Archive for the ‘Articles’ Category

Precisely How Independent Must Somebody Be As A Self-employed Contractor?

Thursday, May 16th, 2013
Social Share Toolbar


Being an independent contractor you already possess a personal preference for adventure, a degree of flair and also ambition in addition to a strong will to simply “move forward.” You need to have a fierce sense of individuality and under no circumstances accept the word no for any kind of answer. Certainly, it might be asserted that you prefer to exist dangerously and the convenience of some sort of 9-to-5 job is not of interest to you.

But, even when you are by description a self-employed individual that doesn’t indicate that you must do it yourself right down the line. You’ve got more than enough on your own shoulders with regards to executing the job itself, so you really should have a team of additional specialists on your side, to whom you can call up whenever you want for a variety of purposes. Independent contractor services are created to be right there to suit your needs in exactly such a fashion. Organisations like that are designed to be the total contracting service, irrespective of where you could be geographically when you find yourself trying to find help.

When you find yourself really engaged in your contract it’s hard to find the time to look beyond the ending of that arrangement. However this is something that you need to do in order to keep your earnings as consistent as possible. Needless to say, you’ll have put aside the “stability” of the 9 to 5 payment period, however you must do your best to ensure any graphical display of your income isn’t going to appear like the well known roller coaster.

Whenever you sign up for independent contractor services this kind of organisation has the ability to expertly negotiate new contracts on your behalf. The best companies enjoy an array of expertise distributed across a mixed number of industries. They also are experienced with practices and legalities within all the major commercial markets around the globe. When selecting a business like this to assist you if you are an independent contractor you have to satisfy yourself that this organisation has got the experience and flexibility to be able to give you the assistance you will need. Such an agency should certainly obtain a range of completely different contract choices for you and be right out in front when it comes to hammering out the details as your representative.

Like we mentioned previously, you ought to be focusing one hundred percent of your own time and effort in the contract in hand. But you do need to be being attentive to important concerns which include investment decisions as well as wealth management. Typically the organisation you decide on to assist you with your personal independent contractor service ought to go to bat for you personally with this as well as many other areas at the same time. Thus it ought to help you to sleep easier during the night when you know that you have a team of professionals working for you, despite the fact that you are considered an “independent.” Spiritual and figurative autonomy are two options for looking into this, although common sense in addition to security really should not be far behind. It’s time to think about developing a relationship that meets every one of your expectations.


Gold Investment: The Best Investment Choice

Tuesday, May 14th, 2013
Social Share Toolbar


Investors who’ve been undertaking their business for many years know that gold, silver, and platinum make for an excellent investment. These metals remain steady whatever forms of issues the whole world encounters, or whenever the economic system is down. When these kinds of metals are used correctly in a diverse investment portfolio, your total investment plan is highly to be effective. If this will be your first time to invest, this article will offer you beneficial details which will help you in your precious metal investing passion.

Of all the precious metals, gold is the most popular one that’s being invested on. This makes gold probably the most unpredictable in terms of selling price. Know that the more a kind of item is being exchanged, the more the future development of this particular item is also unstable. Gold is subcategorized into 2: bullions or bars and numismatics. Gold bullion/bar is gold that’s genuine or nearly pure in content. Numismatics, on the contrary, are minted coins which have been oftentimes made to mark special events. You can purchase gold in either of its two subcategories.

If you plan on buying gold, or any of the other important metals, just be sure you already have a good or a safety deposit box waiting for it where this specific precious metal can immediately be kept hidden and secured safely. Never boast or talk about your gold in just about everywhere or to anybody to make sure that you will not be tempting anybody from robbing these items. It is because, this kind of precious metal is very tricky to trace if not impossible once it’s robbed.

Platinum is not as popular as gold, but this is really more precious compared to gold and is also many times the worth of gold. You can find platinum in electrical contacts, in dental care, to coat rocket nose cones, as clinical devices, and also as jewelry pieces.

Before you start investing your hard earned money, it is important that you have even just a bit of know-how on the five major forms of investing in gold and other kinds of precious metals. These types include tangible bars and coins, precious metal shared funds, certificates, stocks from mining agencies, as well as commodities of gold and metal. If your main desire is security and diversity, prefer to buy gold bars and coins.

Search for precious metal merchants from the internet and from brick-and-mortar stores. Then, make sure you ask the length of time that the supplier has been in this business, if this individual focuses on a certain area of the market, and who the usual consumers are.

Ensure that you shop around, also. Even though the market provides a price for these kinds of precious metals, private dealers may also have included their individual mark up rates.

You must learn concerning the market on coins and bullions and how to take a look at them. The structure, condition, including flaws on the coins or bullions can affect their price just as much as their content, so affecting their selling or buying amount in your investment.

If you would prefer not to keep anything, then pick certificates. Certificates speak for title of specific amount of objects and the particular kinds of object.

You might also want to consider investing on stocks and funds as well as coins and bars. Precious metal funds are probably the most stable forms of precious metal investing since they are varied and managed. Stocks may provide you bigger roi however they are less steady simply because you’re only buying into only one enterprise.

In case you are really after high earnings, you may go for precious metal futures. Nevertheless, this is only if you’re confident about your self in being able to anticipate the growth and fall of gold and silver in the future. In futures, you make an agreement to purchase and sell gold and silver at certain costs at particular points in time. Doing well in futures solely depends upon the value of the precious metals during the term of the contract.

Precious metal price can vary in so great amounts. Therefore, they should not be the only things you’ve in your investment portfolio. Only allow 10 percent of your entire investments on gold and silver coins.


Should Your Company Outsource To IT Services Company?

Sunday, April 28th, 2013
Social Share Toolbar


With lots of businesses now expanding their businesses online, the need for IT support, data backup and data security has immensely increased. There is always an imminent fear of losing data particularly due to hardware failure, hacker attack and others. For an online business to become successful 24/7 online presence is important which demands some quality IT support. Your website is your portal to the world and having down times can damage the reputation of your business. One cannot afford mistakes when it comes to online marketing since you could lose potential customers. Most businesses have an IT support solution which usually services them locally.

To save on cost, IT services companies have now tapped remote access support which can provide immediate resolution. Following are several advantages of these organizations over local service providers.

Highly specialized IT talent difficult to access locally

The businesses proving managed IT services are very specialized in their particular field and are much better armed with the latest and upgraded technological advancements. These businesses also have the best IT resources available both in terms of software and manpower.

Due to the comprehensive training that IT services have over your local person, services are vastly improved which means highly responsive systems.

Better concentration on your core business

Another issue is that you are faced with is the ongoing management of your in-house IT. This adds to your tasks wherein the time and effort spent is better applied on your business core. This can disturb your concentration off the more important core business concerns. When you use outsourcing for all your IT issues to a remote partner you can relieve out of the day to day IT related issues giving you more time to concentrate on other significant business facets.

Leverage over competing firms through highly developed IT solutions

Merging with the best in the business gives you an edge over your business competitors, which is clearly the result of superior technology and a higher professional level. You can enjoy the advantages of the newest technological improvements keeping you always way ahead of your competition.

Cost effective

Managed IT services are cost effective as they come with a variety of IT support solutions providing you with options to choose from whole selection of similar services. These companies offer different service packages, all you need to do is to choose the one which best suits you.

Automated data backup and guaranteed data security

Out of the whole range of services provided by these organizations the key services are automated data backup and assured data security. You will feel relaxed when your IT issues are being handled by the top professionals in the industry.


What You Should Learn About Running A Small Business

Tuesday, April 23rd, 2013
Social Share Toolbar


Anyone who engages in small business knows that it is a challenging task. You would be confronted with issues that are unique and specific to the kind of business that you’re running. You should be ready and on your toes in order to deal with those issues.

Tips for Managing a Small Business

Here are some ideas that can be helpful when these problems arises. These ideas can help you in lots of ways:

- Before starting a business, talk to your bank about financing options and how it can help you. It is important so that you can be aware of different choices that are being offered by your lender with regards to financing. Whenever you use up all your cash they must be the first choice for you to turn to.

- Create a business plan that gives you an outline on your goals and the timeline to accomplish it. It must be an authentic plan that has been crafted with the help and aid of professionals who knows what they are doing. Once you’ve got a business plan, make certain that you’re going to have it implemented.

- Find other businesses in your area and establish a rapport with them. That is one of the best ways that you can get your business promoted. Their reach would have a profound impact on how you do your business.

- When it comes to managing your inventory, it is important to check it everyday. This is actually the weak point of many businesses. They fail in the proper management of inventory which can be expensive in the end.

- Make certain that you handle your business and your employees in an effective way. By making sure that you can be as profitable as you can with your time, you’ll be saving a lot of money. Being organized is one of the marks of a good company.

- It goes without saying that you need to monitor firsthand on what’s happening with your business. By being aware what is the latest thing and the latest trend that is happening on your market, you can use that. You can maintain your company relevant when you do so.

- It is also important to screen your employees as well, make sure that they are certified and well qualified. When you do that, you’ve got some reassurance that what they will be carrying out is the correct thing for your company. You can also be sure that they have the skills that you require.

- When building your portfolio, its a good idea to list your former and existing customers. There’s nothing that would certainly boost a customer’s confidence in your company more than hearing other people that they are satisfied with your service.

These are just several of the tips that you could use when you’re running a small business. From what you could see here, all of these suggestions could be very helpful for you and they would assist in the success of your business.


Wise Small Business Tips

Monday, April 15th, 2013
Social Share Toolbar


Owning a small business needs a great deal of time and attention to details. These details could make the gap between making a profit and experiencing a loss, specifically in difficult economic instances. To keep your company in top form, take the time dealing with those areas that could cause falling sales and rising costs. This attention will go a long way toward creating your business a financial success.

Observe Expenses Frequently

For each day that passes, there are associated unexpected cost that can cut back on your productivity. It could be critical for small business proprietors to periodically observe these unscheduled costs to see how they affect the bottom line. A month-to-month review of expenses isn’t too regular to make sure that you’re making the adjustments required to keep making an income. Without this tracking habit, you will soon end up in a hole without being aware of it before the expenses took a large chunk out of your profit margin.

Keep Up With Technology

Technological changes occur usually, it’s often hard to keep up with current advancements. Mobile technology, faster computers and cloud sourcing can ultimately save you money and make your team more productive. Educate yourself about new technologies by studying these products online or in technology journals. See if they can help your business reach more clients, keep track of financial dealings much better or help your employees develop more faster.

Target Your Advertising Efficiently

Advertising could be a huge percentage of your monthly budget, so make sure you are taking your name in-front of the right target audience. Prior to allotting your advertising budget quarterly, check out the various options that can be found in your local area. New publications and flyers are always being produced. Figure out how well past advertising efforts have worked and think about changing to a different medium. Consider using local radio or TV for advertising your products or services. Make sure that your website gets regular traffic. If not, consider marketing deals offered by your website host.

Use Social Media For Advertising

Set up a Facebook or Twitter account and post to it frequently, explaining your services or product. Provide useful tips or info that people may use in their daily lives. Invite comments and questions to keep your small business in the forefront of lively and interesting online discussions. Link your accounts to other related info that could possibly help to online visitors.

Provide First-Time Customer Special discounts

To attract new clients, provide a first-time client discount to introduce these new people to your company. Provide them with the elegant treatment and they’ll use word of mouth to bring other customers to you.

Begin A Rewards Program

Another good strategy is by implementing a rewards program which motivates people do repeat business with you. A rewards program needn’t be time consuming and complex. A simple punch-out card that offers a “get one free” after a specific amount of purchases can keep customers returning to you, time after time. A rewards program can also be simply the capability to bundle numerous items at a low price. Look for methods to keep your customers cash while encouraging them to go back to your company in the future.


Want Forex Trading To Be Beneficial For You? Try This Advice

Saturday, April 13th, 2013
Social Share Toolbar



There are differences between business opportunities, such as their size. When you trade on the Forex market, you trade on the largest market in the world. Look at these tips so that you can find and take advantage of the various opportunities Forex has to offer.

For simple and easy trading, it is best to pick the extensive forex platform. Look for platforms that do more than simple alerts; the more advanced ones will enable you to actually make trades and explore data reports. This will increase the time of your reaction and offer greater flexibility. Don’t lose out on a great trade because you can’t access the internet.

Forex marketing holds many advantages over other investment and money making schemes. The Forex market never closes, and you can trade at any time you wish. A person only needs a little bit of money to do forex trading. You can literally use Forex any time, day or night.

With advances in technology, many currency trading robots are appearing in the marketplace. Although many of these robot creators claim that their robots have helped many people retire from their day job, their effectiveness is still questionable.

After choosing a currency pair, do all of the research you can about it. By trying to research all the different types of pairings you will be stuck learning instead of trading. Pick your pair, read about them, understand their volatility vs. news and forecasting and keep it simple. Follow the news about the countries that use these currencies.

Having the right attitude toward trading and risk is as important as forex market analysis when it comes to making a successful trading plan. By taking the time to become educated about the techniques and fundamentals of the market, you will have the ability to develop a plan that will help you succeed in analyzing the market.

Beginners should never go against the trend. Going against the market when choosing highs and lows is also risky. If you ride the trend, you’ll be more relaxed when the market changes. Attempting to trade in a fashion opposite to the trends in the market will stress you out unnecessarily.

As a beginner Forex trader, you need to plan out how you’ll use your time. The shorter one hour and 15 minute charts are a good way to quickly move trades when you want to exit a position in just a few hours. Extremely short charts such as 5 or 10 minutes are commonly used by scalpers.

If you move your stop losses prior to them being triggered, you could lose much more than if they just stayed where they were. Following an established plan consistently is necessary for long-term success.

A mini account is a good way to start. This will be an account that you can play around with and use to learn about the market. A mini account is a great way to get started in training, and to discover your personal style of trading for increased profits.

If you want to know what it takes to be a successful Forex trader, it is one word – persistent. No trader can have good luck forever. Maintaining a level of persistence is often what distinguishes success from failure in trading. Even if there does not seem to be light at the end of the tunnel, keep walking and you will see it eventually.

There is no need to buy an automated software when practicing Forex using a demo account. All you need to do is find the main forex page, and sign up for an account.

With time and experience, your skills will improve dramatically. Using demos to learn is a great way to understand the market. The internet is full of tutorials to get you started. Before you start trading with real money, you want to be as prepared as possible with background knowledge.

After you have lost a lot do not make any more trades. Remove yourself from the intensity by coming back a few days later with a fresh approach.

Become skilled at analyzing market fundamentals and trends, and use this information to make your own decisions. Only this way can you make a good profit in Forex.

You can find reputable brokers and dishonest brokers by doing a simple internet search. Find a good internet forum that focuses on Forex trading for expert tips and information. This information should help you select a reputable broker that will be your partner in the marketplace.

Do not allow greed or excitement to play a role in the decisions you make as a trader. Some fall victim to this and loss money unnecessarily. You can lose money if you are full of fear and afraid to take chances. Work hard to maintain control of your emotions and only act once you have all of the facts – never act based on your feelings.

Now, you need to understand that trading with Forex is going to require a lot of effort on your part. Just because you’re not selling something per se doesn’t mean you get an easy ride. Just remember to focus on the tips you’ve learned above, and apply them wherever necessary in order to succeed.


Advantages Of GPS Vehicle Tracking

Friday, April 12th, 2013
Social Share Toolbar



It takes more than being an industry standard in order to remain competitive in today’s business. To get the edge, one has to adapt technology in order to attain new heights.

Though it might be something totally new for your company, it can provide a positive and long-lasting effect in the usefulness of your entire business. One such technology tailored by different companies is GPS vehicle tracking.

If your business deals with providing vehicle rentals, inventory, construction materials, phone cables, or similar products straight to dealers, after that fleet management options can give your business an edge over your competitors. Once you select a reliable fleet services provider, your company will be able to obtain the following advantages from that:

1 .More efficient use of fuel.

Taking inefficient routes, driving your vehicles for private use, or driving aggressively is a thing most drivers constantly do, but who’s going to cover the lost fuel? Obviously, the owner of these cars doesn’t have other option. Nevertheless, having the application of fleet tracking solutions can help you lessen the fuel expenses associated with idle driving.

2. Reduction in Labor Costs

If you’ve got more than a single vehicle used for doing different company operations, you definitely have to employ a worker to report the day-to-day driving schedule and activities. However, this is time-consuming and also costly. Instead of paying staff a large amount of money, you can get a GPS tracker.

Having a reliable GPS tracking system can give you the ability to reduce your labor costs, since it will give you the minute details such as the hours and weekly totals.

3. Increase in Security and safety

Always remember that cars are viewed as one of the most valuable as well as useful assets for your business. Because of this, you have to protect them by selecting the proven methods. GPS tracking assists this objective well as it will enable you to know where your vehicles are. Additionally, utilizing this tracking system will help you know the functionality of your people.

4. Enhancement in Customer Support

Customer care is one of the important aspect of marketing and getting this system in place will upend your customer satisfactory ratings. By using a GPS tracker, you’ll be able to reply to customer demands in the shortest time possible. For instance, if it is about delivering an item to a client within a specific deadline, this can be done quickly by utilizing fleet management.


The Benefits Of Hiring Phone Interpreting Services

Friday, March 29th, 2013
Social Share Toolbar



Picture yourself in an emergency scenario where the victim is asking for help and the paramedic doesn’t understand a word he is saying. Or just being called to help during a court case where one party is unable to communicate with a legal team because of their lingual status. These are just some of the situations wherein the solutions of a phone interpreter is called upon on a regular basis.

Telephone interpreting service is a fairly new concept with regards to the other service in the translation industry. Nevertheless, since its launch, it has grown to become increasingly popular with businesses and individuals around the country. Today there are literally thousands of phone interpreting professionals. Some are individual freelance workers while many others work with larger agencies in various capacities.

In the event of the above instance, paramedics would only need to contact a phone translating service and work with an translator in promoting their personal message to the victim.

Phone interpreting services are also a lot more affordable compared to hiring a local translator or interpreter. In contrast to simultaneous or even consecutive interpretation which require that the interpreter be physically present, phone interpreting services can be done everywhere without the interpreter being present. Buyers of the service therefore do not need to factor in second costs like paying for translating equipment or even handling the transportation costs of an interpreter.

Another good instance where phone interpreting is a much better alternative is when sensitive issues are discussed and a third party is not preferred. This might be during a company negotiation or some talk about between two parties associated with unique religious persuasions. Phone interpreting services offers a fairly flexible option to many people. Since the only additional equipment needed to use this service is definitely a connected phone, there are few limits to where and when they can be engaged.

Still, even though the job of the phone interpreter might be a fantastic one, it is certainly not an easy profession. It has been estimated that about 70% of the content material of a language is conveyed by a individual’s body manifestation. Telephone interpreters therefore need to be attentive to determine what the atmosphere and intent behind a person’s language is. This is why most companies opt to employ trained interpreters whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Not all phone interpreting services are equal. You’ll therefore need to always be careful and how you go about selecting a translator to your requirements. The ideal interpreter should be respectful, smart and professional. They should also have clear voices that both sides can easily hear as well as understand.

Except in cases where the instances prevent it, it is recommended that you devote some time carefully researching your options before making a decision. Looking for a reliable phone interpreting service is quite, but it may be accomplished with the correct approach.


Milk: Out. Wine: In. Plus 8 other drink trends

Wednesday, January 16th, 2013
Social Share Toolbar


Milk

Got milk? The answer increasingly is no.

Americans drink 30% less of the white stuff than they did in 1975, the Wall Street Journal reported last month — a shift that makes it clear how quickly tastes can change from one generation to the next. Children, traditionally a big market for dairy, account for a smaller percentage of the population than they used to. Plus, milk has become increasingly expensive.

Juices

High prices, concerns about sugar content and a migration from real fruit juices to cheaper reconstituted fruit drinks have all played a role in the decline in juice consumption, according to market researcher Mintel. Even orange juice, long a breakfast staple for many Americans, has been dropping in popularity. Many time-strapped commuters would rather buy a coffee on-the-go than take the time to grab a glass of OJ from the refrigerator before they leave for work, researchers say.

Soft drinks

Soda dominated the latter half of the 20th century as the beverage of choice in restaurants, fast food joints, vending machines and refrigerators. But with consumers increasingly focused on health, Coke and Pepsi often get blamed for obesity, diabetes and other health woes. New York City’s Board of Health has even approved a proposed ban on sales of 16-ounce sodas. “While diet sodas have increased in popularity, soft drinks now tend to be most popular among teenagers and 20-somethings,” says Thomas Mullarkey, analyst with Morningstar.

Bottled water

The declines in juice and soda seem to be a boon for the bottled-water business. Although bottled water is regarded by some as a luxury (since the stuff comes free out of the tap), it has one big factor in its favor: Water is healthy. In 2011, total U.S. bottled water consumption increased 4% to 9.1 billion gallons, according to the International Bottled Water Association. In fact, every person in America now drinks enough bottled water a year to fill up two gas tanks, it says.

Coffee

Coffee snobbery seems to be growing faster than coffee drinking. In fact, despite the rise in gourmet beans and cafes, per capita coffee consumption remains relatively stable. The high price of premiums brands like Starbucks and the explosion in the energy drinks market hasn’t helped, analysts say. Last year, Starbucks raised the prices of many drinks by around 1% in much of the Northeast and Sunbelt and, in 2011, hiked the price of packaged coffee by 17%.

Tea

While coffee consumption has been flat, tea drinking is growing. In 2011, Americans consumed over 65 billion servings of tea, according to the Tea Council of the USA. About 85% of that was black tea and iced tea, while 14% was green tea and the remainder was full-bodied oolong and the more delicately flavored white tea. The Tea Council sees specialty teas driving further growth.

Powdered drinks

Powdered protein shakes, Instant Breakfast, chocolate mixes for children and powdered ice teas are losig their fizz, says Adam Rogers, senior researcher at the Beverage Information Group, a trade organization in Norwalk, Conn. “I believe they are out of fashion because of the increase in ready-to-drink and/or single-serve options,” he says.

Wine

California has become the nation’s chief source of entertainment — and not just because of Hollywood. Napa Valley, Sonoma County and other regions have helped place wine on more and more dinner tables. It doesn’t hurt that wine from the U.S. has a reputation for being a better value than imports, according to the Beverage Information Group. As wine lovers discover new regions and varieties of wine, including sweet reds and higher-end blends, wine consumption is expected to continue to increase over the next five years, Rogers says.

Spirits

Wine is fine, but as the poet Ogden Nash put it, “liquor is quicker.” A new wave of advertising followed the end of the industry’s self-imposed television-advertising ban in 1996, analyst say. Americans have developed a taste for a wider variety of spirits, rather than just the mainstream bottles. And shows like HBO’s “Sex and the City” helped rekindle the cocktail culture.

Beer

Increased competition from other alcoholic beverages, like fine wines, vodka, cocktails and whiskey, have nipped at beer’s popularity. High unemployment rates among core beer drinkers and a weak U.S. economy overall have also contributed to the decline in beer drinking over the past decade, Rogers says. While light beers are among the hardest hit, craft and imported beers appear to be bucking that trend, he says. Americans “increasingly opt for craft beers, rather than mainstream beers over the last decade,” says Mullarkey.


Gold at $1,200, crude at $50 and other outrageous calls by Saxo Bank

Tuesday, December 18th, 2012
Social Share Toolbar


‘Tis the season for market predictions for the year ahead, and while most analysts keep their crystal-balling within tight ranges, Saxo Bank has compiled 10 surprises that could rattle financial markets. How about a surprise selloff in gold to drive the yellow metal to $1,200 an ounce, for example? Or an unusually sharp oil-production rise to slam crude-oil prices back to $50 a barrel?

“These ten predictions are not Saxo Bank’s official forecasts for 2013. They could, however, prove far more relevant for investors because of the huge impact if any one of them sees the light of day in the New Year,” said Steen Jakobsen, chief economist at Saxo Bank.

“Before trading or investing, investors must know the worst case scenario — capital preservation is a must and portfolios need to be able to weather a perfect storm, or for that matter any storm,” he said.

Here are the 10 outrageous predictions for 2013:

  1. Germany’s DAX plunges 33% to 5,000 –- China’s economic slowdown will continue and add pressure on Germany’s industrial expansion. Such a scenario will stoke low consumer confidence and large price declines in industrial stocks, which make up a large part of the German benchmark index.
  2. Nationalization of major Japanese electronics companies –- Japan’s electronics industry suffers after strong competition from South Korea, causing annual losses of $30 billion for Sharp Corp., Panasonic Corp. and Sony Corp. alone. Credit worthiness will deteriorate and the Japanese government feels obliged to nationalize key industry players – similar to the U.S. government’s bailout of the auto industry.
  3. Soybeans rise by 50% — After a year of extremely poor harvests due to bad weather, new crop soybeans will be just as exposed to new weather disruptions in the U.S., South America and China. Increased demand for biofuel will also push prices higher and food security will become a buzz word.
  4. Gold drops to $1,200 an ounce — The strong U.S. economic recovery surprises the market and especially gold investors, which flee the traditional safe haven investment. Additionally, lack of pick up in physical demand from China and India trigger a round of gold liquidation, and the metal falls to $1,200 an ounce before central banks eventually start taking advantage of lower prices.
  5. Crude oil slumps to $50 a barrel –- U.S. crude-oil production continues to rise through advanced production techniques and with domestic inventory levels already at 30-year highs combined with limited exports options, oil prices come under renewed selling pressure.
  6. The dollar/yen  falls to 60.00 – Japan’s new leader Shinzo Abe has vowed to use aggressive easing measures to boost the economy, which has punished the yen. Not all measures are introduced, however, and the market becomes over-positioned to for yen weakness and risk appetite retrenches, prompting the dollar to drop 60.00 yen, as the Japanese currency emerges as the world’s strongest currency.
  7. Euro/Swiss francs  relationship breaks peg, touches 0.9500 – As European Union tail risks are aggravated –- maybe by the Italian election or a Greek exit of the euro zone – capital flows surge into Switzerland once again, inspiring the Swiss National Bank and Swiss government do abandon the franc’s peg to the euro rather than push reserves past 100% of Switzerland’s gross domestic product. As a consequence, the euro/Swiss franc touches a new low.
  8. Hong Kong unpegs the Hong Kong dollar from the U.S. dollar and re-pegs to the Chinese renminbi – The renminbi’s volatility increases and Hong Kong becomes a major world currency centre.
  9. Spain steps closer to default as interest rates rise to 10% — With social tensions in the country, the public sector cannot cut costs further and Spain’s sovereign credit rating will be downgraded to junk. Yields rapidly rise as an inevitable default is priced in.
  10. 30-year U.S. sovereign yield  doubles in 2013 – The Federal Reserve’s low-interest-rate policy forces investors to leave fixed income and substitute bonds with stocks. As the bond market is far larger than the equity market a 10% reallocation to stocks should amplify equity fund inflows by around 30%. This leaves to higher yields in the U.S. and marks the beginning of a decade-long outperformance by stocks over bonds.