Sunday, March 23, 2008

TECHNICAL Analysis and DOW Theory

This post is dedicated to the basis on which the investor takes his/her investment decisions.While fundamental analysis and security evaluation explain why share prices fluctuate,what to buy and sell, the Technical Analysis helps when to buy and sell.Technical Analysis of the market is based on some principles,the first one being, all fundamental factors are discounted by the market and are reflected in prices. Secondly,these prices move in trends or waves which can be both upward or downward depending on the sentiment, psychology and emotions of traders.Thirdly, the present trends are influenced by the past trends, and the projection of future trends is possible by an analysisof past price trends.

Certains tools used to Technical Analysis are Daily fluctuation and trends data, floating stockand volume of trade,price trends and volume trends,Rate of change of prices,Japanese Candlestick method,dow theory,elliot wave theory,theory of gaps,Advance decline line,relative strength index.

Dow Theory postulates that prices of industries securities tend to move in tune with the business cycles of the boom,depression in the economy.If the business conditions are good,demand increasing,industrial performance will be good and the corporate share prices will be on the upswing.The reverse is true in times of recession and depression in the economy.The trends in the economy are reflected in the market average prices of shares.All fundamental factors are discounted by the market, and get reflected in average prices. A study of these average market prices is what is attempted in technical analysis and its trends are in the form of peaks,troughs and cycles.

Monday, March 17, 2008

Top 5 Company Mistakes That Cost You Money

Even if your business is moving along in a seemingly smooth manner, someone in the company may be dropping the ball in certain areas. It only takes a few small holes to eventually sink a ship, so now is the time to assess how many mistakes are being made.

When you add up all the little problems, you may find you are losing major money because of them. Here are the top five "little" company mistakes that cause big problems:

1.Invoice Errors – Your accounts receivable department has a very important job on their hands. Are you sure they aren't slacking off or making mistakes? From typos on invoices to failure to mail out invoices, there is no room for error when it comes to getting paid.
2.Misfiling Documents – Your administrative team should be diligent about keeping accurate, orderly files. You need to have back-ups for everything and those files should be easily accessible. When something falls between the cracks, major problems could occur later.
3.Running Out of Stock – If you have customers who are getting frustrated by your constant lack of stock, then it's time to increase production. Otherwise, you may find they stop returning altogether.
4.Delivery Problems – Whom are you depending on to deliver your goods? It starts with your own company, so make sure everything is properly packaged and sent out in a timely manner. Then, make sure the delivery service you offer is fast and dependable. If something is damaged or lost in shipping, you will pay for it.
5.Poor Customer Communication – Customer service is paramount to your business, so don't ignore or disrespect your patrons. Hold everyone in your company to the same standard when answering phones or contacting customers in any way.

Perhaps a few of the above mistakes only happen from time to time, but that is enough to slowly whittle down your business' profits. While no one enjoys working for a micromanager, it is very possible that you are being too passive about your company's "little" mistakes.

Heather Johnson is a freelance business, finance and economics writer, as well as a regular contributor at Business Credit Cards, a site for best business credit cards and best business credit card offers. Heather welcomes comments and freelancing job inquiries at her email address heatherjohnson2323@gmail.com

Sunday, March 9, 2008

FINANCIAL Planner

What makes a good Financial Planner or what are the fundamental traits of a successful Financial Planner.
1. Building trust with the client by empathizing with them and understanding their aspirations,concerns and needs.
2.Familiarity with taxation and estate planning issues.
3.Good knowledge of financial products and options, their risk-return profile, and a strong understanding of the behaviour and track record of various investments and asset classes.
4.An understanding of the various stages in a client's life and wealth cycle and the asset allocations that make sense of each of these stages.
5.An organized way of working, with one of the critical elements being a written financial plan which documents client needs and resources,a specific investment strategy and the progress made towards achieving these objectives.
6.A clear focus on the overall financial well-being of a client,rather than on individual transactions.The financial planner should link his remuneration to the overall achievement of client goals,rather than relying on a fee from each transaction.