Happy Trading Hours with MetisEtrade - Now Bigger and Better!

Happy Trading Hours ™ with MetisEtrade Learn. Interact. Compete. Now BIGGER and BETTER ! Open to everyone - Wherever you are in the world.  View our live streaming here http://www.metisetrade.com/index.php/competition (The live streaming will be active on Nov 08, 6:30 PM – 9:45PM) --------------------------------------------------------- Happy Trading Hours Program Schedule: 6:00 - 6:30 Registration 6:30 - 7:30 Introduction to Forex with Mr. Ernesto Unisa 7:30 - 8:00 How to Analyze the Market - Funda and Tech Updates on Current Market Events with Mr. Dennis Torraldo 8:00 - 8:30 Q&A Preparation for the 1 Hour Sprint Demo Challenge 8:30 - 9:30 Competition Proper 9:30 - 9:45 Awarding Ceremony --------------------------------------------------------- Last October, we had Mr. Robert Escano (and his team of chefs and traders) as our Champion. This November, we are searching for new solid contenders! Do you think you have what it takes to beat everyone else in the TRADING FLOOR during THE MOST VOLATILE trading hours? Join our 1 Hour Sprint Demo Trading Challenge Win exciting prizes - and have the chance to beat Robert's team on the next monthly finals - Beginners are very welcome to join! How to Register for Happy Trading Hours - and - Join the Demo Competition ONLINE 1. Register here: http://www.metisetrade.com/index.php/competition 2. Go to your email, look for the email with the subject: "Happy Trading Hours with MetisEtrade" 3. If you don't have the Trading Platform yet, click the "MetaTrader 5 Client Terminal" to download (5-10 min only) Mac users should follow the additional steps in this link: http://www.metisetrade.com/index.php/resources/macguidemt5 4. Log in to your MT5 platform with the provided Username and Password in the email. 5. The account you have is a USD 10,000 account usable for the 1 hour demo challenge which runs from 8:30 - 9:30 on Friday (Nov 8, 2013) *Note: You may trade with the demo account as much as you can before the actual competition starts. MetisEtrade team will dial everything back to USD 10,000 at 8:30 PM Philippine time. Now you're ready for the Happy Trading Hours for November 08, 2013! Learn. Interact. Compete. All together now, Let's TRADE! Sincerely, MetisEtrade Team

Japan vs. China: Clash of the Asian Titans

What in the world is going on between Japan and China these days?! Are these Asian superpowers about to engage in a full-on war? Let me give you a quick recap of what’s going on so far, what we can expect, and how we could profit from all this drama.

It’s no secret that Japan and China have been “frenemies” for the longest time. The tension started heating up recently when China had a territorial dispute with Japan when it comes to ownership of a few islands in the East China Sea. This area, which is known to Japan as the Senkakus and to China as the Diaouyu Islands, is surrounded by waters rich in oil reserves and rare minerals.

These islands have been controlled by Japan for years but it appears that China wants a piece of it, as Chinese ships and drones have been lingering nearby. Because of that, the Japanese government issued a warning that it could strike down those unmanned drones if they come too close.

In response, Chinese defense ministry spokesperson Geng Yansheng said that Japan should not underestimate the Chinese army’s determination and ability to defend their territory. ”If Japan does what it says and resorts to enforcement measures like shooting down aircraft, that is a serious provocation to us, it is an act of war,” he added. “We will surely undertake decisive action to strike back.”

History buffs say that this revived rivalry between the two nations comes at a crucial point when China is struggling to return to its glory years of double-digit economic growth and Japan is fighting to emerge from decades of deflation. Also worth noting is that China’s recent territorial claims against other Asian nations haven’t resulted in an all-out war so far and that Japan has always attempted to pursue the more peaceful alternative in resolving conflict.

However, an actual war between Japan and China is still a possibility, as neither is showing signs of yielding or coming up with a compromise. If this happens, it could spark a prolonged risk-off period, which might hurt higher-yielding assets as well as currencies from Asian nations and emerging markets.

Commodity currencies, particularly the Australian dollar and the New Zealand dollar, are already starting to weaken because of the ongoing uncertainty. After all, should China engage in a war with Japan, much of its capital would be allocated to defense, leaving less resources to shore up production and trade activity.

While the lower-yielding yen tends to strengthen during periods of risk aversion, it appears that traders are not too eager to park their money in the Japanese currency either. Better keep close tabs on any updates on this issue since it could mean more safe-haven flows to the dollar!

Credit: piponomics

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5 things lovers and investments have in common

LOVER AND INVESTMENT Love and money are languages that everyone knows to communicate

MANILA, Philippines - Love and money are fundamentally the same, in my opinion: most people talk about them all the time, most people drink seemingly endless amounts of alcohol and eat monstrous servings of ice cream just to forget them, and most people have either love problems or money problems on their minds.

(If you don't have either, you're lucky.)

Let's face the music: most people place a particularly high importance on both aspects simply because they're universal. Love and money are languages that everyone knows to communicate.

One day, you and your lover might be having a great time until a third party steps in to destroy your relationship.

The next thing you know, you're drowning your sorrows in liquor and asking yourself if maybe you should set your status from “Available” to “Single” during the wee hours of the morning so no one would notice.

In the same vein, you and your investments might have a wonderful companionship – you feel stable and secure in dealing with them.

Suddenly, something unexpected happens and this affects your portfolio adversely.

You then also drown your sorrows in liquor and ask yourself if maybe you should continue investing or stop now.

If you don't believe that romantic love and money have a common ground, why don't you read about these similarities between your lover and your investments to change your mind, then?

In pursuing your prospective partner and in starting your investment account, you should know the following concepts:

1. You start with knowing what you have and what you don't have.

Your lover: Identify your strengths and your weaknesses first before even considering to go out with someone.

You have to show your strengths and play down your weaknesses – you do this by adjusting yourself to fit the conventional idea of an attractive person.

Looks matter, so take care of your body more. Here, you decrease your intake of food and increase your metabolism.

Your investment: Set up a budget to know your income and your outcomes.

Of course, for you to allocate enough money to your investment account, you need to work on your budget and adjust as needed. You either increase your income or decrease your expenses to start investing – choose one or both.

Remember the magic formula in personal finance?

Income – (Savings + Investments +Tithes) = Expenses

2. You need to identify your ideal partner/investment to spend your life with.

Your lover: Identify the characteristics that you want in a potential lifetime partner.

You love to play Candy Crush, she loves to play Candy Crush. You're good with children, she still acts like a child.

You love to laugh, he looks like Diego from Bubble Gang – it's a perfect combination!

Your investment: Your investment vehicle should be personalized according to your objective, investment horizon, and risk profile. It's supposed to be uniquely suited to you:

Objective: What is your investment for? Why do you invest?

Horizon: How long can you last without touching your investment? How many years?

Risk Profile: Can you manage to take high risks with your money? Do you have a plan in case the market plummets?

This means a 26-year old with a child and a 30-year old with no dependents may differ in this area.

3. Both of them should play a part in increasing the value of the relationship.

Your lover: He should be there to unconditionally shower you with gifts, constantly adore your quirks, kiss the floor you walk on, and give you fastfood meals every time you crave for them.

Yes, okay, no, I'm kidding. A supportive, understanding, and trustworthy lover should fit the bill just fine.

Your investment: Invest in vehicles that can give you a greater return compared to the current inflation rate.

As of June, 2013, the inflation rate is 2.80%. If you invest in accounts giving you less than 2.80% return, you're basically telling inflation to eat up the value of your money.

Your lover's impression of you affects your self-worth.

Your investment's interest rate affects your net worth.

4. Consistency is always better than timing.

Your lover: You simply can’t time when to court or when to pursue your partner.

I mean, you can’t waste most of your life speculating when to make your move, right?

Instead of asking your neighbor’s long-lost cousin for tips on when to give flowers based on what she texted you last night, you go and start courting.

You do this consistently, regularly, and without fail, up to the point that she starts to fall in love with you (or starts to finally give you a chance).

Which would you prefer, a consistent suitor who gives you romantic roses every week, or a one-time suitor who gives you only one bouquet during the courtship?

Your investment: You can start investing now and start making your money work for you, or you can stay put and analyze every little thing that can influence the stock market right now.

Obviously, the former is better. If you invest now and do so consistently (even though you start with only P1,000 every month), compound interest gets to be your best friend.

You don’t analyze every little movement in the stock market and you don’t follow every stock market guru’s advice.

Ben Graham, a prominent financial analyst and value investor, puts it aptly: “The individual investor should act consistently as an investor and not as a speculator.”

A consistent investor who invests small amounts per month is better than an investor who invests a large amount once.

You need to put in consistent efforts to make your relationship and your money grow.

5. Understanding is the key.

Your lover: Naturally, you wouldn’t be with someone you don’t understand very well.

Sure, you can have “good times” with just about anyone – you can post kissy pictures on each other’s Facebook, wear cheesy couple clothes all you want, and spend the night together regularly.

But at the end of the day, if you don’t understand your partner, and if your partner doesn’t understand you, it’s time to let each other go.

Your investment: You should only invest in businesses and investment vehicles that you really understand.

When investing in stocks, always ask yourself, if you had enough money, would you buy the company itself?

Your long-term lover is your lifetime partner.

Your long-term investments can only grow substantially if you make investing a life-long habit.

Before you look for a lover, start investing first, though. 

At least your investments won’t throw a brick through your bedroom window because you cheated on them, right?

Credit: LIANNE LAROYA

Fed’s Taper Start Seen as Non-Event in Poll of Investors !

An anticipated reduction in stimulus by the Federal Reserve that has roiled the financial markets for months will be seen as no big deal if it goes ahead next week, according to a Bloomberg Global Poll of investors.

Fifty-seven percent of those surveyed say they don’t expect a sudden change in the markets because investors already anticipate tapering action by the U.S. central bank. Eight percent see a rally on such news, while just under a third are looking for declines, based on the Sept. 10 poll of 900 investors, traders and analysts who are Bloomberg subscribers.

The Fed began buying $40 billion of mortgage-backed securities per month in September of last year and then supplemented that with $45 billion of Treasury securities in December. Bernanke suggested to reporters on June 19 that the program might be wound up by the middle of next year. Photographer: Pete Marovich/Bloomberg

“A taper-lite seems priced in” by the markets, Greg Lesko, managing director at New York-based Deltec Asset Management LLC, said in an e-mail, referring to what he says will be a small reduction in stimulus by the Fed. Lesko took part in the quarterly survey.

The yield on the 10-year (USGG10YR) Treasury note rose to 2.91 percent at 5 p.m. in New York yesterday from 2.04 percent on May 22, when Fed Chairman Ben S. Bernankeraised the possibility the central bank might cut back its stimulus this year. The MSCI Emerging Markets stockindex has fallen 5.5 percent over that time.

A plurality of those polled -- 38 percent -- expects the central bank to decide at its Sept. 17-18 meeting to start lowering its monthly bond purchases. Another 35 percent see such a step in either October or December. Less than one in four say a decision on tapering will be delayed until next year. The Fed is currently buying $85 billion worth of bonds per month.

Seeing End

The Fed began buying $40 billion of mortgage-backed securities per month in September of last year and then supplemented that with $45 billion of Treasury securities in December. Bernanke suggested to reporters on June 19 that the program might be wound up by the middle of next year.

Investors aren’t convinced. Only 16 percent of those polled expect the Fed to have stopped buying assets by then. One in three thinks the purchases will end later in 2014, while 44 percent don’t expect them to end until 2015 or afterward.

“The tapering will be very gradual,” Robert Kopp, a poll participant and principal at asset management company Systra LLC in Chicago, said via e-mail. The Fed will wait to “see the impact on the market before deciding the next steps.” Kopp sees the asset purchases continuing through 2014.

Raising Rates

Investors seem more attuned to the Fed’s intentions when it comes to interest rates, based on the poll’s results. Most policy makers don’t expect to raise interest rates until 2015, according to projections released by the Fed on June 19.

A majority of poll participants agree: Fifty-one percent see the Fed’s first rate increase coming in 2015, with one in three expecting it in the first half of the year. Three in 10 forecast a rate rise next year. The Fed cut its target for the overnight interbank lending rate effectively to zero in December 2008 and has held it at that record low since.

“There doesn’t seem to be a big hurry or need to raise rates anytime soon,” Steve Feiss, an interest-rate strategist at broker-dealer Government Perspectives LLC in Marlboro,New Jersey, said in an e-mail. Inflation is “being very cooperative.” Feiss, who took part in the poll, expects the Fed to begin raising rates in the second half of 2015.

Inflation, as measured by the personal consumption expenditure price index, stood at 1.4 percent in July, below the Fed’s 2 percent target.

Watching Unemployment

Bernanke and his colleagues have pledged to hold interest rates near zero at least until the unemployment rate falls to 6.5 percent, as long as projected inflation doesn’t rise above 2.5 percent. Joblessness in August was 7.3 percent.

“I believe it will be several years before we near these targets,” Bryan Kern, a principal at KPM Financial in Charlotte, North Carolina, said in an e-mail. He doesn’t expect a Fed rate rise until the second half of 2015.

While the Fed is seen as being in no rush to boost rates, it will still be quicker off the mark than central banks in other industrial nations, according to the poll.

By the end of 2015, more than 85 percent of investors expect the Fed to have tightened credit. The comparable numbers were 58 percent for the European Central Bank, 35 percent for the Bank of Japan and 70 percent for the Bank of England.

Three-quarters of those surveyed give Bernanke a favorable rating. Almost as many do the same for ECB President Mario Draghi, up from two-thirds in the last poll in May. Bank of England Governor Mark Carney also saw his standing rise in the latest poll, to 59 percent from 50 percent.

Debt Default

Investors are optimistic that President Barack Obama and Congress will avoid a U.S.debt default and a government shutdown later this year. More than three in five say they are very confident or fairly confident that a default will be averted, while 55 percent say the same for a shutdown.

Obama and lawmakers have yet to reach agreement on legislation to fund the government in the fiscal year that starts on Oct. 1. The Treasury has said they also need to strike a deal to raise the government’s debt ceiling by mid-October.

Two in five survey respondents say they would hold back on their investments in U.S. markets if no agreement is reached to keep the government running. Forty-three percent say it wouldn’t have an effect.

In the event of a shutdown, investors outside the U.S. are more inclined to pull back on their investments than those inside the country, according to the poll. One in three investors in the U.S. say they’d act that way, compared with more than two in five inEurope and over half in Asia.

The poll was conducted by Selzer & Co., a Des Moines, Iowa-based firm. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points.

Credit: Rich Miller of Bloomberg