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• Tuesday, 22 May 2012

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• US Job Market, Europe Crisis, Earnings of Interest in Week Ahead - 31 October 2011

With analysts warning that the current climate of market uncertainty is far from over, it appears that Wall Street is set to end the month of October on a high, with the Dow recording the greatest October gain ever. Despite the fact that French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been reported as saying that Greece should never have been permitted entrance to the Eurozone in 2001, European authorities have reached an agreement and mapped out a plan to rescue ailing European countries, including Greece, Italy and Spain. This has done much to boost confidence among Wall Street investors who will continue to keep an alert eye on Europe as leaders of nations forming the G-20 gather in Cannes, with the debt crisis a highlight on the agenda for discussion.

• Eurozone Hopes, Mortgage Rates, Corporate Earnings in Week Ahead - 10 October 2011

With the "Occupy Wall Street" protests continuing to gain ground, America's financial system and economy remain hot topics for debate on both Wall Street and Main Street. Calling themselves "the 99 percent" these protestors, among other issues, are highlighting the fact that ordinary Americans are battling to cope, and their call has resonated with supporters around the world. Investors are painfully aware that the economy is significantly affected by consumer spending, which has been dramatically curtailed due to the ongoing jobless situation. Moreover, a recent survey revealed that workers are taking huge pay cuts to secure employment, with little hope of receiving increases, certainly not to the extent of raising them back to the pay level they may have been at before losing their jobs – all of which has a negative effect on disposable income and the economy.

• Learning Life Skills with the Stock Market Game™ - 18 August 2011

As the only stock market simulation program endorsed by the New York Stock Exchange, the Stock Market Game ™ is an education tool aimed at teaching essential life skills such as decision making, critical thinking, independent research, cooperation, communication, saving and investing, with the latter being especially appropriate in the current economic climate. Launched in 1977 the program has been used in thousands of classrooms across the United States, not only to encourage the life-skills already mentioned, but also to add an exciting dimension to other critical academic subjects such as social studies, mathematics and language arts. It is estimated that more than ten million students have played the Stock Market Game ™ since its inception.

• IPO Activity on Wall Street - 28 July 2011

Historically IPO activity on Wall Street tends to be a feast or famine scenario, and it seems that investors interested in IPOs are in for a feast right now as a number of companies in different sectors go public. Having made its debut as a stock market listed company on Wednesday, Dunkin' Brands traded up from the original list price. Shares were priced at $19, but opened at $25 and closed the day at $27,85 – up 46.6 percent. As the holding company of Dunkin' Donuts and the Baskin Robbins chain of stores, Dunkin' Brands trades on NASDAQ under the symbol of DNKN.

• Vulture Investing – Cashing in on Disaster - 9 June 2011

Individual investors, or investment funds, who take advantage of the misfortune of others to buy up assets at drastically reduced prices are often referred to as 'vultures' with their activities branded as 'vulture investing', or being a 'vulture fund'. Although the comparison may seem unflattering, even vultures serve a constructive purpose, clearing away the debris of disaster. The financial crisis that started in 2008 has provided more than its fair share of opportunities for vulture investing, and the flood of housing foreclosures caught the attention of investors who never anticipated that the crisis would drag on for as long as it has, with no clear indication of ending any time soon.

• Seed Funding – Risks vs Rewards - 2 June 2011

Seed funding, also referred to as venture capital, seed money or angel funding, involves collaboration between parties that have the common goal of participating in starting a business, with a view to reaping the rewards in the future. Entrepreneurs seeking seed money would need to convince investors that there is a strong possibility of gaining future rewards, bearing in mind that startup businesses carry a higher element of risk.

• Lessons From Wall Street Legends - 30 may 2011

Many books have been written about Wall Street's legendary pioneers, as well as present-day players who stand out above the crowd. Some have been made into films, giving the movie-going public some insight into the fast-moving world of high finance, where fortunes are made and lost in the blink of an eye. With a complex system that requires stringent regulation, and has some bendable rules, very few have avoided making some bad choices during their Wall Street careers and generally mistakes that are made become public knowledge at some point. These mistakes and bad choices, as well as noteworthy success stories, provide worthwhile lessons for anyone considering making a living on the stock market.