Managed Forex Accounts: Are They Worth It?

November 26, 2018/in Finance /by admin

Investors always look for the best investment opportunity, even if it means withstanding all the risks. However, the investment should generate enough returns to compensate the investor’s risk-taking. A Forex Managed Account investment is one of the investment opportunities where with proper management, can give fantastic returns.

Financial markets for sure are highly complex and experience constant changes – including global currency. Even professional traders never find it easy, they have to spend hours and hours digesting the news, trying every strategy and monitoring markets to avoid being caught off guard. Foreign exchange markets are extremely volatile; one has to keep studying signals and trends. It is time-consuming and challenging for a private investor to keep up. Managed Forex account eases this pressure by allowing investors the flexibility to take a hands-off approach and leave the market-watching to someone else. Several benefits accrue to an investor of a managed Forex trading account. Here are some benefits offered by Forex managed service.

Benefits of a Managed Forex Account.

Generate Return – Every investment has to generate a profit, a well-managed investment can be a good source of profits. Managed Forex account is the only investment where you can earn a regular fixed profit of about 24%-85% per year from as low as €30,000. A bigger investment or compound the returned can generate returns as high as 100% of your investment.
Flexible Profit-Making – Profits can be made in any market. Whichever direction the market takes, sideways, bullish or bearish, you can earn from all markets.
Hands-off Investment – As pointed out above, it is challenging to trade on your own, especially if you are new and inexperienced, your investment can evaporate with a click. Opening a managed Forex trading account with a good company takes this off your shoulders. Reputable companies will not subject your investment to more than 0.25%-0.5% in a single trade. These companies also specialize in studying markets and will make more informed trades than you could have done.

Account Control – You have total control over your account, money managers will just do the trading for you. Adding funds or withdrawing is totally upon you and never the money manager as many people think.
Forex is Immune to Manipulation – Investing in stock and futures markets can sometimes be risky due to the threat of manipulation. Worse is that exchange has a centralized operation mechanism where big fish can easily influence prices in the industry. Forex has a decentralized market with no single price; rest assured that nothing can be manipulated.
High Liquidity – Forex trading allows for withdrawal of funds as and when one wishes to. Other investments like properties or long-term deposit plans tie up money for longer periods which may be inconveniencing to investors.

Leverage – This is an advantage investor enjoy where a broker can allow the investor to leverage on their investment. As an example: If you have just $500, and you choose a leverage of 1:50, you can trade up to $25,000 translating to higher profits. However, leverage also leads to loss of higher amount in case a trade goes wrong. Lower leverage is therefore recommended.
Round the Clock Trading – Trade on all markets, London, Sydney, New York, and Tokyo. All markets run parallel to each other allowing you to trade all day, five days a week.

Forex trading is a good way to make profits with low investment. You, however, need to gain experience and learn on the volatile markets before you can make informed trades. Managed Forex trading account can help you earn profits in the meantime as you learn. Do a background check on the company you want to open your account with and ensure that their gains exceed their losses for a given period of time, a company with more than 20% losses is a red light. Let the money manager provide reports, tools, and tips that will help you understand how they will trade your money and help you track your profits.

If you would like to learn more about Managed Forex Account, please contact Michael on (+44) 203 50 60 558 or alternatively email michael@forshawcapitalgroup.com

Is now the time to Invest in Gold?

November 4, 2018/in Finance /by admin

If the stock markets plunge and the world economy becomes compromised, one hard asset normally has its moment to shine in the spotlight.

In recent weeks, as markets worldwide have corrected sharply and a full-blown trade war between two of the globe’s powerhouses – the United States and China – looks increasingly likely, the gold price has rallied.

From a year low in August of $1,180.40 an ounce, it rose to $1,233.85 by the end of last month before falling back slightly and then rising again to $1,232.

Although the price remains lower than it was this time last year, there are some investment managers who now believe gold has a key – if minor – role to play in putting together a diversified portfolio.

One such individual is David Coombs, head of multi-assets at investment house Rathbones. Normally sceptical of gold as an asset class, he has built a three per cent holding in the £532 million Rathbone Strategic Growth Portfolio that he manages – a fund aiming to provide investors with returns in excess of inflation. It does this by investing in a broad range of assets including equities, bonds, private equity and commodities.

‘My long-term view on gold has not changed,’ says Coombs. ‘If you like it, wear it and don’t invest in it. Gold provides no income which is a big ‘no no’ for many investors, especially when interest rates are on the rise and cash and bond yields become more attractive.

‘But given the uncertain times we are currently living through here in the UK with all the speculation over Brexit, I do believe it has a role as a hedge.’

According to Coombs, the hedge is against the threat of ‘stagflation’ [economic stagnation combined with inflation] triggered by a Brexit deal not being done.

‘The UK economy is vulnerable to stagflation if a Brexit deal is pushed out,’ he explains. ‘Businesses will stall on capital investment projects and we could see UK economic growth slow and unemployment rise with inflation persisting – the ingredients for stagflation. If that happens, gold will represent a store of value.’

Investment trusts Personal Assets and Ruffer both have exposure to gold. Like Coombs’ fund, both Personal Assets and Ruffer are broadly diversified and are designed to maintain the real value of investors’ holdings. Personal Assets currently has eight per cent of its assets in solid gold (bullion) while Ruffer has seven per cent exposure through shares in gold mining companies.

Jason Hollands, of wealth manager Tilney, says some of the portfolios it runs for private clients have around two per cent exposure to gold. He says: ‘We do not see gold as a low-risk asset per se. Gold prices have at times endured long losing streaks and out of the last five consecutive 12-month periods, four have seen the gold price fall. ‘Also, a strong dollar is not good for gold because it means the currency is seen as a safer haven. Indeed, a strengthening dollar is often accompanied by a weakness in the gold price.

The cheapest and most straightforward approach is to buy an investment that tracks the gold price. These are called exchange traded funds . They can be bought through a stockbroker and most fund platforms.

Physical gold (bars and coins) can be bought from bullion dealers – Buyers can ask to have it stored, for a charge, or delivered.

SOURCE : Dailymail

Earning at HSBC’s investment bank vs. Goldman Sachs

February 21, 2018/in Finance /by admin

It’s bonus day at HSBC today. Following the unexpected departure of Matthew Westerman, the ex-Goldman Sachs head of HSBC’s global banking group in November last year, all eyes are on how much HSBC pays its investment bankers. The compensation report accompanying today’s annual report suggests HSBC might actually pay them quite well.

EU takes eight countries off its tax haven blacklist

January 23, 2018/in Finance /by admin

Campaigners accused the EU of going soft on tax dodgers

The European Union has taken eight countries off its tax havenblacklist after they apparently took measures to “remedy” EU concerns about their approaches to tax dodging.

Panama, Barbados and Grenada were among states that fell off the list, which now numbers only nine nations – amid claims by campaigners that ministers were “undermining” the process.

The three countries, as well as South Korea, Macau, Mongolia, Tunisia and the UAE, will now move onto a “greylist” of countries that the EU has concerns about but which it thinks are in the process of improving their approach.

Countries on the greylist can be moved back onto the blacklist if they fail to improve quickly enough, but this has not happened yet.

Fair tax campaigners reacted with dismay when the list was introduced late last year because of its narrow scope and omission of a number of notorious tax havens, including British overseas territories. On Tuesday, NGOs further hit out at the decision.

“The EU is rushing to take countries off the blacklist without it being clear what they have actually committed to improve; this is further undermining the process,” said Aurore Chardonnet, Oxfam’s EU policy adviser on tax and inequality.

“It is no secret that tax havens remain at the heart of the EU, with four European countries actually failing the EU’s own blacklisting criteria.

“EU governments should tackle tax havens within the EU with the same urgency they are pressuring other countries to adopt tax reforms that were decided by an exclusive club of rich countries.”

Markus Ferber, center-right MEP and vice-chair of the European Parliament’s economic committee, said: “Today’s decision is a confession of failure. Crossing Panama, one of the world’s most prolific tax havens off the blacklist, is a disastrous sign in the fight against tax avoidance.”

The decision to remove the countries was made by EU finance ministers in Brussels when they met for their monthly Ecofin meeting.

Ministers agreed the move after a recommendation by EU tax experts in the Code of Conduct Group.

Vladislav Goranov, finance minister of Bulgaria, which holds the rotating EU presidency, said: “Jurisdictions around the world have worked hard to make commitments to reform their tax policies. Our aim is to promote good tax governance globally.”

The difference between the MD at Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley.

January 17, 2018/in Finance /by admin

Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley would have you believe that the methods they use to pick their new managing directors are unique and the traits they want them to possess are similarly distinctive. Truth is, they are actually very similar.

Senior government bond traders left Barclays before bonuses

January 13, 2018/in Finance /by admin

Barclays won’t announce bonuses for a few more weeks yet, but it’s not that long before people in its investment bank will find out what they got for 2017. This hasn’t dissuaded two of Barclays’ most senior European government bond traders from leaving.

Using Trading Economic Indicators For Your Portfolio

December 29, 2017/in Finance /by admin

There are different approaches you can take with your portfolio. Each will give you losses or wins in the market. Determining how the market is moving and knowing when to change your position is essential to profitability.

Precious Metals Investing 2017: Keep an Eye on Silver

December 23, 2017/in Finance /by admin

When it comes to investing in precious metals, gold usually gets most of the attention. But silver — and silver mining — may now be the better bet.
In early 2017, gains on silver were nearly twice those on gold — and both beat the S&P 500.

To Sell or Not to Sell Your Structured Settlement?

December 23, 2017/in Finance /by admin

At the time, it may have sounded like a good idea — forgoing a large, lump sum payout from an auto accident or other life event (tax implications come to mind) and instead, opting for small periodic payments over months or years

One New Year’s Resolution to improve your Finances

December 19, 2017/in Finance /by admin

Making a resolution to improve your finances puts you several steps closer along the road to a better bottom line, based on data from Fidelity Investments’ eighth annual “New Year Financial Resolutions Study.” Looking for a resolution that will pay off and pay dividends? Simply resolving to pay more attention to your finances improves the chances that your financial health will improve.