Monday, October 27, 2008

websites on sale

Hello everyone! 

I found a website for sale, the earning specifics are below. A large portion of the revenues are from adsense. I'm trying to decide what to offer this person as a reasonable bid. 

ECommerce website 
1100 unique visitors per day 
$4500 per month via adsense 
$3000 per month in sales & leads 

The site is ranked 8th in MSN for a highly competitive shopping term. Yahoo also shows a very strong rating. The only negative factor seems to be that the site has either been hand banned from Google Search, or has been filtered out. Does anyone know what a site like this would be worth?

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Four Simple Steps to Online Stock Market Investing

Online stock market trading is an interesting concept — you can use an electronic broker to make trades, and track them from anywhere you can access a computer.  However, online stockmarket investing is not the holy grail.  There are some pitfalls for those who are not market savvy.  In this article, I’ll give you four steps to making the most out of online investing.

First, you must understand the basics of how the stock market works.  Many people who use brokers, use full service brokers because in addition to being able to make trades, they also get expert advice.  Their broker will give them suggestions on how to better manage their money, and also offer additional tips on how to employ things like stop losses, to protect your investment.

If you’re unsure about how the stock market works, I would recommend you educate yourself first, or use a brokerage firm before you start investing on your own online. 

Second, familiarize yourself with the process.  Online stock market investing involves not only the ability to pick good stocks, but the ability to use software and interfacing.  Make sure you are aware of the technology involved with the online service you use.  Most people like to go online because it saves them in commission fees, compared to a face-to-face broker.  However, make sure it’s not costing you time and stress as you try to figure out how to place an order.

Third, use a well-known online brokerage firm.  Otherwise, your information may be at risk.  Not only could your portfolio be hacked, and orders made without your approval by someone else, but you could suffer from identity theft as well.

Fourth, don’t get seduced by online stock market investing.  Some people who use online investing often begin checking it every five minutes, seven days a week.  The fact that their portfolio is at their fingertips is too hard for them to resist.  Often times if you try to micromanage your investments, and you’re not a professional trader, you will end up costing yourself money.  Oh, and you’ll have no life either.

Keep these four tips in mind when doing online stock market investing.  If done right, online investing offers a great way for you to save money on commissions, be able to have more freedom with your trades and buy and sell shares of stock in the comfort of your own home.

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Investing to WIN in stocks

When Warren Buffet, perhaps the greatest investor in the world, speaks on investing the world listens. Some days ago Buffet wrote a column in the New York Times, stating that he was putting his money in US stocks and explaining his reasons.

Though his article was about the US markets, much of his reasoning applies to Indian stocks as well; particularly since Indian markets are now so closely tied to their international counterparts. Buffet summarised his philosophy with the following phrase: 'Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful'.

What this means is that the right time to enter the markets is precisely when panic has driven down prices below theirfundamentals and when many blue-chip stocks are available for cheap. Conversely the time to be fearful was when the markets were rising from one high to another and valuations were moving far beyond what was reasonable.

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What about the argument that investors are better off trying to time their investment and wait before moving into stocks? Buffet makes the simple point that no one knows when markets will turn. Furthermore, historically, markets have often recovered from downturns before the wider economy and general investor sentiment. Therefore investors who wait till all the risk is gone are likely to lose out on much of the return as well.

All this doesn't mean that investors can indiscriminately jump into markets today when valuations are low. Some companies, with unsound business models and too much leverage (borrowing far more than their repayment capacities) genuinely deserve lower stock prices. The point is that even much better companies with good managements and bright earnings (profits) prospects are being pounded because of the current widespread panic. Such stocks are being driven far below their fundamental value and are therefore likely to be good bargains.

To understand how it's possible to distinguish sound from unsound companies it helps to look at the ideas of one of Buffet's mentors, the famed investment writer, Benjamin Graham who developed many of the principles of value investing and fundamental analysis.

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The basic idea of value investment is that intelligent investors can figure out the intrinsic value of a company through careful analysis and then buy stocks which are trading below their intrinsic value. The analysis can take several forms: for example looking at the industry in which the company operates and its long term prospects as well as the management to see if it is pursuing an effective strategy for long-run profitability.

Value investing often looks at various financial ratios to decide whether a company is a good buy. One such measure is theprice/ earnings multiple which gives investors an idea of how a stock is priced relative to the company's annual profits. A company with sound financials and a low P/E indicates a good buy. Unfortunately this combination is quite rare during normal times when good companies typically trade at relatively high multiples of above 15 or even 20.

This is where the crisis and the panic sentiment comes in driving the prices of many good companies far below where they would normally trade meaning lower P/E multiples. This is why market panics provide smart investors a great opportunity to pick up good bargains.

Of course a multi-billionaire like Warren Buffet can afford to take risks that the average investors like you and I can't. Also the average investor may well have short-term liquidity (cash) needs for which s/he needs to keep funds at hand.

Therefore what you need to do is establish a time-horizon of your liquidity requirements. For any short-term requirements, say within a year or two, you should invest your money in safe assets like fixed deposits. However when it comes to the money you wish to devote for long-term investment needs, stocks should probably remain an important part of your portfolio.

It's important to note that no one, including Warren Buffet, knows when the market downturn will end. It may be in two months or two years. Therefore it's possible that you may continue to lose money for some time even if you invest in good companies trading at relatively low prices. However, provided you are patient and hold onto those stocks, the chances are high that eventually you will see excellent returns.

This is what investing your money to win is all about.

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Biggest falls in Indian stock market history

October 24, 2008
The rise and fall of the Sensex has been dizzying. The markets are back to the point it scaled three years ago. . . The BSE Sensex on Friday crashed by 1,071 points to close at 8,701 points. This has been an incredible year for the markets, after scaling the 21,000 peak in January 2008, the markets are at 8,000 now.

On Friday, the Reserve Bank of India [Get Quote] gave the markets its biggest blow as it left key interest rates unchanged and lowered the GDP target to 7.5-8% for 2008-09.

Markets across the globe crashed on Friday. Japan's Nikkei shed 9.6% (812 points) to 7,649. Hang Seng plunged 6% (822 points) to 12,939. The Seoul Composite index tumbled 10.5% (111 points) to 939.

The worst hit stocks were DLF, Ranbaxy Laboratories [Get Quote] Hindalco Industries [Get Quote], Tata Motors [Get Quote], Reliance Industries [Get Quote] and Mahindra & Mahindra.

On Thursday, stock markets plunged following sustained capital outflows, shaky global markets, poor company results, and the International Monetary Fund's warning that economic growth in advanced nations will be close to zero. The BSE Sensex fell by 398.20 points, or 3.92%, to fall to 9,771.70.

We take you through the BIGGEST falls in the Indian stock market history.

October 24, 2008: The Sensex plunged by 1070.63 points (10.96 per cent) to close at 8,701.07. The National Stock Exchange's Nifty ended at 2,557.25, down 13.11 per cent or 386 points. The BSE Midcap closed 8.38 per cent lower and BSE Smallcap Index ended 7.66 per cent down.

March 17, 2008: The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex crashed by 951 points to close at 14,809 on weak cues from the overseas markets. Unabated selling saw the index slip below the 15,000-mark.

March 3, 2008: The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex witnessed its second-largest fall ever losing 900.84 points to close at 16,677.88 on frantic selling by funds, triggered by deepening concern over United States recession and some Budget-related concerns.

January 21, 2008: The Sensex saw its highest ever loss of 1,408 points at the end of the session on Monday. The Sensex recovered to close at 17,605.40 after it tumbled to the day's low of 16,963.96, on high volatility as investors panicked following weak global cues amid fears of the US recession.

January 22, 2008: The Sensex saw its biggest intra-day fall on Tuesday when it hit a low of 15,332, down 2,273 points. However, it recovered losses and closed at a loss of 875 points at 16,730. The Nifty closed at 4,899 at a loss of 310 points. Trading was suspended for one hour at the Bombay Stock Exchange after the benchmark Sensex crashed to a low of 15,576.30 within minutes of opening, crossing the circuit limit of 10 per cent.

February 11, 2008: The Sensex finally ended with a loss of 834 points (4.8% ) at 16,631. The NSE Nifty slipped over 5% (263 points) to 4,857.

May 18, 2006: The Sensex registered a fall of 826 points (6.76 per cent) to close at 11,391, following heavy selling by FIIs, retail investors and a weakness in global markets. The Nifty crashed by 496.50 points (8.70%) points to close at 5,208.80 points.

December 17, 2007: A heavy bout of selling in the late noon deals saw the index plunge to a low of 19,177 - down 856 points from the day's open. The Sensex finally ended with a huge loss of 769 points (3.8%) at 19,261. The NSE Nifty ended at 5,777, down 271 points.

10 October 2008: The markets crashed by 801 points to close at a low of 10,528. The crisis in the global markets, a fall in the rupee and poor IIP numbers led to the fall.

October 18, 2007: Profit-taking in noon trades saw the index pare gains and slip into negative zone. The intensity of selling increased towards the closing bell, and the index tumbled all the way to a low of 17,771 - down 1,428 points from the day's high. The Sensex finally ended with a hefty loss of 717 points (3.8%) at 17,998. The Nifty lost 208 points to close at 5,351.

January 18, 2008: Unabated selling in the last one hour of trade saw the index tumble to a low of 18,930 - down 786 points from the day's high. The Sensex finally ended with a hefty loss of 687 points (3.5%) at 19,014. The index thus shed 8.7% (1,813 points) during the week. The NSE Nifty plunged 3.5% (208 points) to 5,705.

November 21, 2007: Mirroring weakness in other Asian markets, the Sensex saw relentless selling. The index tumbled to a low of 18,515 - down 766 points from the previous close. The Sensex finally ended with a loss of 678 points at 18,603. The Nifty lost 220 points to close at 5,561.

August 16, 2007: The Sensex, after languishing over 500 points lower for most of the trading sesion, slipped again towards the close to a low of 14,345. The index finally ended with a hefty loss of 643 points at 14,358.

April 2, 2007: The Sensex opened with a huge negative gap of 260 points at 12,812 following the Reserve Bank of India decision to hike the cash reserve ratio and repo rate. Unabated selling, mainly in auto and banking stocks, saw the index drift to lower levels as the day progressed. The index tumbled to a low of 12,426 before finally settling with a hefty loss of 617 points (4.7%) at 12,455.

August 1, 2007: The Sensex opened with a negative gap of 207 points at 15,344 amid weak trends in the global market and slipped deeper into the red. Unabated selling across-the-board saw the index tumble to a low of 14,911. The Sensex finally ended with a hefty loss of 615 points at 14,936. The NSE Nifty ended at 4,346, down 183 points. This is the third biggest loss in absolute terms for the index.

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Buy a flat and get another flat, BMW, Merc free

free cars and even free apartments to tide over the current slump which has seen sales halve from the beginning of the year.

Mumbai-based Cosmos Group has launched the 'Ghar pe ek Ghar free' (one house free on every house) offer at its four upcoming housing projects in Thane near Mumbai and Lonawala near Pune.

The buyer will get a 1-BHK flat free with a purchase of a bungalow or a big flat, while with a 2-BHK flat, a bedroom and a kitchen come free.

Another property developer, Sunil Mantri Realty, has launched an 'assured buy-back offer' at its housing projects at Mumbai, Gwalior, Solapur and Bangalore. If the property price goes below the purchase value, the company will buy it back at the same price on the condition the buyer holds it for three years.

Delhi-based Jaypee Group is offering BMW-3 Series, Mercedes Benz or Toyota Camry luxury cars free, depending on the size and value of its flats at Noida and Greater Noida. And Ghaziabad-based SVP Group is giving 50 gram gold coins for apartments at Ghaziabad priced between Rs 45 lakh (Rs 4.5 million) and Rs 2 crore (Rs 20 million).

Desperate situations, desperate measures. These mind-boggling offers, mind you, have been thrown in during the Diwali and Navratra season, when many buyers think the time is auspicious to invest in real estate properties. But the meltdown in the sector has forced real estate developers to think out of the box.

"We have to look at innovative methods to improve sales when liquidity is tight and banks are not lending to developers," said Sunil Mantri, the promoter of Sunil Mantri Realty. Mantri has already waived off stamp duty and registration charges for its Goregaon project and has given a discount of 6 per cent for its Bangalore project.

Still, companies and brokers said there are very few enquiries from buyers. "You cannot compare this Diwali with any other Diwali in the last 10 years. Sentiment is totally negative," said a top DLF executive who did not wish to be named.

Sector analysts said a lot of developers need cash desperately and therefore have no option but to sell their existing stock in a hurry. Raminder Grover, the managing director of Homebay Residential, a subsidiary of property consultancy Jones Lang LaSalle Meghraj, said: "Developers have a lot of stock which they need to clear and make money. Diwali is the best time to do that. Unfortunately, nothing much is happening."

Ironically, these unheard of offers have been launched when advertising budgets of developers are getting pruned. According to a senior executive of a realty publication, realtors have cut their ad spends by 7-8 per cent in recent times.

"Our ad volume from the sector has gone down drastically in the past few months," says the executive who preferred anonymity. Another media buyer said, "Despite advertising various offers, developers aren't getting the right response from the consumer. The consumer response has gone down by almost 90 per cent."

With inputs from Neeraj Thakur

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