Crude Oil Suppliers

Turkey's main supplier of crude oil is Saudi Arabia, accounting for about 105,000 b/d during the first four months of 2000 and 110,000 b/d in 1999. The second is Iran, supplying about 95,000 b/d during the first four months of 2000 and 90,000 b/d in 1999. The third is Iraq, which used to be Turkey's biggest oil source before the UN sanctions were imposed on Baghdad in early August 1990 when Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait. Purchases of Iraqi crude by privitising Turkish Petroleum Refineries Corp. (Tupras) averaged 80,000 b/d in the first four months of 2000 and less than 65,000 ...

pakistan economy

Pakistan’s economy is still very dependent on agriculture. The sector contributes 25% to GNP but employs nearly 50% of the labour force. Industry contributes approximately 18% to GNP and services about 50%, of which wholesale and retail trade account for 15%, and transport and communication for 10%. As a result of the importance of the agricultural sector, climatic conditions and water resources have a significant impact on the yearly economic performance.

Pakistan presents numerous and significant opportunities for investments aiming both at using Pakistan as an export base and at tapping an emerging market with a rapidly growing middle class.

The legal situation, arbitration schemes and protection of rights issues are being improved. Labour is usually very cooperative while skills depend a lot on sectors concerned. The banking system is efficient and liquidity is not presently a problem. There are practically no foreign exchange controls on capital and dividend repatriation.

The largest export sector of Pakistan is the textile and apparel sector with nearly 70% of the total exports; the balance is made up of cereals (mainly rice), miscellaneous manufactured goods (mainly toys and sports goods), chemicals, food and fish products and scientific instruments.

The European Union is the single largest trading partner of Pakistan and during fiscal year 2003, the share of Pakistani exports to the EU markets was in excess of 30% of Pakistan’s total exports. (Source: European Commission – Asia Invest Programme)

UK exports to Pakistan were worth £464m in 2005 and £489m in 2006. Britain and Pakistan have always enjoyed good trade relations.

The UK is the fourth largest OECD exporting country to Pakistan, with an 9.2 percent share of the market. It is listed as the third largest investor in the country

Kuwait Traders Expo broker

It is all about traders. Whether you are new, active or professional trader, Kuwait Traders Expo will offer you more choices and opportunities than ever to profit from the market. You will learn powerful strategies for trading stocks, equities, options, futures, foreign exchange, and more…

Kuwait Traders Expo is the educational platform for traders and investors who want to sharpen their trading knowledge, techniques and strategies. The expo program is very rich: workshops, company presentations, seminars. Visitors will have a great possibility to meet with those who were familiar only through the Internet and get a first-hand look at the products and services that will revolutionize their trading for years to come!

Be a part of this huge event in Kuwait and get a unique opportunity to:

• To educate and get a unique knowledge.
• Obtain an overview of the market.
• Identify new products and application possibilities.
• Exchange experiences and information.
• Find out about the function and properties of certain products.
• Make new business contacts.

This is a really great time to come to Kuwait. Due to the recent growth of financial activity, the number of private investors and traders is increasing tenfold every year, which makes Kuwait one of the world's wealthiest, most dynamic markets.

The exhibit portion of the event complements the conference programming showcasing solutions that demonstrate how to succeed in the fast growing trading marketplace. The expo includes live demonstrations of the latest analytical and execution software and trading tools. It’s a great chance to meet with business experts face-to-face, learn the latest trends from industry leaders and get the insight you need to acquire business, expand relationships and enhance profitability.

Kuwait Traders Expo is a focused market conference and exhibition that addresses how this market is enhancing profitability and providing integrated solutions in today's financial economy.

online currency tradings will be high

This is becoming very popular among investors who want to make a safe investment with significant upside.
Currency markets continue to grow and many experts will tell you that engaging in currency trading can be very lucrative.

Just like a stock, the goal is to buy low to sell high. Forex trading is only different from stocks in that you are trading currencies instead of company stocks. Just like stocks, the price of a currency rises and drops. This is easy to understand. Buying a currency low and dealing it at a higher price will result in profit.
Even though this is a simple concept, you must educate yourself on the basic principals of online currency trading. With all the currency options out there it would be pretty challenging to keep track of all of them. You should research and concentrate on just a few in the beginning.

Thankfully, there is online currency trading software which will significantly help you out in efficiently mastering forex trading. This advanced software will give you insider tips and you can initialize the software to choose the most profitable trades.

And don't worry about these programs being hard to make use of - they are incredibly user friendly. You can even sign up for a free account through a top web site like Forex dot com and practice Forex trading for free with their demo mode.

Online currency trading can be a little intimidating for the first time investor. Utilizing an online currency program such as forex.com will help you tremendously as a first time trader. These new software programs for online currency trading have settings where you can make conservative trades and then increase your risk as you learn more.

As your knowledge of the markets growth, you will likely end up making trades coming from your own instutions and also based on the trades the software gives you. Why hire a broker when you can utilize the same powerful tools they use on a daily basis for free. Brokers use this same type of software and basically recommends what the system tells them.
Why pay them a commission when you can learn online currency trading yourself and reap 100% of the profits.

Global Oil & Gas

Introduction
Datamonitor’s ‘Global Oil & Gas’ industry profile provides readers with essential top-level data and analysis covering the Oil & Gas industry. The profile includes market value and volume information, basic industry segmentation figures and market share information for leading companies. Review which factors are affecting the industry from a number of different perspectives with this report’s five forces analysis.



Scope

Provides industry performance information.
Profiles some of the leading players in the industry.
Incorporates five forces analysis and scorecards.



Reasons to Purchase

Spot future trends and developments within the industry using Datamonitor’s expert analysis.
Save time and money carrying out entry level research and analysis.
Inform your business decisions with Datamonitor’s independent market analysis.



Typical Table of Contents

Market Overview

• - Market Definition
• - Research Highlights
• - Market Analysis
• Market Value
• Markey Volume
• Market Segmentation l
• Market Segmentation ll
• Leading Companies
• Market Forecasts
• Appendix
• Five Forces Analysis

1. - Buyer Power
2. - Supplier Power
3. - New Entrants
4. - Substitutes
5. - Rivalry

Investing In Gold

Gold As An Investment
How to Invest Successfully in Gold
What you've always wanted to know about gold

Gold is a precious metal found underground around the world. Gold is considered by many as a store of value and a safe haven for wealth in economic crisis. One of gold's important properties is psychological, because it is so closely associated with money. This gives it an immeasurable advantage over other tangible stores of wealth. Most people readily associate gold's distinctive color with wealth, and consider the color of gold beautiful. King Midas of mythology, who could turn everything he touched into gold, had the first fatal case of “gold fever,” the frantic need to seek and hoard gold.

Gold was among the first metals to be mined because it commonly occurs in its native form, not combined with other elements, and because it is beautiful and imperishable, and because exquisite objects can b

e made from it.

Gold is Scarce

Gold is extremely rare. Underground gold veins or 'lodes' are produced in association with various minerals. As the other minerals are leached away over a long period, the gold becomes concentrated. Because the process of extracting gold from ore is costly, and requires the manipulation of large quantities of ore for a small yield of gold, the gold ore discovery must be concentrated in the ground about 1,000 times more than usual before it can be mined profitably. Ore of sufficient yield is very rare. Half of all the un-mined gold is in South Africa.

Above ground, gold is rare, too. All the gold that has ever been mined would hardly fill a cube with the length, width and height of a tennis court. The total gold production of all time totals about 140,000 tons.

22K Gold Jewelry

Meticulous in detail. Faultless in presentation. Matchless in quality.

Hand-crafted by the most talented jewelry makers in the world, these stunning necklace sets create a lasting impression.

Using only the highest quality 22 karat gold, our designers create alluring adornments that enhance the beauty of the wearer.
Necklace sets typically include a necklace, which is complimented by earrings utilizing a similar design and materials. Some sets include bracelets or bangles,

Gold

Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (Latin: aurum) and an atomic number of 79. It has been a highly sought-after precious metal in jewelry, in sculpture, and for ornamentation since the beginning of recorded history. The metal occurs as nuggets or grains in rocks, in veins and in alluvial deposits. Gold is dense, soft, shiny and the most malleable and ductile pure metal known. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. It is one of the coinage metals and formed the basis for the gold standard used before the collapse of the Bretton Woods system in 1971.

At the end of 2006, it was estimated that all the gold ever mined totaled 158,000 tonnes.This can be represented by a cube with an edge length of just 20.2 meters. Modern industrial uses include dentistry and electronics, where gold has traditionally found use because of its good resistance to oxidative corrosion and excellent quality as a conductor of electricity. Chemically, gold is a transition metal and can form trivalent and univalent cations upon solvation. At STP it is attacked by aqua regia (a mixture of acids), forming chloroauric acid and by alkaline solutions of cyanide but not by single acids such as hydrochloric, nitric or sulfuric acids. Gold dissolves in mercury, forming amalgam alloys, but does not react with it. Since gold is insoluble in nitric acid which will dissolve silver and base metals, this is exploited as the basis of the gold refining technique known as "inquartation and parting". Nitric acid has long been used to confirm the presence of gold in items, and this is the origin of the colloquial term "acid test", referring to a gold standard test for genuine value.

Diamond Snowflake Necklace in 14k White Gold

Diamond Snowflake Necklace in 14k White GoldThis years hottest item! This Diamond snowflake necklace in 14k white gold will bring you a blizzard of compliments. (N5113) 16" Excellent Value $499.95!
.53 ctw of Diamonds
Snowflake measures about 1 1/4" long by 1" at the widest
Available in yellow gold, please specify
Matching earrings available, please see below

Investing In Diamond

Jewels and gems last a long time, so most people will say this is an "investments" and "will keep their value for life". But investing in diamonds is a business you need to be qualified for. CDT or Candiamondtraders is a reputable company that offers all kind of diamonds and most of all, a unique business opportunity starting at only $120.

Historically, diamonds appreciate at about the rate money inflates and even more some years. Diamonds are luxury items not everyone can afford. It can last forever though. It has a fashion value as well as a intrinsic value.

1. If you cannot really trust banks. Cashing in gold and diamonds helped many Chinese escape from Indonesia back in 1997.
2. Some people consider their diamonds or gold as security.
3. Diamonds are emotional or family investments.
4. Starting at only $100 and $500, Candiamondtraders offers a unique chance to buy diamonds at a low cost.
5. Less people are diamond investors. Jewelry requires a lot of specialized expertise.

OK, you are not buying diamonds to sell for a profit. But you want to buy something that will gain in intrinsic value with a low initial investment. What is the best place to invest your money in?

1. Consider buying something that can be worn most of the time or simply left a safe place. All you need to do is to insure it.
2. A single diamond does not go up in value really fast.
3. Medium quality diamonds are easier to sell(with no visible imperfections or obvious discoloration).
4. Fancy colored diamonds may become rare. CDT offers colored diamonds at the same price. These are no natural colored diamonds but there unique formula makes them yellow, blue or brown just like the real ones. The scientific process is called HTHP (High Temperature High Pressure) and it is not exclusive to CDT. CDT chose to use this method as its the best and most permanent one.Those diamonds are neither depreciated or more valuable.

Fuel Saving Tips

Top 10 Fuel Saving Tips

1. Slow down
One of the best ways to save gas is to simply reduce your speed. As speed increases, fuel economy decreases exponentially. If you one of the "ten-over on the freeway" set, try driving the speed limit for a few days. You'll save a lot of fuel and your journey won't take much longer. (Just be sure you keep to the right, so you won't impede the less-enlightened.)

2. Check your tire pressure
Under-inflated tires are one of the most commonly ignored causes of crummy MPG. Tires lose air due to time (about 1 psi per month) and temperature (1 psi for every 10 degree drop); under-inflated tires have more rolling resistance, which means you need to burn more gas to keep your car moving. Buy a reliable tire gauge and check your tires at least once a month. Be sure to check them when they are cold, since driving the car warms up the tires along with the air inside them, which increases pressure and gives a falsely high reading. Use the inflation pressures shown in the owner's manual or on the data plate in the driver's door jamb.


3. Check your air filter
A dirty air filter restricts the flow of air into the engine, which harms performance and economy. Air filters are easy to check and change; remove the filter and hold it up to the sun. If you can't see light coming through it, you need a new one. Consider a K&N or similar "permanent" filter which is cleaned rather than changed; they are much less restrictive than throw-away paper filters, plus they're better for the environment.


4. Accelerate with care
Jack-rabbit starts are an obvious fuel-waster -- but that doesn't mean you should crawl away from every light. If you drive an automatic, accelerate moderately so the transmission can shift up into the higher gears. Stick-shifters should shift early to keep the revs down, but don't lug the engine -- downshift if you need to accelerate. Keep an eye well down the road for potential slowdowns. If you accelerate to speed then have to brake right away, that's wasted fuel.


5. Hang with the trucks
Ever notice how, in bad traffic jams, cars seem to constantly speed up and slow down, while trucks tend to roll along at the same leisurely pace? A constant speed keeps shifting to a minimum -- important to those who have to wrangle with those ten-speed truck transmissions -- but it also aids economy, as it takes much more fuel to get a vehicle moving than it does to keep it moving. Rolling with the big rigs saves fuel (and aggravation).


6. Get back to nature
Consider shutting off the air conditioner, opening the windows and enjoying the breeze. It may be a tad warmer, but at lower speeds you'll save fuel. That said, at higher speeds the A/C may be more efficient than the wind resistance from open windows and sunroof. If I'm going someplace where arriving sweaty and smelly could be a problem, I bring an extra shirt and leave early so I'll have time for a quick change.


7. Back off the bling
New wheels and tires may look cool, and they can certainly improve handling. But if they are wider than the stock tires, chances are they'll create more rolling resistance and decrease fuel economy. If you upgrade your wheels and tires, keep the old ones. I have fancy sport rims and aggressive tires on my own car, but I keep the stock wheels with a good narrower-tread performance tire in the garage. For long road trips, the stock wheels give a smoother ride and better economy.


8. Clean out your car
If you're the type who takes a leisurely attitude towards car cleanliness -- and I definitely fall into that category -- periodically go through your car and see what can be tossed out or brought into the house. It doesn't take much to acquire an extra 40 or 50 lbs. of stuff, and the more weight your car has to lug around, the more fuel it burns.


9. Downsize
If you're shopping for a new car, it's time to re-evaluate how much car you really need. Smaller cars are inherently more fuel-efficient, and today's small cars are roomier than ever -- one of my favorite subcompacts, the Nissan Versa, has so much interior room that the EPA classifies it as a mid-size. Worried about crash protection? The automakers are designing their small cars to survive crashes with bigger vehicles, and safety features like side-curtain airbags and electronic stability control are becoming commonplace in smaller cars.


10. Don't drive
Not a popular thing to say on a car site, I know, but the fact is that if you can avoid driving, you'll save gas. Take the train, carpool, and consolidate your shopping trips. Walking or biking is good for your wallet and your health. And before you get in your car, always ask yourself: "Is this trip really necessary?

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INVESTING MONEY

Invest money now spend money later. Investing is essential to making money. You have to invest money to make money. Whatever your motto may be the idea to invest money is larger now more then ever and continues to grow more and more each year. The demand for knowledge on how to invest money and what investment ideas make the most sense is in such a high demand today that cable television now has channels 100% dedicated to investing. Also, if you went to a bookstore 20 years ago looking for books on how to invest money you might find a couple dozen. Now, you will find hundreds. The point is that investing is now part of our lives. If you want to own a house on Newport Beach, your name is not Tom Cruise or Kobe Bryant and you are not doing executive job search in some of the world-known companies, you need to know how to invest money wisely.

The great thing about investing in today's world is that there are many avenues available for people to invest money. The most common known areas to invest money are stocks, bonds, mutual funds, real estate, and e-commerce. Everybody plans to invest money in the stock market and for good reason because the stock market is a great way to make money. Millions of people have made millions of dollars in the stock market. However, millions of people have also lost millions of dollars in the stock market. The stock market is the poster child for high risk, high reward investing. That is why if you plan to invest money in the stock market, it is of great importance that you do your research on any company you have interest in investing in. There are no guarantees with the stock market nor are there any ways of completely knowing if the market is going to crash. That is what makes investing in the stock market a high risk. However, the stock market is the quickest way to make big money. In no other investment can you buy 20,000 shares at $1 per share and in 1 week watch the cost per share go up to $10 and new you have profited $180,000. That is your high reward for investing your money in the stock market.

The stock market may be the most common area people actually invest but real estate is the most common area people WANT to invest. People want to invest in real estate because it is a much safer investment then the stock market and still has the potential to be highly profitable. The reason that real estate is a safer way to invest money is because the real estate market does not fluctuate as often or as extreme as the stock market. Also, the real market typically does not fluctuate down. History has shown that real estate values are usually on the rise, especially in big markets such as California, New York, and Florida. Due to this, over time your investment could be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Also, most people have more knowledge about real estate then stocks making them feel more confident about their investment strategies. The reasons more people invest money in stocks rather then real estate is simple; you don't need nearly as much capital to buy stock and more importantly, there is an unlimited amount of stock and only so much real estate.

Another great aspect of investing in today's world is that you don't need large amounts of liquid capital to invest in something. Although, the more money you invest the higher your return will be, assuming the investment makes a profit. If the investment flops then you're lucky you did not have much to invest. However, it is still great to be able to invest money without having much. A great way to invest with little money is through Dividend Reinvestment Plans (DRPS), also know as Drips, and Direct Stock Purchase Plans (DSPS). These plans allow you to buy stock directly from the company without having to deal with brokers and the high commissions they may charge. Most companies that offer these plans allow the investor to invest as low as $20 each time and the investor is not required to purchase a full share each time a contribution is made. While you have to keep great tax records due to the frequent amount of purchases, these plans are a safe way to get involved in investing and make money over time. If those plans are not fitting and you have a few hundred dollars available you can invest in index funds, which usually get an 11% return each year. Either way, these programs are a great way to invest little money with little risk and still be able to see extra income, all while giving you the opportunity to become familiar with the world of investing.

Invest money now spend money later. Investing is essential to making money. You have to invest money to make money. No matter how you put it the pathway to financial freedom is led by investing. You don't have to invest all your money in one area and you don't have to invest all your money. Just invest something somewhere. The age of investing is here to stay. No more will the days of living solely on your paycheck be acceptable. Not unless your paycheck is signed by the New York Yankees.

Forex investing

It is often a good idea to think of forex trading in a similar way you would think about other types of investments. The ultimate goal is to make better than average returns on your money in the LONG TERM.


Many new traders get caught up in the advertisements enticing them into the “biggest financial market in the world” and “200 to 1 leverage” etc and lose focus of this very important viewpoint of making better than average returns in the LONG TERM.


Clearly there is no point taking the time to learn to trade forex if you are happy with average returns as these can be achieved elseware in a relatively passive setup. For example mutual funds. These allow you to invest your money with a degree of risk in hope of gaining more than the risk free interest rate offered by your bank.


Forex Investing does give the trader the opportunity to benefit from above average returns in the long term. However, it does take a lot of hard work and discipline to get there. Most traders give up because they learn it is a lot more difficult than they first anticipated or they don’t have the desire to put the required amount of time and effort into learning to trade effectively.


So far, I have made an empercis on thinking long term. This is very important because a single trading day or week should have little effect on your overall results in the long term. Your trading account will inevitably fluctuate on a daily basis, unless of course you are not trading!


The big secret of forex investing is the power of compounding.


The power of compound is what really delivers the opportunity of wealth. Warren Buffet is currently the richest man in the world. This is because his investments have made him an average of over 20% per year for decades. 20% per year is achievable with forex trading.


There are many forex information sites out there offering all kinds of strategies, it has always been my view that you are best learning to trade and saving your hard earned money on your trading rather than spending it on any forex related services.

Main Educational Ideas of Beginner Money Investing

The Main Educational Ideas of my Beginner Money Investing site helps train yourself to put money aside, commit money to earn a financial return as well as the Best Ways to Invest Money? how to invest moneyIs committing money to earn a financial return the same as playing for money? It must have crossed your mind if you had committed some money every month to acquire shares of any major company during four or five years previous to filing its bankruptcy. Having tried to take some business risks cost you an arm and a leg, but if you had given it a second thought you would have committed your money to a savings account earning a 1,3 or 2,3 annual percent during that time period. Still, during that lapse of time, the Dow Jones Industrial Average scale had raised 100% its price. Middle class property house prices had raised between 6% and 8% in that same time. Certificates gained around 6% per year. Could your possibilities to succeed be higher if you were playing at some casino or race? You may either come out naked or you may triple your cash.

Committing money in certificates, shares and/or properties is not similar to playing for money, even when shares, certificates and property prices fluctuate suddenly. Keeping money aside at home is not the same either. Contrasting ideas come from the following: Putting money aside is to keep your money worth the same when not being used. On the other hand, committing money for profit has to do with risking. Depending on where you put your cash, that is to say what kind of business, you’ll get more or less turnovers. To invest is to put money in the financial market or in real estate to increase its future value. Committing your money includes shares, bonds, real estate, options, and future contracts; savings is usually done through a bank savings account.

Speculating is putting money in a place in which opportunities to get a financial return in blue through a determined period of time are just minimum. With this investment probabilities of getting back some money over a long period of time are really high. Therefore, we can assure that investing and speculating are not the same; moreover, speculating is more related to gambling in which odds are against the individual that decides to invest. The risk of loosing in future contract investments area extremely high. For each dollar earned from commercializing future contracts you loose another one. Then, why are there who invest en speculative values? The answer is very simple. If investments work as one hopes or expects, the investors will count with a substantial turnover.

Having success in investments requires knowledge about values and stocks in which one is investing as well as the risks that those values carry. Investment opportunities are very broad and the abundant information that exists in the internet may help you get more knowledge about those investment opportunities that you feel you can carry on. The negative part that comes along with the internet is that the use of such a simple and quick that you can make investing mistakes much more easily. Without having to talk about your investing ideas to your agent o financial broker, you could end investing in low return shares and bonds, but with a higher risk of loosing it all. Advice about investments are spread freely and easily through internet. But you should take into account that no advice is free. If you had followed the advice of a research analyst having to do with which shares to buy or sell for the 2000-2002 period you would have lost most of the capital you invested. Many analysts recommended the buying of shares and stocks with very little information about those values, and only because the prices had dropped to a very low level. For example, selling shares and stocks suggestions over: Enron, WorldCom, and Global Crossing came only when they were already near to file for bankruptcy.

By understanding how to build a investing portfolio you could keep safe against any potential loss such as those shares and stocks coming from the mentioned companies and corporations.

* Put money aside, commit money to earn a financial return or take a business risk?
* Motives for committing money to earn a financial return
* Outlay of money process
* Kinds of outlays of money for profit

important tips for investing money

5 important tips for investing money

Thinking about investing your money for the future? Here are a few things to consider before opening that first account.

Opening an investing account may seem like an exciting way to build a solid financial future. But there are a few things to think about before getting started. It's not as easy as plunking down a thousand dollars on your favorite stock or mutual fund. Or at least, it shouldn't be. Here are five things to keep in mind:

1. Know your stuff. While most of us will always remain strangers to Wall Street and amateurs in the world of investments, you can take some steps to get acquainted with a few basic strategies. You don't want to throw money at an investment officer who will take advantage of your lack of knowledge to make a killing for himself while leaving you bankrupt. Sign up for a beginners' investment seminar or a community college non-credit class. You may be able to find one online. If nothing more, at least read a book or two or get some audiotapes from the library. Learn the terminology and introductory investment techniques, like rolling stocks or later, trading options. Hopefully you will be in a better position to protect your financial interests.

2. Find a reputable trader or investment company. Don't go with a fly-by-night enterprise, no matter how good their offers sound. Stick with a reputable dealer who cannot easily swindle you out of your life savings. You may want to ask someone you trust and whose investments seem to be doing well for a recommendation. You also can browse several firms online to find one that meets with your approval. Call to talk with someone on the phone or schedule an interview before making an investment commitment. Discuss low, medium, and high risks of sinking your money into various portfolio scenarios.

3. Don't put all your eggs in one basket. In other words, diversify. If you plan to invest $5,000 at first, don't put it all into one stock. If that company folds, you could lose the entire amount. Instead, talk with your investment representative about putting some of the money into a mutual fund, and another portion into bonds. That way, if one strategy doesn't work, the other might keep your investment afloat.

4. Make regular contributions. Even if you can afford just $25 a month, continue adding to your investment portfolio. Over time that money will add up and before you know it, you may have thousands of dollars in your investment account. If you have trouble getting the contribution to your investment company, arrange for a direct deduction or deposit. That way you'll never see or miss that money.

5. Invest only what you can afford to lose. Don't sell your house, car, and the kids' college education to put it all on a hot tip. Contribute an amount similar to what you might spend for a recreational pursuit, such as a club membership or a monthly hobby expense like golf. That way, if the worst possible scenario unfolds, you won't lose more than you can afford and the family's well being will not be threatened. You can rest easy knowing that disaster is not lurking around the corner.

These suggestions are just the tip of the iceberg. Find out more from a reliable source before putting your hard earned money into an investment account. If and when you do take the plunge, keep an eye on your assets to be sure they are working for you, not vice versa.

Oil eases in Asian trade

SINGAPORE Oil eased in Asian trade Wednesday after recent gains fuelled largely by an upsurge in global stock markets, analysts said.

New York’’s main contract, light sweet crude for September delivery, fell 49 cents to 65.12 dollars a barrel. Brent North Sea crude for September delivery was 46 cents weaker at 66.41 dollars.

The US Department of Energy (DoE) was to release its weekly oil reserves report later Wednesday with investors having already priced in a likely drop in crude stocks, analysts said.

A drop in US crude stocks is seen as an indication of demand picking up in the world’’s biggest energy user.

Beyond the DoE report, investors were closely watching US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke’’s ongoing semi-annual economic report to Congress for clues on the state of the US economy.

Bernanke told lawmakers Tuesday there were “notable improvements” in financial markets and a somewhat brighter economic outlook but considerable risks led by high unemployment.

“In light of the substantial economic slack and limited inflation pressures, monetary policy remains focused on fostering economic recovery,” Bernanke told the House of Representatives Financial Services Committee.

Analysts said Bernanke’’s comments to Congress suggested the economy was on the mend but it was still not yet strong enough for an end to the unprecedented stimulus spending package.

His comments also suggested the Federal Reserve would maintain its aggressive stand for some time, analysts said.

“The present focus of policy remains on stimulating economic activity,” said economist Nigel Gault at IHS Global Insight.

Ryan Sweet at Moody’’s Economy.com said Bernanke’’s comments indicate “that both the economy and financial system are too weak for the central bank to begin tightening monetary policy.”

“His downbeat assessment of the labor market is noteworthy, as it could determine when the central bank begins tightening monetary policy,” Sweet added.

Oil eases in Asian trade

SINGAPORE Oil eased in Asian trade Wednesday after recent gains fuelled largely by an upsurge in global stock markets, analysts said.

New York’’s main contract, light sweet crude for September delivery, fell 49 cents to 65.12 dollars a barrel. Brent North Sea crude for September delivery was 46 cents weaker at 66.41 dollars.

The US Department of Energy (DoE) was to release its weekly oil reserves report later Wednesday with investors having already priced in a likely drop in crude stocks, analysts said.

A drop in US crude stocks is seen as an indication of demand picking up in the world’’s biggest energy user.

Beyond the DoE report, investors were closely watching US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke’’s ongoing semi-annual economic report to Congress for clues on the state of the US economy.

Bernanke told lawmakers Tuesday there were “notable improvements” in financial markets and a somewhat brighter economic outlook but considerable risks led by high unemployment.

“In light of the substantial economic slack and limited inflation pressures, monetary policy remains focused on fostering economic recovery,” Bernanke told the House of Representatives Financial Services Committee.

Analysts said Bernanke’’s comments to Congress suggested the economy was on the mend but it was still not yet strong enough for an end to the unprecedented stimulus spending package.

His comments also suggested the Federal Reserve would maintain its aggressive stand for some time, analysts said.

“The present focus of policy remains on stimulating economic activity,” said economist Nigel Gault at IHS Global Insight.

Ryan Sweet at Moody’’s Economy.com said Bernanke’’s comments indicate “that both the economy and financial system are too weak for the central bank to begin tightening monetary policy.”

“His downbeat assessment of the labor market is noteworthy, as it could determine when the central bank begins tightening monetary policy,” Sweet added.