Monday 31 December 2012

Investment In Gold Coin

The Indian government and the central banking authority of India, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) are not too happy about the fact that Indians can't get over their fascination for physical gold. The Indian government on its part has tried very hard to make physical gold less attractive by raising duties on gold as well as forbidding banks from lending money to its customers for the purchase of gold.

Even non bank financial companies (NBFCs) who till last year were gung ho about lending money against gold jewellery, have been snubbed. NBFCs can now only lend up to 60% of the value of gold that is being offered by the borrower as against 80% to 85% permitted earlier.

The government's push behind making the shine of yellow metal less attractive to Indians is understandable. India has traditionally been the biggest buyer of gold in the bullion market and demand typically rises around October and November. This festivity of Diwali is immediately followed by the wedding season that carries on till the fag end of the calendar year.

However, this is not a reason to cheer simply because the import of gold makes it a large contributor to the current account deficit of the country and in turn puts pressure on the rupee.

Gold imports in the year 2011-2012 rose to the level of USD 62 billion as compared to a total of $43 billion in the previous year and this has had the current account deficit soaring to 4.2% of the GDP, which is a record 30-year high!

The Reserve Bank of India too has made it clear time and again that till such time as the high fiscal deficit and the current account deficit are not brought under control the chances of reducing interest rates are low. But much as these reasons hit the headlines every single day, it has done little to slacken the demand for gold in its physical form.

Other Forms of Physical Gold

If you are a staunch believer in owning gold in its physical form, invest in gold coins or gold bars. If you are saving for an upcoming marriage in the family, do not buy jewellery that may go out of fashion in time. Instead, buy gold bars and coins from banks or jewellers. This is hallmark gold. So, you can be assured that you are getting pure gold and will not lose out on making charges when you go out to sell them for jewellery.

However, the disadvantage of buying gold in the form of coins and bars is that while banks sell such products they do not buy it back from their customers. The other problem is that you have to buy this form of gold at least at a 5% to 10% premium. You will not be able to recover this cost while selling it though because when you sell, it is at a discount of at least 5%. Having said that, it is still considered to be a better option instead of investing in gold jewellery.

Gold ETFs

If investment in gold as an asset class is on your mind, this form of paper gold is perhaps the best way of investment as financial planners unanimously concede. All you need is a demat account and you can start with your investment.

If you are a beginner, you can start with a very small amount of say one gram and keep up your investments from time to time according to your convenience. Gold ETFs also come with a systematic investment plan (SIP) option so that you can choose to put in a monthly sum into these schemes, just as you do with any other fund.

However, if you are expecting them to be as liquid as physical gold, you may  be disappointed as it takes its own course to sell units of an ETF just like it is with any other stock that you invest in. Also, make sure that you check the credentials of the funds offering such an ETF so that you do not get locked away in a fund that is simply illiquid.

The best known gold ETFs in the market today are Kotak Gold ETF and Gold BeES from Benchmark, which was a pioneer in launching such a scheme. Over the years both fund houses have rewarded investors with handsome returns.

E-Gold

In a sense this is an option which gives you the best of both worlds. You need a demat account to transact online in this fund and you also get to take physical delivery of gold albeit on some conditions. Your regular demat account will not work as you will need to have an account with one of the empanelled depository participants. E-gold was a platform launched by the National Spot Exchange (NSEL), which also offers a similar investment option on silver and platinum as well.

One unit of e-gold equals one gram of physical gold. If you want to save for your child's marriage in the long term, it is best to go the e-gold way. In its functionality it resembles a gold ETF and can be bought and sold like shares. This is the best way to invest in gold in small quantities and be completely hassle free and tension free as you do not have to bother about picking up the insurance or storage cost.

When your target is achieved, you can take delivery from the exchange and use it according to your requirements. If you have bought e-gold units for investment purposes only, you can sell them off whenever you wish in lieu of cash.

Hedging Through Gold Futures

This is not so much an investment but a hedging tactic that is used by those who are used to trading in gold. What these futures essentially do is they protect you against a future price hike. For instance, if the price of one unit of gold is Rs 31,000/10 gm now and a future with a tenure of three months is available at a price of Rs 31,500/10 gm, you can lock yourself at this price and protect yourself against price fluctuations in the short term. However, this may be an oversimplified explanation and truth be told you need to be savvy with a little bit of technical knowledge to understand how futures operates.

The bottomline however is that investing in gold is a viable option at the current state that we are in. But instead of rushing to the jewellery store think wisely and choose the option that you think is best suited to your investment goals.

Source: Nirmal Bang's Beyond Market

How to Invest in Gold Jewelry


For the serious and single minded investor, it is highly usual for gold items to be on the top of the lists. Before an investor venture into the gold jewelry investment opportunity, he is encouraged to obtain knowledge via significant research. Reliable contacts and dealers in the jewelry business must be identified. When one has finalized gold prices or the jewelry supply advantage over the competition, perhaps this is the purchasing opportunity within the market. This is one of the most exciting concepts of investing in gold bullion. The jewelry store is a significant money maker. However, others may choose to purchase wholesale jewelry via online investing which in return is a profitable way to make money online. So, the field is very diverse and offers many career or investment options.
Gold jewelry has existed for thousands of years. Gold never dates or fades and it is still in fashion. As a technique, there is a choice of investment paths that an interested investor may pursue; antique or modern. Antique jewelry with or without gemstones follows the pattern of other antique items in that age does not constitute quality. Twenty- seven hundred tones of gold are used annually in manufacturing jewelry. Furthermore, gold has the tendency to wear away over time, decreasing in volume and weight due to its continued use. It is conceived that one half of all the gold sold in the United States is identified with false karat weight, so be sure to limit your investments to established, reliable and registered merchants. In this business, trust is monumental. Trust and integrity should be a priority when buying or selling during any deal throughout the market place. It is simple for jewelry retailers to take advantage of unsuspecting investors trying to make money. Many gold rush opportunities are not successful because victims are not fully aware of the pitfalls of the market. Investing in precious metal jewelry is to enter a highly specialized market with many hazards for the nonseasoned and ill equipped investor. Subsequently, there is no substitute for intensive research into all aspects of gold investment. Consider all aspects of the jewelry application as well as the merchant.
As you may notice, gold prices are elevating. This should not bring discomfort to the jewelry markets. But it is important that you market your business enthusiastically. It is very important to convince prospective investors that gold is the best investment and profitable. And interestingly enough, you must also share when it is the recommended time to invest.
Gold is a long term, low risk yet profitable investment. Gold is a must in every serious investor's portfolio. But what if you don't have knowledge, experience, skill or time to invest in gold by yourself? Then you should leave it to the expert like us. By leaving it to us, we ensure you'll make profit of 2% monthly, 112% after six months or 124% per annum.

Investment Methods in Gold


With the rising prices of gold in the bullion market, investors can embark on investment of gold either directly through ownership or through shares, spread betting, accounts and certificates.
Apart from storing gold at the safe deposit box in home or at a bank, investors can also place gold in unallocated or allocated storage with a dealer or a bank. In the event of the latter becoming bankrupt, the client can claim the gold to become a general creditor, whereas the gold held in the allocated storage has to be returned to the client in full.
Purchase of bullion gold bars is the most conventional method of investing in gold. In some nations such as Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria and Argentina, dealers can easily sell or purchase them over the counters of major banks. Instead, there are bullion dealers providing the same form of service. There are various sizes of gold bars available in the bullion market. Typically, in Europe, these are either available in 12.5 kg bars or 1 kg bars. However, other weight units also exist such as 1oz bar, 10 oz bar and the Tael.
More about gold investments:
The popular way of holding gold is by purchasing gold coins as an investment. Usually, the prices of bullion coins depend on the weight, with no or little premium above the price of gold. The most popular bullion gold coins include the Australian Gold Nugget, the American Gold Buffalo, the American Gold Eagle, the Canadian Gold Maple Leaf and the South African Kruggerrand.
Miscellaneous Methods of Investments in Gold:
Gold Certificates: Investment in gold does not mean storing the actual gold bullion. Rather, the gold investors can hold certificate of ownership. The Gold certificate permits the investors to sell and buy the security without any hassles involved in the transfer of the actual physical gold. The only government guaranteed gold certificate program that exists in the world is the Perth Mint Certificate Program. It offers the investors the ability to store platinum, silver and gold in an unallocated account without any storage cost.
Gold Accounts: Majority of Swiss banks provide gold accounts, wherein investors can easily sell or purchase gold just as a foreign currency.
Exchange-traded Funds: Investors can trade GETFs or Gold exchange-traded funds as shares on the major World Stock Exchanges including Sydney, New York and London.
ETFs in gold denote simple method of gaining an exposure to the price of gold sans the inconvenience of placing physical bars. Typically, for trading in gold ETFs, authorities charge a small commission along with a small yearly storage fee. By selling a small amount of gold, the annual expenses such as management, insurance and storage fees are balanced.

Powerful Tips on Investing Your Money Profitably


Powerful Tips on Investing Your Money Profitably- Fastest Way To Earn Income From Home.
As compared to depositing your money in a savings account, it is a good idea investing the same in a lucrative investment option. Rising inflation and tough economic conditions make it imperative for investors to look for the most profitable investment.
Before you invest your hard-earned money, remember that there is nothing called risk-free investment. You are not ready to become an investor until you accept the fact that all investments come with their own inherent risks and potential to lose money.
As you take important financial decisions, here are a few aspects to keep in mind -
Determine your financial goals before you choose your investment option. Are you investing to ensure substantial income after your retirement or just multiply your money? Do you want to invest all your money in a single investment option or break up your money into multiple investments to generate different streams of income? If you have a clear idea about your ultimate goal, it will be easier for you to choose the right option.
Set a definite time frame for your investment to achieve your goals faster. This will help you identify realistic goals and also give you an idea of the rates of return. Factors you must consider as you work out the time frame include your age and health. For short term investment goals, it is better to stick to cash savings. For medium and long-term goals, it is important to choose the right investment option with care as with no earning capacity after retirement you may not be able to recover losses, if any.
It is also important to understand the extent of risk you are willing to take as this will impact the duration of time you opt for your investment. If you are willing to take significant amount of risk, you can try investing options that help your money grow in a short time. You may however have to realign your financial goals if you find there are too many potential downsides.
Last but not the least; you must be clear about the amount of money you want to invest. It is a good idea investing only what you can afford to. Take into account all your liabilities such as living costs, pension contributions, insurance premiums and other debts before allocating funds for investment.

How to Invest For Profit


People are often looking for new ways to create additional money to help them pay their bills and general expenses which are seemingly going up at a faster rate than wages, or to get rid of or at least reduce the day-to-day stress involved with the traditional work place.
Perhaps you are looking to make life a bit easier for you and your family by earning extra money each month. Or perhaps it is your intention to possibly replace your job income to enable you to become time free. Whatever your incentive is you have to establish what you expect to gain from your endeavour.
This would be the starting point in formulating a detailed plan which will allow you to achieve the level of income that you need. For example if your goal is to earn $3,000 a month then your plan for achieving this would have to be significantly different if your goal was to earn a few hundred dollars a month.
There are many ways to achieve your goals. One possible way is to develop your very own investment portfolio. It is possible that in a relatively short period of time (it will not come overnight however) you could you reach your goals whatever they are, without necessarily having to spend thousands in the process.
Leave nothing to chance and with some helpful information you can succeed. However a cautionary note like everything else in life there can be no guarantees that you will be successful.
Making investments can be very daunting if you are new to the game and have limited or no experience. Initially it can seem that your investments are increasing nicely and then the opposite happens, with you facing a potential loss.
No one wants to see their investments heading the wrong way but there are things that you can do to minimise this risk. Whatever the market there are ways to boost profits and limit losses and there is help available for you to help you achieve success.
It does not matter where your interest lies it could be in stocks, commodities, FOREX, options, or even real estate there is further information available to help you whatever market type you are interested in.
Having the most suitable knowledge available can be the difference between success and failure, knowledge which is appropriate and applicable to each the type of market featured.
consequently the knowledge is available which will help and educate you in this respect.
The right knowledge can mean the difference between success and failure. The Investing for Profit Mall site is there to provide you with the knowledge suitable and applicable to each type of market featured.