Notwithstanding this latest correction, Vietnam's stock exchange now seems to pick up the dynamic of the booming economy and awake from its rather dormant fate. Since the launch of the HSTC six years ago the listed stock has been moving in untroubled waters. The vitalising push came from the new listed companies, such as REE, Vinamilk and Taya Vietnam, bringing the market capitalisation to $ 1.7 bln (which corresponds to a raise of 100 times).

The next bigger IPOs are expected from Sacombank, Vietcombank and a few telecom providers. With the IPO of the Saigon Thuong Tin Commercial Bank (Sacombank), which has an inofficial OTC market value of $ 900 million, HSTC is aiming at the $ 3 bln mark. According to the Finance minister, Nguyen Sinh Hung, the number of listed companies could double during 2006.

The Exchange welcomes Lancashire Holdings to the Main Market

Speciality insurance provider moves up from AIM to the Main Market.

Lehman Brothers International (Europe) - default information
Information provided by the London Stock Exchange on the default declared on 15 September 2008.

Teathers Limited - default information
Information provided by the London Stock Exchange on the default declared on 25 November 2008 at 17:00 hours.

AIM expands its global reach
AIM Italia, to be launched by Borsa Italiana and a new growth market to be launched in Japan, in partnership with the Tokyo Stock Exchange.


Exchange Traded CFDs
The Exchange is introducing a new service enabling participants to trade Contracts for Difference (CFDs) on the SETS order book.

Earlier opening time for the International Order Book (IOB)
As from 23 February 2009, we have introduced an earlier opening time for the IOB, to create additional trading opportunities and facilitate the continued growth of the market

Confessions of a Money Manager: Geithner's gambit powering stock market

Little did I know when my New York friend Jeff Walkenhorst told me last
week

about the genesis of Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner's new program that it would ignite a 500-point burst for the Dow Jones Industrial Average when Geithner unveiled it Monday.

Walkenhorst told me that existing and newly formed private investment firms were being courted to participate in a market -- buying and selling -- for the toxic loans that are clogging the nation's banking system.

Geithner's newly announced financial rescue plan now includes what are called public-private investment partnerships. Before I go any further, let me tell you that Geithner's newly created partnerships have come under instant attack by such notable economists as Nobel Prize winners Joseph Stiglitz and Paul Krugman. They say the new plan is a gimmick that allows speculators to use taxpayer money to buy and sell toxic assets for a potential profit. Well, they're right.

However, making deals with speculators may be the only way that taxpayers will be spared from shoveling more bailout money to those debt-riddled banks. So before we make judgments, let's see the devilish details of this proposal.

We all know that major banks hold assets: packages of mortgages, consumer debt, car loans, and the like. We all know that the banks are earning some interest on these packaged loans, but the potential for default has made these loan packages toxic. Buyers are bidding 30 cents on the dollar, sellers are fearful of selling at such low prices that the mark-to-market accounting requirement would instantly impair the loans not sold and could force technical bankruptcy by the accounting loss of equity. So we have an impasse.

The government wants to buy these loans via funds provided by the Federal Reserve, the U.S. Treasury, and now the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the banks want to sell them. The problem is determining a true market price.

In steps, the public-private investment partnerships will invest some of their money -- 7 percent -- and the government's money -- 93 percent -- to buy the loans and, in essence, make a market in these toxic assets. What are the mechanics of this plan? Organized mayhem.

Remember that great movie "The Hustler"? The three principal players in this mayhem will be bank lending officers, partnership speculators, and government officials. Think of Jackie Gleason as the banker, George C. Scott as the government guy bankrolling the speculator, Paul Newman. They play pool for high stakes. Under Geithner's plan, these guys will be playing on boardroom tables, sifting through the lending documents, and exchanging bids and offers on loans. The Gleason bankers will want top dollar for their loans, the Newman speculators will haggle for lower prices, and the George C. Scott government guys will put up the bulk of the money to make the trades possible.

Dollar Retains Safe Haven Status

The ForexBlog recently reported that investors were cautiously wading back into emerging market currencies. In hindsight, it looks like this report was delivered prematurely, as this week marked a return to the notion of the Dollar as save haven currency, having displaced even the Japanese Yen. While President Obama did his best to assure taxpayers and investors that the economic stimulus would bring the economy out of its slump, the markets were unconvinced. Economic data, especially as it pertains to the housing market, has become increasingly grim, and even Chairman Bernanke of the Federal Reserve conceded that a recovery is unlikely before 2010. Given that the government will have to issue a tremendous quantity of Treasury Bonds in order to fund its ambitious spending plans, however, it’s possible that foreign investors will soon lose their appetite for low-yielding American securities. Reuters reports:
is open generally twenty four hours a day because the vast number of countries that are involved in forex trading, buying and selling are located in so many different times zones. As one market is opening, another countries market is closing. This is the continual method of how the forex market trading occurs.

The stock market in any country is going to be based on only that countries currency, say for example the Japanese yen, and the Japanese stock market, or the United States stock market and the dollar. However, in the forex market, you are involved with many types of countries, and many currencies. You will find references to a variety of currencies, and this is a big difference between the stock market and the forex market.

Foreign exchange market is different from the stock market

The foreign exchange market is also known as the FX market, and the forex market. Trading that takes place between two counties with different currencies is the basis for the fx market and the background of the trading in this market. The forex market is over thirty years old, established in the early 1970’s. The forex market is one that is not based on any one business or investing in any one business, but the trading and selling of currencies.

The difference between the stock market and the forex market is the vast trading that occurs on the forex market. There is millions and millions that are traded daily on the forex market, almost two trillion dollars is traded daily. The amount is much higher than the money traded on the daily stock market of any country. The forex market is one that involves governments, banks, financial institutions and those similar types of institutions from other countries. TheWhat is traded, bought and sold on the forex market is something that can easily be liquidated, meaning it can be turned back to cash fast, or often times it is actually going to be cash. From one currency to another, the availability of cash in the forex market is something that can happen fast for any investor from any country.

The difference between the stock market and the forex market is that the forex market is global, worldwide. The stock market is something that takes place only within a country. The stock market is based on businesses and products that are within a country, and the forex market takes that a step further to include any country.

The stock market has set business hours. Generally, this is going to follow the business day, and will be closed on banking holidays and weekends. The forex market is one that

FOREX (Foreign Exchange Market)

The foreign exchange market is also known as FX or it is also found to be referred to as the FOREX. All three of these have the same meaning, which is the trade of trading between different companies, banks, businesses, and governments that are located in different countries. The financial market is one that is always changing leaving transactions required to be completed through brokers, and banks. Many scams have been emerging in the FOREX business, as foreign companies and people are setting up online to take advantage of people who don’t realize that foreign trade must take place through a broker or a company with direct participation involved in foreign exchanges.

Cash, stocks, and currency is traded through the foreign exchange markets. The FOREX market will be present and exist when one currency is traded for another. Think about a trip you may take to a foreign country. Where are you going to be able to ‘trade your money’ for the value of the money that is in that other country? This is FOREX trading basis, and it is not available in all banks, and it is not available in all financial centers. FOREX is a specialized trading circumstance.

Small business and individuals often times looking to make big money, are the victims of scams when it comes to learning about FOREX and the foreign trade markets. As FOREX is seen as how to make a quick buck or two, people don’t question their participation in such an event, but if you are not investing money through a broker in the FOREX market, you could easily end up losing everything that you have invested in the transaction.

Scams to be wary ofA FOREX scam is one that involves trading but will turn out to be a fraud; you have no chance of getting your money back once you have invested it. If you were to invest money with a company stating they are involved in FOREX trading you want read closely to learn if they are permitted to do business in your country. Many companies are not permitted in the FOREX market, as they have defrauded investors before.

In the last five years, with the help of the Internet, FOREX trading and the awareness of FOREX trading has become all the rage. Banks are the number one source for FOREX trading to take place, where a trained and licensed broker is going to complete transactions and requirements you set forth. Commissions are paid on the transaction and this is the usual.

Another type of scam that is prevalent in the FOREX markets is software that will aid you in making trades, in learning about the foreign markets and in practicing so you can prepare yourself for following and making trades. You want to be able to rely on a program or software that is really going to make a difference. Consult with your financial broker or your bank to learn more about FOREX trading, the FX markets and how you can avoid being the victim while investing in these markets.

Bilateral vs. effective exchange rate

Bilateral exchange rate involves a currency pair, while effective exchange rate is weighted average of a basket of foreign currencies, and it can be viewed as an overall measure of the country's external competitiveness. A nominal effective exchange rate (NEER) is weighted with trade weights. a real effective exchange rate (REER) adjust NEER by appropriate foreign price level and deflates by the home country price level. Compared to NEER, a GDP weighted effective exchange rate might be more appropriate considering the global investment phenomenon.

Asset market model

See also: Capital asset pricing modelThe explosion in trading of financial assets (stocks and bonds) has reshaped the way analysts and traders look at currencies. Economic variables such as economic growth, inflation and productivity are no longer the only drivers of currency movements. The proportion of foreign exchange transactions stemming from cross border-trading of financial assets has dwarfed the extent of currency transactions generated from trading in goods and services.The asset market approach views currencies as asset prices traded in an efficient financial market. Consequently, currencies are increasingly demonstrating a strong correlation with other markets, particularly equities.Like the stock exchange, money can be made or lost on the foreign exchange market by investors and speculators buying and selling at the right times. Currencies can be traded at spot and foreign exchange options markets. The spot market represents current exchange rates, whereas options are derivatives of exchange rates

Fluctuations in exchange rates

A market based exchange rate will change whenever the values of either of the two component currencies change. A currency will tend to become more valuable whenever demand for it is greater than the available supply. It will become less valuable whenever demand is less than available supply (this does not mean people no longer want money, it just means they prefer holding their wealth in some other form, possibly another currency).Increased demand for a currency is due to either an increased transaction demand for money, or an increased speculative demand for money. The transaction demand for money is highly correlated to the country's level of business activity, gross domestic product (GDP), and employment levels. The more people there are unemployed, the less the public as a whole will spend on goods and services. Central banks typically have little difficulty adjusting the available money supply to accommodate changes in the demand for money due to business transactions.The speculative demand for money is much harder for a central bank to accommodate but they try to do this by adjusting interest rates. An investor may choose to buy a currency if the return (that is the interest rate) is high enough. The higher a country's interest rates, the greater the demand for that currency. It has been argued that currency speculation can undermine real economic growth, in particular since large currency speculators may deliberately create downward pressure on a currency in order to force that central bank to sell their currency to keep it stable (once this happens, the speculator can buy the currency back from the bank at a lower price, close out their position, and thereby take a profit).

Foundation #3: Follow and understand the daily Forex News and Analysis of the professional currency analysts.

Even though this system is based solely on technical analysis of charts, it is
important to get a birds-eye view of the currency markets and the news that
affects the prices. It is also important that you know and understand what the
key technical ‘support’ and ‘resistance’ levels are in the currency pair that you
want to trade. Support is a predicted level to buy (where currency pair should
move up on the charts), resistance is a predicted level to sell (where the
currency pair should move down on the charts).
Fortunately, all the best Forex news and analysis is offered free on the
Internet. Here is what you should do first:
*While you are reading the daily news and technical analysis, write
down on a piece of paper what direction the analysts are saying
about the major currency pair you are following and the key support
and resistance levels for the day.

Foundation #2: I highly recommend that you follow 1 or maybe 2 major currency pairs.

It gets far too complicated to keep tabs on all four. I also recommend that
traders choose one of the majors because the spread is the best and they
are the most liquid. The Euro/USD is the most commonly traded pair and
usually has the best ‘spread’ because of its liquidity. The USD/Swiss Franc is
usually the most volatile and moves the most during the trading week. The
USD/Yen moves a lot on the news out of Japan and normally the Pound
Sterling/USD is more stable in it’s moves than the other three.

Foundation #1: Currency Trading is not a Get-Rich-Quick Scheme.

Currency trading is a SKILL that takes TIME to learn. Skilled Traders
can and do make money in this field, however like any other occupation or
career, success doesn’t just happen overnight. Here is a great ‘formula’
for success:
Practice + Patience + Persistence = Profits
As they say, there is no substitute for hard work and diligence. Practice
trading on a demo account and pretend the virtual money is your own real
money. Do not open a live trading account until you are profitable
trading on a demo account. Stick to the plan and you can be
successful.

Forex Info

Before we begin looking at the specifics of the FPS and how it works, let’s look at
4 building blocks that I believe to be foundations to the Forex Profit System.

Interest rates, swap rates and forward rates

Many people, even in the financial sector think that a forward rate is an expectation or forecast of a future foreign exchange movement. This is a big mistake. Actually, a forward rate is nothing else but a mirror of the currently prevailing spot rate, allowing for the interest rate differential between the two currencies and the time period at the expiration of which the actual transaction will be concluded. So the spot rate is adjusted by the so called swap rate to give the forward rate. For the unsophisticated investor it is enough to say that the swap rate is there to compensate the low interest currency holder for the time period involved in a forward transaction. The best way to explain these strange sounding terms is an example. We shall keep the simplistic approach and will not get involved here with FX rate spreads and interes rate spreads. Suppose person X buys $ 100,000 against Dmarks from bank B at spot rate 1.5000 for value 30 days forward. Furthermore let us assume that the dollar interest rate for this period is 5% and for the mark 3%. This means that during these 30 days A will earn interest on the marks he keeps until delivery and B will earn interest on the dollars for the same reason. The forward rate must allow for the compensation of A so that on balance no party is better or worse off. Investor A will receive interest in marks= (150,000x3x30)/36,000 = 375. On the other hand bank B will receive interest in dollars = (100,000x5x30)/36,000 = 416.67. This dollar amount calculated by prevailing spot rate 1.5000 is equivalent to 625 marks. It is evident that bank B has to compensate investor A through the forward rate, i.e. A will pay a lower price for the dollars he is buying forward to equalise the difference of 250 marks. Through a formula we can reach the swap rate 0.0025 This is subtracted from 1.5000 and the forward rate 1.4975 prevails. Indeed, the investor will finally deliver 149,750 marks to receive 100,000 dollars.

Hours:

The exchange's normal trading sessions are from 9:30am to 4:00pm on all days of the week except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays declared by the Exchange in advance. listed ETFs are traded at the AMEX including the SPDR and most Powershares.

Market:

AMEX's core business has shifted over the years from stocks to options and Exchange-traded funds, although it continues to trade small to mid-size stocks. An effort in the mid-1990s to initiate an Emerging Company Marketplace ended in failure, as the reduced listing standards (beyond the existing lenient AMEX standards) caused penny stock promoters to move their scams to a national exchange. In the mid 1990s the exchange was dogged by allegations of trading scandals, which were highlighted by BusinessWeek in 1999.In 1998, the American Stock Exchange merged with the National Association of Securities Dealers (operators of NASDAQ) to create "The Nasdaq-Amex Market Group" where AMEX is an independent entity of the NASD parent company. After tension between the NASD and AMEX members, the latter group bought out the NASD and acquired control of the AMEX in 2004.


Out of the three major American stock exchanges, the AMEX is known to have the most liberal policies concerning company listing, as most of its companies are generally smaller compared to the NYSE and NASDAQ. The Amex also specialises in the trading of ETFs, and hybrid/structured securities. The majority of U.S.

In 2006, the AMEX attempted to popularize an American implementation of the Canadian income trust model. Listed Equity Income Hybrid Securities, (more commonly known as Income Deposit Securities) listed on the AMEX are B & G Foods Holding Corp. (BGF), Centerplate, Inc. (CVP), Coinmach Service Corp. (DRY), and Otelco Inc. (OTT). Recently Coinmach Service Corp, has been attempting to restructure itself away from being an income trust.

As of 31 December 2007, the AMEX had 592 listed companies with a combined market capitalization of $258 billion.

The AMEX also produces stock market indices; perhaps the most notable of these is an index of stocks of internet companies now known as the Inter@ctive Week Internet Index. Recently, the AMEX has also developed a unique set of indices known as Intellidexes, which attempt to gain alpha by creating indices weighted on fundamental factors. The AMEX Composite, a value-weighted index of all stocks listed on the exchange, established a record monthly close of 2,069.16 points on November 30, 2006.

Located near the World Trade Center, the operation of the AMEX was temporarily affected by the September 11 attacks. The Exchange's operations were temporarily shifted to the Philadelphia Stock Exchange.

History:

The Exchange traces its roots back to colonial times, when stock brokers created outdoor markets in New York City to trade new government-issued securities. The AMEX started out in 1842 as such a market at the curbstone on Broad Street near Exchange Place. The curb brokers gathered around the lamp posts and mail boxes, resisting wind and weather, putting up lists of stocks for sale. As trading activity increased so did the volume of the transactions; the shouting reached such a high level that stock hand signals had to be introduced so that the brokers could continue trading over the din. In 1921 the market was moved indoors into the building at 86 Trinity Place, Manhattan, where it still resides. The hand signals remained in place for decades even after the move, as a means of covenient communication. The building was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1978.

American Stock Exchange

NYSE Alternext U.S., formerly known as the American Stock Exchange (AMEX) is an American stock exchange situated in New York. AMEX was a mutual organization, owned by its members. Until 1953 it was known as the New York Curb Exchange. On January 17, 2008 NYSE Euronext announced it would acquire the American Stock Exchange for $260 million in stock. On October 1, 2008, NYSE Euronext completed acquisition of the American Stock Exchange. Before the closing of the acquisition, NYSE Euronext announced that the Exchange will be integrated with Alternext European small-cap exchange and renamed NYSE Alternext U.S.

The 8 most important trading recommendations ?

• The Trend is your friend.
• In up-trends, buy the dips; in downtrends, sell bounces.
• Let profits run, cut losses short. Always use protective stops to limit losses and move them only to reduce potential losses or protect newly achieved profits.

Rupee shows no change versus dollar in the open market dealings

Rupee remained motionless versus greenback in the kerb today. The American dollar set off new day’s trading at Rs.81/00, did not show any change and was trading at the same price at close of markets on Friday.On the international desks, the dollar fell against the euro and the yen on speculation a government report will show the U.S. economy lost the most jobs since 2003, bolstering the case for the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates.The U.S. currency also declined versus the British pound as futures traders increased bets the Fed will cut borrowing costs by half a percentage point to 0.5 percent compared with a benchmark rate of 3 percent in the U.K. A Labor Department report today may also show the unemployment rate in the U.S. rose to a five-year high as the global economic downturn deepened.The dollar fell to $1.2753 per euro at 2:07 p.m. in Tokyo from $1.2715 late yesterday in New York. Against the pound, it declined to $1.5683 from $1.5627. The U.S. currency bought 97.53 yen from 97.75. The euro was little changed at 124.35 yen. The dollar may fall to $1.2830 versus the euro today, Ito said.

Foreign exchange rates

A foreign exchange rate is the parity between two currencies i.e. the amount of one currency needed to sell (or buy) in order to buy (or sell) one unit of the other currency. There are two ways to express such a rate. The most common (or international way) quotes the amount of any currency that corresponds to one U.S.Dollar. So when we see USD/DEM at 1.5000 this means that one dollar can be exchanged for 1.5 Dmarks. Among the major currencies it is only British sterling which is quoted the other way i.e. GBP/USD at 1.5500 means that one pound is exchanged for 1.55 dollars. The American way of quoting rates uses the opposite direction, that is it expresses the dollar amount that can be exchanged for one unit of foreign currency. So when we see for example the Dmark at 0.6625 this means that one mark can be exchanged for 0.6625 dollars (or the same at 66 1/4 cents). The term "cross rate" is usually used to express the parity between two nondollar currencies like DEM/SFR.

Bid and offer

Exchange rates in practice are quoted as two-way rates. Thus a dollar/mark quotation will read something like 1.5000/10. The bank or company which quotes this rate understands that it buys marks (selling dollars) at 1.5010 and sells marks (buying dollars at 1.5000). In other words it buys cheaper and sells dearer a given currency in exchange for the other one. Of course, the opposite is true for the person that asks for a quotation. The difference between the purchase and the sale rates is called "spread". Such spreads vary in size according to market volatility.

Lahore stocks gain 19.03 points

LAHORE: The Lahore Stock Exchange (LSE) witnessed a positive trading session on Monday with a healthier turnover. The LSE 25-share index added 19.03 points to close at 2,307.00 points as against its opening at 2,287.97 points. The volume of the marker remained at 41.87 million shares, which was 5.44 million shares more than Friday’s turnover of 36.43 million shares. Out of 140 active scrips, 58 added, 23 declined and 59 showed no change in their opening values. Attock Refinery was the major gainer as it gained Rs 4.64 to close at Rs 97.37 from its opening at Rs 92.73. NBP was the second major gainer and volume leader with 3.66 million shares, while its share value surged Rs 4.58 to close at Rs 98.84 after opening at Rs 94.26. UBL was the major loser and declined by Rs 4.95 to close at Rs 51.09 as compared to its opening at Rs 56.04. PPL lost Rs 4.49 to close at Rs 179.92 as compared with its opening at Rs 184.41. NIB Bank was the volume leader with 8.24 million shares volume. staff report

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CANADA STOCKS-Energy, financials knock down TSX

TORONTO, April 7 (Reuters) - Toronto's main stock index finished down more than 2 percent on Tuesday, led lower by heavyweight energy and financial issues.

Global toxic asset concerns shook shares of banks and insurers, while oil prices fell nearly 4 percent and pulled down the energy group.

The S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE unofficially closed down 184.31 points, or 2.04 percent, at 8,831.86. All 10 of the TSX's main sectors were lower.

Synthetic Diamonds

The first synthetic diamonds were produced by General Electric in 1954. A synthetic diamond is basically a rock that has the durability, refractive index and hardness of a natural diamond – but it is made by man.

A synthetic diamond should not be confused with stimulant diamonds, such as glass, cubic zirconia, or moissanite.

Although the technology for synthetic diamonds came into play in 1954, no synthetic diamonds were ever seen on the market until the 1990’s. This was due to the fact that it took many years for General Electric to produce a synthetic diamond that could compare with the quality of a natural diamond – and when they figured out how to do it, they found that it cost more to produce a synthetic diamond than it did to mine and cut natural diamonds.

Finally, a small company by the name of Gemesis Corporation figured out a way to produce synthetic diamonds that were of the same quality as natural diamonds, at a cheaper price.

Today, Gemesis produces synthetic white diamonds, and colored diamonds as well. These diamonds sell for about 1/3 of the cost of a natural diamond, but there is a shortage of them, and they are hard to find. In fact, it seems that synthetic diamonds are rarer than natural diamonds!

American Topaz

The world's largest cut topaz, called the American Topaz, resides at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. A 172-faceted topaz weighing 22,892.50 carats (5785 kg), it's the largest cut yellow topaz in the world, and one of the largest faceted gems of any kind in the world. Originating from Minais Gerais, Brazil, it was cut over a period of two years. It was purchased by the Rockhound Hobbyists of America and presented to the Smithsonian Institution in 1988.

As stunning as this cut topaz is, another display at the Smithsonian is equally dazzling and awe-inspiring. That's a sherry-colored topaz "spray" from the Thomas Range in Utah. This color of topaz can be found in Mexico and Utah, but when it's exposed to sunlight, will become clear.

Other spectacular displays of natural crystals include a cluster of Stibnite, an ore of antimony, which has a bright metallic luster. This spectacular group of crystals is from Iyo, Japan and look like something from Superman's home!

Another huge mineral in the exhibit is the Smithsonite, named for James Smithson, who bequeathed the funds to establish the Smithsonian Institution. He first discovered this greenish zinc carbonate mineral from the Kelly Mine in New Mexico.

Some of the other don't miss items in the Smithsonian's Gem Collection are the Smithsonian Canary Diamond, a huge canary and diamond ring. The 98.6-carat Bismarck Sapphire is also part of the collection and is one of the world's largest sapphires. It originally came from Sri Lanka. It's also fascinating to see some of these gems in their raw uncut state, such as the large corundum crystal which is the mineral that sapphires are made of, and a very large beryl crystal, from which the emerald and aquamarine family of stones is derived.

SEC to Pursue Limits On Stock Short Sales

The Securities and Exchange Commission today holds its first policymaking session of the year, and under political pressure plans to introduce several proposals to restrict the short-selling of stock that many economists, including those inside the agency, say are likely to have little effect.

A number of financial firm executives, investors and lawmakers have blamed aggressive short-selling for collapsing the stocks of banks and other Wall Street companies last fall. In a short sale, traders make money when a firm's shares decline in value.

Today's meeting, the first held under new SEC Chairman Mary L. Schapiro, will examine several proposals to curb short sales. The commission is expected to formalize the proposals, allowing for 60 days of comment before deciding to vote on whether to implement them.

The proposals would try to make it more difficult for short sellers to push down a stock's price when it is already declining. One way to do so would be to allow speculators to bet against a stock only when it moves at a higher price than its last trade. On any given day, a stock may trade more than tens of thousands of times.

A more dramatic proposal would ban short-selling in a stock if it has declined by a set percentage in a day.

The SEC has been here before. In 2007, after intense study by the commission's staff and economists, the SEC decided to end the uptick rule, a Depression-era regulation that allowed people to bet against a stock only when it was "ticking" up.

Last fall, in the market crisis, the SEC temporarily banned short-selling in financial stocks -- a move then-SEC Chairman Christopher Cox said he regretted as a hasty response to political pressure.

In recent weeks, the SEC's economists have circulated an outside study that found that the removal of the uptick rule in 2007 had no effect of the price of stocks.

Charles M. Jones, a professor at Columbia Business School who co-authored the study, said he was skeptical about proposals to regulate short-selling.

"It's really being done because there's this perception that there are bear raiders, or people pushing the price around, and there is concern that there are short sellers doing that," he said. "Call them manipulative or abusive. But we haven't been able to find them in the data."

SEC officials say they are proposing the rules simply to give investors confidence that the commission is evaluating whether abusive techniques are unfairly driving down share prices. They say that it is not a foregone conclusion that the new rules will take effect; rather, they are hoping for a period of study

G20 Hangover Helps Dlr, Hurts Euro

LONDON (Dow Jones)--Rising concern over the global economy is pushing risk aversion back up again and leaving the dollar up against most other majors in Europe Wednesday.

In what Commerzbank described as the "hangover after the G20 party," the focus of financial markets is back on the uncertainties over the global economy and the continued risks to the banking system despite all the recent efforts to increase liquidity and ease credit conditions.

See chart at

http://www.dowjoneswebservices.com/chart/view/1872

The International Monetary Fund helped to kick this off with its warning that total global toxic debts are likely to prove much more than originally anticipated.

Meanwhile, the second round of the U.S. Federal Reserve's $1 trillion facility was poorly received late Tuesday, making it likely that the U.S. central bank might have to explore other ways of injecting liquidity.

On the economic front, a 50.4% collapse in Japanese exports over the last year gives some indication of the decline in global demand.

Ireland's plans to introduce tax hikes on the middle classes to help raise funds for bailing out its banks have increased the risk of a further slowdown in growth.

Analysts reckon that this will increase pressure on the European Central Bank to ease monetary policy further and contribute to further euro weakness.

Geoffrey Yu, a senior currency strategist at UBS in London, summed up the general malaise, saying "investors are entering the earnings season with confidence on the wane and expectations are being scaled down."

As investors shied away from risk, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was left 2.7% lower and the Nikkei was down 2.3%. In Europe, most bourses were down between 0.5% and 1.5%.

The gloomy mood is likely to be reinforced by data from Germany later in the day showing that factory orders declined by 2.7% in February.

By 0930 GMT, the dollar had fallen to Y99.67 from Y100.43 late Tuesday in New York, according to EBS.

The euro was down at Y131.44 from Y133.40 and at $1.3187 from $1.3271.

The dollar was up at CHF1.1488 from CHF1.1456 while the pound fell to $1.4653 from $1.4736.

In Eastern Europe, most currencies remained under pressure as investors steered clear of risk.

The euro rose to HUF298.25 from HUF295.51 and to PLN4.4979 from PLN4.4673. The single currency is also up at CZK26.643 from CZK26.636.

-By Nicholas Hastings,

TALK BACK: We invite readers to send us comments on this or other financial news topics. Please email us at TalkBackEurope@dowjones.com. Readers should include their full names, work or home addresses and telephone numbers for verification purposes. We reserve the right to edit and publish your comments along with your name; we reserve the right not to publish reader comments.

FOREX-US dollar up on higher risk aversion before Q1 earnings

Dollar rises before start of US earnings season

* Higher-yielding currencies down as risk appetite wanes

* Euro extends losses after euro zone Q4 GDP revised lower

(Adds details, updates prices)

By Vivianne Rodrigues

NEW YORK, April 7 (Reuters) - The U.S. dollar gained on Tuesday as a drop in global stocks, ahead of the start of what is expected to be a weak corporate results season, boosted the greenback's allure as a safe haven.

Data in Europe showing the euro zone economy recorded its deepest-ever quarterly fall in the fourth quarter of 2008, also weighed on the euro. For details, see [ID:nN07398955]

Bank stocks and industrial conglomerate shares led declines in Europe and on Wall Street.

"There is caution ahead of the earnings season," said Matthew Strauss, senior currency strategist at RBC Capital Markets in Toronto. "Although we had some optimism about the economy in recent sessions, this earnings season would be a reality check." nvestors will learn more about the recession's toll on U.S. corporate profits in the comings weeks. According to data from Thomson Reuters, first-quarter earnings for S&P 500 companies are expected to fall by almost 37 percent versus a year ago as global demand slumps.

In late afternoon trading in New York, the euro fell 1.0 percent to $1.3272 after hitting a session low of $1.3228. Selling in the euro accelerated after data showed a record contraction in the euro zone economy.

In Europe, data was revised down to show the euro zone economy fell 1.6 percent in the fourth quarter from a previous 1.5 percent reading. The report coincided with a 12th straight month of decline in British manufacturing output in February and a record 50 percent fall in March steel output in Germany. [ID:nL7459179]

Meanwhile, a Business Roundtable survey released earlier showed U.S. chief executives' confidence in the economy set a second consecutive all-time low in the first quarter. More than two-thirds of the CEOs surveyed said they planned more layoffs and capital spending cuts in the next six months. [ID:nN07398955].

The dollar rose 0.5 percent against a basket of currencies to trade at to 85.189 .DXY. Investors tend to buy the dollar as a haven amid global risk aversion despite weak U.S. economic fundamentals.

RISK AVERSION

Eurodollar is being "driven down by a return to risk aversion," said Dan Cook, a senior market analyst at IG Markets Inc. in Chicago.

Cook added that if declines in stocks accelerate, eurodollar may once again move lower and test Tuesday's session lows at 1.3228-1.3227.

The euro also slid against the yen to trade 1.5 percent lower at 133.33 yen . The dollar was down 0.6 percent at 100.32 yen after dipping to 99.88 yen, but the greenback gained broadly elsewhere.

Meanwhile, the Australian dollar see-sawed against its U.S. counterpart after the Reserve Bank of Australia cut interest rates by 25 basis points to a record low 3.0 percent. [ID:nSYD452265]. The Australian dollar was last unchanged at US$0.7122 .

The New Zeland dollar also fell, sliding about 2 percent to a session low of 0.5743 .

Also on Tuesday, the Bank of Japan announced it was leaving interest rates at 0.1 percent. The decision was widely expected, though the BOJ also unveiled further steps to ease credit strains, announcing it would start lending against a wider range of municipal debt to support regional banks.

Most Expensive Diamond

A Sotheby’s auction in Hong Kong just made the record for the world’s most expensive diamond. The diamond in question is of a blue hue and quality cut. It was purchased by Moussaieff Jewellers of London for $7.98 million USD. Weighing in at 6.04 carats, this diamond is worth about $1.32 million USD per carat, thus beating the “Hancock Red” which sold in 1987 for a mere $926,000 per carat. The auction was held on Monday, October 8th, 2007; bidding on the most expensive diamond lasted only 8 minutes and was, reportedly, fierce.
Diamonds were first mined in India and have since become the most coveted gems. Currently, the diamond market is enriched by deposits in Russia, Botswana, Australia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The carat measurement refers to the mass of the diamond. When referring to precious gems, a carat is a fifth of a gram. The largest diamond, at 45.52 carats, is the famous Hope Diamond.

The Australian Diamond Industry

Australian Argyle Diamonds are internationally reowned for their unique brilliance and stunning array of colours. Unearthed in the rugged Kimberley region in the far north of Western Australia, Argyle Diamonds thrill in shades of exotic pink, sparkling champagne, rich cognac and dazzling white.

From the rare pink diamond to the classic white and natural champagnes, Argyle Diamonds are firing the world's imagination. And why shouldn't they? The Argyle Diamond Mine is the world's biggest producer of natural diamonds and contributes approximately one-third of the world's natural supply.

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World's Most Expensive Diamond Sells For Record Price

It is the ultimate diamond in the rough. And if you have to ask how much it costs, you can't afford it. A rare and flawless blue diamond has set a record as the most expensive precious jewel of its kind ever sold. The gem, which is 6.04 carats and sparkles with an unusual blue hue, is almost as breathtaking as the price it fetched at a Sotheby's auction in Hong Kong. It went for an astounding US$7.98 million, or about $US1.32 million per carat.

That easily surpassed the cost of the previous record holder known as "The Hancock Red", which fetched a "paltry" US$926,000 per carat in 1987.

Blue diamonds are rare but not unheard of and the ones in spectacular condition almost always fetch a huge price. Despite this sale, the most famous remains the Hope Diamond, a 45.52 carat monster that has been owned by everyone from King Louis XIV of France to a rich socialite named Evalyn Walsh McLean. It's the largest gemstone of its kind ever found and now resides in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C.

The new record holder for price isn't quite as large, so how it could manage to reap those sparkling bucks? Experts say it's all in the quality of the cut and the "fancy vivid blue hue", a result of trace amounts of an element called boron in its crystal structure. That makes it worth about 10 times what a regular white diamond would bring.

So who owns this incredible piece of jewelry? A company called Moussaieff Jewellers in London, which specializes in acquiring such rare specimens, ponyed up the money after a private Asian collector decided he needed a little - or in this case a lot more - cash.

Which just goes to show you don't always need yellow to turn a shade of blue into something green

Risk Warnings:

Saxo Bank A/S shall not be responsible for any loss arising from any investment based on any recommendation, forecast or other information herein contained. The contents of this publication should not be construed as an express or implied promise, guarantee or implication by Saxo Bank that clients will profit from the strategies herein or that losses in connection therewith can or will be limited. Trades in accordance with the recommendations in an analysis, especially leveraged investments such as foreign exchange trading and investment in derivatives, can be very speculative and may result in losses as well as profits, in particular if the conditions mentioned in the analysis do not occur as anticipated.

Market Comment:

In his speech at an investor conference overnight, Fed Gov Kevin Warsh blamed the “panic” that hit financial markets in late-2007 for contributing to, and then magnifying, the depth of the recession. Warsh clearly laid the blame on “faulty private practices and flawed public policies” and concluded with an admonition to fellow policymakers that their policy preferences must be communicated clearly, credibly and consistently and backed by concrete action.

More of a contingency plan rather than a direct policy initiative, the Fed along with the BOE, ECB,SNB and BOJ announced currency swap lines in EUR, JPY, GBP and CHF. The plan, if used, would enable the Fed to provide foreign currency liquidity to US financial institutions and will initially have a shelf life up to October 30. The amounts committed are GBP30 bln, EUR80 bln, JPY10 tln and CHF40 bln.

Looking at market movers in Asia this morning, the UK Times carried a report that the IMF warns that toxic debts held by banks and insurance companies across the globe could spiral up to $4 tln, in its latest assessment of the global economy scheduled for publication on April 21. This marks an increase from the $2.2 tln in US-originated assets to $3.1 tln plus an additional $900 bln for toxic assets originated in Europe and Asia. The IMF noted in January that early write-downs came from sub-prime mortgages and associated instruments, but now it notes that degradation is also occurring in general loan books of banks as the deepening recession takes its toll. This story accounted for a heavy sell-off of JPY crosses early in the Asian session, EURJPY down to 133.60 and AUDJPY down to 70.83. USDJPY eased off to a 100.25 low.

Reports circulated that the US Securities and Exchange Commission is considering implementing an updated version of the uptick rule whereby shorting would only be allowed at a price above the highest available bid, ie stocks can only be shorted on the offer rather than by hitting the bid. In addition, the Commission is reportedly working on a circuit breaker proposal that would temporarily prohibit short sales if a stock had already fallen by a certain percentage, or invoke the revised uptick rule instead. S&P futures were marginally higher after the news but struggled to maintain gains in a broader risk-averse environment.

The big mover of the day was the AUD on the back of the RBA rate decision. Market opinion seemed to switch course regularly since the last meeting. Initial calls for rate cuts were knocked back after some better-than-expected data but dovish themes soon re-emerged, particularly over the past 2 days, when revered analysts and the market predicted a 50bp cut. In the end, the RBA drove a middle course and cut the official cash rate by 25bp to 3.0%. In its accompanying statement, the RBA noted that demand for credit and labour was weak and capacity utilization was off its peak and would continue to decline over the rest of the year. Hence the RBA judged that there was scope for a further modest adjustment to the cash rate. The stance of monetary policy together with the substantial fiscal initiatives will provide significant support to domestic demand during the period ahead. The contraction of the global economy has continued into the first few months of the year but it believed that the massive global stimulus packages that had been unveiled in many economies should help contain the downturn over the rest of the year. The AUD’s kneejerk reaction to the cut was lower, but only by some 50 ticks. A sharp rebound ensued which eventually brought us back to the highs of the day as traders latched on to the comment that future rate cuts would be modest.

Prior to this, the BOJ had left the o/n call rate target unchanged at 0.1% in a unanimous decision. As expected, focus remained on broadening the scope of collateral accepted in its money market operations, with municipal bonds now accepted as it attempts to ease corporate financial conditions. The BOJ maintained its recent assessment of the economy, stating that conditions were deteriorating sharply. However, it did expect the rate of decline in exports and industrial production to moderate from now on.

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Rhodonite Crystals with Pyrite, Sphalerite, Calcite, and Quartz

Spectacular, hot-pink bladed Rhodonite crystal clusters with associated Sphalerite, Pyrite, pearly white rhombohedral Calcite crystals, and terminated Quartz prisms from this great locality!

The color and contrast on this piece is simply superb!

Size of largest Rhodonite crystal - 13 x 4 x 1 mm.
Size of largest Pyrite crystal - 1 x 1 x 1 mm.
Size of largest Sphalerite crystal - 3 x 3 x 3 mm.
Size of largest Calcite crystal - 10 x 8 x 8 mm.
Size of largest Quartz crystal - 17 x 3 x 3 mm.

No damage to any of the crystals on the main body of the piece.

Locality: San Martin Mine, Chiurucu, Huallanca, Bolognesi Prov., Ancash Department, Peru
Group: Silicate
Overall Size: Small Cabinet
Dimensions: 1.6 x 3.5 x 3.7 Inches (4.0 x 9.0 x 9.5 Centimeters)
Weight: 10.2 Ounces (290.0 Grams)
Price: $ 350.00

Calcite Crystals (Poker-Chip)

Very aesthetic white to clear poker-chip Calcite crystals on matrix from China. The crystals appear pseudo hexagonal, but are actually flattened rhombohedrons stacked on top of one another.

This beautiful specimen shows nice color and contrast A very aesthetic and unique specimen!

Size of largest Calcite crystal - 33 x 31 x 17 mm.

There is some chipping on several of the larger crystals. Otherwise, no damage to any of the crystals on the main body of the piece.

Locality: Fozichong Mine, Cenzxi Co., Wuzhou Pref., Guangxi Zhuang AR, China
Group: Carbonate
Overall Size: Small Cabinet
Dimensions: 1.9 x 2.6 x 3.3 Inches (4.7 x 6.7 x 8.5 Centimeters)
Weight: 13.0 Ounces (368.5 Grams)
Price: $ 220.00

Scheelite Crystals

Beautiful, large, perfectly terminated Scheelite crystals on a bed of pearly white, bladed Muscovite from this famous chinese locality.

This beautiful specimen glows with a vibrant orange hue and has great bright white fluorescence under SW UV as shown in the pictures.

No damage to any of the large Scheelite crystals on the main body of the piece.

Size of largest Scheelite crystal - 50 x 50 x 50 mm.

A stunning specimen!

Locality: Pingwu, Sichuan Province, China
Group: Tungstate
Overall Size: Cabinet
Dimensions: 2.8 x 4.1 x 5.5 Inches (7.0 x 10.5 x 14.0 Centimeters)
Weight: 47.0 Ounces (1332.4 Grams)
Price: $ 395.00

Azurite Crystals with Malachite

Beautiful, deep blue Azurite crystals on velvety-green pseudo-Malachite from this new and exciting discovery!

Don't miss the chance to own one of these spectacular specimens!

Size of largest Azurite crystal - 5 x 3 x 3 mm.

No damage to any of the crystals on the main body of the piece.
Locality: Milpillas Mine, Milpillas, Sonora, Mexico
Group: Carbonate
Overall Size: Miniature
Dimensions: 1.6 x 1.9 x 2.0 Inches (4.0 x 4.8 x 5.0 Centimeters)
Weight: 2.4 Ounces (68.0 Grams)
Price: $ 225.00

A Guide to Understanding Diamonds and GIA Grading Reports

GIA wants you to understand exactly what you’re buying when shopping for your diamond. As creators of the 4Cs and the International Diamond Grading System™, GIA set the standards for diamond grading and has been helping consumers make educated diamond buying decisions for over 50 years.

GIA’s D-to-Z color-grading scale, Flawless-to-I3 clarity-grading scale, and Excellent-to-Poor cut-grading scale are all recognized by gem and jewelry professionals everywhere. And, by extension, the GIA Diamond Grading Report, Diamond Dossier®, and Gemological Identification Report are considered to be the world’s premier evaluations of gem quality and authenticity.

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By default VT Trader™ includes a number of automated trading systems. Though fully functional these systems are provided as samples and are by no means to be considered trading recommendations. Nevertheless these Forex trading systems can provide buy and sell signals as well as generate orders. These systems can be used to help guide you in creating your own personalized trading system. You can either adjust the included systems and use them as a basis for your automated trading systems or easily develop new trading systems from scratch.

Forex Autopilot's intuitive Trading System Builder allows clients to easily create and configure new systems. Once a trading system is configured, VT Trader™ will automatically open and close positions at specified parameters. These parameters can include price levels, moving average crossovers, and even technical indicator levels. When certain conditions are met, as defined by the user in his or her trading system, orders are triggered. Forex Autopilot will manage your account even while you are away as long as VT Trader™ is running. This way, you can implement your Forex trading strategies without having to watch the market all day long.

How to Trade Forex

Trading foreign exchange is exciting and potentially very profitable, but there are also significant risk factors. It is crucially important that you fully understand the implications of margin trading and the particular pitfalls and opportunities that foreign exchange trading offers. On these pages, we offer you a brief introduction to the Forex markets as well as their participants and some strategies that you can apply. However, if you are ever in doubt about any aspect of a trade, you can always discuss the matter in-depth with one of our dealers. They are available 24 hours a day on the Saxo Bank online trading system, SaxoTrader.

The benchmark of its service is efficient execution, concise analysis and expertise – all achieved whilst maintaining an attractive and competitive cost structure. Today, Saxo Bank offers one of Europe's premier all-round services for trading in derivative products and foreign exchange. We count amongst our employees numerous dealers and analysts, each of whom has many years experience and a wide and varied knowledge of the markets – gained both in our home countries and in international financial centres. When trading foreign exchange, futures and other derivative products, we offer 24-hour service, extensive daily analysis, individual access to our Research & Analysis department for specific queries, and immediate execution of trades through our international network of banks and brokers. All at a price considerably lower than that which most companies and private investors normally have access to.

The combination of our strong emphasis on customer service, our strategy and trading recommendations, our strategic and individual hedging programmes, along with the availability to our clients of the latest news and information builds a strong case for trading an individual account through Saxo Bank.

Terms of trading are agreed individually depending on the volume of your transactions, but are generally much lower in cost when compared to banks and brokers. Your margin deposit can be cash or government securities, bank guarantees etc. Large corporate or institutional clients may be offered trading facilities on the strength of their balance sheet. The minimum deposit accepted for an individual trading account depends on the account type. Trade confirmations and real-time account overview are built into SaxoTrader, while further account information can be produced in accordance with your specific requirements

Trading Scenario – Trading Rising Prices

If you believe that the euro will strengthen against the dollar you'll want to buy euro now and sell it back later at a higher price.

• You buy euro

We quote EURUSD at Bid 0.9875 and Ask 0.9878, which means that you can sell 1 euro for 0.9875 USD or buy 1 euro for 0.9878 USD. In this example you buy euro 100,000, at the quote price of 0.9878 (ask price) per euro.

• The market moves in your favor

Later the market turns in favour of the euro and the EURUSD is now quoted at Bid 0.9894 and Ask 0.9896.

• Now you sell your euro and get the profit

You sell euro at a Bid price of 0.9894.

• The profit is calculated as follows

Sell price-buy price x size of trade (0.9894 minus 0.9878) multiplied by 100.000 = USD 140 Profit (Note that the profit or loss is always expressed in the secondary currency)