The rise in the price of commodities over recent years has been unprecedented. Since the beginning of the financial crash in the late 2000s there is no doubt that certain items have seen a rise in price, directly in comparison to the failing stock markets. Whilst this was the case, when the markets started to recover, gold continued to rise in price. So much so that it has reached levels of price that have never been seen before. Is gold important? Many people would argue that it is vital to the economic recovery of the Western world.

Why did gold rise in price?

The collapse of the markets meant that people wondered exactly where they should put their money, nothing seemed safe for investors, and they were unlikely to keep their money in failing banks. This meant that something secure needed to be found to move money into. Consequently investors flocked to gold, seeing it as a safe haven for their money, and hopefully one that would solidify their investments. This rush to buy gold caused one thing, a massive hike in gold prices. Unsurprisingly this saw gold rise to a price that had never been seen before, as gold was seen as a safe commodity to invest in. Gold has recently rose to a price as high as $1700 per troy ounce, and when you consider that prior to the recession it was trading at $500 per troy ounce you can see how important gold has become.

But why gold?

It is important to remember that gold will always be gold, and there is a limited supply of it in the world. If you melt gold down to try and get components, you wont get anything but gold. This means that for investors it is a safe commodity. You can buy gold knowing that it is gold. Therefore with the limited supply that exists, and the certainty in the market, investors knew that their money was safe. With the safety of gold they realised that they could keep their money in this safe haven, and come out of the market once they were happy with the recovery elsewhere. This encouraged the gold price to rise, and for anyone getting into the gold market early, handsome profits were made. The important thing to remember as an investor in gold is to sell once the market falters, otherwise you could end up losing significant amounts of money. Investors won't stay with gold forever because there is a limited amount of profit to be made.

Is it for me?

Gold is vitally important to the future of the financial markets as investors have continued to pump their money into the commodity. If you are considering buying gold, then you need to monitor the markets effectively. Many commentators are not sure if the market will continue to rise or whether it will falter. Buying gold can be a large investment, and you will obviously want to make money, so it is vitally important that you monitor any investments that you make. Being proactive in the markets can see you make large amounts of money. Gold is going to be important for years to come and certainly until the world recovers from the economic situation it currently finds it in. Any investment is exciting!

Author Bio: James is interested in why people decide to buy gold and how the markets have evolved since the recession.

by Cory Russum

For everyone who is currently trading on the stock market, you know how important it is to have up to the mili-second information regarding your investments. Whether you trade currencies on the Forex Market or Futures, Metatrader 4 is designed to intuitively assess trends and price dynamics. For novice traders who don’t have the experiential knowledge base of the experts, Metatrader 4 levels the playing field by allowing you to create automated trading programs. These programs non-ceasingly analyze real time data and make profitable transactions on your behalf.

Having such a tool at your disposal will expedite the learning curve of the less experienced trader. For the expert trader Metatrader 4 will be an invaluable compliment to your portfolio because it will be one of the best investments you will ever make. This software allows you to create virtual thinking versions of yourselves called “Expert Advisors“. You can cater these (automated trading programs) to respond to data and make transactions as if it were actually you doing the research and making the decision to buy or sell.

If I were to poll the population as a whole, and ask what would make their lives more fulfilling, I can guarantee that right after financial freedom the answer would be leisure time. Metatrader 4 will facilitate a dramatic increase in both areas. By Metatrader 4 arguably being the most popular trading platform in the world, you would logically deduce that the asking price for the software would be inflated. Not so! The Sam Cooke song titled, “The Best Things In Life Are Free” holds truer than ever in this instance. You can download the Metatrader 4 trading platform directly from the site free of charge! How’s that for credibility.

If you're looking for unique daily insight into current markets and seminars from market legends, then I recommend checking out videos from INO.com president and MarketClub co-founder, Adam Hewison. He just finished his 1 p.m. Market Update for Tuesday the 14th of June. To see the full video just visit INO TV, it's FREE. Click here for instant access.

Here's a brief of what’s happening now in the major markets:

- SP 500: -60. This market remains in a broad trading range with resistance coming in beginning at 1296 and 1305 and finally 1315 which represents a 62% Fibonacci retracement. Major downside support is at 1250.

- Silver:-60. Currently this market is oversold however it is in the state of flux with no clear trend. We would use the Don Chin channels and the fact that this market is oversold and expect to see a bounce from current levels. Major Support at $34.00.

- Gold: +55. Gold is currently oversold and we would cool for cool he is is a are slow to reduce this prison abuse or her will way expect to see some further either sideways action or a move to improve levels. The Donchian channel comes in at 1503. Major support at $1,500.

- Crude Oil: -60 Trading range. Long term indicator remains positive. Support coming into this market at $96 a barrel market is currently oversold. Choppy market.

- Dollar Index: -85. The longer term and mid term Trade Triangles remain in a negative position. Resistance now at 75.00 and 76.50. Minor support at 73.50 Major support at 73.00.

- Thomson Reuters/Jefferies CRB Commodity Index: +55. Near-term resistance at 350.00. Minor support at 340. Major support at 335.00. Trading range.

The allure of penny stock picks is their cheapness per share – less than a dollar. This can be a terrific way for starter investors to begin without much capital, and perhaps more importantly allow people to learn the ways of the stock market without losing a fortune. But the inexpensive and easy investing strategy has its pitfalls like any other method of making money that is as competitive as it is advantageous. Making sure you remain the predator and avoid being the prey will not only guarantee minimal losses and increase the chance of gains, but also embolden further efforts on your part to make serious moves in the investment world.

1. Diversify: That's the Point
This is a rule as true with millions as it is with pennies. Don't commit the number one foul of amateur investing by buying up thousands of dollars worth of penny stocks in one enterprise. The cheapness of the penny stock market encourages spreading your capital around. Don't count on becoming the next Warren Buffet by putting all your available capital in a struggling start-up based on good will. If your investment fails, you'll have little left to motivate further investment action.

2. Expect Storms. Take Calm Seas as Time to Prepare for Storms!
If the last several years have proven anything, it's that instability is the default setting for investment opportunities. This is ever more the case for the wily nature of inexpensive investments, which are typically cheaper because the fates involved are as unknown as they are unpredictable. Don't go into penny stocks with any expectation other than for a struggle. It's not that there aren't rewards in penny stocks, they're just harder to fight for.

3. Hearsay is Nothing
There is little value in amateur analysis of penny stocks. Don't ever base your decisions on what other penny stock investors are buzzing about. Oftentimes this is in fact part of intentional over inflation of value on the part of those offering the stocks. Many of these enterprises put out false press releases and other expressions of hype with the intention of these things making their way onto forums and other Internet posts. Fact checked thoroughly any tips you find (including these)

4. Stay on Regulated Playing Fields
This is obvious but since penny stock investors are typically greenhorns it's worth mentioning that only exchanges that are regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission should be utilized for your ventures if you're using American currency. Options off these exchanges run the risk of being highly manipulated.

Penny stocks are a great way to learn the ropes and potentially make a few bucks on the way. Just watch out for those whose investment is often in the gullibility and inexperience of others.

I came across an article on The Motley Fool ("Payday Lending’s Not Dead Yet"), which made a case for investing in payday lenders. According to the article, all the recent financial reforms taking place with traditional lenders such as banks and credit card companies may drive more business to the payday loan industry. People who are tight on money but can’t get a traditional loan because of strict regulations may have no other choice than to take out a cash advance.

If you’re not familiar with payday loans, it is a type of short-term loan that does not require a credit check. In essence, a person pays off the loan on their next payday and the interest rates are generally pretty high. Most lenders simply require an ID, an active checking account, and proof of employment.

I personally would have never thought of investing in a payday lender, but after reading the article, I guess it could make for a sound investment. It’s a pretty big industry that continues to grow. Nowadays there many companies who are even offering online cash advances so people can apply for a loan from the privacy of their own home.

I haven’t done any research on exactly how to go about investing in the payday loan industry, but I’m assuming that as with most industries there are companies that accept private investors. Other companies are public, so you will have to go through a brokerage firm or mutual fund company.

As with any investment you make, it’s important to do your due diligence to ensure that you’re investing in a company that aligns with your personal values and goals.

Photo Credit:  Andrew Bain

by James Leitz

In 2011 you can own the best mutual fund in either the stock fund or bond fund department, but without a timing strategy you won't get the best results. Mutual fund investment strategy is a two part deal consisting of both fund selection and timing. The good news is that mutual fund timing is the easy part.

To keep things simple we'll talk about fund timing in terms of stock funds vs. bond funds in 2011 and beyond. These are the two basic fund types most people put money into for greater long-term returns. And most of the time either one or the other is the best mutual fund category in any given year. Most people own both for the balance this provides their overall portfolio, and you should too. Let's say you invest $10,000 in each in 2011. What kind of timing strategy should you employ over the years?

First, you don't need to find the best mutual fund in either category, and you probably never will. There are thousands to choose from and if you invest in a 401-k, IRA, or with a single fund company your list of choices will be limited. Hence, fund timing is important. Second, to my knowledge no one has ever mastered timing in any arena of investing with a complex formula. Third, most complicated timing strategies work sometimes but not over the long term - and funds are a long term investment.

That said, there is a simple, sensible and best mutual fund timing strategy that has worked over the long term and is likely to work beyond 2011. It's called BALANCE and REBALANCE. Here's how it works in our example of $10,000 in a stock fund and $10,000 in a bond fund. A year after you make your original investment we'll say that your stock fund is worth $12,000 and your bond fund is worth $8000. You broke even with a total portfolio value of $20,000, and if you are like most people you don't do a thing about it. What you should do: rebalance by taking $2000 from your stock fund and putting it into your bond fund.

That accomplishes two things. First, it puts you back on track with half in each fund. Second, it's an automatic system of fund timing that always has you buying more shares in a fund when the price (net asset value) is falling; while selling shares in the other when its price goes up. Market timing is all about buying low and selling high. With balance and rebalance you can do this consistently, over the long term. No second-guessing involved. It's an ongoing process that requires your attention just once a year, and it's your best mutual fund timing strategy because it works.

In 2011 many 401-k and other retirement plans offer a timing program that is automatically executed for you each year. It's a feature called "automatic rebalance". Just sign up for it and your plan does the rest. Even the best mutual fund will have good years and bad years. With the best mutual fund timing strategy you can roll with the punches and make the best of it year after year.

About the Author
James Leitz teaches investment basics, stocks, bonds, mutual funds and how to invest in his investing guide for beginners called INVEST INFORMED. Put Jim's 40 years of investing experience to work for you and get up to speed at http://www.investinformed.com. Learn how to invest.

Guest post by Gary Kerkow

There are traders in the stock market that almost always make money. With proper knowledge and principles, the stock market is a place where you can dramatically increase your wealth. In this article, I will share with you, some of what it takes, for great success in the stock market.

What ultimately will decide your overall success is knowledge, and how to interpret it marketwise. Let us start out with the most important rule in trading, which is keep your losses small, also known as, cutting your losses short. I can not emphasize enough, the importance of this rule. As an example, your strategy could be to always sell your stock if the price drops 10% from the buy point. I will usually sell a stock if it drops 5-7% from the buy point. If you implement this rule, and are right on about 50% of your stock picks, you will most likely make a lot of money.

It is important never to underestimate the importance of psychology, when it comes to trading or investing. Emotions such as fear, greed, and hope will cloud your judgement, making the ability for sound trading decisions, next to impossible. The very best traders can enter a market, or exit a market position with little or no emotion. They have the ability to think clearly throughout the entire stock market process. This is a huge factor, when it comes to overall results.

To achieve big success in the stock market, or any other trading venue, it is important not to follow the crowd in most instances. A key characteristic of a great trader is the ability to think in individual terms. Great traders and investors think, and then act, much differently than the average ones. That is how they make fortunes.

As an example, most people do the absolutely wrong thing at major turning points in the stock market. They tend to buy, at or near the top, and sell, at or near the bottom. A perfect example of this is early 2000. A lot of people bought a lot of stocks, just as the market was topping, and lost incredible amounts of money. The very best stock market operators knew the early warning signs, and were safely out of the stock market, with huge profits, well before the market really started to crash.

Learn from the true legendary traders and investors, such as Jesse Livermore, William J. O'Neil, Richard Dennis, and others. Read their books, study their strategies and methods. Implement what you learn into your own trading and investing. Your overall results will improve dramatically. You might even make a fortune.

Gary E Kerkow is the founder of Tradingmarkets4u.com. This site provides information to help traders and investors become successful. Kerkow has over 20 years of trading experience including stocks, futures and options. He implements the strategies, methods, and psychology of the world's best traders and investors. This includes Jesse Livermore, William J O'Neil and others. Visit his website at http://www.tradingmarkets4u.com