Monday, March 28, 2011

Online advertisers in the UK (Web advertising) spend tops £4bn for first time

Online advertisers in the UK took their annual spend to more than £4bn for the first time last year as the digital market share hit a record high.

Research published today by the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the accountant PricewaterhouseCoopers showed that online advertising grew by 12.8 per cent, from £3.5bn in 2009 to £4.1bn a year later. Joshua March, a social media entrepreneur, said: "This is still the tip of the iceberg in terms of how much spending will swing into digital in the future."

The digital share of the UK's total advertising spend of £16.6bn last year rose to 25 per cent. Internet advertising spending is closer to 15 per cent in Europe and 16 per cent in the US.

Guy Phillipson, head of the IAB, said the market was "almost back in its pre-recession heyday" and online spending was "higher than I expected". "In 2009, brands really began to understand how to use the internet. That has improved in 2010 – a year when budgets have also grown," he said. The total advertising market grew by 7.2 per cent, with 77 of the top 100 advertisers increasing their spending last year, according to the research group Nielsen. Consumer goods and retail companies raised their online budgets to become two of the four largest spenders on display advertisements. However, the financial sector spent the most in 2010, overtaking entertainment and media, with a 15.2 per cent share, the report said.

While the online market may not continue to grow quite so aggressively as in recent years, Mr Phillipson said he expected spending to breach £5bn "in the next few years". The consensus expectation for online advertising for this year is growth of 7.7 per cent, although the IAB said its internal predictions were more optimistic.

Much of 2010's online growth was driven by display advertising, which increased by 27.5 per cent from a year earlier to £945.1m, as more and more companies shifted spending on to the web. This reflected an increase in the number of active internet users in Britain, which stood at 40.3 million in December, according to Nielsen and the UK Online Measurement Company. Today's IAB/PwC survey also suggests that improvements in internet infrastructure have supported the growth of online advertising.

Search advertising continues to dominate online advertising spending in the UK, which rose 8 per cent in 2010 to £2.3bn. Mr Phillipson said the UK's search advertising market was "the most advanced in the world in terms of market share".

The rise of social media was also reflected, with advertising spending in this sector rising nearly 200 per cent. Computer users in the UK spend a quarter of their time online visiting networking sites such as Facebook.

Mr March, the founder and chief executive of Conversocial, a software company that helps brands to manage their marketing and support on Facebook and Twitter, said: "The cost effectiveness of online ad spend, especially with social media, gives companies the opportunity to build up a fan base that they can then communicate with for free, and makes it more attractive than other forms of media."

"This is combined with the increasing ability to tie online advertising spend directly to results such as purchases or actions."

Facebook has stepped up its drive to attract advertising executives to the social network with the launch of a new site called Facebook Studio.

In its report, the IAB pointed to "stellar growth" in mobile advertising, which more than doubled to £83m. Mr Phillipson said mobile was "finally coming of age". Growth was seen in adverts around online videos, up from £28m in 2009 to £54m a year later.

Despite pressure on the housing, jobs and car markets, online classified advertising "bounced back" in 2010, growing by 9.7 per cent to £751m, though its share of the market fell by one percentage point to 18 per cent.

The Independent/By Nick Clark

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Historical Silver Eagle Prices: Remembering When The American Silver Eagle Commanded A 400% Premium

Did you know that American Silver Eagles can command extraordinary premiums, in certain situations? Read and find out about the time when these coins were fetching premiums up to 400% more than other silver bullion coins...

I recently published an article on Ezinearticles entitled, "2011 American Silver Eagle: 5 Reasons Why You Should Buy This Silver Coin! " extolling the virtues of this lovely silver bullion coin. One of the five reasons I listed as a good reason to buy was the excellent profit potential, even with the price of silver trading over $30 an ounce (the price of silver has since pulled back a bit).

Since the time I published that article, an incident happened that really got me excited, even more, about the investment potential of American Silver Eagles.

I was in my local coin shop recently, browsing through their trays of various silver rounds. With the price of silver off its recent highs, I thought this would be the perfect time to add to my silver stock!

I happened to overhear a conversation between the coin shop owner and another customer. It went something like this:

Owner: "Hey, Bill, you ordered any 2011 Silver Eagles yet?"

Bill: "Hadn't thought about it. They're a bit pricey. Thought I'd just stick with buying a bag or two of junk silver when I have some extra cash."

Owner: "Junk is always good but I like Eagles, too. Some folks I know made some serious money on them back in '99.

Bill: "Really?"

Owner: "Yeah, back during that whole Y2K scare period. When everyone thought the world was going to end at the stroke of midnight on January 1st. " (He laughed). "People were paying crazy prices for those coins - double the spot price of silver!"

Bill: "You're joking?"

Owner: "I'm serious! It was crazy, man! I guess people figured if the whole banking system shut down or something, those silver eagles would come in handy."

Bill: "Yeah, but why the Eagles?"

Owner: "Guess it was because Silver Eagles are so well-recognized. And they have that U.S. government guarantee."

Bill: "Man! I had no idea! I thought silver was silver..."

A this point in the conversation, I moved away (lest they think I was eavesdropping, LOL!). When I got home that day, I did a little research on Silver Eagles and it turns out what the shop owner told the customer was true.

At the end of 1999, at the height of the Y2K scare American Silver Eagles were fetching HUGE premiums. The spot price of silver at that time was around $6.50. But Silver Eagles were commanding prices up to $12.50 an ounce!

Meanwhile, the Canadian Silver Maple leaf coin, an equally lovely silver bullion coin with a higher silver purity, was only commanding prices of $7.50 on the market.

Like the coin shop owner said, the reason investors were more than willing to pay the huge premium for the American Silver Eagle and not the Silver Maple leaf coin was because they believed in the event the banking system was unable to function, the silver Eagle coin would be more readily accepted for bartering purposes!

And the reason investors felt the Silver Eagle would be more readily accepted was because of their United States government guarantee and worldwide recognition! Of course, after the Y2K scare passed, premiums on the coins quickly returned to normal but anyone who would have sold during this period would have done fabulously!

Could a situation like this happen again?

Yes, the economy appears to be on the mend but the risks are still out there. In the event of a widespread financial panic, would the American Silver Eagle once again be the go-to silver bullion coin? And possibly command a huge premium over other silver coins? Who knows? But, as Mark Twain once said: "The past doesn't repeat itself - it rhymes!"

Order your 2011 American Silver Eagle coins today! Just go to: ==> http://BullionBargains.us

By Christina Goldman

Live Money: How to Invest in Silver: “wealth management portfolio”

A lot of people are considering precious metals investment as a significant part of their wealth management portfolio. Platinum, gold, silver and other metals such as palladium and titanium that have great monetary value are some of the options you can choose for investing. However, gold and silver are the most common metals that investors choose, where silver is the cheaper option. Gold is more valuable than silver and it backs some of the major currencies in the world, but silver can also be a great option to invest in.

Why Invest in Silver

Silver may not be as expensive or even attractive as the yellow metal, gold. However, it can be a great choice for investment, considering the many uses it has and the likely decline in its global reserves. Usually, a major part of silver is obtained from zinc and copper mines, with the silver mines contributing only 30%. But as silver has numerous uses in industrial and medicinal productions, the demand is always high. Considering the demand and supply in the future, the probability of an increase in silver prices is very high, making it a safer, affordable investment option.

Different Investment Options for Silver

Silver has always been valuable, and was used as money for a long time in the past. Unlike earlier times, when you could only buy the physical metal for investment, there are a variety of options available today for silver investment.

Buy the Physical Metal – Silver Bars, Coins and Jewellery

One of the best and the easiest ways to invest in silver is to purchase it in the physical form. You can choose from a number of silver bullion options that include silver coins, bars, silverware and silver jewellery.

  • Silver Coins – Silver coins come in a variety of designs and can weigh anywhere from 1 ounce to 1 kg. You can choose to buy silver coins minted by private companies, which are available in local jewelery shops, or from national governments that issue special silver rounds such as UK Britannias, US Eagles, Chinese Pandas, and Canadian Maples.
  • Silver Bars – Silver bars, again, can be bought directly from government auctions, banks or private mining companies.
  • Sterling Silver – Sterling silver is a form of physical silver, which is not 100% pure silver. It is made of 92.5% actual silver, and the remaining percentage of other metals such as copper. As pure silver is too soft to be molded in to intricate designs and larger moulds, sterling silver is often used for manufacturing jewellery and other forms of silver ware like cutlery, frames etc.

As silver is relatively cheaper, you can purchase a few kilos of the metal with just a few thousand dollars. However, as storing and securing such quantities of this metal is not easy, you can choose from the other silver investment options below.

Silver Futures

You can invest in silver futures by opening a futures trading account that allows you to buy or sell silver for gain. In futures, you have to get into a contract that can be a little expensive and risky. Usually, a single silver futures contract represents 5,000 ounces of silver, and expires after a month. Although silver futures may not become useless like a few stocks, considering the risk, you should not invest in them unless you are an experienced trader.

Investment in Silver Stocks and Silver Mines

There are a number of silver mining company stocks in the UK and around the world. You can look for private companies and silver mining companies, in major exchanges like London, NY or Tokyo, that offer stocks in the silver sector. Although silver stocks are usually safer than other stocks, there is an element of risk involved as silver prices can be highly volatile.

Perform a background check thoroughly, for each of the available stocks, to figure out the profitability and risk before investing. An advantage of investing in silver stocks is that, although it is risky, it gives you the flexibility to buy and sell it like any other stock for profit.

Mutual Funds

Like silver stocks, silver mutual funds can be a good choice for investing in silver, if you do not want to have the actual metal in your possession. You can either choose to invest in actual silver or in the stocks of a silver mining company, through a mutual fund. The best way to choose the right silver mutual fund is to keep in mind your investment objectives and the allocation of precious metals in your portfolio. Although mutual funds are relatively safer and more profitable when compared to stocks, you should invest in them only after thorough research to minimize risk.

Silver ETFs

You can invest in silver ETFs or exchange traded funds simply by opening a brokerage account. As there are a number of silver ETF options in the market, it is a relatively easy investment option. However, before you choose to invest in one, research the trends in silver prices, and the trends in the value of the ETF you’re considering. To make profit with silver ETFs, you should invest in them when the prices are low. Silver is sometimes just one part of the portfolio of an ETF. In such a case, choose an ETF that has sufficient amount allocated to silver, to meet your investment goals.

Among all the options mentioned above, tangible silver and ETFs are often the preferred investment options, as they are considered low risk investments.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

African consumer stands tall amid commodity boom

 

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Soaring commodity prices are boosting African economies and state budgets, but strong growth on the poorest continent is much more deep-seated than just bumper revenues from ores and oil.

In a far cry from the strained budgets of late 2008 and 2009, when oil and minerals prices collapsed, treasuries in major hydrocarbon producers such as Nigeria and Angola and copper exporters such as Zambia are now flush with cash.

Not only do the flows allow more state spending on the infrastructure needed to entrench prosperity, they also facilitate borrowing -- as is the case with Zambia, which is looking for a $500 million loan from world markets in the next six months.

However, another sharp fall in commodity prices does not spell doom for sub-Saharan Africa, which the International Monetary Fund thinks will grow 5.5 percent this year and 5.8 percent next.

"It's not as direct a correlation as people might think," said John Green, head of global business development at Cape Town-based Investec Asset Management, which has $4 billion invested in Africa outside South Africa.

"In most of sub-Saharan Africa, there's a high level of entrepreneurial energy, and basic infrastructure in terms of communications and banking is now in place. It's very difficult to just shut that down," Green said, speaking at the Reuters Africa Investment Summit.

Proving the point is the vigorous economic performance during the 2002-2008 commodity boom by non-resource producers, such as Kenya, which was humming along at 5 percent annual growth or more from 2005 to 2008.

Similarly, the lesson from the 2008/09 economic crisis is that even in countries with a heavy reliance on mineral extraction, the non-mineral sector can run its own course regardless.

For instance, diamonds are more than a third of GDP in Botswana, the world's biggest producer of the gems, meaning the overall economy took a hammering two years ago when mines were forced to close for the first time in the country's history.

But while mining contracted by 20 percent year-on-year in 2009, the financial and business services sector grew 14 percent and transport and communications 12 percent.

CONSUMING MORE

Of course, oil prices sticking above $100 a barrel will impose a large inflationary burden on the continent, where even major exporters such as Nigeria end up importing most of their petrol and diesel because of a lack of domestic refineries.

But Africa, where food and fuel makes up a much larger slice of the inflation basket than in developed markets, managed to endure crude at $120 a barrel in mid-2008.

And should prices fall back, even producers should be able to weather the storm, according to a 2010 McKinsey analysis of Africa's performance that suggested as little as 20 percent of the region's growth in the last decade was attributable to soaring commodity prices.

Reflecting this, the majority of frontier Africa investors tend to target the region's evolving consumer middle class that is expected to increase its spending from $860 billion in 2008 to $1.4 trillion in 2020.

"The African growth story is not being led by commodity prices," said Kofi Bucknor, a partner at private equity firm Kingdom Zephyr, which is in the middle of investing a $429 million fund across the region.

Zephyr's existing investments include a South African electricity transmission company, a tuna-processing plant in Ivory Coast and a Barcelona-based firm specializing in producing low-cost housing for north African markets such as Morocco.

In general, banks and telecommunications firms are key investment picks because of the explosive growth they are expected to register in the world's last major untapped region.

A study by consultancy Bain released this week suggests the continent's financial services will grow by 15 percent a year over the next decade, and account for nearly 20 percent of regional output in 2020, from 11 percent now.

"It's a story about economic and political change. It's a story about opening up markets and attracting capital. And it's a story about a growing consumer class that is seeing the effects of globalization, changing its spending habits and asking for a wider range of goods and services," Bucknor said.

"Commodity prices have just been the icing on the cake."

By Ed Cropley, African Investment Correspondent

Angola Minister:Worried About Oil-Price Impact On World Economy

rising-oil-price_today Houston - The impact that oil prices, currently boosted by unrest in the Middle East, could have on the global economy is concerning, more so as oil markets seem to be well-supplied with crude, Angola's oil minister said Monday.

"We are concerned, we have said that," said Jose Maria Botelho de Vasconcelos, adding that high oil prices not only result in more volatility for a recovering economy, but also in higher costs for oil producers. "A situation like this doesn't satisfy anybody."

In an interview with Dow Jones Newswires ahead of the IHS Cambridge Energy Research Associates meeting here, the minister said that an ideal price for Brent crude would be $90 a barrel. On Monday, Brent for April delivery settled down 0.8% at $115.04 a barrel.

West Texas Intermediate futures in New York rose 1% to $105.44 a barrel, the highest level since Sept. 26, 2008.

Currently, oil producers see the market as "very well supplied," with high levels of inventories, de Vasconcelos said. Unfortunately, instability in the Middle East has prompted speculation in the markets to drive prices up; changes in the value of the U.S. dollar versus the euro have also contributed to an increase in oil prices.

That is why members of the Organization of Oil Exporting Countries don't see the need to call for an extraordinary meeting, the minister said. "The fundamentals of the market are in a good position," he said.

The minister said Angola, a member of OPEC, is producing about 1.7 million barrels of oil per day. The country has a production capacity of two million barrels of oil per day, he said.

-By Angel Gonzalez, Dow Jones Newswires; 713-547-9214;

265_cartoon_oil_price_hike_small_over

Monday, March 7, 2011

Make Money: Is the Dollar Hitting a Low and Is Gold Peaking? By Lance Winslow

There are many who love to short the dollar, no I am not one of them, but these folks have made some hefty prices over time in doing so. Likewise the introduction of more dollars and the FEDs strategies lead many to believe that the dollar is eventually doomed. Of course, one could easily say that about the Euro and the Yen as well.

In any case not long ago, an acquaintance from overseas, from South East Asia asked me what I thought about various economic issues, such as the dollar, oil, gold, and inflation. In his first question he specifically asked; "Is the Dollars Hitting its Lows and Gold Peaking?"

Short Answer: Probably, both yes.

China and India, others are buying gold now in record amounts, this has kept the gold markets peaked - we have another issue, and that is there is not enough gold available in the world to allow it to be a currency backer. There is enough of the element, but not enough dug up and mined right now.

European Union's EURO is in trouble of coming apart. The BRIC nations are pretending to have a say in the dollar as a reserve currency, but they don't have stability themselves, well, stability which is not manipulated that is. EU debt issues could buoy up dollar, our FED might re-strategize things, a whole bunch could happen.

Gold did good in 2010 up 30% and silver unbelievable 84%. I haven't liked gold for a good six months, but it kept going up, there was a little bit of a pull back in Dec 2010, which looks like it's testing its highs, looking turbulent and choppy, but for a gold trader, they like volatility. I believe it's peaked, but where the top actually is depends as much on manipulation and commodity power plays than it does any sense of reality.

Some folks believe that all currencies should be backed by gold, but I disagree, especially for reserve currencies, mainly speaking of the Dollar, and also the Euro, and Yen to a lesser degree. There is not enough gold in the world to back all the currencies, nor do we want to create an unnecessary run on that noble metal either. Right now it seems that folks are looking for gold reserves all over the world to mine.

In fact, a new UK study suggests that gold deposits near sulfur deposits often have an 8% higher accumulation rate, perhaps due to how the sulfur causes it to accumulate as that metal comes from far beneath the surface during volcanic eruptions. Many agree that gold looks very toppy, I believe it is, but who can say what will happen if there were a crisis in with one of the other very large currencies, or an economic reckoning in China. Please consider all this.

Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs theOnline Think Tank. Lance Winslow believes writing 22,000 articles was a lot of work - because all the letters on his keyboard are now worn off..

Make Money Now: How Investing in Silver in 2011, by Andy Henry

Yes 2010 was a great year for silver and the price went up amazingly fast but there's still more to come. The most basic thing that drives the price of anything is its perceived value and scarcity. Silver has always been perceived as valuable and used as the basis for currencies for hundreds of years. The planet only has a certain amount of silver on and in it - this is not going to change apart from going down as we consume it more and more. That means that not only is silver a valued precious metal but it is in limited supply and that supply is based on a fixed and finite amount. We don't have any way to create silver artificially so whatever we use is lost forever.

There is a certain amount of recycling of silver but it's not like gold where it's considered so precious that extreme measures are in place to make sure it's always reclaimed when items are disposed of. In fact, the perceived value of silver is still so low that most of the silver which is mined is actually a by-product of mining activities for more precious elements such as gem stones. There are surprisingly few actual silver mines and most of what you see around is sold off by the jewel mining companies, so we're not even getting it out of the ground very effectively.

This means that we can't just turn up production - most of the production is not focused on silver. Think about what these factors mean for a second. Limited supply, ever-increasing usage and inefficient system for getting more of what is there. These things alone mean that we're struggling to keep up with demand. There are many documented cases of large companies and even governments running out of silver to the point where some silver coins (including the American silver dollar) have had to stop being minted because of lack of silver.

Now consider the current global economic crisis and how that affects silver. We're on a crazy ride where governments have over spent seriously and are struggling to pay back the debts they have. One of the ways they try to address this is to print more money. This may seem logical but for every bill they print the ones in your wallet become worth less. Think about it. If you have a company and you create 100 shares of your company and sell them for $1000 per share - you've priced your company at $100k. Then your partner creates 1000 more shares - they all still represent the same value, so the price per share drops to equal the value divided by the new number of shares - in this example the company value is still $100k but now each share is only worth $91 instead of $1000. So if you've bought shares for $1000 and then they've printed more and yours are now worth only $91 you'd be pretty upset.

This is exactly what's happening to the currency you have. That's why prices of everything seem to be going up around you. In reality your currency is going down so it appears like prices are going up.

Why does all this matter? Because silver is a fixed resource - they can not print any more of it. Whatever you own has an intrinsic value which cannot be removed like the fiat (false) currency which you're being paid in and having to pay for your goods with.

When you buy silver in small amounts you're also ensuring that you can easily sell it in small amounts later. So even if you want 100 ounces of silver it may be best to buy 100 1ounce coins or 10 10ounce bars which you can more easily sell to a larger audience when the time is right.

Imagine if you'd bought 100ounces a few years ago when the price was just $4 - that would have cost your $400 and now be worth $3000 - and that's tax-free.

This article scratches the surface of what the true value of silver is and why 2011 is a good time to buy silver. Andy Henry shares more information and videos aboutInvesting in silver in 2011.

Hyperinflation and the Dollar Funeral: “Hyperinflation causes prices to increase”, by Kevin J Schmidt

Hyperinflation is a term used to describe the event where inflation reaches a point where it goes beyond control. Compared to ordinary inflation, hyperinflation causes prices to increase at a much more rapid rate while the currency of the suffering country loses value. Despite its nature, no one really takes notice of the possibility of this event happening soon because we have all been accustomed to a controlled inflation.

Can Hyperinflation Happen in the United States?

Although the last case of hyperinflation in the United States was recorded almost 150 years ago, we can never be sure about the strength of our present economy. We were left in the dark, never expecting the recent recession that greatly crippled the economy. If we had never known about the recession happening, the same can also be said about the possibility of a hyperinflation.

How Bad Can Hyperinflation get?

To give a clear view of the effects of hyperinflation, we can take Belarus as an example of one country that experienced hyperinflation lately.

Belarus experienced a steady inflation rate from the late 1990's towards 2002. The highest currency denomination in Belarus in 1993 was 5000 rublei. Six years later, this grew to 5,000,000 rublei. However, the new ruble implemented after the 2000 currency reform had an exchange rate of 1 new ruble is to 1000 old rublei. By 2008, the country's highest currency denomination was 100,000 rublei, which is equivalent to 100,000,000 of the old rublei.

As expected, the citizens of Belarus had to put up with constantly rising prices that in contrast were much higher compared to the rising costs of their neighboring countries.

Surviving Hyperinflation

By now, you should have realized that the US dollar, despite being considered the international currency, is vulnerable to economic changes as seen in the recent US economic trend. At present, the dollar is no longer considered by many to be a stable worldwide trade currency.

The only way to survive hyperinflation is to keep making more money at a rate higher than how the currency is losing its value. Sadly, this is close to impossible if hyperinflation takes place. The only other way to go around this problem is to not rely on paper currency but on precious metals like gold.

Why Can Gold Help You Survive Inflation?

Gold is the perfect substitute to traditional currency. Like all other material objects, currency slowly loses value with time. Gold, on the other hand, increases in value as it ages. With gold, you no longer have to worry about your assets decreasing in value.

If you really want to secure yourself in the event of an economic meltdown, you should increase your assets by purchasing gold through gold backed savings accounts. This way, you will be protected and profit massively when the dollar loses it's value and becomes a worthless piece of paper.

If you would like more information on Hyperinflation and how you can protect yourself and you family, please visitwww.SavingForGold.com

By Kevin J Schmidt

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Make Money: 5 Things You Must Know About Buying Gold and Silver in 2011, by Geoffrey M Schmidt

With the run up in the price of precious metal over the last three years, investors and speculators have been buying gold and silver at a record pace. It's no wonder, according to the December 27th issue of the Wall Street Journal, the price of silver increased 78 percent in 2010; gold increased by a more modest 22 percent. For most investors, the rapid run-up in price in 2010 was a delightful surprise. There are five very important points to realize about buying gold, silver or most other precious metals this year.

wallpaper_Gold_Bullion_Bar_on_the_Scales_make_money_with_gold

They are as follows:

  1. The higher the risk of inflation the higher the price of gold and silver - This is because during inflationary times, hard asset (such as gold and silver) prices go up, and many times paper asset (stocks and bonds) prices go down. Hard assets are bought once and sold once. The "value" is realized only upon the sale. The value of paper assets is often derived from its fixed interest or dividend payment. If inflation eats away at the value of the payment then the "value" of the paper asset is less.
  2. If the Government turns on the currency printing press, as it has recently during quantitative easing, the value of gold and silver should go up - and it has. Governments can print an unlimited amount of money. When things get out of control, the currency buys less as less. We saw this in Argentina years ago - people were going to the grocery store with wheelbarrows full of money to pay for milk and bread. Mother Nature has made only a fixed amount of gold and silver. Those that own these precious metals while the printing presses are running stand to do quite well.
  3. Gold and silver prices can go down just as fast as they go up - Just when you least expect it, the price can drop. With a bit of good news in the world market or a hint of economic recovery - the price starts to fluctuate. In other words diversify.
  4. If you're buying a coin for its precious metal content, collector coins (such as proof coins) are not the best choice - Buying collector coins is a different (and also potentially profitable) type of coin investing, buy if you are buying bullion, buy it as close to market price as possible. This means basic American Gold and Silver Eagle Bullion coins for most people - and rounds, bars and ingots for professionals.
  5. Make sure you buy from a reputable bullion dealer - Buy from a shop or online dealer that has been around for 10, 20 even 30+ years. Get references.

There are many, many good books on buying gold and silver. There are also great websites (see ours - we think it's very good, sign up for our free weekly newsletter). The information available out there is plentiful. We hope you thoroughly enjoy bullion investing and gain a sense of ease from economic concerns during these turbulent times.

All the Best

Geoffrey M Schmidt

Visit USACoins.com and receive our free special report: American Silver Eagle Coins, just for signing up for our free award winning newsletter.

http://www.usacoins.com/Free_Newsletter.html

3 Mistakes People Make About George Soros and Gold, by Mike Clemson

Knowing what direction to go and the way to get things done is always really important. Knowing the details of the best way to do it is also important. Nevertheless, that's only part of the picture; it's necessary, although not sufficient. You also have to really know what to avoid, what mistakes to avoid. The best way to accomplish that is to discover what mistakes others are making so that you can avoid making those very same mistakes.

For investing in gold like George Soros, that also applies. There are a number of people who succeed there. You'll want to be one of these as opposed to someone who makes mistakes and fails. Here then will be the three most important errors that individuals make after they start off with investing in gold like George Soros.

Number 1. Do not misinterpret what George Soros says about gold. The reason that this is very important is that most investors misconstrue his words. To avert this problem you want to break down his actual statements. For example, he said "Gold is the only actual bull market currently. It just made a new high yesterday. In the present circumstances that may continue, I called gold the ultimate bubble, which means it may go higher. But it's certainly not safe and it's not going to last forever."

Some interpreted that to mean that gold was a bubble about to burst but that is not what he said.

Second, analyze Soros' gold stock holdings and not his words. Soros currently holds $897,558,000 or 18% of his total $5,085,000,000 under management in gold. The gold ETF (GLD) is 71% of his gold exposure ($633 million) and his largest gold stock position is Novagold at $90 million.. This is usually a very important factor in that people vote with their wallets. If Soros was sounding the alarm bells about gold, why would his funds allocate 18% of their holdings to gold? What you ought to do then is only focus on his filings with the SEC. Forget about what the media claims.

And finally, understand that big investors like George Soros might try to talk down the market in order to buy more gold. If you wanted to buy gold at lower prices and you were the most famous investor on the planet you would not tell everyone that you expect the price to triple, would you? This trouble is experienced in instances where people don't understand that investing is a game of poker and sometimes investors are bluffing about their positions. The best way to stay away from this is to focus on the SEC filings instead of the media reports.

Study these ideas about investor mistakes about George Soros and gold stocks and carefully avoid them. As an alternative, you may do as instructed above for doing it properly. Much better results will then be your reward!

Discover methods to invest in gold like George Soros and other top hedge fund managers by going to my George Soros gold bubble website at http://fundmanagernews.com/soros-gold-bubble.

By Mike Clemson Platinum Quality Author