Mutual Funds - Its Humble Beginnings

By Mikaela Miko

Mutual funds continue to be popular among investors mainly because of the return rate it brings to their investments. Contrary to traditional ways of investing through certificates of deposit and money market accounts, when you invest in mutual funds, you can expect the largest return for your investment.

For those who are just beginning to invest their hard-earned money, investing in mutual funds is the best option to take because you won't have to make decisions which can alter the potential returns of your outlay. Investing in mutual funds is a good way to get a feel of things before plunging in the industry. And since mutual funds are considered as low risk investments, you need not worry about your money because it is safely spread over different investment options.

The mutual funds of today are very different from the mutual funds our grandfathers invested in. It took several years to add the changes necessary for it to become what it is today. Even historians are still undecided on where the concept of mutual funds started. The concept of mutual funds was thought to be conceptualized in 1822 by King William I of the Netherlands when he launched several closed-end investment companies. But other historians are contesting this, believing that it was Adriaan van Ketwitch, a Dutch merchant who created an investment trust in 1774 came up with the idea.

Nevertheless, whoever came up with the idea really did some good thinking because it was an idea that was feasible enough for France and Great Britain to acknowledge. The United States grasped the idea only in the 1890's. In 1907, a fund called the Alexander Fund was established in Pennsylvania and was said to have paved the way for the modern mutual fund. Addendums and modifications were made later to include the ability to make withdrawals on demand and semi-annual issues.

In 1924, the Massachusetts Investors Trust was established and was the forerunner of the modern mutual fund of today. By the following year, the Trust grew to having 200 shareholders with an asset base of almost $400,000.00. The fund went public in 1928. In the same year, the Wellington Fund was created and was the first one to include stocks and bonds as investment options for their shareholders. Because of this, stock value increased making 1928 one of the most memorable years of the mutual fund history.

The next year however saw the worst of the American economy - the 1929 Wall Street Stock Market Crash. Because of this crash, the prices of stocks declined rapidly and the demand for goods lowered quickly which led to the Great Depression. Yet something positive became of this downside - the government finally took notice of the mutual fund industry and established laws to protect investors.

Investors readily welcomed this move by the government and stock market trading began to rise again. Ever since then, the mutual fund industry continues to grow. And throughout the years an increasing number of people become interested in mutual funds.

Today, buying shares in a mutual fund is a sound investment for anyone, beginners and expert alike. Even with its current success, the industry has still a lot to offer to those who patronize it. And the great thing about getting mutual funds is that you can take part of a worldwide profit-bearing phenomenon without risking so much. - 23223

About the Author:

The author writes articles that tackles about mutual funds in the Philippines and discuss the history of mutual funds on his blog.

Discount Personal Checks

By Amanda

The invention of personal checks was a savvy idea that has allowed people to pay for items without having cash on hand. Personal checks are a straight forward and organized way of paying. They make life so much easier.

After personal checks started being used, there weren't many options in the way of designs. Bank checks were pretty much standard plain pieces of paper with your personal information on them. Later, check printers came out with the idea that checks could be a great way to display beautiful art or custom pictures. People now have the ability to choose from thousands of designs for their personal checks.

Unlike cash and debit cards, checks are a safer way to pay bills. They afford account owners to monitor their account online and give several days notice before money actually leaves the accoun. Debit card transactions are immediate and cash is non-traceable.

The next time you buy checks, make sure to buy online instead of directly from the bank. You'll not only save money but you'll save a lot of time as well. It's a simple 1-2-3 process of choosing a design, filling out your billing information from the secure shopping cart, and clicking order. Your checks will arrive fast as well.

Ordering checks in bulk can also make your checks even cheaper. Often, the personal check printers will give incentives to larger volumes of boxes at a time. Since you know you'll need them later anyways, it's always a good idea to buy at least 3-4 boxes at a time if not more. They never expire and that way you'll ahve them when you need them. - 23223

About the Author:

Amanda is the author of the personal checks buying guide and offers great tips to saving money. Her cheap checks company has saved thousands of customers over the last several years. Click here to submit article.

Understanding How Fx Market Trading Works

By Ron C George

FX market trading is trading money or global currencies There are very few countries in the world that aren't involved in the fx market where they trade money based on the monetary value of that currency at the time. As some currencies are not valued much, it's not going to be traded hard, as the currency is worth more, extra dealers and bankers are going to choose to invest in that marketplace at that moment.

Forex trading does take place daily, and it involves moving over two trillion dollars each day which is a large amount of money. Can you fathom how many millions it takes to make a trillion and now think about the fact that this is done everyday. If you want to get involved in a market that deals with money, forex trading is one 'setting' where money is exchanging hands daily.

The currencies that are traded on the forex markets are going to be those from most countries worldwide. Each currency has it's own three-letter symbol which represents the country and the currency that is being traded. For example the British pound is GBP and the Japense yen is JPY and the United States dollar is USD and the Euro is EUR.

Numerous currencies can be traded in a one day or you can even trade multiple currencies each day. The majority of the trades will be handled by a forex broker, or a forex company that will require a fee so you want to be sure about the trade you are making before making too many trades, which will involve additional fees whether you win or lose in the trade.

Trades between markets and countries are going to happen every day most of that trading is between the US dollar and the British pound, the Euro and the US dollar and finally the US dollar and the Japanese yen. The trades happen all day, all night, and throughout various markets.

When one country opens trading for the day another country is closing trading so the time zones worldwide affect how the trading takes place and when the markets are open.

When you are making a transaction from one market to another, involving one countries money to another you will see that the symbols will explain your transactions.

Every transaction will look something like this USDzzz/EURzzz the three z's represent the percentages of trading for the percentage of the transaction. Other transactions could look like EURzzz/JPYzzz and so on. When reading and reviewing your forex statements and online documentation you will understand the transactions better. All you need to do is learn the forex symbols that represent the currency that you are trading in. - 23223

About the Author:

Day trading Robots is a website for those wanting to understand Basic Of Foreign Exchange Markets. With numerous articles on the topic and a in depth e-course on trading the stock market you need to check out the Day Trading Robots and grab your free reports.

Forex Education - Useful Tips

By Bart Icles

One of the first and wisest decisions you have to do before stepping in the world of Forex trading is to learn its basics. Having the right skills and correct frame of mind on hand when delving into any business venture is but common sense. When you go into battle without being properly equipped, everything and anything that you commit to it will just be lost. Getting educated in the basics of Forex trading should then be your first move.

Don't just completely rely on just one trading method. What works for some trade deals might prove to be a disaster with the next ones. It would be to your advantage to try out and follow other forex trading methods and orient yourself to it completely. Learn by knowing how other traders operate and conduct their business; always be observant for other possible trades in the market involving big corporations since they are the ones most in need of continuous currency flow.

Be selective in your day to day trading; as they say, "it's better not to have a day or days of trading than to have a day of trading and lose." Learn to trade in a smart manner and know when to take positive risks, or when to let it slide by. Since foreign exchange trading is a very volatile and unstable market, values and rates tend to fluctuate in an unexpected manner, and prices may either dip or go up in a matter of minutes; so keep your head intact and your instincts on the alert.

Formulate a system of trading that is based upon your weak and strong points to let you adjust accordingly to different market trades, and to follow through with it throughout the duration of your trading period. With a disciplined approach to your trading methods, you can keep a clear and focused mind on what you are doing, and of how you are behaving towards other fellow traders; always follow standard trading protocols and keep business trades as professional as possible without breaking trade rules and regulations.

Always keep an open mind; foreign exchange trading basics is constantly changing and developing, and so are also the trading methods and technologies being used. Keep abreast of current market trends and strategies by reading up on related news of the industry. Go online to obtain pertinent market data, as well as keep an eye out for additional educational modules to keep you informed and updated.

Forex education by no means is achieved or done through a limited time or is done in the course of a single time period; it is one long and continuous learning process that happens in a 24/7 basis. - 23223

About the Author:

Forex education starts with a desire to learn and a drive to become a great trader. A forex trading education takes dedication and a good teacher. But once you learn how to trade and do so successfully your life will change and you have options and financial resources you never had before.

Automated Forex Trading Robots and Their Effectiveness

By Brian Bodine

Stock trading is usually a burdensome activity, until the entry of automated Forex trading robots. In the past, a high level of technical knowledge involving methods and procedures of this business venture, as well as a high capacity for comprehension and analysis of prevailing trends in the market are required before one can venture into the world of the stock market. Fortunately, there are business robots that can assist any trader in pursuing and forging a career in the business.

In order to properly acquaint ourselves with these programs, two fundamental questions must be asked: what are automated Forex trading robots and what exactly do they do?

Automated Forex trading robots are not your typical "machines", so to speak. They are not composed of mechanical working parts that do your business at your command. Rather, the term "robot" here is more of a symbolical terminology; that is, it helps you do your business by pointing out what shares are fit for purchase, when to buy them, and when to sell them. It is a software program based on artificial intelligence that is designed specifically for the conduct of stock market businesses.

This software helps a trader keep tabs on the trends of shares of stock; that is, the rise and fall of prices in relation to the volatility of the market. The program makes use of mathematical algorithms in order to make computations regarding "predictions" of prevailing trends. To validate the algorithms, the program bases them on the experiences of other traders as well as its own analysis of market trends.

Automated Forex trading robots constantly monitor the market. It takes into record the rise and fall of prices and "decides" on the best and most valuable stocks there are. It recognizes resistance and learns to detect a point where to make an entry point as well as an exit point for a particular activity.

Although purchasing this program is an expensive investment, it will prove to be worthwhile by reason of the returns you will realize, with proper sense and diligence, that is. Furthermore, they are not meant to make you rich while you sit back and relax. There will always be a need for human input in making the final decision whether to buy or to sell shares.

Once the software has been installed, all you have to do is to input the initial data to enable the program to have a basis on which to do its work. Once automated Forex trading robots are up and functional, they will give invaluable assistance to stock traders, as if a veteran trader is at their side. - 23223

About the Author:

Forex Software that will make trades on Forex Signals without your involvement.