offshore-finances.com

Five key facts about the NDO or tax amnesty from the British taxman to help you make sense of offshore tax obligations for Brits

The Shelter Offshore 10 essential rules for saving and investing offshore safely and successfully

PRINCETON, NJ – Consistent with Gallup’s Consumer Confidence measure and the continued strong performance of the equity market, the Gallup Index of Investor Optimism – a broad measure of investor perceptions – in August hit a new 2009 high of 9. This represents a 12-point increase from July and is the first time the Index has been positive since June 2008. The Index has improved by 73 points from February’s -64 reading – its lowest level since its inception in October … [visit site to read more]

There’s been some chatter on the recent down-turn in the Baltic Dry Index, which has been a rough leader of the S&P 500 (^GSPC) at key turning points.  Let’s take a look at the recent relationship between the two indexes and what the current BDI Index is showing.

The Baltic Dry vs S&P 500 over the last few months:

The Baltic Dry Index is a poll of what it costs to ship goods overseas, and can be a leading indicator of economic activity and thus stock market … [visit site to read more]

Ford Motor Co. (F) has stated that it foresees a strong rebound in industry sales for August. The company has attributed the possible surge in sales to the much-talked-about “Cash for Clunkers” program. The program, launched by the U.S. Government late July, allowed consumers to trade in their old gas-guzzling cars and trucks with a mileage of 18 miles per gallon (mpg) or less for a value of up to $3,500-$4,500.

According to Mark Fields, Ford’s president in the U.S., sales may rise … [visit site to read more]

Truth be told, I’m even more bullish now on gold, oil and other natural resources than I was when I nailed the start of the massive bull market in commodities nine years ago, in the middle of the year 2000 – before gold prices tripled and before oil rocketed up some 1,030 percent from $13 per barrel to its all-time high of $147.

But despite what you might expect, I am not bullish merely because the Obama administration seems to be committed to lighting the fuse on massive inflation in … [visit site to read more]

With unemployment hovering at 9.4% consumers continued to show reluctance in July as incomes stagnated. Furthermore, with the jobless rate expected to exceed 10% later this year, consumer confidence fell in August, keeping hopes of a sustained economic recovery at bay.

Purchases rose 0.2% in July, the Commerce Department reported Friday. However, that increase was largely the result of the government’s Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), popularly known as “Cash for Clunkers,” which … [visit site to read more]

When companies decide to share a portion of their earnings with their shareholders, it is a sign of prudent fiscal discipline. Shareholders who are rewarded on a timely basis in the form of dividend payments are less likely to sell their holdings, even during a steep market correction. However, when companies decide to raise their distributions they exert strong confidence in their near-term performance. This dividend increase is a strong bullish signal especially if it comes after a long … [visit site to read more]

Disney will buy Marvel Entertainment for $4billion. … [visit site to read more]

I have to confess to a love affair that goes back a long ways with that exciting, hyper-volatile metal – silver.

Last week The Wall Street Journal reported that silver has enjoyed greater price gains than gold so far in 2009. The Journal noted that silver often follows gold, although sometimes with greater moves since it is a less-active market and thus more prone to volatile price swings. Naturally, silver’s stillness is limited to many consolidation periods, and to the early parts of a … [visit site to read more]