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Currency, like all forms of abstract value, is based on trust. And trust itself is based - except among the most naïve - on experience, and the repetitive demonstration of fidelity, whether positive or negative. At present, the US dollar, which had experienced a gradual rise during the 20th Century to the position gained well into the Cold War of being the trading world's reserve currency. It had the mass, in terms of volumes of available currency; it had the backing of an indisputably wealthy national asset base to move away from the gold standard; it had stable governmental backing.

All of that is evaporating. Not, in absolute terms, as far as the mass of currency available, because that has dramatically expanded in recent years, and particularly during the past year of the Administration of Pres. Barack Obama. Not in the underlying asset valuation of the US economy, but it has begun to erode as the productive capability of the US to extract that value diminishes due to excess governmental interference and anti-business practices. It is far to say that other countries, from Nigeria to Russia, have vast untapped underlying asset value. That they did not create global reserve currencies from their naira and ruble was due to governance failures.

However, as we are witnessing, good governance as an essential component of currency value and the trust in that currency, can transform overnight, just as we witnessed the post-World War II collapse of sterling, and, now, the shakiness of trust in the US dollar (despite the reality that, at $14.2-trillion in value in 2008, is the world's largest). The age of the US dollar as the global reserve currency is not yet over, but it is threatened, and the trend toward a flight from the dollar (despite occasional returns to it) is evident. At present, however, the dollar is shored up because in many respects there is nothing of its stature ready to replace it. This leads to the essential question:

Are we entering a period in which we may have no global reserve currency?

The People's Republic of China (PRC) has been searching for safe-havens for its holdings of foreign earnings. The US dollar has slipped in its esteem, with some short-term benefits, perhaps for US exports, but with perilous long-term consequences. As a result, and whilst attempting to preserve the intrinsic value of its currency holdings, the PRC has been gradually scaling back its holdings in US currencies or US dollar-denominated instruments.

Where can the PRC go with its hoard? It looked at euro investments, at Canadian and Australian dollar holdings, and so on. The Australian and Canadian economic bases -- at just under a trillion US dollar GDP for Australia, and about $1.4-trillion GDP for Canada -- are insufficiently large to hold much in the way of PRC investments. Nonetheless, these economies have benefited from the PRC dilemma. The euro, however, is, like the US dollar, suffering from a loss of credibility, and unless some profound action is taken the euro may dramatically diminish in credibility, severely hampering the loose confederal structure of the European Union, preventing it from becoming the federal state of Europe to which some (mostly unelected) aspire.

If you are looking for a new, innovative approach to online trading then read on...

There are many Forex programs and brokers that claim to offer the perfect answer to the Forex trader. We decided to do some investigating and see which of the many brokers and programs really lived up to its name. After a lot of searching and testing, we found a new and unique trading platform where, on the same screen and at the same time you can trade in foreign currency pairs, financial indexes and stocks and commodities. You pay no commission on any of your trading activities; it's all in the spread between purchase price and selling price just like FOREX.

The first thing we did was to see how easy it was to set up shop and start trading. Nothing could be easier or quicker than downloading and installing the program. The entire process is simple and clear and enables you to open an account, either real or "Demo" and begin trading within a surprisingly short time.

Then we started to see how the program works. We have seen and checked a lot of Forex trading programs. Many do an excellent job but are clumsy and have a steep learning curve making it difficult for the novice, and even the experienced, trader to work. We were surprised at the ease of this system, clear, logical and it's obvious that a great deal of thought has gone into the development of the platform. Even when performing relatively complex tasks such as moving from one currency pair to another or a foreign currency pair to financial indexes or shares; the system works quickly, smoothly and efficiently. Every transaction takes place on the screen in front of you - you have total control and constant up to date information. If you want a number of investment channels, you don't need to open different accounts. The same account and the same program can be used even if you decide to divide your investment portfolio over a wide spread of investment opportunities and channels.

You are working with one broker with customer service available 24 hours a day. And if that isn't enough, the system provides you with real-time quotations taken from alternative stock markets, options for Trailing Stop trading and the ability to concentrate each of your investment channel's on the most popular and favourable options whether currency, stocks or indexes . Also, if you prefer, you can show in one window your most important investments. This makes tracking your transactions much easier and your trading experience more enjoyable and more efficient and, more profitable!

The platform exists and is ready for you to download and to start trading today. It is constantly being updated and developed to provide you with the best and most professional trading platform available.

Program characteristics:
• "Demo" Trading - Yes and with no time limits.
• Minimal first investment required - 100$.
• Deposits and withdrawals possible with - Credit card, bank transfer, internet account and more.
• Spread - 2-5 with the more popular investments (foreign currency). Permanents: do not change during the trading session.
• Leverage - Up to 1:200.

Tools for the trader:
• Technical and professional support - 24 hours a day.
• Trading courses - the site provides basic trading knowledge and information.
• Range of currency pairs, stocks, financial indexes and commodities - a range of foreign currency pairs, financial indexes, stocks, and commodities.
• Language interface - support for over 12 languages.
• Bonuses - 20$ no-deposit plus 30% on first deposit.
• Trading platform - Downloadable to any computer. Easy to use, trade, track and supervise transactions.
• Allows for foreign currency trading and differential index trading, commodities and stocks all with the same program.

Advantages:
• Innovative and original approach to trading.
• Ease of use.
• Excellent range of pairs, indexes and shares.
• The platform allows for multiple trading over a wide range of investment channels all at the same time and on the same screen.
• No commissions, calculations on the basis of spread only with complete transparency
• An easy to understand, up to date picture of the current situation.

10PIPS Review

With the large choice of trading systems available, with almost any trading markets can be traded on certain systems, including commodities, stocks or Forex, it's very difficult to choose a whole trading solution. The leading trading systems are very good at what they do; however, a comprehensive solution for all trading instruments with a simple interface is very rare. 10PIPS offers a real multichannel online trading system; its goal is to present a trading solution for all the available instruments with a variety which increases all the time. To create this solution an innovative system was built which is focused also on the ease of use with no lack on professionalism.

Forex trading is getting more and popular with each day, and rightly so, since it’s such an unexplored part of the financial world for the average individual, or the r retail trader. Although forex offers great potential to anyone with the right attitude and background, it can and does lead to unfortunate results for some people who neglect their education and have misconceptions and too high expectations from the market. In this article we’ll take a look at five of the most common mistakes.

5 Guidelines for Deciding the Perfect Broker

Currency trading involves numerous trials of analysis and decision-making before the trader has acquired the necessary abilities that will allow him to be successful in his endeavors. One of the most basic of these issues is the choice of the broker. Although this aspect of trading is often regarded as a peripheral issue and not emphasized as much as it could be, it is nonetheless exceptionally important for anyone seeking to ensure that his experience is free from worries and troubles as much as possible. We analyze the market to avoid faulty trades; we should analyze the brokers to avoid the bad apples who will ruin our plans and destroy our career before it has had a chance to begin.

Privacy, Asset Protection and greater freedom of movement are just some of the qualities that lure investors offshore.

Some people are happy to have their money safely locked away, an insurance policy against volatile stock markets, currency fluctuations and avaricious authorities. Others see investing offshore as a way of maximizing their return, in other words they want to see the investment pay for itself.

You have or are thinking about opening an offshore bank account – how can you make your money work for you?

*Disclaimer*
Not all of these options will suit every investor – and remember that every great investment will be balanced by risk. If you are prepared to take the risk and have some idea about what to do with your money – here are some options I would definitely recommend.

Gold – In addition to being one of best financial reserves you can get, gold can actually increase in value during a bear market. If you had bought an ounce of gold in 2003 you would by now have nearly tripled your investment in only 6 years!!! Gold has its own intrinsic value unlike paper monies which can fluctuate wildly, especially in economic downturns when countries ‘compete’ to devalue their own currencies. Imagine having your very own offshore gold ‘plan b’ stored in a safe deposit box, anonymously, out of reach of creditors, greedy lawyers, the taxman and anyone else with a covetous eye on your assets. Best of all its value is quietly multiplying…

Certificates of Deposit – Rather than let your offshore assets sit idly by while inflation gobbles them up, invest in a certificate of deposit. Ranging from a couple of months to several years, these will pay you interest, usually based on a fixed annual rate. Sometimes you can get much better interest rates in a different country – this is one of the primary reasons for moving offshore – but remember to do your research beforehand. There have been countless cases of scams where investors were promised fantasy interest rates and ended up losing everything to a ponzi scheme. Part and parcel of ‘soft-touch’ regulation in tax havens is that you will come across schemes like these. The best method of research is to ask other banks who have had contact with the institution to give their professional opinion. Always remember the maxim – ‘if its sounds to good to be true, it probably is’. A bank offering interest rates of 10% when the benchmark is set at 2% is either a fraud or in serious financial trouble.

Tax-Free Trading - Once you have invested in an offshore bank account, think about expanding further and trading stocks. Most banks and brokerages will charge you for opening an anonymous investment account, but some might even do it for free! From a trading account you can buy and sell shares in all the major markets- anonymously- and since your account is offshore your gains are also tax free! Fees will vary greatly depending on the brokerage, but the best ones will give you an online platform so you can manage all your trades from the comfort of your own home, and with low overheads they can afford to charge nominal premiums on each trade.

Exotic Investments – Exotic investments are usually more risky than average, and may consist of financial instruments such as sovereign & corporate debt, high-yield investment schemes and other investments which are outside of your domestic reach. The best bet here is to find a broker you can trust to advise you in this area. If you are willing to accept a high degree of risk, exotic investments may just be for you, since in return for high risk the results can be spectacular.

Are you ready to take a giant step forward, and start making your money work for you?

Click to get started with Anonymous Offshore Investing

Jesse Livermore, widely regarded as one of the greatest stock market operators of all-time, considered himself a humble student of the market until his last day in 1940. “I study the market, because it’s my business to trade. In the forty years which I have devoted to making speculation a successful business venture, I am still discovering new rules to apply to that business,” he once remarked.

“Experience has taught me the way a market behaves is an excellent guide for an operator to follow. Observation gives you the best tips of all, and the behavior of a certain market is all you need at times. You observe, and then experience shows you how to profit by variations from the usual, that is to say, from the probable.”

How did a 500 point drop in the Dow effect your portfolio? Recent stock market correction made many investors acutely aware of how vulnerable their portfolios were to market movements, this week there'll be more of the same market volatility. To help reduce stock market risk, institutional investors allocate 10-15% of their portfolios into absolute return asset classes. Traditionally, this meant simply buying bonds. However, recent innovations in mathematics and finance have uncovered investments with superior risk profiles. In this way Absolute Return strategies can provide valuable benefits to your portfolio.

Visiting customers in 135 countries is no small task, but for Interbank FX the effort is paying off. Next stop for Interbank FX (IBFX) is The Middle East Forex Trading Expo in Dubai, March 1-2, 2007.

As a top online off-exchange retail foreign currency trading (forex) broker, Interbank FX is gaining praise from its customers all over the world as the 'white hat' of the forex market. Exhibiting at the first Middle East Forex Expo is a must considering Interbank's other firsts in the world currency trading industry.

Quantum FX1 Executive Summary

Objective:
The goal of our strategy is to achieve consistent and stable capital appreciation, independent of a market’s direction. The Quantum FX1 system is designed to generate positive returns in any type of market, whether it is moving up, down, or sideways. This system makes it possible for thoughtful investors to employ techniques previously available only to institutional investors and hedge funds.