Expatriates Forums in Lithuania

TRADING ON LINE Coaching in Lithuania

Miky — Fri May 01, 2009 7:09 pm

Author: Miky

Posted: Fri May 01, 2009 7:09 pm

We have solid experience in ONE to ONE Trading On Line coaching and our coaching sessions are also on-line, via the internet.

We use a state-of-the-art remote-learning platform in which is possible to share audio, video, trading platform and desktop documents like trading charts.
In this way you can learn how to trade better and better from your home or office. Coaching plans can be completely personalized to reach concrete individual goals.
We are looking for private investors in Lithuania interested in improving their Trading On Line results, on a pay per sessions basis.
michele.castorina@t-online.hu

join our unique investment club

dutchjobs — Sun Nov 30, 2008 7:40 pm

Author: dutchjobs

Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 7:40 pm

Dear reader,

In these times of economic and financial crisis, there are alway great opportunities for making a very good return on investment capital.

We are looking for serious members to expand our investment community within Eastern Europe and the rest of the world.

Want to know more?

Just send us an email if you would like to have more information or give us a call if you wish to make an appointment.
0032 497 545587

Kind regards,
Bodhi
independent Bridge member

For Sale Brand New HTC Touch HD $380/Apple iphone 3g ....30

briton01 — Sat Oct 25, 2008 1:09 pm

Author: briton01

Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2008 1:09 pm

We are legitimate and reputable company from Uk,London we have all brands of Mobile Phones,Ipods,xbox 360, Sidekicks,Nextels phone,Laptops for sell at cheap and affordable prices.

ORDER INFORMATION :
Minimum Order : 1-3units
Shipping Method : FedEx and UPS.
Delivery Time : 48 Hours Delivery To Your Door Step.

Contact Email:electronicsmarkeltd@libero.it
Contact Email:electronicsmarkeltd@libero.it
Apple iphone List:
Apple iphone 3g ....300USD

Apple iphone 16GB...$250USD

Apple iphone 8GB---$230USD

Apple iphone 4GB---$200USD

Side kick:
Side kick Lx for $200usd

Side kick 3 for $150usd

Side kick 2 for $140usd

Sick kick for $130usd

Nokia product:
Nokia N96 16GB $300usd

Mokia N81 8GB $290usd

Nokia N95 8gb $230usd

Nokia N95 for $230usd

Nokia N93 for $230usd

Nokia N92 for $200usd

Nokia N91 for $200usd

Nokia N90 for $190usd

Nokia N80 for $180usd

HTC PHONES

HTC G1 .......... $400

HTC Touch HD $380

HTC Touch 3G$360

Htc Touch Pro $320

Htc Touch Diamond$300

Htc Touch Cruise $290

HTC Advantage X7500 $280

HTC P4350 for.$200

HTC S710 for..$240

HTC TyTN for $230

HTC P3300 for.$220

HTC S620 for..$210

Samsung Phones Unlocked

Samsung i8510 INNOV8 $300
Samsung M8800 Pixon $250
Samsung i900 Omnia $300
Samsung D980 $250
Samsung Armani $250
Samsung F490 $200
Samsung Black Jack $200

Apple 20GB iPod Nano.....$90USD

Apple 2 GB iPod Nano....$50 USD

Apple 4 GB iPod Nano.....$60 USD

Apple 30 GB iPod Vidoe.....$100 USD

Apple 60 GB iPod Vidoe......$110 USD

Apple 80 GB iPod Vidoe....$130 USD

Sony Ericsson:-
Sony Ericsson W960i 8GB $290usd

Sony Ericsson W960i $280usd

Sony Ericsson K700i For......$130usd

Sony Ericsson k750i For......$140usd

Sony Ericsson W800i For......$150usd

Sony Ericsson W900i For......$160usd

Sony Ericsson S700i For.......$140usd

Sony Ericsson P900 For......$140usd

Sony Ericsson P910i For.......$150usd

Sony Ericsson Z1010 For.....$160usd

BlackberryBold 9000 $300

Blackberry 8700c ...$250

Blackberry 16MB col.$220

Blackberry 7230 ....$220

Blackberry 7290..$150

AT&T Blackberry7280.$180

Blackberry 7290.....$180

Console Games:
Nintendo Wii $160usd

Play station 3 80GB $200usd

Play station 3 60GB $150usd

X box360 for $130usd

ice cube for $120usd.

Canon EOS 400D / Rebel XTi Digital Camera with 18-55mm Lens---$300usd
Canon EOS 400D / Rebel XTi Body Only Digital Camera----$350usdf
Canon EOS 30D Body Only Digital Camera----$420usd
Canon EOS-5D Body Only Digital Camera---$550usd
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II Digital Camera----$1,500usd
Canon EOS 30D / EF-S 17-85mm IS Digital Camera---$400usd
Canon EOS 30D Digital Camera with 18-55 Kit---$360usd

Olympus EVOLT E-330 Digital Camera----$400usd
Olympus EVOLT E-500 (Body Only) Digital Camera--$300usd
Olympus Evolt E-510 (14-42mm) Digital Camera----$435usd

Nikon D40x Digital Camera----$365usd
Nikon D40 Digital Camera with G-II 18-55mm Lens---$300usd
Nikon D80 Digital Camera with 18-135mm Lens----$400usd
Nikon D80 Digital Camera with 18-200mm Lens---$420usd
Nikon D80 Body Only Digital Camera---$360usd
Nikon D200 Body Only Digital Camera---$450usd
Nikon D200 Digital Camera with 18-200mm Lens---$700usd
Nikon D2Xs (Body Only) Digital Camera---$900usd
Nikon D200 Digital Camera with 18-135mm--

LAPTOPS PRICE LIST:
SONY VAIO A217S-- 100GB-- 512MB RAM-- XP HOME-------------$570
SONY VAIO B1VP-- 40GB HD-- 512MB RAM-- XP PRO--------------$630
SONY VAIO T370P/L-- 60GB HD-- 512MB RAM-- XP----------------$500
Dell Inspiron 700m ===$1020
Dell Inspiron 700M for Home (Pentium M 1.70GHz, 512MB, 40GB)== $550
Dell Inspiron 2200 for Home (Celeron 1.50GHz, 256MB, 40GB)== $450
Alienware Area-51 5300 - P4 530J 3 GHz ===$690
Alienware DHS 5 (Athlon 64 1.8 GHz) ===$590
Alienware Aurora ALX SLI ==== $400

PLASMA TC PRICES
Samsung HP-R5052 50 Plasma TV AT JUST $900
Gateway 42" Plasma TV 16 : 9 AT JUST $750
Panasonic TH-37PWD8UK Plasma AT JUST $920
Dell W5001C 50-inch High AT JUST $700
Samsung SPN4235 Widescreen AT JUST $850
Pioneer Plasma 61" HDTV AT JUST $900
Pioneer PDP-5060HD Plasma tv AT JUST $650
Samsung SPN4235 Widescreen tv AT JUST $1000
Sony FWD-50PX1 50" Plasma AT JUST $1,200
Sony KDE-61XBR950 Plasma TV AT JUST $1,400

Pioneer CDJ-MK3 1000-------$750

Pioneer DJ Effector - Red-----$350.00

Pioneer System Case (CA-CMX5).......$450.00

Pioneer CDJ-800MK2 Digital Vinyl Turntable---$520.00

Pioneer Dual Rackmount CD Player----$600.00

Pioneer Pro DJ Mixer------$720.00

Pioneer Rack mount pro DJ mixer----$780.00

Pioneer 96Khz / 24 bit digital mixer.-----$960.00

Pioneer Flat Speakers (ea.)------$980.00

Pioneer Professional DVD Turntable----$1500.00

Pioneer Pro DJ 96Khz 24bit Mixer----$1,600.00..

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION PLEASE CONTACT US:
IMPORTANT NOT FORGET TO INCLUDE MODELS AND PRODUCT,NUMBER OF UNIT YOU WISH TO BUY AND YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS:
THANKS

Contact Email:electronicsmarkeltd@libero.it
Contact Email:electronicsmarkeltd@libero.it

Quality English Publisher seeks reps

salmaccarrer — Mon Nov 12, 2007 11:11 am

Author: salmaccarrer

Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2007 11:11 am

Looking for a flexible job?
Sell USBORNE children’s books!
Sell to Schools,Pre-schools, or any other organisation with an interest in English books!
Finally a job that can move with you!(throughout Europe, UK and BFPO’s)
Ideal for mums with kids, or anyone with a love of books and children.
Let the job fit into your schedule!

WORK IN LITHUANIA / LITHUANIA EMPLOYMENT GUIDE

Lithuania Info — Wed May 16, 2007 3:53 am

Author: Lithuania Info

Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 3:53 am

WORK IN LITHUANIA

There is still a high dependence on agriculture in Lithuania, with arable, cereal and cotton production predominating. Significant industries include metal-cutting machine tools, electric motors, television sets, refrigerators and freezers. Other industries to be found in Lithuania are: petroleum refining; shipbuilding (small ships); furniture making; textiles; food processing; fertilizers; warehousing; agricultural machinery; leather goods; optical equipment; electronic components; computers; and amber. Light, rather than heavy industry now predominates.

Advantage Lithuania - the Lithuanian Development Agency (LDA) is keen to develop foreign investment as well as business start-ups and seven technology parks have been set up in the last two years. Knowledge-based industries are growing fast, notably information technology and telecommunications, laser technology (particularly in scientific research) and biotechnology. LDA lists Siemens, Telia, Philips, Motorola, Mars/Masterfoods, Sonera, Kraft Food International, Festo, Lancaster Steel, Partec, Kemira, Danisco, SEB, Carlsberg and Marzotto as multinational companies who now produce in Lithuania. The British Chamber of Commerce in Lithuania (BCC) has details of companies with trading links to the UK.

This expansion has seen a recent boom in the construction of both commercial and private accommodation during 2004. Lithuania is also striving to develop a tourist industry based around heritage attractions, rural tourism and health spas. Cultural (especially theatrical) activities are also prominent, with 13 professional theatres and numerous orchestras.

There are considerable labour shortages across a range of professions in construction, electrical and electronic engineering, information technology, finance, banking, business and management, although language barriers and low wages may prove a disincentive. Starting your own business offers potential opportunities.

There has been a substantial demand for teachers of English as a foreign language and, in the past, the Ministry of Science and Education, Lithuania has assisted applicants to find placements in Lithuanian schools. More recently, there has been a focus on training Lithuanian born teachers of English, with support from the British Council Lithuania.

DOING BUSINESS IN LITHUANIA / LITHUANIA BUSINESS GUIDE

Lithuania Info — Fri May 11, 2007 8:58 am

Author: Lithuania Info

Posted: Fri May 11, 2007 8:58 am

DOING BUSINESS IN LITHUANIA

STARTING A BUSINESS

STANDARDIZED COMPANY
Legal Form: Private Limited Liability Company
Minimum Capital Requirement: 10,000
City: Vilnius

Registration Requirements:

Procedure 1. Open bank account with minimum capital and get a bank certificate proving the availability of the funds; pay the registration fee and obtain the document evidencing the payment

Time to complete: 1 day

Cost to complete: no charge

Procedure 2. Notarise the agreement / memorandum of incorporation and by-laws; notarise the application for the registration of the private limited liability company

Time to complete: 2 days

Cost to complete: LTL 400

Comment: Under the new resolution establishing the Company Register, all registration documents (including the documents concerning the establishment of the branches and representative offices of all foreign legal persons) have to be verified by the notary. Previously the notaries verify only the founding act and the signatures of the founders in the articles of association of the companies to be established. Therefore the notarial expenses have increased considerably, e.g. the notarial fee for verification of the conformity of the registration documents of a limited liability documents with the legal requirements amounts to LTL 350 (approx. EUR 101).

Formerly the notarial expenses for the registration of a company usually were smaller as the verification of the founding act cost LTL 100-300 (approx. EUR 29-87) and the verification of each signature in the articles of association cost LTL 3 (approx. EUR 0,9). The longer term is due to changes in laws.

Procedure 3. Register at the Company Register, including registration with State Tax Inspectorate (the Lithuanian Revenue Authority) for corporate tax, VAT and State Social Insurance Fund Board (SODRA)

Time to complete: 5 days

Cost to complete: LTL 120

Comment: Required documents: application for the registration of the company; certified agreement/memorandum of incorporation; licence if applicable; minutes of the statutory meeting; certified by laws; corporate decisions regarding the appointment of directors; bank certificate proving payment of the authorised capital; document evidencing the payment of the registration fee. The Register is obligated to issue a decision within 30 days.

As compared with the old agency, tThe Company Register has the following new responsibilities:

• All legal persons, including private and public legal persons, their branches and subsidiaries, as well as the branches and subsidiaries of foreign legal persons, are registered in the Company Register. The "old" system, on the contrary, was based on separate registers for enterprises, public organisations, associations, budget institutions, credit unions etc;

• According to the rules governing the new system, the Company Register contains the foundations acts, bylaws and certain other registration documents of the legal persons. Besides, the legal persons are required to submit to the Company Register their financial accountability documents;

• The Company Register registers procurations (general powers of attorney);

• Since 1 January 2004 the company names are no longer registered with the State Patent Bureau. The company names are now registered with the Company Register. Before registering the company, the Company Register has a responsibility to check the conformity of the company name with certain requirements specified by the legal acts.According to the Resolution No 1694 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, December 24, 2003, the fee payable to the Registrar of Enterprises was reduced to 120 Litas. Such amendments are due to the fact that basic function for checking the legality of incorporation documents lies on the shoulders of notaries.

In 2005, tax and social security registrations were simplified. The Register of Legal Entities informs the Tax Inspectorate of the newly registered legal entity and passes basic data about it. The data are included in the Register of Taxpayers automatically within 2 working days. Therefore, there is no need to appear in the Tax Inspectorate and register as a corporate taxpayer additionally. The identification number ascribed to taxpayer is identical with the identification number prescribed to legal entity by the Register of Legal Entities. On registering a legal entity as a corporate taxpayer, a legal entity is herewith registered as an insurer and the data are passed to SODRA. Therefore, there is also no need to register as an insurer in SODRA separately.

The Tax Inspectorate informs a legal entity about its registration in the Register of Taxpayers by sending a form of registration within 5 working days from the day of registering it as a corporate taxpayer. Herewith, the Tax Inspectorate may send two more forms requesting additional information that have to be filled in and send back within 5 working days from the receipt. These forms include information on the contacts, activity, working hours, accountant and subdivisions of a legal entity.

Procedure 4. Complete VAT registration

Time to complete: 10-15 days

Cost to complete: no charge

Comment: A company must be registered as a corporate taxpayer within 5 days of registering with the Enterprise Registry. Since 2005, the registry automatically forwards the relevant information to the tax office (see comment in previous procedure) To register, a form needs to be filed with the Tax Registration Office. All taxes except VAT and social security are taken care of with a single form. Registration for VAT involves in filling out another application form at the same office.

Since 2004, the procedure for the registration of companies as VAT payers has been made more lengthy and complicated. The representatives of the company willing to register as a VAT payer are required to attend the interview with the officials from the State Tax Inspection. During the interviews very detailed questions are asked about the company, its business, shareholders etc.

Procedure 5. Inform the State Labor Inspectorate of the startup of the company by free-form letter or phone call

Time to complete: 1 day

Cost to complete: no charge

Comment: This is formal requirement, but in practice it is usually ignored. 10 days before the start of operation, an employer must inform the SLI by free-form letter or a phone call. The SLI may send someone to inspect the premises for safety and to review the work contracts with the employees.

Procedure 6. Open a settlement bank account (to handle normal commercial transactions)

Time to complete: 1 day

Cost to complete: no charge

Procedure 7. Obtain the official seal of the company

Time to complete: 2 days

Cost to complete: LTL 30-90

FORMS OF BUSINESS ORGANISATION

1. Public Companies
2. Private Companies

Foreign enterprises are entitled to establish their subsidiaries in Lithuania as legal entities (public or private companies), or open branch offices or representative offices that are not legal entities. A public company needs a minimum authorised capital of LTL 150,000; the minimum for a private company is LTL 10,000. A private company must have no more than 250 shareholders.

TAXATION

Corporate tax
Main rate: 19% effective rate (2006)

Lithuanian entities are subject to tax on their worldwide income; non-resident entities are taxable on Lithuanian-source income only. Any commercial enterprise registered under Lithuanian law is regarded as a Lithuanian entity for tax purposes. The corporate tax rate is 15%, but under incentive legislation some companies may be entitled to a 13% rate. From January 1st 2006 a temporary social tax of 4% also applies (to be reduced to 3% in 2007). Distributions by one resident company to another are subject to the 15% withholding tax, but there is a participation exemption where 10% of the shares have been held for one year. Crossborder payments of interest are subject to a withholding tax at a rate of 10%, except for interest payments for government securities issued in the international financial markets, interest paid out for deposits or for certain subordinated loans.

Individual tax
Flat rate of 33% (27% from July 1st 2006)

Resident individuals are taxed on their worldwide income; non-residents are taxed on Lithuanian-source income only, including foreign-source income derived from a fixed base in Lithuania. An individual is resident if having a permanent home in Lithuania, or staying in Lithuania for 183 days in a tax year or 280 days in two consecutive tax years, including at least 90 days in each of the two years. A Lithuanian national employed by the Lithuanian government is always regarded as resident.

Individual income tax is charged at a flat rate of 33%, but the government plans to reduce this to 27% from July 1st 2006 and to 24% from January 1st 2008. There is a reduced 15% rate applicable to certain types of income, including income from distributed profits, rent or sale of property, creative activities and other individual activities.

Capital gains
Company gains taxed as income

Capital gains of resident companies, including permanent establishments, are taxed as part of general taxable income at a 15% rate. For non-residents only capital gains on immovable property are taxed at 10%.

Individuals are taxed at 15% on gains on the disposal of any property, including shares. Gains on the disposal of shares held for more than one year, however, are exempt subject to certain conditions, including that the seller has not had a 10% shareholding in the relevant entity in the past three years. In addition, gains by individuals on the disposal of Lithuanian immovable property owned for more than three years are exempt.

Indirect tax
Standard rate: 18%; Lower rates: 9%, 5%, 0%

Value-added tax (VAT) applies to most transactions. Registration is compulsory for Lithuanian businesses whose annual turnover exceeds LTL 100,000, but voluntary registration is possible. For foreign companies the turnover threshold is not applicable and they have to register irrespective of turnover. Foreign taxable persons must register either through a local affiliate or via a fiscal agent. Only companies established in EU member states may register directly. It is possible for foreign taxable persons to be refunded for VAT paid in Lithuania subject to certain conditions.

The standard rate is 18%, and a 9% rate applies to the construction and renovation of buildings financed from certain sources. A 5% rate applies to passenger and luggage transport, books and newspapers, pharmaceuticals, hotel accommodation and certain foodstuffs. Zero-rated items include the export of goods and some related services, international transport, supplies of ships and aircraft, and certain cases of international trade or supplies to other EU member states. VAT exempt items include education, healthcare, insurance and financial services; the leasing of dwellings and other immovable property; and the sale or transfer of immovable property. Social, cultural, sports, radio and television services if supplied by non-profit-seeking entities are also exempt from VAT.

Tax administration and compliance
Tax year: Corporations: accounting year; Individuals: calendar year

Companies must make quarterly advance payments of corporate income tax, and the final balance is payable by the time limit for submitting the annual tax return, which is the first day of the tenth month following the tax year. A tax return for income sourced in Lithuania for non-residents must be submitted no later than 15 days after the end of the month when the income was paid. Employment income is taxed by deduction at source. Individual tax returns are due by May 1st following the end of the tax year.

The deadline for submitting VAT returns and paying the tax is the 25th day of the next month after the end of the tax period, and October 1st of the next year for the annual VAT return.

Additional tax information

Withholding taxes: Dividends 15%, Interest and Royalties 10%. Rates may be reduced by tax treaty or the application of EU directives.

Tax treaties: Lithuania has concluded more than 30 tax treaties.

Dividends: Dividends are taxable, but exempt where the recipient company has a 10% shareholding for at least 12 months.

Revenue protection: Lithuania has anti-tax-haven legislation.

Groups: There is no provision for group taxation.

Incentives: Small enterprises; free economic zones.

Other taxes: Customs duties, Excise taxes, Land tax, Lease tax, Tax on immovable property, Tax on pollution, Tax for use of state capital, Natural resources.

Financial Advisors services, Offshore Fund - Know More

admin — Mon Feb 05, 2007 4:42 am

Author: admin

Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2007 4:42 am

Financial Advisors services, Offshore Fund - Know More

Dear members & guests

Due to the continuous marketing approach of our expatriate community by multiple financial planners services company, Allo' Expat has decided to provided you with some usefull imformation on the Expat Offshore Banking issue. Hope you'll invest wisely..... in the future

Financial Advisors - who are they?

Q1 - How do I get the best offshore financial advice?

The best offshore financial advice is probably given by Independent Financial Advisors. Independent financial advisors (or IFA's, as they are sometimes called) advise their clients on savings, investments and pensions. They may also provide Savings Plans for offshore investing to their clients.

When counselling a client, the best offshore financial advisors should complete the following steps:

* Step 1 - collect detailed information about a client's financial circumstances and requirements ? be they for retirement planning, retirement income, expat investment, or another purpose.

* Step 2 - check all the offshore tax havens for the best offshore plans.

* Step 3 - provide impartial advice as to which plan(s) best meet their client's needs (in the form of a written report).

* Step 4 - arrange for a client to buy the chosen offshore plan(s) on the best terms available.

You may want to complete your own research to ensure you know the right questions to ask your advisor.

When all these stages are completed, you can be confident you have received the best offshore financial advice.

Q2 - What is a Certified Financial Advisor?

Financial advisors may need a license to practice, issued by the Financial Services Regulator in their Country. Only these advisors may be called 'Certified Financial Advisors'.

It may be a condition that prospective certified financial advisors show their Regulator that they are:

* competent to advise

* impartial in their advice

* independent of Providers

* covered by professional indemnity insurance.

So it is important to check that your financial advisor is listed under:

* Certified Financial Advisors, licensed to advise in the Country where you live and

* Independent Financial Advisors - advising on a wide range of offshore plans from a full list of providers.

Now you should feel confident you are receiving the best offshore financial advice.

Q3 - How are offshore financial advisors paid?

Independent financial advisors (IFA's) earn their living from commissions they receive from plan providers. This is their income for the offshore financial advice they give.

The commission that advisors (IFAs) receive from offshore financial advice cases may range from hundreds to thousands of dollars.

Good offshore financial advisors should not be influenced by the amount of commission they receive.

Some clients prefer to pay fees to their financial advisors for advice to ensure impartiality. When this occurs offshore financial advisors refund commission received from a plan provider either in cash or as an increased allocation of contributions invested.

Q4 -How do I find a list of Independent Financial Advisors (IFAs)?

Search the web! Try searching using the search words independent financial advisors or certified financial advisors PLUS the name of the Country in which you live.

Personal recommendations are always helpful - ask your friends if they would recommend their offshore financial advisors. Always check that a recommended advisor is both certified and independent.

Offshore Investing - What do that mean

Q1 - What is Offshore Investing or Offshore Investment?

When we talk about Offshore investing plan opportunities it is like the savings plans available in many countries, except these plans:

* Are registered in tax havens and are regulated by their Financial Services Authorities.

* Can be used for investing by non-residents of the tax havens.

* Are sometimes more tax efficient than or have other advantages over domestic savings plans.

Q2 - Why would expatriates choose offshore investing?

Expatriate investment in the savings plans catalogued here and offering offshore investing opprotunities might be appropriate when:

* No local or Home Country tax free regular savings plans are available.

* No local or Home Country tax free lump sum investment plans are available.

* An expatriate is planning to retire to a third country.

If you fit any of these categories of expatriates you should investigate the offshore plans researched by Offshore Boffin and consult your Financial Advisor.

Q3 - Are there other people who might benefit from Offshore Invesment?

Yes. People who are not living abroad might find offshore investment attractive in the following circumstances:

* They have more cash available for savings than can be invested tax free in their resident countries' investment plans (perhaps because the amount they can invest each year is capped).

* They may live in countries which do not have domestic tax free savings plans.

* They live in countries which are not suitable long-term investment environments for political or economic reasons.

* They wish to limit the effects of inheritance tac on their estates.

Q4 - Is there safe offshore investing?

The answer is that All investors should remember that the value of ALL their investments can go down as well as up!

Safe offshore investing is more likely by choosing plans:

* From politically stable tax havens - the quality of tax havens varies.

* From well-regulated tax havens - the tax havens whose savings plans are catalogued here all regulate their financial services companies to avoid 'fly-by-night' companies.

* From reputable investment management and life assurance companies - whilst past performance is not always a guide to the future, the companies whose savings plans are listed here are all well-known names.

* Investing in 'mutual' or 'collective' funds. these funds are based on a simple idea. If a large number of investors pool their savings in - for example - an equity fund, the larger fund can be invested in shares in many companies, spreading each individual's risk.

For expat investment - and others - to be successful the best offshore investment opportunities must be found. For that you'll need a good Financial Advisors.

FX Currency Trading / FX Forex Trading Online - Know More

admin — Mon Feb 05, 2007 4:40 am

Author: admin

Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2007 4:40 am

Forex Trading / FX Trading

Foreign Exchange
This short introduction explains the basics of trading Forex online, a brief explanation of the markets and the major benefits of trading Forex online. There are also two scenarios describing the implications of trading in a bear as well as bull market to better acquaint you with some of the risks and opportunities in the largest and most liquid market in the world.

As an additional aid for those who are new to Forex, there is also a glossary at the bottom of this text which explains some of the terms used in connection with currency trading.

Overview
Foreign exchange , forex or just Forex are all terms used to describe the trading of the world's many currencies. The forex market is the largest market in the world, with trades amounting to more than $1.5 trillion every day. This is more than one hundred times the daily trading on the NYSE (New York Stock Exchange) . Most forex trading is speculative , with only a few percent of market activity representing governments' and companies' fundamental currency conversion needs.

Unlike trading on the stock market, the forex market is not carried out by a central exchange, but on the "interbank" market , which is thought of as an OTC (over the counter ) market. Trading takes place directly between the two counterparts necessary to make a trade, whether over the telephone or on electronic networks all over the world. The main centres for trading are Sydney, Tokyo, London, Frankfurt and New York. This worldwide distribution of trading centres means that the forex market is a 24-hour market.

Trading Forex
A currency trade is the simultaneous buying of one currency and selling of another one. The currency combination used in the trade is called a cross (for example, the Euro/US Dollar, or the GB Pound/Japanese Yen.). The most commonly traded currencies are the so-called "majors" - EURUSD, USDJPY, USDCHF and GBPUSD.

The most important forex market is the spot market as it has the largest volume. The market is called the spot market because trades are settled "immediately" or on the spot. In practice this means within two banking days.

Trading on Margin
Trading on margin means that you can buy and sell assets that represent more value than the capital in your account. Forex trading is usually done with relatively little margin since currency exchange rate fluctuations tend to be less than one or two percent on any given day. To take an example, a margin of 2.0% means you can trade up to $500,000 even though you only have $10,000 in your account. In terms of leverage this corresponds to 50:1, because 50 times $10,000 is $500,000, or put another way, $10,000 is 2.0% of $500.000. Using this much leverage gives you the possibility to make profits very quickly, but there is also a greater risk of incurring large losses and even being completely wiped out. Therefore, it is inadvisable to maximise your leveraging as the risks can be very high. For more information on the trading conditions at Saxo Bank, go to the Account Summary on your Client Station and open the section entitled "Trading Conditions" found in the top right-hand corner of the Account Summary.

Why trade Forex?

24 hour trading
One of the major advantages of trading forex is the opportunity to trade 24 hours a day from Sunday evening (20:00 GMT) to Friday evening (22:00 GMT). This gives you a unique opportunity to react instantly to breaking news that is affecting the markets.
Superior liquidity
The forex market is so liquid that there are always buyers and sellers to trade with. The liquidity of this market, especially that of the major currencies, helps ensure price stability and low spreads . The liquidity comes mainly from large and smaller banks that provide liquidity to investors, companies, institutions and other currency market players.
No commissions
The fact that forex is often traded without commissions makes it very attractive as an investment opportunity for investors who want to deal on a frequent basis. Trading the "majors" is also cheaper than trading other crosss because of the high level of liquidity. For more information on the trading conditions at Saxo Bank, go to the Account Summary on your Client Station and open the section entitled "Trading Conditions" found in the top right-hand corner of the Account Summary.
50:1 Leverage
With a minimum account of USD 10,000, for example, you can trade up to USD 500,000. The USD 10,000 is posted on margin as a guarantee for the future performance of your position.
Profit potential in falling markets
Since the market is constantly moving, there are always trading opportunities, whether a currency is strengthening or weakening in relation to another currency. When you trade currencies, they literally work against each other. If the EURUSD declines, for example, it is because the U.S. dollar gets stronger against the Euro and vice versa. So, if you think the EURUSD will decline (that is, that the Euro will weaken versus the dollar), you would sell EUR now and then later you buy Euro back at a lower price and take your profits. The opposite trading scenario would occur if the EURUSD appreciates .

Important Forex Trading Terms

Spread
The spread is the difference between the price that you can sell currency at ( Bid ) and the price you can buy currency at ( Ask ). The spread on majors is usually 5 pips under normal market conditions. For more information on the trading conditions at Saxo Bank, go to the Account Summary on your Client Station and open the section entitled "Trading Conditions" found in the top right-hand corner of the Account Summary.
Pips
A pip is the smallest unit by which a cross price quote changes. When trading forex you will often hear that there is a 5-pip spread when you trade the majors. This spread is revealed when you compare the bid and the ask price, for example EURUSD is quoted at a bid price of 0.9875 and an ask price of 0.9880. The difference is USD 0.0005, which is equal to 5 "pips". On a contract or position, the value of a pip can easily be calculated. You know that the EURUSD is quoted with four decimals, so all you have to do is the cancel-out the four zeros on the amount you trade and you will have one pip. Thus, on a EURUSD 100,000 contract, one pip is USD 10. On a USDJPY 100,000 contract, one pip is equal to 1000 yen, because USDJPY is quoted with only two decimals.

Trading Scenario - Trading Rising Prices
If you believe that the Euro will strengthen against the dollar you'll want to buy Euro now and sell it back later at a higher price.

You buy Euro	We quote EURUSD at Bid 0.9875 and Ask 0.9880, which means that you can sell 1 Euro for 0.9875 USD or buy 1 Euro for 0.9880 USD. In this example you buy Euro 100,000, at the quote price of 0.9880 (ask price) per Euro.
The market turns	Later the market turns in favour of the Euro and the EURUSD is now quoted at Bid 0.9894 and Ask 0.9899.
Now you want to sell your Euro and get the profit	You sell Euro at a Bid price of 0.9894.
The profit is calculated as follows:	Sell price-buy price x size of trade (0.9894 minus 0.9880) multiplied by 100.000 = $140 Profit (Note that the profit or loss is always expressed in the secondary currency )

Trading Scenario - Trading Falling Prices
If, on the other hand, you believe that the Euro will weaken against the dollar, you'll want to sell EURUSD.

You sell Euro	We quote EURUSD at a Bid price of 0.9875 and Ask price of 0.9880 and you decide to sellEuro 100,000 at a Bid price of 0.9875.
The market moves in your favour	The Euro weakens against the dollar and the EURUSD is now quoted at bid 0.9744 and ask 0.9749.
Now you buy back your Euro	You buy EUR at an ask price of 0.9749.
Your Profit/loss is then	Sell price-buy price x size of trade (0.9875 minus 0.9749) multiplied by 100.000 = $ 1260 Profit

Remember that trading EUR 100,000 as we have done in our examples, does not mean that you have to put up Euro 100,000 yourself. It means that you have to deposit 2.0% of Euro 100,000, which is Euro 2,000 on margin as a guarantee for the future performance of your position.

Further Reading
To see how you can trade the forex market and benefit from our toolbox of information and live quotes, please proceed to our Forex Quick Start found under the Trading menu on the toolbar, under Forex.

Glossary

Appreciation	Anincrease in the value of a currency.
Ask	Theprice at which you can buy. Traders also speak of an ask price,the price requested. This usually indicates the lowest price aseller will accept.
Basecurrency	Thecurrency that the investor buys or sells (i.e. EUR in EURUSD).
Bear	Someonewho believes prices are heading down. A bear market is one inwhich there is a sustained fall in prices and which does not looklike it will recover quickly.
Bid	Theprice at which you can sell. Traders also speak of a bid price,the price offered. This usually indicates the top price apurchaser will pay.
Bid/Ask	TheBid rate is the rate at which you sell. The Ask (or offer) rate isthe rate at which you can buy.
Bull	Someonewho is optimistic about the market. A bull market is characterisedby enthusiastic and sustained buying.
cross	Whentrading currencies, the investor buys one currency againstanother. These two currencies form the cross: for example, EURUSD.
Crossrate	Anexchange rate that is calculated from two other exchange rates.
Depreciation/decline	Afall in the value of a currency.
Exchangerate	Whatone currency is worth in terms of another, for example the $Amight be worth 58 US cents or 70 yen. Currencies traded freely onforeign-exchange markets have a spot rate (applying to tradessettled 'spot', ie, two working days hence) and a forward rate.Countries can determine their exchange rates in a variety of ways:a floating exchange rate system where the currency finds its ownlevel in the market; a crawling or flexible peg system which is acombination of an officially fixed rate and frequent smalladjustments which in theory work against a build-up of speculationabout a revaluation or devaluation; a fixed exchange-rate systemwhere the value of the currency is set by the government and/orthe central bank.
EURUSD	Meansthat you trade EUR against dollars. If you buy Euro you pay indollars and if you sell Euro you receive dollars.
FX,Forex, Foreign Exchange	Allnames for the transaction of one currency for another, e.g. youbuy �100.00 with $150.25 or sell $150.25 for �100.00.
Interbank	Short-term(often overnight) borrowing and lending between banks, as distinctfrom banks' business with their corporate clients or otherfinancial institutions.
Interestrate differential	Theyield spread between two otherwise comparable debt instrumentsdenominated in different currencies.
Leverage(gearing)	Inthis case leverage means that the investor only funds part of theamount traded.
Long	Tobuy.
Longposition	Aposition that increases its value if market prices increase.
Liquid(-ity)	Thecapacity to be converted easily and with minimum loss into cash.Ultra-short-dated treasury notes are an example of a liquidinvestment. A liquid market is one in which there is enoughactivity to satisfy both buyers and sellers.
Margin	Theinitial amount or deposit required when entering into a position.Margin is a guarantee for future performance.
NYSE	Acomputerised system providing brokers with the prices of sharesand securities traded on the New York stock exchange and over thecounter. The quotes are published in real-time.
Openposition	Aposition in a currency that has not yet been offset. For example,if you have bought 100,000 USDJPY, you have an open position inUSDJPY until you offset it by selling 100,000 USDJPY.
"Overthe counter"	Whentrading takes place directly between two parties, rather than onan exchange.
Pips	Apip is the smallest unit by which a cross price quote changes. Soif EURUSD bid is now quoted at 0.9767 and it moves up 2 pips, itwill now be quoted at 0.9769.
Position	Money-market,futures, foreign-exchange and sharemarket traders talk of 'takinga position' which simply means buying or selling one currencycross. 'Position' can also refer to a trader'scash/securities/currencies balance, whether he or she is short ofcash, has money to lend, is overbought or oversold in a currency,etc.
Risk	Tryingto control outcomes to a known or predictable range of gains orlosses. Risk management involves a set of steps which begin with asound understanding of one's business and the exposures or risksthat have to be covered to protect the value of that business.Then an assessment should be made of the types of variables thatcan affect the business and how best to protect against unwelcomeoutcomes. Consideration must also be given to the preferred riskprofile - whether one is risk- averse or fairly aggressive inapproach. This also involves deciding which instruments to use tomanage risk, and whether a natural hedge exists that can be used.Once undertaken, a risk-management strategy should be continuallyassessed for effectiveness and cost.
Secondarycurrency (variable currency or counter currency)	Thecurrency that the investor trades the base currency against (i.e.USD in EURUSD).
Shortposition	Aposition that benefits from a decline in market prices.
Short	Tosell.
Speculative	Buyingand selling in the hope of making a profit, rather than doing sofor some fundamental business-related need.
Spot	ASpot rate is the current market price of an asset.
Spotmarket	Thepart of the market calling for spot settlement of transactions.The precise meaning of 'spot' will depend on local custom for acommodity, security or currency. In the UK, US and Australianforeign-exchange markets, 'spot' means delivery two working dayshence.
Spread	Thedifference between the bid and the ask rate.

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