U.S. Utilities Quietly Worry about Uranium Supply

According to Fridays Nuclear Market Review (NMR), many market participants were left stunned by the recent record jump in the weekly spot uranium price. The market has increasingly diverged between those who have U3O8 and those without. Utilities with existing supply contracts are heaving a sigh of relief, NMR editor Treva Klingbiel wrote. And those trying to find uranium in todays climate are forced to face the reality of a sellers market, she said.

Is there pity for one market participant, who is now scrambling for very near term delivery of nearly 500 thousand pounds U3O8? Probably not. This buyer must compete with 7 others hoping to secure about 3.2 million pounds of U3O8 equivalent.

NMR reports, Sellers remain reluctant to sell significant quantities today. By waiting longer, sellers expect to get a higher price for the material they hold. After the previous weeks astonishing price jump, the spot uranium market was exceptionally quiet, according to Klingbiel. The spot uranium price indicator remained unchanged at US$113/pound. TradeTech posts changes in the weekly spot uranium price on the consulting services website, at www.uranium.info

Utility Pricing Climate

Utilities remain skeptical about the long-term pricing of uranium. This weekends Barron article, about the crisis nuclear utilities face, quotes Exelon Corps (EXC) Tom Malone and Entergys (ETR) Frank Rives. Both believe uranium pricing should settle down. Malone quoted a long-term uranium price of $40/pound. Utilities accustomed to lower pricing levels and wishing for uraniums return to a more advantageous price level for themselves, may be waiting for more than a few years. In conversations we had with TradeTechs Gene Clark, equilibrium might not take place until 2017.

We provided TradeTechs Uranium Price Forecast through 2008 in Chapter Two of our soon-to-be-released Uranium Outlook publication. Going out further, uranium production should not reach 230 million pounds U3O8 until about 2017. And there are many disturbing developments in numerous areas, which could substantially lower this production forecast. Foremost are the difficulties BHP Billiton (BHP) may have in transforming Olympic Dam into an open pit uranium mine.

Some utilities are again taking the wait-and-see attitude about higher uranium costs. This strategy has backfired over the past year because a number of countries planned to increase or add civilian nuclear power programs. Now the Arab Gulf States want nuclear energy, adding to the number of countries seeking to obtain uranium. Everybodys going for nuclear programs, Jordans King Abdullah II told an Israeli newspaper.

Against the advice of some experts, we included a special section in our publication, Investing in the Great Uranium Bull Market, predicting a rise of civilian nuclear energy in the Middle East. Turkey plans three nuclear reactors, hoping to start construction later this year on the first one. After Russian President Putin visited Saudi Arabia in February, offering nuclear aid, will U.S. utilities now also be forced to compete for Kazakh uranium against the Arab Gulf States? It appears global deals are being arranged on a country-to-country basis, and U.S. utilities are coming up short.

Environmentalists: Nuclear Friend or Foe?

This past week, Jim Marston, the Texas director of climate initiatives for Environmental Defense told the Living on Earth environmental show, We have come to the conclusion that the threat of global warming is so severe and the time for action is so short that we have to look at all low carbon options again including nuclear. His comments were broadcast on more than 300 public radio stations in all fifty states across the U.S. The shows theme was entitled, TXU Turns Nuclear.

Does this mean environmentalists are switching to nuclear energy? No. Some still cling to atavistic attitudes. One environmentalist interviewed compared a switch to nuclear on par with giving up cigarette smoking and taking up crack.

But, environmentalists influenced TXUs business model, eliminating the construction of eight new coal-fired power plants. According to the shows news reporter, Environmental groups opposed to the utility's plan for new coal plants launched a fierce legislative and legal campaign. That drove down the price of the company's stock, and made TXU a tempting takeover target. And taken over it was, but the company also negotiated with environmentalists by offering renewables, energy efficiency incentives and mandatory caps on greenhouse gases.

TXU spokesman Tom Klekner was also interviewed on this radio show. He pointed out that TXUs power reserve margins were below the minimum of acceptable levels. The spokesman insisted five new nuclear plants were needed. After TXU was taken over, the company announced plans to build the two largest nuclear reactors in the U.S.

Across the country, in New Jersey, state environmentalists are arguing about the NRCs plans to grant a twenty-year license extension to Exelon Corps Oyster Creek Salem 1 and 2 plants. They are demanding the state revise its nuclear emphasis on the Corzine Administration Energy Master Plan. The plan calls for obtaining twenty-year extensions on all of the states nuclear power plants. As one alternative, they suggested building more windmills off the Jersey shore by 2020. A wind farm currently operates in often-breezy Atlantic City, where casinos are also located.

Oyster Creek is the countrys nuclear plant still in service, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Nuclear energy generates about one-half of the states electricity. More than 25,000 million kilowatt hours are generated each year through New Jerseys four nuclear reactors. It is likely environmentalists will do little more than argue about nuclear as New Jersey also has plans to use more coal.

The news media climate about nuclear has rapidly changed over the past five years. Hardly a significant news item was a transformer fire about 40 miles north of New York City at Entergys Indian Point 3 reactor. The reactor could be offline for about two weeks, and the NRC plans on tightening their plant inspections. This was the fourth unplanned shutdown since July.

Another step back for Entergy could be a Sunday deadline to pass NRC muster on their emergency siren warning systems. Only 31 of 150 sirens in three counties failed the test, but thats not good enough for the NRC. The regulatory agency demands a 90-percent success rate. While the utility can request another 75-day extension, NRC spokesman Neil Sheehan announced approval would not be automatic.

These evidences confirm what we have suspected for some time. Regulatory agencies, not the environmental movement, have stepped in to prevent a Three-Mile Island repeat. Over the past thirty years, regulation of nuclear power has evolved above the level of Homer Simpson satire. Engineering developments and safeguards are steeped in sufficient layers of protective bureaucracy to avoid another serious nuclear accident. Science has replaced rhetoric when bringing about changes in the nuclear industry.

With this in mind, environmentalists could better serve the citizenry by focusing their attention on coal-fired power plants, which reportedly exude more radioactivity than nuclear plants. Yes, coal beds commonly have uranium in their composition. No nuclear safeguards have yet been applied to burning coal. Perhaps environmentalists should chase this ball of yarn if they are indeed sincere about carbon emissions, global warming and abrupt climate change.

Next month, the number of U.S. nuclear reactors should increase by one to 104. The dormant Unit 1 reactor at Browns Ferry in Alabama will get its final inspection. TVA (TVE) hopes to restart the reactor in May. The nuclear unit has not been operational for more than two decades. The nuclear renaissance is alive and well in the U.S., not just overseas.

Australian and Canadian Uranium Stock Indexes Set Record Highs

Matthew Smith of TheInvestar reports his Australian uranium stock index closed at an all-time high this past week. The Canadian uranium stock index closed a few points below its record high set earlier in the week.

Smith observed AREVAs developments in Australia. In an email, he wrote, With AREVA being so active right now in Australia this tells us:

They think the 'Three Mines Policy' will be overturned at the end of the month.

There is a higher risk for the Athabascan mines than Cameco (CCJ) is letting on. Therefore, AREVA (whose subsidiary is an owner, through joint ventures, of many of the mines there) is diversifying and spreading their risk over many future deposits and mines.

They see increased demand in a large way down the road. AREVA would not be buying if they could not justify this. The larger miners are generally very conservative. American and Australian deposits are where the big boys will go first when buying. Then, they will gradually gravitate to the more speculative plays in Athabasca and elsewhere.

COPYRIGHT 2007 by StockInterview, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Julie Icke and James Finch co-authored this article. James Finch contributes to StockInterview.com and other publications. His focus on the uranium mining and nuclear fuel sector resulted in the widely popular Investing in the Great Uranium Bull Market, which is now available on http://www.stockinterview.com and on http://www.amazon.com

Forex Day Trading - The Profit Illusion That Sees Traders Lose

Forex day trading simply doesnt work and you will never find a trader with a track record of real time profits, however more novice traders try this method than any other type of trading. This is desite the fact it will never work, because you can't get the odds in your favor.

If you are considering day trading then you should read this article.

First lets look at why forex day trading doesnt work.

The time period is to short!

Volatility in short time frames is random - PERIOD

This means daily support and resistance levels are meaningless and you can never get the odds on your side longer term.

Now lets look at the illusion of profits.

The Marketing Illusion

You have seen them the headlines promising you 100% annual profits or a regular monthly income - all for just a few hundred dollars.

Of course the reality is they profits do not exist and it's simply clever marketing copy.

Look at the facts and you will see no substantiation whatsoever to back up the claims.

You will of course get a hypothetical track record, done in hindsight but the key word to consider here is hindsight! The person presenting the track record knows the closing prices when they do the track record.

If I knew tomorrows closing price today, I would be a multi millionaire but thats not the reality of forex trading.

The people who create the illusion you can make money forex day trading can never present a long term track record of real profits thats real dollars made in the market by them.

Why Create The Illusion?

These people are mostly failed brokers or marketing organizations that actually have the sense not to trade the system themselves.

Why?

Becuase they can make a guaranteed return selling the system to naive forex traders.

Patterns that dont repeat

Many traders look at back data and see patterns.

They think they can trade themselves but this is a bit like roulette wheel paterns - there appears to be an order but the same sequence never repeat again its an illusion, that fools many traders and when they try and trade for real they lose their equity.

Still Not Convinced Day Trading Doesnt Work?

Here is a simple test you can do for yourself:

Ask anyone who claims they make money day trading, to produce to you a real time track record of profits, with supporting bank statements and trades.

You wont get one.

Day trading does not make money, apart for the vendors who sell e-books and forex day trading systems and they cheerfully let you take the losses, while they bank a fee for their services thats guaranteed.

Dont fall into the forex day trading can make you money trap! If you do you will lose your equity quickly.

GRAB 3 X FREE TRADER & FREE TRADER PROFITS NEWSLETTER

More on becoming a profitable trader some critical FREE Trader PDF's and more FREE Forex Education visit our website at http://www.net-planet.org/index.html

Investing Wisely With Online Brokerage

In this ever-fluctuating financial era, to make a wise investment, you need to think not once, not even twice, but many times to fetch maximum benefit out of it. Initially, traditional stock brokers were used to be the helping hand and brain who supplied the latest information regarding ups and downs of the stock market as well as helped in sale and purchase of stocks. But, advent of Internet and increasing number of users has given rise to the concept of online brokerage.

Similar to traditional brokerage, online brokerage came into existence to help the investors deal with their finances. Online brokerage industry provides services by making a fair assessment of the investors current financial situation, assisting them in executing financial plans, providing them the stocks of their interests, but more effectively and quickly as compared to that to traditional brokerage.

Well, online brokerage industry is gaining fast grounds every second. Out of todays busy schedule and ease of Internet, Americans prefer online brokerage credited to its quick and effective services. Estimates reveal that number of investors, trading online in U.S. has increased remarkably from 4.1 million to 21 million in a span of just 5 years.

We cant deny the fact that online brokerage industry has been notorious of its loopholes and pitfalls, yet it seems to be gaining popularity among the investors. This scenario prompted the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to analyze and scrutinize the investment products that are offered to the investors by online brokerage industry. In order to keep a thorough check, SEC has directed online brokerage industry to furnish certain obligatory information pertaining to the;

• Contents of the brokers or companys web site
• Quoted prices of the products
• Information furnished to the clients
• Security of clients account

Despite these measures and controls, SEC has still not been able to impose directives that could allow a client to produce his detailed and accurate statement of his assets and access his account online any time. However, this issue has neither hampered the image of online brokerage industry nor affected the inclination of investors towards online trading.

Nowadays, when more and more investments and stock transactions are being made online, the need of an efficient online broker has become inevitable. Over the years, number of companies offering online brokerage have stepped in. They are targeting the prospective customer by offering services, which deal with their specific investment needs and priorities.

Just few words of caution for the beginners before they open an account and make investment through online brokerage

• Perform an in-depth research on the companys history and financial status.
• Assess the speed of the companys website and check whether the site is free from technical problems.
• Check the quality of services offered.
• Check the authenticity by calling at the companys help desk.
• Place your queries regarding the commission rates, services rendered and judge the swiftness with which they provide the solution.

Well, despite having downsides, online brokerage is still charming investors to online trading and investment for a variety of benefits, including the low broker fees and investors full control over the stocks. In simple yet golden words, online brokerage provides investors an entire new level of independence, yet gaining maximum benefits from hard earned money.

Invest wisely with the best online brokerage company offering cheap trading at $3 per trade. Make money with this Online brokerage.

Market Psychology

Today we are inundated with tons of information about the economy, stocks, government agencies and foreign governments. They show us charts and graphs of the increase/decrease in oil production over the last 5 years, the amount of maple syrup produced in Vermont for the past century, the time it takes to bounce a signal off the moon and all kinds of other nonsense that we can live without. The talking heads on the investment programs, both radio and TV, tell us how this is going to affect the price of certain stocks and the market in general. Well, maybe.

When you step back to get a better view of the market because the trees are in the way you really get a different view. No matter what stock or mutual fund you own there is one important factor that is causing all of them to change. It is the mass thinking of all the people who own equities of any type. The stock market is a reflection of this mass thinking and causes changes in human behavior. This mass thinking does not necessarily reflect what the economy is doing at any specific moment.

Take the euphoria of stock buyers at the end of 1999 and the beginning of 2000. All the mass psychology was bullish and everyone knew the market was going to go higher. The economy knew better and stocks headed down. The market was a reflection of what we could not see.

Currently many people are becoming bearish and think the market is headed lower, but no one really knows until after the fact. It is dangerous to be either bullish or bearish at this moment. So what is the best course of action when you are not sure of what to do with your money? Keep in mind that protection of your capital, especially your retirement money, is a prime consideration. If you own a stock now that has been going up you dont want to sell it, but you can protect yourself against loss and lock in profit by placing an Open Stop-Loss Order with your broker. Keep moving the stop up as the stock goes higher.

If you have a stock or fund that is going down you must either sell out or place an order to get out if it goes down further. Usually 10% is about right. If your stock is $40 place your stop at $36.

If the mass psychology becomes too negative it can cause massive selling and even the best equities get flushed. All boats go down when the tides goes out. If you do not have a loss limit in place at all times you will lose your investment capital. The example of this was what happened when the World Trade Center was destroyed. Selling was caused by mass psychology and had little to do with valuation.

It is a herd instinct and you dont want to be led to slaughter will all the other dumb animals. Protect your money. Put in a stop today.

Al Thomas' book, "If It Doesn't Go Up, Don't Buy It!" has helped thousands of people make money and keep their profits with his simple 2-step method. Read the first chapter at http://www.mutualfundmagic.com and discover why he's the man that Wall Street does not want you to know.

Copyright 2005

al@mutualfundstrategy.com; 1-888-345-7870

Investing in Russian IT Companies - Useful Tips From Experts

Due to relatively low competition, the interest of investors in Russian software and innovation companies is growing despite the potential risks and the reason is simple: the return on investment (ROI) could be quite outstanding. Many analysts believe that presently the Russian market lacks local companies with original developments, while those which have unique products or services are already acquired. As CRN reports , the growing demand for IT products in Russia from small businesses and ordinary people substantiates rapid development of the Russian IT sector.

Here are some common principles that are crucial for investors success:

If you are a potential investor, it will be very important for you to look at some existing cases and make conclusions as to which filters or criteria you would use to identify strong cases. Venture fund gurus, like Mr. Martinson of MartinsonTrigon identified a few problems on the IT segment of the market in his interview for a CRN article , including:

-- While Russias foreign investors mainly look into mature and profitable companies, Russian companies do not necessarily understand that a good investor is not about money, but rather a complex deal when it can provide some real assistance and support.

-- There is a tight competition among VCs in Russia for the best companies. Therefore, it may seem that in the Russian IT industry there is extra capital floating. In reality, on the contrary there is a deficit. Today the investors choose where they want to invest and not otherwise.

-- There is a need for investments to the second and third echelon companies, which would facilitate the development of the industry sector.

-- Another problem is poor preparedness of the companies themselves for receiving the investments. A majority of the companies have huge confusion in accounting and bookkeeping.

-- In the next two years almost all of the IT sector will be developing fast, but the most probable investment segment should be Internet technologies and services, mobile services and software export. The venture investment turnover in Russia may reach USD 100-150 million per annum. This will be a good growth compared to an average USD 50 million investments in 2005.

Notes from History:

Put field Marshall KUTUZOVs strategy to work: go for a long-term investment, rely on your partisans (local partners), endure some bumps in the road, and you will defeat the Napoleon of doubts and pessimistic media critics. Or, as Ivan Andreyevich Krylov, Russias own Aesop of the 19th century, put it in one of his tremendously popular fables of the time, a Vaska slushaet da est - (The cat Vaska is listening, yet still eating). He refers to a smart cat that listened to the cries of the chef who found him devouring a nice piece of meat from the kitchen, but kept eating anyway. So, listen to the critique critically, even give some unhappy interviews if you wish, but keep the meat!

Find out more about investments to Russia in my upcoming book "Riding the Russian Technology Boom" (www.russia.futuretext.com).

Dr. Andrey Gidaspov has over ten years of experience in business consulting in the IT and telecom (ICT) fields in Russia, CIS and Asia. Andrey has sealed deals for hundreds of American companies with Russian and CIS partners, ranging from start-up businesses to large multi-national corporations throughout Eurasia. His past clients include well-known technology leaders such as Motorola, Harris, Tekelec, Oracle, Corning, Tellabs, Qualcomm, Net2Phone, Nortel, Andrew and many others.

In September 2004 Andrey opened his own consulting business, Gidabyte (www.gidabyte.com), based in Hong Kong, China. The company provides a wide range of business consulting in the ICT sector for international companies in Eurasia and Asia Pacific. GidaByte's bi-monthly newsletter "GidaScope" has become an instant success (www.gidabyte.com/newsletter) among various businesses interested in doing business in Russia. Andrey recently authored his first book - "Riding the Russian Technology Boom" - which will soon be available on Amazon. See more info about the book at: http://www.russia.futuretext.com

Mutual Funds - A Secure Investment For Your Future

Investment opportunities galore in today's globalized world, but if you do not want to take too many risks and earn handsome returns as well, then mutual fund investments are certainly your best bet. No doubt, a large portion of your invested money will be ultimately channeled to the so-called volatile stock markets, but you need not worry because your funds and that of other investors will be put under the management of seasoned professionals who will take care of the risks involved and ensure that you get the best possible returns from your investments. Moreover, since the mutual fund company will not charge you anything more than a small amount as processing fees, it makes more sense to opt for mutual funds rather than to make direct investments in the stock market.

Mutual funds have always been one of the most secure investment options available because they are based on the time tested logic - "never place all your eggs in the same basket." Money collected from retail investors such as you is channeled to various investment avenues such as equities, bonds, short-term money-market instruments and others, something that automatically reduces the associated investment risks. Investments risks are also reduced because most mutual fund companies often have intra company shareholdings that act as insurance against potential future downfalls or volatility in the money market.

It is not that your returns are guaranteed, but since the chances of earning profits is relatively more in case of mutual fund investments, it is always better to park your hard earned money in such secure instruments. You will benefit not only from the dividends that you will be entitled to receive, but also from the appreciation in the NAV (Net Asset Value) of your mutual fund units. Liquidity is also not a problem because you can sell your mutual fund units as and when you want at market rates (NAV). Your decision to sell will however be dictated by factors such as your present financial needs and your present and future financial goals and objectives.

Mutual funds are certainly one of the most secure investment avenues, but still you need to be prudent simply because not all mutual funds available in the market offer the same benefits. To ensure the safety and profitability of your investments, you will thus have to select only those funds that hold the most potential for future growth. It is only then will you be able to do justice to the phraseology: "Mutual Funds - A secure investment!"

GREG S. owns and manages his Mutual Funds website where you can get more useful information about investing in various types of Mutual Funds.

Real Estate is Still a Good Investment

With the problems some mortgage companies are going through in New York and nationwide, one may think today isn't the right time to invest. The only thing you may fear is your lack of confidence and know-how as you proceed into this endeavor.

There are many get-rich quick promises and schemes to be weary of. Real estate investing shows its rewards after a few years, be it 5, 10 or 15. Knowing how to deal with mortgage brokers and bankers may be compared to wandering through a maze. Investing in a consumer protection book, which can certainly guide you through the dos and don'ts as well as what to be alerted for, may be your first sensible and necessary step towards arriving at your dream.

There are mortgage brokers and bankers who do care about their clients desires, knowing of the long-term relationship they will be in, and these are the ones to be shooting for. Knowing the loan programs available before meeting with your mortgage broker, prepares you somewhat. Knowing if you can invest little money down, no money down, whether you qualify if you have bad credit or no credit, is also beneficial to know in advance. If you know someone who has successfully invested in real estate and has a firm understanding of how the mortgage process works, well, the more guidance you seek, the less stress as you proceed.

Take your time. Do your research. Find your resources. Proceed into the world of real estate investment without a single trace of fear. Your riches shall come.

King of the Middle Class - www.loansny.net

Forex Trading Understand the Risks for a Money Making Second Income

What is The Foreign Exchange trades market (also known by the acronym FOREX) is sometimes called the Spot market. Every day the value of trades made on Forex is anything up to $2 trillion. There are no physical goods or stocks traded in Forex: the currency is, quite simply, hard cash money.

Traders in the Forex market buying one currency at the same time as they selling another, using a Forex broker to make the trade. This paired form of trading means you might be selling US Dollars (USD) at the same time as you are buying GB Pounds (GBP). The trading of currencies is a barometer of current confidence in a country and its economic prospects. The strength of one currency is a demonstration of its position against other competing nations economies.

Newcomers to Forex might want to know where the hub of the market is situated: the answer is it has no physical location. The Trading in the Forex market operates electronically through the Interbank network. Unlike other markets, there are no opening or closing prices on Forex, as the market runs 24 hours a day, from Sundays to Fridays.

It is now easy for any individual to start trading in Forex as the high entry thresholds, which served to restrict Forex trading to financial institutions, no longer apply. No longer do you need to have millions of dollars to enter this market, so individuals can start trading online from their homes.

Unlike traditional stock markets, there are no commissions payable to brokers: they receive a bid-ask payment instead. The bid-ask spread value varies: usually 0.1 per cent of much lower depending on the dealer and the lot or contract size.

Why is Forex trading becoming more popular with private investors?

Here are some of the attractions of getting involved in Forex trading:

• You pay no commissions, clearing fees, exchange fees, government fees, or brokerage commission.
• You deal direct in your chosen currency market, you cut out the middle man.
• The minimum trade is low, so it is easy to start trading in Forex.
• Transaction costs are not excessive.
• The market is open 24 hours a day between Sunday evening and Friday afternoon so you can star Forex investing even if you have a full time job.
• Traders compete on equal terms because nobody can corner this vast market.
• Huge capital reserves are not necessary, and investor can start with less than $1000.
• Your investment is instantly available so your money is not tied up if you need it.

How you can get started in Forex trading from home

All you actually need to get started is a computer with a high-speed Internet connection. Most of the reputable Forex trading sites have helpful step by step instructions to help you, and you can even start out with dummy trades where you do not even risk any of your own money.

The cost of trading in Forex

You can open an account with a deposit of around $250 in your account - this is called your margin. To get a true feel of the market, it would be better to allocate around $1000 if you can afford it remember you should only deposit this money if you are ready to risk losing it!!

How you can make money in Forex trading The key is to buy low and sell high, of course but easier said than done. Any currency that is fluctuating is a potential candidate for a trade, and you can profit well from a change as low as one per cent in the value of a currency.

How you can get started Have a look at any of the major Forex websites on a Business Opportunity Review website where you can check how they are rated, deposit your initial margin and you are ready to become an international Forex Trader. Think of me when you make your first million...

Adrienne Davis runs Forex Trading Help with advice on the risks and rewards of Forex Trading. She has extensive experience in marketing and business start up and publishes a FREE Internet Business Tips Ezine.

The Water Factor in Uranium Mining

Water plays an integral role for In Situ Recovery (ISR) uranium mining. If the water is not in the right place, ISR mining can not take place. A companys pounds in the ground are nearly worthless or may have to be extracted through other means.

One of the purposes of the Advanced ISR series is to finally bury the misleading Pounds in the Ground mantra. Some uranium companies have given the wrong impression about their resource estimates by championing the number of their historical pounds. Some of those pounds might never be mined or even permitted for mining. Having NI 43-101 compliant resources does not necessarily confirm whether companies have economic deposits in which the extraction process can take place. Water could be the issue.

Our interview with Glenn Catchpole of Uranerz Energy explains what investors should know about waters role in ISR uranium mining. Companies with an ISR project may disappoint shareholders because of the water location, or lack of water, in relation to the ore body. Many analysts have assigned values to an ore body without taking water into consideration. We hope this interview will help shed new light on these valuations.

StockInterview: Lets start with the basics. What is the first requirement for an In Situ Recovery uranium mine?

Glenn Catchpole: The uranium ore body itself must or should be in a confined aquifer. What you are looking for is that the uranium-mineralized sandstone is in this aquifer. If theres no water in the formation and its dry, then you cant solution mine (also known as ISR).

StockInterview: What do you mean by a confined aquifer?

Glenn Catchpole: A confined aquifer is one that is confined between two impermeable geologic strata. In Wyoming, typically they would be either mud, stone, shale or some type of clay which forms an impermeable barrier above and below the sandstone hosting the uranium. Over time, water has moved down the sandstone strata. As it moves, the water comes under pressure and becomes confined.

StockInterview: Why is this important?

Glenn Catchpole: If you complete a water well in a sandstone strata that is under pressure and encase it in cement, the water will actually rise in that casing to some level based on the pressure in the aquifer. In some cases, there could be enough pressure or head, where the well will actually flow onto the surface on its own. You want the water under pressure because the more pressure in the formation, or in the sandstone unit, then the more oxygen you can put in the solution. In the United States, you either add CO2 or sodium bicarbonate plus an oxidant, such as oxygen, to the groundwater. Then you re-inject the solution into the sandstone host formation to dissolve the uranium off the sandstone. The more oxygen you can put into the solution, the more effectively you can dissolve or oxidize the uranium.

StockInterview: How do you find out how much pressure you have in the aquifer?

Glenn Catchpole: Lets assume youve got good uranium values from the results of your exploration program, and that you may have an economic ore body using the ISR method. You then need to confirm that the ore body is in an aquifer or that the sandstone is saturated with water. To do that, you would install hydrologic testing wells. Assuming there is water in those wells, you would then do a pump test to determine the hydrologic properties of this aquifer.

StockInterview: How do you know if your properties have mineralized sandstone formations which are saturated with water?

Glenn Catchpole: There are deposits in Wyoming that are good in terms of grade, but they are completely above the water table. They are not saturated. In our case, we focused our acquisition activities in the Powder River Basin, which we know from our previous work. Most of those sands that are hosting uranium are indeed saturated with water. There are some that are not. From our experience we pretty much know those deposits that may be sitting above the water table. In other words, they are not saturated with water. If uranium went to $500/pound, maybe some day you could put a conventional mine on them.

StockInterview: What about those in the exploration stage?

Glenn Catchpole: If you were working in a new area doing raw exploration, and you did come across good mineralization that looked like you had an ore body there, you might not know for sure about the hydrology and what the water levels are like. You could get into a situation where either the sandstone is dry, or it is only partially filled with water. Or its filled with water, but it doesnt have much head or pressure on it. Youve got to do some test work and nail that down.

StockInterview: Is there any way of detecting the problem in advance, before you discover youve got an inadequately saturated formation?

Glenn Catchpole: When you are drilling an exploration hole, the driller knows when he encounters any water at all. If he doesnt get any water, you know right away, youve got a problem very early on. When the driller starts out, he can start drilling with air. If he encounters water in his drilling, then hes going to switch over to drilling mud to carry the cuttings. As hes drilling a hole, he is creating cuttings. He has to have a mud slurry in order to carry those cuttings out of the hole. An experienced driller will have a good feel for how much water hes encountered. These drillers have worked all over Wyoming; theyve got some feel for the local geology and what the water situation might be.

StockInterview: Once youve established the saturation and pressure, whats next on your checklist?

Glenn Catchpole: Assuming the mineralization is not tied up in clay streaks in the sandstone unit, then you want to know the permeability of the aquifer. How readily can you move water through the formation? To do that, you have to do a pump test, or aquifer test to calculate the value of the permeability of that aquifer. The higher the permeability, the more helpful its going to be in your mining process. You have to be able to move the solution through the formation in order to leach uranium off the sandstone grains. The more permeable the formation, the more fluid you can move through it; the more effective you can be in extracting uranium.

StockInterview: How do you determine your rate of production?

Glenn Catchpole: Two things determine your ISR mining production rate. Thats the concentration of the uranium in the fluid coming out of your recovery wells and the flow rate. Theres an equation you can use to determine the rate of production in pounds. You multiply your flow rate by your concentration, also known as head grade.

StockInterview: Is this how companies conclude how many pounds they will annually produce on their ISR project?

Glenn Catchpole: Generally, you have a production rate you are trying to achieve. For example, if I want to produce one million pounds per year, and my head grade is 80 milligrams per liter (a typical number used for U.S. projects) and my hydrologist tells me Ive going to recover 10 gallons per minute, I will need 400 recovery wells. Based upon these hypothetical calculations, I will need 4,000 gallons per minute, or 400 recovery wells each recovering 10 gallons/minute, to produce one million pounds. As a side comment, when people say Im going to have a solution mine that produces three million pounds per year, it turns out to be a lot of wells. Your major cost in a solution mining operation, once youve got the plant built, is putting in your wells. (Editors Note: Discussing costs to put in wells with others in the uranium mining sector, we found a range of $20 to $30/foot for each well.)

Conclusion

In a separate information sheet, Glenn Catchpole provided us with a hypothetical approximation of an ISR wellfield in Wyoming. He wrote, Production at an ISR uranium mine is directly related to the flow rate (FR) coming from the recovery wells and the concentration of the uranium or head grade (HG) in the recovery solution.

In this theoretical calculation, Mr. Catchpole assumed a head grade of 65 milligrams per liter, a flow rate of 10 gallons per minute for each recovery well, and an ore bodys average depth below surface of 500 feet. In order to produce one million pounds U3O8, this would require 350 production wells, 420 injection wells and 20 monitor wells. Using these assumptions, the theoretical well field would cost approximately $12 million to construct. Amortized over two years for the life of the well field, the cost for the well field construction using annual production figures of one million pounds would be about $6/pound U3O8. By lowering cost/foot for each well, a company could reduce their construction cost to about $4/pound U3O8.

Mr. Catchpole cautioned these are simplistic and very rough approximations of an ISR wellfield cost in Wyoming. He also wrote, These are presented for illustrative purposes only and the numbers generated should not be used in financial calculations or project evaluations.

COPYRIGHT 2007 by StockInterview, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

James Finch contributes to StockInterview.com and other publications. His focus on the uranium mining and nuclear fuel sector resulted in the widely popular Investing in the Great Uranium Bull Market, which is now available on http://www.stockinterview.com and on http://www.amazon.com

Straight From The Hard Drive

Goodbye Big Brother; Hello Peer-to-Peer... a forerunner of whats to come...

We all know that big business dictates to musicians what music they should be writing and performing. Ask Tony Bennet, Angus Young, and Fergie. Unless musicians cooperate with the big label companies, who control the purse strings, they have little chance of enduring in the mainstream of commercial music. An upstart has little chance to go to the top of the charts without an infusion of promotional dollars from big business. The overall result is the production of mediocre music that the gurus at the big label companies believe appeals to the masses, the common denominator.

Too bad for the creative, inspired music that never sees the light of day. With very rare exceptions, stifled musicians either bow out of the game, or make compromises to at least part of the time toe the line set by music company executives.

THE BYPASS

Move over, executives. Hard drive to hard drive is here. Downloading MP3 files, through todays technology, is easier than ever. No corporate executive is at the toll-gate dictating the content and style of the product.

Whats so important about all this for stock photographers?

This distribution process paves the way for the possibility of an entirely new delivery method for photographers, artists, game makers, musicians, and writers, who have historically been at the mercy of middle-men to promote and distribute their work. Its called peer-to-peer. Your hard drive to my hard drive, without going through the Web.

Heres how it would work. As a buyer, to get the creative work you are looking for, you circumvent the usual distributor (label company in this case) and download the music file youre looking for from the supplier's hard drive. In our case, as stock photographers and photobuyers, it would be an image to download.

At first glance, you might think that Napster-sparked free trading of music files would cause a serious reduction in retail sales. On the contrary, it turns out to be a catalyst. Studies show that music sales have never been better. After Napster was reduced to a common sense Internet company by the courts, it evolved to a company that promotes new artists.

Could this work in our industry? The marketing part already has. Stock photo agencies such as iStock and Shutterstock, that practically give pictures away through royalty-free distribution, have found that the system both encourages on-line purchasing plus educates buyers in image utilization and graduating to higher-ticket image purchasing. Usage, the saying goes, begets more usage.

THE SALES ANGLE

But wait, if we give our photos away practically free, wont that discourage photographers from making images in the future? This is a natural reaction. Every time a new technology has come along, the purveyors of the former technology get up in arms, trying to prevent the new from destroying the old. Whether radio (it was going to destroy newspapers), TV (it was going to destroy radio), cable TV (it was going to destroy network TV), or DVDs (they were going to destroy movie theaters). These media have learned to live harmoniously side by side, and everyone has benefited.

The Internet has opened the window for us to cease viewing business strategies through traditional, old-think lenses, and instead see all kinds of new possibilities. The Internets peer-to-peer possibilities open new distribution doors for creators of all products.

For stock photography freelancers, the system could work like this. Software known as digital rights management systems will soon become available that will allow a photobuyer to enter your computers hard drive, search for specific pictures, download them, and purchase them. The fee may be low (like with RF photography) but the volume will be high (several visitors a day). The bottom line will be that pictures that otherwise would languish in your files gathering dust, will generate activity and sales for you. The peer-to-peer system probably wont do away with the big boys (agencies). They themselves could evolve into a pay-per-use or subscription-based model. They would share the revenue from sales with their photographers.

Both models could survive. The conglomerates could enter into general vertical markets themselves. The peer-to-peer system would open a new door where the conglomerates would continue to produce and sell their generic images. The vertical (specialized) market where most individual freelance photographers would reside, would be too spare for the big conglomerates, and not as lucrative for them as the commercial stock photo market. This would open new possibilities in specialized markets for freelancers who have deep files of keyworded content in their image databases. Internet technology today is too powerful, too ambitious, for lawmakers to regulate freedom of exchange of music, images, and graphic files. The istock phenomenon has proven this. Eventually the dust will settle, and individual freelance stock photographers are bound to come out in an even better position than was available for them in the last century.

Rohn Engh, veteran stock photographer and best-selling author of Sell & ReSell Your Photos and sellphotos.com, has helped scores of photographers launch their careers. For access to great information on making money from pictures you like to take, and to receive this free report: 8 Steps to Becoming a Published Photographer, visit http://www.sellphotos.com

The Pros And Cons Of Trading Forex

There is not other financial market which compares to the foreign exchange currencies market. Trading Forex can be done around the clock all year long, including weekends. Because of its uninterrupted accessibility, trading the Forex market has made the exchange of currencies the largest money making opportunity in the world.

Even without its uninterrupted accessibility, trading the Forex would still be the most user-friendly investment around. Its generous leverage conditions, which run as high as 100:1, allow even the smallest investors to control a considerable amount of currency. Someone with only $1000 of risk capital, for instance, can actually buy $100,000 of a currency to use for trading.

But even with that kind of leverage, no one should start trading Forex without first studying the currencies market for an extended period. Learning to recognize patterns in currency fluctuations is the only way to develop an instinct for when to enter and exit when you are trading Forex.

The Risks Of Trading Forex
There is risk involved in investing in any of the financial markets. But thousands of investors have learned that if they use discipline when trading Forex, they have a good chance of clearing a nice profit without risking too much of their own money. With trading platforms capable of instantaneously providing fluctuations in the prices of various currencies, those trading Forex can capitalize on small movements in the currencies markets and make surprisingly impressive profits.

Trading the Forex market is much less complicated than trading stocks, simply because there are only a handful of major currencies. Add that to the high leverage available in the Forex markets, and the correspondingly small amount of capital outlay required, and trading Forex seems even more attractive.

Then consider the ability to trade Forex at any hour of the day or night, and the exodus of traders from the stock market to trading Forex is easily understood.

Limit And Stop Loss Orders
For those nervous about the risks involved in trading Forex, both limit orders and stop loss orders are available. And because of the enormous liquidity of the currencies market, even limit orders are filled almost instantaneously. A limit order will allow an investor to specify both a buying and selling price, and will not have to pay more or sell for less as long as there is a buyer or seller who will meet that limit. If no one does, the limit order will expire.

A stop loss means that an investors position in a currency trade will be liquidated as soon as the price of the currency hits that level. A top loss order is a great way to get out of a currency trade which goes bad without losing your shirt.

Trading Forex will also eliminate the commission you have been used to paying your stock broker. That doesnt mean, however, that you can trade for free. Forex brokers charge a spread on each purchase and sale you make. You should learn exactly what that spread will cost you before you start using a particular broker, and also investigate any fees a broker might charge you if you hold a position in you account overnight.

You can also find more info on Trading Forex and e-Forex Trading. e-forextradingsystem.com is a comprehensive resource to know about e-Forex Trading System.

A + B - N (AMRO) Bank

The investment market is like the dating market; the ugly little duck can turn into a desirable prince(s) after someone has given it some attention. And what happens next, all of a sudden the former duck gets surrounded by a chain of new admirers. They all want her. Or him.

Currently on the scene is ABN AMRO. Not really small, nor exactly ugly but not performing according to the stock exchange standards (what ever they might be). And the bank found a buyer (Barclays) for its shares willing to pay around the 36 euros.

New admirers of the bank include a group of three European banks that are willing to offer 39 euros. Why 39, you may ask. Perhaps because 40 seems psychologically too much or simply that 39 divided by three is exactly 13.

The offer of this consortium (formed by the Spanish bank Santander, the Belgium bank Fortis and the Royal Bank of Scotland) will bring ABN to a demolition stage; each bank acquires a part of the whole. Santander receives the desired Italian branch only recently acquired and Brazil, Fortis the Benelux part and RBS the American operation.

The question whether this split-up would be worse than the original offer from Barclays remains unanswered. Many believe so, I doubt it from a cultural point of view.

In fact the situation in which ABN stranded is one of incomplete acquisition. In the financial world it is to eat or get eaten and ABN ate only half its way. It left the company with a well established market in Europe but insignificant in nearly any other continent. For Santander it makes much more sense to acquire Brazil and an Italian part (something its rival BBVA - could manage so far) and the acquisition of Fortis will make perfectly sense although a larger cultural mismatch. And the oversees (US) activities of RBS seems neither illogical.

Cultural speaking the break up would make more sense, because each three banks would expand with similar cultures. Santander would provide a better fit for the Brazilian branch, although you could question whether this fits also the Italian case.

On the other hand, the consortium offer would also mean a bigger change, because the name ABN AMRO would cease to exist.

2007 Hans Bool

Hans Bool writes articles about management, culture and change. If you are interested to read or experience more about these topics have a look at: Astor White or sign-up for our newsletter.

Why You Should Use the Forex Commodity Trading Systems

Are you searching for a great way to invest in the international foreign exchange market? Then look no further than Forex trading processes. It is one of the easiest ways to trade because you don't need to spend a lot of time learning how the system works. You can access the system anytime Monday through Saturday, twenty-four hours a day. This makes it one of the most convenient methods of investing around.

There are many other advantages of Forex trading processes that you will enjoy. For instance, when you set up the account you can use the practice account to get the feel of how the system works. If you are a little nervous about trading this will help you to relax and feel more at ease, which will help prepare you for the real thing. The Forex trading processes has six major currencies that you can choose from. Other systems have hundreds which makes them much more complicated to use. You have total control over the account and once you use the propriety software to set up the account, it will automatically buy and sell according to the way you choose.

You can then set back and relax. The Forex system will do all the work for you. You dont have to worry about spending long hours taking care of the account, all you need is a few minutes each day to check the account. Forex uses a strategy that really works. They use currencies pairs that are opposites. This means that when one is losing money the other is normally making money. The two pairs will balance out and usually leaves you with a profit. This system has been proven to work very well. It is because of this strategy that Forex is becoming so popular with investors.

Forex is one of the best ways to invest in foreign currency exchange. If investing is something that you are interested in, then you definitely need to take the time to learn all you can about Forex. This way you can see first hand all the advantages that it has to offer. You will see why it is the number one way to invest and be glad that you choose Forex to take care of all your investing needs.

Learn about Forex Commodity Trading and Forex Commodity Trading Process at http://www.forexcommoditytrading.com

Increase Your Chances Of Success In The Forex Market

The learning curve in the forex market is a big one and most traders already lost there first account before they ever get passed this point.

Almost all new forex traders believe they must predict turning points in the forex market in order to make money. Not only is this totally wrong it is also very hard to do.

I always recommend a new trader to follow the herd, trade with the trend. The trend is your best friend in the forex market and you should always be with him, never against him!

When the market is going up you buy.

When the market is going down you sell.

Simple as that, you may want to pick a couple of technical indicators to help you in your trading decisions. I say a couple because I personally believe that any more than 2 and you are just making it harder to define you entry.

For example you may want to use the 50% fib level along with round numbers. These are great tools to use as this is what the large institutions are using.

Cut your losses short and ride you winners as long as you can. Even try adding to then along the way.

Start trying to risk less than half of what you are trying to gain, this ensures that in the long run you have a good chance of success. I always try and shoot for three times what I have risked as this means I only have to be correct 25% of the time to break even.

One of the most important things I can tell you to help you with your trading is protect you account. Remember it is money, hard earned money in your trading account, don't waste it on silly trades. Only plan and take the absolute best trade set ups.

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What Is Active Trading?

Stock market investing is a great way to make money. Buy shares at a low price, and sell at a higher price. What could be easier? Sadly, its not always that easy. However, understanding the markets and the terms used by traders can help to give you an advantage. While I wont cover them all here, below you will find a couple of examples to help you get started trading.

Stock options include what is known as a covered call. Where you purchase a stock and then go back in with a covered call to ensure if the stock goes down you will not lose your money. Short sells involve buying a devalued stock because it is showing that it will increase in the next while to help increase your portfolio. A sell stop is a term for placing a stop on a stock you would like to acquire. This means you will not purchase the stock if it exceeds your set price before you can attain it.

There are what we term day traders. These active traders will buy and sell stocks in the same day. They look for stocks that are volatile, which provides the best trading opportunities for the day trader. They sit in front off their computer and watch the markets, looking for the best chart set up before taking a position. Most day traders will look at the 2 minute charts, which suggests that they wont be in a specific position for long. Unless you have a lot of time, experience and tolerance for risk, day trading wont be for you.

While there are many books out there that say they can teach you how to trade, there is no substitute for experience. The problem is, its a very expensive way to learn. The key is in keeping a stop loss, regardless of the methodology you decide to follow. Successful day traders, swing traders and even value investors use a stop loss to help minimize the amount of downside risk they are exposed to. A stop loss is a set price at which you will automatically exit your position. Its up to the investor to decide if its at a specific percentage of the trade value, a percentage off the share price, or a certain level that is deemed to be support / resistance.

Other options for the beginner trader is to use online services that will teach you how to trade in a simulated market environment. This allows you to gauge not only how good of a trader you are, but also how well you deal with risk.

Stock market investing is a great way of escaping the usual 9-5 grind. Whether you are looking to invest for retirement, or invest so you don't have to work anymore, if you can trade successfully, you will be able to attain your goals. Of course, it is not without risk. With a bit of knowledge and experience, you can improve your chances of making money in the stock market.

Visit us for more information on hot penny stocks, how to trade penny stocks online and learn to pick penny stocks.

Forex Asset Managers for Easy and Profitable Trading

Forex Asset Managers are well-informed investors seeking solid returns on investments with measured stability. They are part of conventional or electronic brokerage organizations to yield the maximum return from their clients investments and reducing their overall portfolio risk through increased diversification.

Because of poor performance of the stock and bond market, there has been an increased interest in forex. The demand for professional Forex asset managers has therefore increased to manifolds. These asset managers offer high degree of customer service with efficient money management which can be overlooked in this highly leveraged market conditions.

With the support of forex asset managers you can reap the benefits of proper diversification of your investment in the global market place. With the surveillance by these asset managers, you can eliminate concerns about stock market or real estate downfall, fundamental factors like terrorism, current events and at the same time diversify your investment profitably.

The basic advantages of hiring professional asset managers for your forex trading are

1.Your trading will be supervised by professionally traders.
2.Trades will be covered by proper risk and money management.
3.Trades will take place with the most liquid currencies in the spot market and diversification of portfolio.
4.Offers will be with the highest degree of liquidity and excellent risk-to-reward ratio.
5.Independent trades which is regardless of direction of the dollar versus other currencies.

Once your forex trades are managed by professional asset managers, you shouldn't have to worry about calculating your profits and losses. Your Forex asset manager will make this information available to you online 24 hours a day. But as an informed investor you should understand the basics of the trades and calculations.

The experienced forex asset manager help you get the most from your managed forex accounts. They will take care of all account opening formalities and required documentation. If your account size exceeds a certain amount, all these services become free. The rate of return can vary depending on a chosen investment strategy. You can limit your possible loss to a certain percentage, above which it will not exceed. Other wise it will be compensated by the forex asset managing firm.

Forex asset managers are downright prescient. Their services, advices, signals, and predictions are based on structured fundamental and technical analysis. They take care of your accounts with personalized strategies that work best for you. They offer supplementary well-researched information to keep you abreast with the current happenings and trends.

A good forex asset manager prepares you to understand the basic principles and working procedure of the trading. Your forex investment produces consistently risk-adjusted and potential returns with diversified portfolios and benefit of a Liquidity of capital.

To find out more about having professionals run your Forex trades please visit Forex Asset Managers

10 Best Investment Tips for 2007

Investments in 2007 will be your opportunity to make significant gains in your financial portfolio. Taking control early in your investment planning will maximize your returns and you'll create groundwork that will allow you to establish investing guidelines for all future investing as well.

Investing is all about placing your best researched intuitions where you feel comfortable about what will take place regardless of the expectations of others or the status of the nation's economy. Money is made daily and if you place your investments wisely, determines if you are in fact, master of your investments.

There are some misconceptions of what type of investments are the best to follow. If you do not have any real insights on the stock market, don't jump in with a large percentage of your investing capital. The keys to success are about learning as much as anything and never replaying a bad strategy.

History, self made history, is or should be your best friend for all your future investments. It's not a perfect world and neither are you, so put aside any thoughts that you can maximize every trade or other investment, make your moves slowly and consistent.

Let's say you are new to investing, you can take advantage of several courses or mini-trade routes, outlined by someone who's found consistent patterns that produce successful trades. Investing can be in a totally unexpected direction, such as applying yourself in online sales from an affiliate program. This is a very popular investment since it takes very little money to get started and you have a ready-made product already established. The commission split to you is very appealing. There are a number of programs that pay as much as 75% to you.

Investment Planning is really as simple as, where you think you can actively participate with your money and or time, that will yield you a positive return on your participation.

________________________________________________________________

1. - Know your talents, what are you good at, then think of ways to make it pay you for your efforts

2. - How much time can you devote to your investment, this is where you don't want to become sidetracked and lose sight of your goals

3. - Invest your time or money where you understand the risks and won't become shocked or surprised if it develops a slump or setback

4. - Choose an investment that you enjoy, this makes investing a pleasure and this will give you drive above all other distractions

5. - Make predictions or goals that can be obtained in the short term, don't set yourself up to finish the year before you've made your shorter range goals. Life is about living, not retiring.

6. - Read about the previous years wins and losses, in the field of your investment plans and see where to make small changes that could correct for the losses and avoid pitfalls that history provides

7. - Consider forming a team of investors, family, friends, or co-workers who are serious about taking control of their financial futures.

8. - Put all your financial plans in writing and keep them at arms reach at all times. It's very wise to make notes as you have certain thoughts from day to day and reflect, then decide if you need to make adjustments. Don't become overwhelmed with the " I should have done . . ." thinking process. This will make you miserable and you can loose focus very easily.

9. - Track your progress and determine if you should increase your investment of money, time, or both in order to see a positive return on your investment. This is not always easy to decide, but you are the controls of your investment, don't let yourself down.

10.- Find a mentor that can advise and encourage you to continue, seldom will you find a success story that didn't have contributors, regardless of their role in the success story. You may be pleasantly surprised how much others can actually affect your investments in a positive manner. ____________________________________________________________________

Investing for 2007 can be your new-found goldmine to becoming self-sufficient financially. Take the time to decide your personal plan of action and follow through with it. There are so many possibilities, it's not a question of if, but rather how you will succeed. For more investment tips:

http://wealthsmith.com/investment-tips-insights-2007.htm

Jim is an online writer and netpreneur that has a knack for current trends and topics that his readers enjoy absorbing for their personal enrichment. Today's topic is investments;

http://wealthsmith.com/investment-tips-insights-2007.htm

Sane Prediction

The reasonable way to find undervalued investment is to find the fair value of the common stock. This requires us to predict into the future. The stock that seems cheap on the trailing basis will not rise if future earning is in jeopardy. An example of this is General Motor Corporation (GM) which had been trading at a trailing Price Earning (P/E) Ratio at single digits for years. Nobody rush to buy GM because investors realize that the future of GM is still shaky. Cost is high while revenue per vehicle is $ 3500 less than its Japanese competitors, Toyota Motor (TM).

To find undervalued investment, we therefore need to have a good predictive tools. This is mainly a quest of learning by doing. The more you do, the better your prediction power would be. Experience can teach you a lot of things about the proper way of predicting future earnings. Aside from that, you can follow the guidelines below to improve your earning prediction.

Be Conservative. Lean on the cautious side. After all, not all predictions are accurate. We would like to be in the position where our investment would not lose money even when the performance of the company misses our expectation.

Be Realistic. Lets assume the company has a gross profit margin of between 40-45% for the last three years. If you are predicting a gross profit margin of 75% next year, do you think it is realistic? Nope. Unless the company is changing its line of business entirely, I dont think such drastic change is possible within a year. For example, if Walmart Stores Inc. (WMT) is expected to be in the retail business, it is unwise to predict a significantly higher gross profit margin even when it branches out to higher margin industry such as credit card or insurance. Its profit margin might be up but it will not be shooting up from 30% to 60% in one year.

Be Reasonable. Use a reasonable judgment to justify your prediction. For example, you need to justify the cause of your forecasted gross margin of 40%. Perhaps, the company is moving its production to places where the cost is significantly lower. Perhaps, the company will see increased pricing pressure due to new competitions in the marketplace. Whatever it is, every elements in the pro-forma income statement should have some justifications behind it.

Be simple. There are a lot of uncertainties in pro-forma income statement. By simplifying the elements of income statements, it will be easier to decide whether a stock is a good investment or not. For example, if a company is paying different taxes rate at different states, it is better for us to simplify it and use the combined average tax for our calculation purpose.

Get your free investing idea by visiting our commentary section at http://www.noviceinvesting.com

Franchise Opportunity - Questions To Ask The Franchisor - #36

Finding The Right Franchise

Whether its hamburgers, pizza, telecom, coffee, Internet, muffler parts, or seniors services, there are Franchise opportunities available to evaluate. There are great Franchise systems, good Franchise systems, and bad Franchise systems. The challenge is to ask the right questions to find the right system that will fit your goals and dreams. The key is to ask the questions and listen closely to the responses. Only then can you determine if the Franchise opportunity is the right fit for you. So whether its food services like burgers or coffee, professional services like telecom or IT, or manual services like cleaning or oil changes, ask the questions and record the answers.

What Are The Franchisors Growth Plans?

You may think that a Franchisors growth plans are not important to you once you become a Franchisee. However, there are a number of factors that illustrate that a Franchisor that has continuing growth plans will increase the value of your investment.

The opposite of growth would be shrinkage. That doesnt sound too good does it? The middle point would be stagnation. Thats not too attractive either. So why is growth important?

One important factor is related to the penetration goal stated above. If there is room to penetrate, and the Franchisor doesnt have strategies to meet that market, guess want will happen. Yep, competitors will penetrate, and through their growth strategies, they might eat some of your lunch. It is logically better for you that the Franchisor has growth strategies that will address that market need, and grow value in the Franchise system, as opposed to rolling out the welcome mat for competitors.

A second factor is that a normal phenomenon in Franchising is that each Franchise that is added to the system, and each new customer that is added to the system, and each new employee that is added to the system, will increase the value of the brand. Volume carries clout in price negotiation. Messages are carried by more lips. More signs, more transactions, more bank deposits, more customers, more vendors it all translates to increased brand recognition. Increased brand recognition should translate to more business for each Franchise.

In addition, growth strategies will generally drive up the Franchise Fee. That means that if you pay $2 as a Franchise Fee, and growth strategies drive the Franchise Fee up to $5, then that becomes the base value for your Franchise because the market will pay that price. Thats a nice return on investment if its achieved over a reasonable timeframe, which of course is driven by the Franchisors growth strategies.

O.K., so there are lots of good reasons that growth is important as opposed to shrinkage or stagnation. However, you must also feel comfortable that the strategy is sensible. Thats why you need to ask the questions, and you should expect well thought out answers that makes sense to you.

To receive a free copy of an E-Book titled Franchise Opportunity Making The Right Decision by Dennis Schooley, email that request to corp@schooleymitchell.com.

Dennis Schooley is the Founder of Schooley Mitchell Telecom Consultants, a Professional Services Franchise Company. He writes for publication, as well as for schooleymitchell.blogging.com and franchises.blogging.com, in the subject areas of Franchising, and Technology for the Layman. http://www.schooleymitchell.com, 888-311-6477, dschooley@schooleymitchell.com.

FOREX Trading Systems - How to Pick One with Big Profit Potential

Forex Trading systems can give you a ready made way to make profits from FOREX trading.

The problem is 90% are junk and are not worth the money.

This article is about choosing a FOREX Trading system with the potential to make big gains.

Lets look at some things that you need to consider:

1. Never pick a day trading system!

FOREX day trading systems are very popular, but they simply dont work and the logic is totally stupid.

Why?

Because all short term volatility is random and therefore you cant trade it.

If you dont believe the above, then ask for a real time track record of profits and you wont get one.

2. Pick a simple system

Its a fact that simple systems work better than complicated ones as they are more robust in the face of brutal market conditions.

There is no correlation between how complicated a system is and how much money it makes.

Simple systems are also easier to understand and this makes them easier to follow through inevitable losing periods.

3. Make sure the logic is revealed

Never buy a black box system where you dont know how it works.

The reason for this is like in point 2, if you dont understand it, you wont be able to follow it through losing periods with discipline.

4. Beware of optimization

Never consider a system that uses different parameters to trade different currencies.

The logic should work on all currencies or not at all.

Many vendors simply tweak the parameters to curve fit the data to make a profit.

This is similar to shooting at a target and drawing bulls eyes around every shot afterwards.

5. Track record

Ideally you want a track record that is real time and has made real dollars for the vendor.

Be wary of hypothetical track records which of course are done in hindsight, knowing the closing prices.

Anyone can make a profit this way!

Look for a track record of 2 years or more, that is real ie has been traded live without the benefit of hinsight - Either with money or done in a simulated fashion but audited by an independent ratings agency.

6. Study the peak to valley drawdown

Look at the worst drawdown on the track record and its time to recovery and decide if you are comfortable with it.

Always assume your worst drawdown is ahead of you.

Some traders can take drawdowns of 50% or more others cant, so get one your comfortable with.

7. Support and money back guarantee

Reputable vendors will give you good support and will normally provide a money back guarantee, as they have confidence in their product.

Do some research on the vendor and never buy a FOREX trading system without a guarantee.

Finally

There is no free lunch with forex trading systems so use common sense when buying one.

The above tips will help you pick one of the small percentage that make big gains.

Doing the above research will save you from potential losses and could see you make some great profits.

MORE FREE TRADING INFO & A SYSTEM WITH A REAL TIME TRACK RECORD

On all aspects of becoming a profitable trader including info and for an exclusive Gann Trading Course visit our website at http://www.net-planet.org/index.html

What Are Your Wealth-Building Goals?

The money is out there. No matter how many people tell you that we are in the midst of a starvation economy, that the market is doing this or that, and that it's too risky to play the game, so to speak, people are getting rich every day. That is the reality.

The trick, of course, is to become one of those people.

Yeah, you might say. That guy was just lucky. What are the chances of that happening to me? Well, absolutely zero if you don't do anything about your dreams to build wealth. If you walk around thinking that you have only a snowball's chance of hitting the big one in the financial game, then you are right. That's because you are depending on chance.

Becoming wealthy is not about chance. Oh the guy you just read about may indeed have been luckybut he was not just lucky. Because fortune favors the prepared mind, you have to lay the groundwork in order to take advantage of opportunity when it arises. You have to be able to not only recognize those opportunities, but to actually have the resources to take advantage of them.

Laying the groundwork involves having a plan for your financial future. What is your plan for building wealth?

If, like most Americans, you don't have one then, like most Americans, you will retain the status quo. But if you recognize that you, and only you, are in charge of your destiny, that is an entirely different matter.

According to Robert Kiyosaki, author of the Rich Dad series of books, you have to get a grip on your financial philosophy. You don't have a financial philosophy, you say? Sure you do, even if you don't realize it.

In his book Cash Flow Quadrant, Kiyosaki outlines the four philosophies as they were outlined for him by the man he calls his rich dad. You can recognize your own philosophy by noticing how you tend to make your money. On the left side of the quadrant, are the E's and the S'sthe Employees and the Self-employed. The philosopy of the E is based around security while the philosophy of the S is based around doing his own thing. While there is nothing wrong about either philosophy, neither is likely to help you build much wealth.

On the right side of Kiyosaki's quadrant, are the B's and the I'sthe Business owners and the Investors. The difference between a B and an S, Kiyosaki says, is that the B has built a system which he can rig to run itself, freeing him for other financial or personal pursuits. An S simply owns a job, as Kiyosaki says, and is such an integral part of the operation that he is essentially a prisoner of it. The company he has created is his baby. But we all know how demanding babies are, and if a business never matures into an adult that can survive without your mothering, it will eat most of your time.

The trick, then, is not to build a better product. It's to build a product bettermore efficiently with regard to your own resources. Build a system, not a job. Then you will have the money that will take care of your personal needs and allow you to invest.

If you already have loads of money to work with, then you can go ahead and jump right to the I quadrantafter investing in your own education and learning how it works. Investing is risky if you jump in blind, but if you know what you're doing, it is a whole different matter.

So lay the foundation with education and then build your wealth as though you were constructing a structure. Don't skimp on materials, but instead do it methodically. Eventually you will find yourself staring at an impressive building that will help you weather any storm.

About The Author: Investment Property Specialist Alex Anderson Helps Investors From All Across America To Buy Investment Property. Residing In Minneapolis Minnesota, Alex Also Assists Buyers Who Are Seeking Minnesota Investment Property. Alex Has Also Recently Launched A New Site That Features Minneapolis Minnesota Real Estate.

Forex-Trading Foreign Exchange Using Risk Management Tools

Trading in the foreign exchange (FOREX) market offers both tremendous profits and substantial risks, as does many business opportunities. Have you ever wondered how you could trade the FOREX while controlling and/or reducing the risks involved? Has the fear of losing in a big way kept you from entering this fast-growing market? This article explains several steps you as a trader can take to better protect your investment in this dynamic marketplace.

For starters, understand that your long-term survival and ultimate success necessarily depend on a cautious approach to the market from the start. Among other things, this means that the percentage of margin put at risk in each trade must be reasonable. Within reason, limit the amount of money put at risk. Naturally, what is reasonable to one person may have a different meaning to the next person.

Regardless of the amount of available margin in the account of the investor, the percentage traded must not be so great as to significantly deplete the trading resources if a trade turns unfavorable. Many successful traders refuse to exceed one percent of the tradable margin when executing their orders, while others may go high as ten percent. Putting an amount higher than ten percent at risk would probably qualify as aggressive trading.

Because the amount of leverage applied to the trade can have a profound impact on the outcome, it is better to trade at a level of leverage that matches your trading experience, proficiency and style. Beginning traders may not fully understand that leverage is a double-edged sword, capable of enhancing profits as well as losses. A conservative application of leverage should certainly be the practice of every new trader.

As the proficiency and confidence levels grow, a higher level of leverage may be utilized. Many brokers offer online platforms which allow the trader to pre-select the amount of leverage sought. Depending on the broker, the leverage allowed may go as high 400:1. The average maximum leverage allowed by most online brokers is closer to 100:1.

Consider utilizing the built-in safety features such as the stop loss, trailing stop and limit to help control the risks. A stop loss is a feature offered by virtually all online trading platforms. It allows you to predetermine at which price level your trade will automatically closed if the market moves unfavorably against you. News traders and day traders will typically utilize a smaller stop loss as opposed to the wider stop favored by long-term traders whose positions may be open for several days or longer. A trailing stop will allow the stop loss to be moved in the direction of your profit and has the net effect of incrementally bagging your profits as the price movement continues to move favorably.

The limit provides a capping of the profits much in the same way that the stop loss minimizes the losses. Similarly, it automatically shuts the trade down once the predetermine threshold is reached by the moving price. It is quite advantageous in circumstances where the market experiences a major whipsaw or in the event of a disconnection from the brokers server or the traders internet service provider while the trade order is open.

The occasional loss aside, trading does not have to be a traumatic experience. As the saying goes, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Still, your trades must be properly planned, executed and managed. Utilizing the safety tools designed for the protection of your trading positions is a smart way to ensure your longevity in a business where so many fall by the wayside as a result of failing to understand and properly manage the risks.

Sandy Robinson, J.D.
Copyright 2007

If you are ready to change your future by stepping into the exciting world of trading FOREX, go to http://www.winningtradersassociation.com for more information. Author Sandy Robinson, J.D. is part of the Winning Traders Association, an educational organization founded by John Beiler, President. The organization consists of a network of committed trainers and motivated traders willing to provide support to those interested in trading foreign exchange. Many of the members work from home.

The Beauty of Stocks

Stock markets are wonderful. Stocks markets are nightmares. Should we love them or hate them?

Embrace them! but be patient and consistent. As every statistics will tell you, stocks (also known as equities) is the best performing investment products available, on a long-term basis. What exactly is Stock?

When you own a stock or a share, it means you own a piece of a company. For public companies, you can buy and sell their stocks freely in the stock market. Depends on demand and supply (which is driven by factors such as the business model, historical earnings, growth prospect, success or failure of new products, lawsuits, political instability and many others), the stock prices move up and down.

Why stock gives the best long-term investment return?

As one of the owners of the company, it is natural to see that you and fellow shareholders capture the most upside when the particular company is successful. On the other hand, if the company is in trouble, you take the most risk. For example, if the company is bankrupt, the remaining money is distributed in the following order: customers, creditors, shareholders, i.e. you are at the bottom of the line.

As you can see, stock is a high-risk, high-return type of investment. The level of risk also depends on the nature of company itself: stock of Citigroup is less volatile than, say, Yahoo.

If I am not a long-term investor, should I get into stocks?

Yes, but you can adjust the risk by adding other lower-risk investment product into your portfolio. You are safe as long as a comfortable level of cash is always available and ready. At the same time, inclusion of some stocks will give you a boost to your overall asset long-term.

Conclusion

It's true that stock markets can be like roller coasters; but stock markets, if you ride it long enough, do not bring you back to where you start -- it brings you to the next level.

The author is a private banker by profession and a manager of her family fund, which has generated a cumulative 54% return in the last 3 years. Please visit her blog, bankernotes.blogspot.com, for daily investment workshops and ideas. She can also be reached at bankernotes@gmail.com

Automated Trading Systems for Financial Markets and Recommendations for Their Usage

1. Introductions
Today, using information and trading platforms has become a de facto requirement for successful trading in the financial markets. Their advantages as compared to conventional trading schemes include, for example, an unprecedented speed of processing and delivery of information to end users, the level of integration with data providers, and a wide array of built-in technical analysis instruments.

At the same time, an investor opening an account with a brokerage firm simply cannot simultaneously manage the real-time analysis and trade in more than 4-6 financial instruments in several markets 24 hours 7 days a week. This brings about the need to employ automatic trading systems in the form of runtime environment with client and server parts and the programs to control these systems (scripts).

2. Comparative Analysis of the Problem Area
Various software components embrace the entire target sector of the marketfrom analytics and forecasting to complex trade and administration. The components of a trading platform provide its clientsbrokers, dealers, traders, financial analysts and advisorsjust the service they need at the very moment they need it, from immediate round-the-clock access to information of concern by means of mobile devices, to multi-move trading operations in the major client terminal. The software market offers a great many of information and trading platforms that differ, first of all, in the functionality of the client and server parts, and the list of services provided by the financial company once an account has been opened. However, only a relatively small number of software solutions include the components that automate trading.

2.1. MetaTrader4-based Solutions
One of the worlds most widely used trade platform products is apparently MetaTrader4, developed by MetaQuotes Software Corporatіon for Forex market trading. The platform includes an integrated development environment (IDE) MetaEdіtor, intended for writing scripts in a programming language called MetaQuotes Language, or MQL4 for short. The language's syntax is based on the classic C language syntax, and the flow logic has not been significantly changed since the previous version of the platform that used MQL II as the programming language.

The new automated trade framework is, undoubtedly, an evolution of the previous one. Both languages feature good functionality, with an optimum set of built-in trading and utility functions which is quite sufficient to implement the basic operations, and a facility to define custom functions to help implement non-standard ideas.

From the programming point of view, MQL4 is much more convenient that its predecessor; this language is more oriented at professional programmers, while MQL II, in my opinion, will rather suit financial experts wishing to build trading programs (or trading advisors, in the MetaQuotes terminology) of their own.

2.2. Omega Research-based Solutions
In the New World, the vast majority of companies use the Omega Research platform developed by TradeStation Securities, Inc. This platform has long ago proven its worth at the worldwide market, and to date experts consider it to be the best system for technical analysis. The provided IDE called Omega Research PowerEditor is intended to create control programs in EasyLanguage (EL). The languages major advantage that strikes the eye is the easiness (hence is the name) of placing opening and closing orders. The corresponding program instructions can be written such as if we were formulating an order to our broker in the plain human language. In MQL4, for example, placing an order to open a position would involve specifying about a dozen of various parameters. In EasyLanguage, the same can be expressed in a short statement using a few words. Working with technical indicators is about that simple, too. But don't fall under an illusion: when creating these simple commands, language developers sacrificed the functionality and limited the possible ways of using a particular function, therefore effectively depriving the IDE users of the opportunity to accurately implement their own algorithms.

TradeStation decided not to create extensive libraries of built-in trading and utility functions but to limit to only an essential set. As the platform advanced, the number of functions written by both in-house and third-party developers grew, and TradeStation simply included them as user-defined functions into the repository of its scripts. As a result, the functionality offered to users is not in the least scarcer than that of MetaQuotes product.

PowerEditor provides a built-in dictionary that lets user search and get help on the available functions. Another handy tool worth mentioning is the strategy builder. Using the strategy builder, the user can easily create a basic algorithm for his or her trading program, and then modify and adjust it as necessary.

EasyLanguage is an old-timer and pioneer in the field of creating automated trading systems for the stock market. It was the basis for the development of MQL II. EasyLanguage will be a good choice for programmers, but still a better one for financial experts more oriented at analyzing the market than trading.

2.3. ProTrader-based Solutions
Professional financial experts can choose the ProTrader2 or ProTraderFX platform as their working tool, depending on the type of the financial marketstock or Forex, respectively. The two platforms are developed and supported by PFSoft LLC. While featuring the specially developed ProTrader Language (PTL), the provided IDE named PTL Builder offers also the opportunity to create scripts in MQLII, MQL4 and EasyLanguage. For this, the text of the program is translated to a language-independent code. Therefore, at runtime it does not matter in which language the script was written. This technology does not only enable creating new scripts, but makes it possible to use freely the entire accumulated collection of scripts that many experienced traders possess.

The main idea put into the new scripting language was to ensure maximum reliability and predictability of the scripts being run. The PTL language is built so as to minimize the possibility of making a mistake in the text of a users scriptthe potentially dangerous points will be detected even before the script is tested or launched.

Regardless of the programming language chosen, the platform works with verified managed code while running the script. This Microsoft-developed technology enables proper handling of errors that cannot be detected before the script is run. This means the program will not fail and will not perform any unwanted operations that might be due to critical errors or damage caused by another program, for which the account holder would eventually have to pay.

The PTL Builder IDE will serve well both financial experts and programmers thanks to its support of different programming languages and provided tools such as tester and debugger.

3. Approaches for Creating Automated Trading Systems and Recommendations for Using Them
It hardly needs mentioning that choosing an information and trading platform should be taken with all seriousness. For those who plan to use an automated trading system in their business, below are some points I would recommend considering, based on my personal experience.

3.1. Choosing a Working Environment
First of all, define the type of tasks the automated trading system is to perform. These could be:

Actual trading: opening and closing positions in selected instrument(s). Secondary support-type functions. These could include placing protective orders, creating and sending out reports of notifications.

Analyzing the market with different technical analysis tools using your own algorithm. Now, after you have studied user comments on the Internet and perhaps consulted your broker, proceed to getting the feel of the products offered. I strongly encourage you not to just have a cursory look, but to test the system for a day of two, thankfully, most of the large companies will let you sign up for a demo account for testing. Pay attention to both the convenience of the IDE and the tools that go with it, and to reliability and security of the control programs created with the IDE.

3.2. Creating a Control Program
If you are planning to create your own scripts, take the time to study the documentation for the programming language and the IDE. Naturally, for an automated trading system to be expertly organized, the scripts should be written by qualified professionals in the field of programming and finance. In case you wish to use one of the classic programs, remember that most of them are of trial, demonstration nature. They are good for testing the automated trading system or to be used as a basis for your own programs, but as self-sustaining, ready-to-use solutions they are of little avail.

If you decide to use programs written by third-party developers, keep in mind that good solutions will have to be paid for. The cost of one innovative strategy varies between $300 and $500, but the price for fine-tuned strategies that use advanced mathematical and economic techniques and especially for winners and runners-up of automated trading championships may exceed $1,000.

3.3. Testing Scripts
When using an automated trading system, always test your scripts. The procedure can be as follows:
1. Test the program in a script tester (if such facility is available in your IDE) several times, varying the chart period, the instrument being traded, and the program settings. Try to model the conditions close to the actual state of the market.
2. Test the script in a demo account (if such an opportunity is available). At this stage, it is important to let the program run for a sufficiently long time (it is defined by the period of the chart). Do not stop the test if the program has at once produced a big gain or a big loss. The usefulness of the script can only be estimated after it has worked for a significant amount of time.
3. Run the script in the live account. At this stage, it is not advisable to interfere with the scriptfor example, close the positions it has opened or modify their settingsor you can upset the internal logic of the program.

3.4. How Not to Fall Prey to Tricks When Choosing a Script
Remember that there are no absolutely perfect advisers. So, do not let them sell you the Brooklyn Bridgeif you had a system that brings in fabulous profits, would you sell it? There is only one advicea rigorous comprehensive testing will help you get the right impression about the script offered.

Usually, script vendors describe their products with the results of their own testing. In most cases, however, such results are very slanted. Remember that testing should always be performed on several histories, or you can simply adjust to one history fragment and show sky-high results. Based on the NFL theorem, it is fair to say that it is impossible to create a script that would the best of all those existing, in all instruments.

Some professional programmers use sophisticated mathematical tools to endow their programs with artificial intelligenceneural networks, forecasting and evolutionary algorithms are no longer surprising. I would not recommend overestimating such systemscomplex forecasting algorithms are very sensitive to errors and parameter settings, while simple schemes are not of much help to the advisor when it comes to generating trade signals, and can only be used to raise the price of the script.

4. Conclusion
In this article, I neither discuss any programming rules for creating the advisors, nor the specifics of writing scripts in a particular language. On these subjects, there are whole books written as well as a number of articles. My aim was to present several points which I think to be quite important but which have not been sufficiently covered in existing publications.

So, are automated trading systems your ally or enemy? When used carefully and without hasty judgments, an automated trading system can facilitate the financial experts work and bring in certain profits. But when used incorrectly, incompletely tested, or having settings changed frequently, the automated trading system can lose the money you entrust to it.

Remember that an automated trading system is not going to do your job for you without any effort on your part. Use it to solve your existing problems and not add new ones.

5. References
1. MetaQuotes - developer of MetaTrader, MQL2 and MQL4
2. TradeStation - developers of TradeStation and EasyLanguage
3. PFSoft - developers of ProTraderFX, ProTrader2 and ProTraderLanguage

Read article here: Automated Trading Systems

Nikita Laukhin
Automated Trading and Scripts Analyst of PFSoft Company.