BUSINESS, MARKETING, and MONEY

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A lot of people get into trading Forex because it is something you can do at home. Not everyone wants to be a full time trader, or quite their day job. So, this is a good opportunity for those looking to do something part time, on their terms, but with huge profit potential. But don't make the mistake of thinking that just because you are trading Forex from home that you don't need to act like a pro.

The truth is... you need to be serious about Forex trading if you want to succeed, even if you are only trading from home part time. So, instead of thinking of your trading as a hobby, or something to dabble in once in a while, start thinking and acting like a pro. I believe this change in attitude can make successful traders from the unsuccessful, and more profitable traders from those already enjoying some success. Here are three things you can learn from the pro traders...

Think Of Trading At Home Like A Business

Set up a little space for yourself to do your trading. This is your trading zone and should be focused on trading. Then set up a time period for your trading. Let friends and family know that just because you are trading at home, this is serious business and a lot of money to be made. They need to learn to respect your space and time. Interruptions should be as unwelcome as if someone is bothering you while you are at your real job.

Protect Your Money With Solid Money Management

While most Forex traders concentrate on finding the perfect "system" to trade, I believe money management is where the real money is. There is no perfect Forex trading system that works 100% of the time. So you need to be prepared to take losses, but still have a winning system over all.

Nobody knows this as well as pro traders. They are trading with more money than you and I can imagine... so they have to have very strict and effective money management rules. And so should you. So, start protecting your money like the pro traders do, and I guarantee it will help you accumulate more money over time (which is the point, right?).

Find A Forex Trading System And Stick To It

Pro traders use a system and stick to it as if their lives depend on it. They spend years refining their trading system and then the practice until they are very skilled. They do not throw the system to the wind and start trading on hunches or because they want to cover a previous loss. And neither should at home traders.

If you are trading Forex at home, you need to act like a professional. if you make one live trade you can consider yourself a Forex trader. But to be a successful Forex trader and make the kind of life changing money I know you dream of, you need to act like a pro. There is no difference in trading Forex at home, or being a professional trader. So, learn the mindset, trading systems and proven money management the pros use... and put more profits in your trading account. Read More......

Other US insurers could follow AIG and receive government bail-outs

Some of the biggest insurance companies in the US may be in line for government bail-outs from existing funds set aside for the banking sector.

A US Treasury spokesperson said that a number of life insurance companies had met requirements for government aid.

Andrew Williams said help to insurers would not involve new funds, but would come from the $700bn (£477bn) Troubled Assets Relief Programme (Tarp).

Funds from the programme have been used to bail out insurance giant AIG.

However, until now, it had been seen as a special case.

'Consistent goals'

But following reports that the Treasury would extend the financial bail-out programme, known as Tarp and was passed last year, to insurance companies, Mr Williams said that certain insurers that had banking operations could qualify.

"There are a number of life insurers that have met requirements because of their bank holding company status.

"These are among the hundreds of financial institutions that will be reviewed and funded as appropriate," he said.

Frank Keating, boss of the American Council of Life Insurers, said: "As we have argued all along, allowing life insurers to participate in the programme would be consistent with its stated goals to increase the flow of financing to US businesses and stabilise the credit markets."

Life insurers have about $5.1tn in assets and are major holders of US corporate bonds, said Mr Keating.

They have lost huge amounts of money during the recession.

But some analysts warned that US government aid was not unlimited and those insurers that did not receive help would struggle to survive.

"It is fairly likely that we will see a few major life insurers that don't qualify for aid either fail or enter state receivership," said Kent Smetters at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School.

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Argentina will be able to buy the yuan directly, without changing it to dollars

China and Argentina have made a tentative agreement to swap $10bn (£7bn) worth of their currencies.

The move, which allows both countries to bypass the US dollar, makes it easier for Argentine businesses to buy Chinese imports directly in yuan.

It also gives Argentina hard cash at a time when its finances have been hurt by the global financial crisis.

The deal comes after China suggested that the world should create a new reserve currency to replace the dollar.

The swap is being seen as a sign of China's ambitions in South America.

China primarily imports agricultural products from Argentina, while the South American nation buys Chinese electronic goods.

In the past, China has signed similar deals with South Korea, Malaysia, Belarus and Indonesia.

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Germany's economy is driven by its exports

Germany's unemployment rate rose to 8.6% in March as the global economic downturn continued to tighten its grip on Europe's largest economy.

The rate rose slightly from 8.5% in February, on an unadjusted basis.

In seasonally adjusted terms, the rate rose to 8.1% from 8%, official figures also showed. This equates to 3.4 million people, an increase of 69,000.

Unemployment rates have been rising across Europe, with the Spanish jobless rate the highest at more than 14%.

Weak economy

"The economic downswing is increasingly having an impact on the labour market," said Frank-Jurgen Weise at the Federal Labour Office.

The jump in the number of people out of work was bigger than many analysts had forecast.

"The increase was stronger than expected. That's obviously linked to the weaker economy. For the second quarter, we expect a slight decline and stabilisation after that," said Stefan Muetze from Helaba.

"But we have to assume that the job market will deteriorate further, well into 2010. At the end of 2009, we're likely to be near the four-million mark in unemployment figures," he added.

German employers' attempts to prevent laying off workers failed to prevent the increase in unemployment.

"Given that many German firms are still trying to get by with short-time work instead of lay-offs, the marked rise in joblessness during March is a harbinger of even worse figures to come during the second half of 2009," said Timo Klein at IHS Global Insight.

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