Dec 26

When is Boxing Day?

In Britain, Boxing Day is usually celebrated on the following day after Christmas Day, which is 26 December. However, strictly speaking, Boxing Day is the first weekday after Christmas (see definition in the Oxford English Dictionary).

Like Christmas Day, Boxing Day is a public holiday. This means it is typically a non working day in the whole of Britain. When Boxing Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday the following Monday is the public holiday. © copyright of projectbritain.com

Why is 26 December called Boxing Day?

Traditionally, 26 December was the day to open the Christmas Box to share the contents with the poor. copyright of projectbritain.com

What is a Christmas Box?

The Christmas box was a wooden or clay container where people placed gifts. © copyright of projectbritain.com

History of Boxing Day – Boxing Day origins

Through our research for this page, we have discovered that Christmas Boxes were used in different ways:

To protect ships

Exploration shipDuring the Age of Exploration, when great sailing ships were setting off to discover new land, A Christmas Box was used as a good luck device. It was a small container placed on each ship while it was still in port. It was put there by a priest, and those crewmen who wanted to ensure a safe return would drop money into the box. It was then sealed up and kept on board for the entire voyage. © copyright of projectbritain.com

If the ship came home safely, the box was handed over to the priest in the exchange for the saying of a Mass of thanks for the success of the voyage. The Priest would keep the box sealed until Christmas when he would open it to share the contents with the poor.

ChurchTo help the poor

An ‘Alms Box’ was placed in every church on Christmas Day, into which worshippers placed a gift for the poor of the parish. These boxes were always opened the day after Christmas, which is why that day became know as Boxing Day.

A present for the workers

Many poorly paid workers were required to work on Christmas Day and took the following day off to visit their families. As they prepared to leave, their employers would present them with Christmas boxes. copyright of projectbritain.com

During the late 18th century, Lords and Ladies of the manor would “box up” their leftover food, or sometimes gifts and distribute them the day after Christmas to tenants who lived and worked on their lands.

And the tradition still continues today ……

Christmas boxesThe tradition of giving money to workers still continues today. It is customary for householders to give small gifts or monetary tips to regular visiting trades people (the milkman, dustman, coalman, paper boy etc.) and, in some work places, for employers to give a Christmas bonus to employees.

Schools across the country gather together gifts to be put in Christmas Boxes that are sent to poorer countries.

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Dec 26

The Fibonacci number sequence and golden ratio can be found throughout nature and traders such as Gann applied them to financial markets and made millions using this unique tool as part of his trading method.

The Fibonacci number sequence and golden ratio is used by many savvy traders today so let’s look at how they can make huge profits in ANY financial markets.

Support and resistance levels are critical for all traders as they can help identify entry and exit points when trading.

Fibonacci percentage “retracement” levels derived from the Fibonacci number sequence and golden ratio are an innovative and useful tool for any trader, so why are they so useful.

Let’s find out.

Fibonacci Numbers and Golden Ratio Applied To Trading

The Fibonacci sequence was printed in the Liber Abaci, written by Leonardo Fibonacci in 1202.
It introduced Hindu-Arabic to Europe for the very first time and they replaced Roman numerals.

The Fibonacci number sequence was based around the following equation:

How many pairs of rabbits can be generated from one single pair, if each month each pair produces a new pair, which, from the second month, starts producing more rabbits?

While the Fibonacci number sequence and golden ratio was used to solve the above equation.

The result was:

It produced a number sequence that has importance throughout the natural world.

After the first few numbers in the sequence, the ratio of any number in relation to the next higher number is approximately .618, and the lower number is 1.618.

These two figures are known as the golden mean or the golden ratio.

The Golden Mean and Golden Ratio

These numbers are pleasing to the us and appear throughout biology, art, music, weather, creatures and even architecture.

Examples of natural objects based on the Golden Ratio are:

Snail shells, galaxies, hurricanes, DNA molecules, sunflowers and many more objects that occur in the natural world.

Retracement Levels

The two Fibonacci percentage retracement levels considered the most critical by traders are: 38.2% and 62.8%.

Other important retracement percentages are: 75%, 50%, and 33%.

So how can traders use them?

Well, there are three main advantages and they are:

1. Fibonacci numbers Define exit numbers

If three or more Fibonacci price levels come together, a stop loss can be placed above the area which indicates an important area of support or resistance.

Setting stop loss trades using Fibonacci retracements allows traders to set pre defined exit points, so they can exit the market if their wrong.

This means they can trade in a disciplined fashion and protect their equity, which is critical to all traders.

2. Fibonacci levels Can Define Position Size

Depending on the risk a trader wants to take on a trade Fibonacci numbers can give the size of position to be taken, in terms of risk the trader wishes to assume.

Why?

This is simply because the monetary loss from the stop for a trade is different on most positions taken in the market.

A stop close to resistance and support may mean that a bigger position than one where support or resistance is further away.

Traders can therefore decide position size within their money management parameters easily and have a pre defined exit point.

3. Fibonacci Numbers & Profit Per Trade

With Fibonacci numbers, once a pattern completes against a Fibonacci price area traders can use them to lock in profits.

This indication of how far a profit may run, enables traders to lock in profits at pre defined set levels.

The advantage of the Fibonacci number sequence is they are a predictive tool:

So, they allow traders to have specific stop loss and profit objectives in advance.

Traders can then use them to lock in more profits and cut losses to a minimum, which is essential for longer term profitability.

Gann used them for this purpose and that is why they are such a useful tool for traders

One of the keys to trading any market is discipline:

To cut losses and run profits and win over the longer term by trading without emotion.

Gann knew this and all traders who have traded know how emotions can wreck a trading plan and the Fibonacci number sequence makes a trader stay disciplined.

Do they work?

Gann understood that using Fibonacci numbers could make large profits and cut losses on his trades and he used them to amass a fortune of over $50 million.

Fibonacci numbers are useful but should be used as part of a trading plan and Gann for example did not just rely on them he had an array of innovative tools that he combined to make stunning profits.

He was one of the most successful traders of all time and his legend lives on and many savvy traders around the world still use his methods

Check them out and you may be glad you did.

Not only are they innovative, they can give you big profit potential and that’s what we all want as traders.

MORE FREE GANN INFO

On all aspects of Gann trading including an exclusive

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Dec 23

Interpreting the GDP report: How to make sense of the numbers.

If you trade forex, you already know that the GDP report is one of the most appreciated pieces of information in the marketplace. It is comprehensive, provides a picture of national economic activity on a meaningful time frame, and has important implications for such variables as the unemployment rate, central bank rates, and inflation. We do not pretend that the small space of this page will allow us the chance to make a detailed exposition on the subject,  but we do aim to present a few salient points of the report as they relate to trading decisions, and market trends.

The GDP report provides a snapshot of all economic activity that take place inside the borders of a nation. Any economic activity that in some way leads to the production of goods or services is included in the report. If a foreign firm employs workers in the U.S., for example, the products created by U.S. workers will be accounted for in the report. On the other hand, if an American firm operates one hundred factories outside in Mexico, and generates billions of dollars in income from its activities there, none of it will be made a part of the GDP report, since no production takes place inside the national borders.

The GDP report is not generally regarded as a forward-looking indicator, and indeed, few of the information contained in it has a great degree of relevance for the future dynamism of the economy. On the other hand, no one has a crystal ball that can show the future, so central bank authorities include the information presented by this report in their evaluation of inflationary pressures. In particular the GDP deflator is an important piece of data that tells us how much price pressure is generated by domestic production. It differs from the CPI in that it does not account for import prices. By looking at this indicator, economists can isolate the domestic portion of the inflation spectrum, which can then help them decide the impact of currency fluctuations on price rises at home.

The GDP report accounts for all production in a country, but it only calculates the values of final goods. In other words, the report does not calculate the number and dollar value of tires, car motors, but only measures the dollar value of automobiles created by domestic industries. As a result, it provides a compact, yet detailed overview of national economic activity.

The GDP report is one of many economic indicators, and it must be taken in the context of other indicators that contribute to the big picture as it exists in reality and in the minds of traders. By familiarizing yourself with the GDP number and its details you may gain a significant edge over traders who are ignorant of its meaning and significance. This particular indicator is relatively straightforward, and if you are a trader, there is no justification for not studying and comprehending it to the maximum extent possible.

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Dec 22

Looking for help to purchase a new home in California or to refinance your existing mortgage at current rates? By analyzing California Loan Rates comprehensively you can find out how to consolidate your debt using your equity. Most individuals are not aware of the benefits to purchasing a home that besides buying the home you can take out an amount to cover your current debts as well and pay all debt and your home loan in one monthly payment.

Banks determine their California loan rates based upon many factors, including bank rate or discount rate. This is the rate the central bank, US Federal Reserve (Fed) charges from banks for loans and advances given to them. Mortgage rates depend upon bank rates. So, if you monitor the mortgage trends carefully, you will get a better chance of getting loans at lowest possible interest rates.

Like lending rates of banks, California Loan Rates depends upon three ratios:

1. The Loan-To-Value Ratio (LTVR)

2. Debt ratio (DS)

3. Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR)

Loan-To-Value Ratio is the total loan balance divided by the fair market value. Debt ratio is calculated by dividing the all the monthly outgoings divided by the borrower’s monthly income. If your debt ratio is more than 40%, most of the lenders do not approve your mortgage loan. Lenders use debt service coverage ratio as a barometer to approve loans involving large sums.

Several mortgage lenders are willing to offer you a home loan at any point of time in California, since this market is growing rapidly and it is dynamic. Since it is very difficult to buy a home in California without mortgage, it would be very useful for you to get quotes from various mortgage lenders or service providers to avail the best mortgage rates in California.

It would be beneficial for you to analyze combinations of interest rates, mortgage amounts and the loan period, which would give you an idea about the interest and principal to be paid through the repayment years. This would also help you in turn in deciding the best mortgage rates in California.

The central bank use rates as an instrument to control inflationary pressure. California Loan Rates are subject to vary over a period of time due to this. Since lenders and banking institutions are tend to charge different interest rates it is good for you to get expert opinions from expert mortgage information providers finalizing a mortgage deal

Copyright 2006 Darren Dunner

Darren Dunner has spent several years working in the mortgage industry and has conducted several interviews with mortgage lenders who can offer honest services. To find out more about the right lenders go to: iloanresource.com iloanresource.com

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Dec 21

1 – Never think in forex as a get rich quick opportunity. This market is difficult and risky, and you need to take the time to learn it before you start making money in forex.

2 – Beware with all the “Automatic Systems” that promise to make a fortune overnight. Most of these systems don’t work, and that’s why they sell them in the first place.

3 – Before you buy any system or course, make sure you make a good research about it. There are some good products on the market but most products are a waste of time and money. Visit regularly Forex reviews websites so that you know what are people talking about each product. This will save you time and money.

4 – Beware with unregulated brokers or those that trade against their customers. Make sure you’ll be able to withdraw your money when you want to before you decide to send money to any broker.

5 – Don’t ignore your results and never blame the market for your losses. The market is always right, and if you lost money than you done something wrong, not the market.

6 – Don’t try to test multiple systems at once. Test 1 or 2 different systems at a time to avoid all the confusion that happens when you test plenty of different systems at the same time.

7 – Don’t try to trade plenty of different currencies. Each currency has a different personality, so if you try to trade 10 different currencies at once, you don’t even know how each currency trades. Try to trade 1-4 currency pairs.

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