Spread Betting on Oil

Gas prices in San Diego. OMG! (Photo credit: slworking2)

Oil is without doubt by far the most commonly-traded commodity in the world. It is used for fuel and in the manufacture of plastics. Unless you are filthy rich and can trade futures, possibly the best way to trade in oil is by spread betting. Oil is one of the many spread betting markets offered by Cantor Index. 

Oil is priced per barrel, with a barrel containing 164 litres, although oil now never sees the inside of a barrel and is transferred directly to and from vessels. In the last century, a goodly number of people have made enormous fortunes from oil, such as the billionaire, J. Paul Getty, and oil could well be the first thing a person trades when they open a spread betting demo account. Oil cost $10 per barrel in 1998, but almost $100 per barrel today. Experts have sometimes predicted that the price would rise to $200 a barrel. 

If a commodity is to be valuable, demand for it must exceed supply – there must be scarcity. This is not true of oxygen, but it is very true of oil. It is scarce and rapidly becoming more so. Prices are sure to rise in the long term. 

In the short term, however, there can be significant fluctuations in the price of oil of as much as 150 points a day. There was a surge in interest in commodities in the first quarter of last year when uncertainty in the Middle East caused oil to rise in price to more than $100 a barrel. The oil spill from BP's Deepwater Horizon facility in 2010 killed 11 people and was the largest ever accidental oil spill at sea, causing the price of oil to decline immediately afterwards. Oil is subject to weather trends, with hurricanes disrupting production. More oil is used in cars in summer and in heating in winter. The credit crunch has sent the price of oil downwards. Oil is inversely related to the price of the dollar and positively to the price of gold. 

The supply of oil can also change for political reasons, as the countries of the OPEC cartel, which produces two thirds of the oil in the world, demonstrated in 1973 when they placed an embargo on the sale of oil to the United States, Western European countries, Rhodesia, South Africa and Japan in response to the United States' assistance to the Israeli military in the Yom Kippur War. The Arab Spring led to reduced supply of oil, most notably by Libya. 

The media strongly desires high oil price stories because they sell newspapers. Predictions can be self-fulfilling prophecies: talk of high oil prices causes high oil prices. Specific occurrences of which anyone spread betting on oil should be aware include OPEC meetings and the release of US oil inventory figures every Wednesday at 3:30pm.

10 Money-Conscious Things to Do Before Selling Your Home

The process of selling your home can be very difficult, and is made even harder by the current housing market. While you may not be in the best position to get the highest value for your home than in the past, you can still get a good price and a smooth sale completed by working through a checklist of things that you need to do before going to market; this can range from getting an accurate valuation of your home, through having a marketing plan in place, getting the right professionals to help you sell your property, and making repairs to rooms and the structure of a house. 

1 - Valuation

To get an accurate valuation, you’ll need to check what price other houses in your area have sold for recently - this can be checked with the Land Registry service. You can also look at what the resale value of the land around your property is, and what potential profit could be gained by a new buyer in a few years time. Estate agents can help you to reach these estimates; surveyors are, however, needed to provide a better estimate of your home’s value. 

2 - Having a Marketing Plan 

If selling with an estate agents, discuss with them how they are planning to market your property. Are they using traditional methods like marketing in their shop window or through local papers, or are they focusing on marketing online? Alternatively, you can opt to market your property by yourself online - this will save money, but may take longer than working with an estate agent that knows your local area. 

3 - Getting the Right Solicitors 

In order to sell your home quickly, you’ll need to get the right solicitor for your property - ask around and compare local solicitors. The best solicitors will be able to handle legal fees, draw up deeds, and pay off your mortgage with the proceeds from a sale. 

4 - De-Clutter 

To make your home appealing for visits, de-clutter as much as possible; go from room to room and be ruthless about what you’re getting rid of. Old mobile phones and electronics can be sold for scrap or resale, while bulk boxes of DVDs and books may be sold online for a small profit. 

5 - Make Essential Repairs 

It’s necessary for you to boost the value of your home by making essential repairs - check wiring, fix roof leaks, and clear out gutters. Similarly, replace loose or cracked flooring, and reseal areas of the bathroom that are showing significant wear and tear.

 

6 - Deep Cleaning 

In most cases, it’s worth investing in a professional cleaning company, who can do the tough jobs that you've been putting off; these jobs might include deep cleaning carpets, and removing tough mold and other damage. 

7 - Have a Moving Out Date 

While it’s important to not arrange to move out and be stuck with your property without a buyer, have some kind of deadline to work to for moving out. This date can change, but should be a motivational tool for the house selling process. 

8 - Fix up the Front of Your Home 

First impressions are important with properties, so make sure that you trim back front gardens, replace rotten wood, and repair any damage to walls or windows before you begin having visits; this shouldn't cost too much money, but can enhance your home’s value. 

9 - Compare the Market 

Keep a close eye on the state of the housing market, as well as what properties are selling in your local area; an estate agent can advise you on how to best approach the market, while maintaining a focus on how the market’s changing online can help you to work out the best selling time and marketing strategies. 

10 - Have a Schedule 

Maintaining and updating a schedule will help you to avoid leaving vital repairs and legal issues to the last minute; have dates lined up for when you want viewings to start, and for when contracts absolutely have to be signed. 

Author Bio: Liam Ohm writes about how your home and your finances are so closely intertwined, from how a Wet Room can be a good financial move to choosing the right solicitors. Having a plan in place is also extremely important and should be the first thing you do when deciding to sell your home.

What Will Be Replaced After An Accident

A car accident (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When it comes to purchasing a car we all have our own set of preferences on what we require but what about when it comes to gaining some perspective when one is involved in car accident? The first order of business would be to deal with any kind of medical issues and then contact one’s car insurance company. Depending on how much damage is involved car insurance coverage can replace the entire vehicle or certain portions of the accident. A car insurance quote can generally be done within a few hours once the car as been assessed by a qualified car mechanic.

In some cases policy holders are redirected to their insurance company’s affiliates to get several auto insurance quotes so they can begin the process of repairing their automobiles. Most firms will have a listing of multiple vendors that can assist with auto insurance quotes. In general most vendors will have a variance on any kind of car insurance quote which makes it a necessary investment in time to do some research. Getting great auto insurance quotes can sometimes be through a family member or close friends but one should check with their primary car insurance company to see that they are part of the company’s designated firms as some will not extend funds if they are out of their working network.

Once the individual reaches a mutual agreement with the vendor the car insurance quote for repairs can be passed on to the individual’s insurance company. It is the responsibility of the vehicle owner to authorize payment from their car coverage company and also if there are any additional funds that may be needed to pay for what is not covered before the vendor can proceed with repairs. Many times insurance quotes are limiting as to what the dollar value of the car would be at the present time. To get auto insurance quotes that have unbeatable coverage one has to have a great driving record with no more than 1 or 2 accidents within the last 10 – 15 years. The amount of time spent on the road as well as locations driven is also vital to getting cheap auto insurance.

A Guide to Pension Sharing Orders

Like many people, you may be wondering ‘What is a Pension Sharing Order?’ A pension sharing order is made through the courts after a divorce or separation. Essentially, it is the process by which part or all of a pension is allocated to the pension holder’s former partner, who will then hold these benefits in their own right. 

A pension can be one of your most important assets, which is why it’s so important that a pension sharing order is implemented correctly. 

Implementing a Pension Sharing Scheme

To obtain a pension sharing order you will need to employ the services of an expert financial advisor, who will be qualified to advise you on the most suitable plan for dividing and re-investing pension benefits. All pension orders must go through the courts, who will determine exactly what proportion of a person’s pension must be allocated to their former partner.

A pension sharing order must be implemented within four months of the date when the pension scheme receives all of the pertinent paperwork. Each part of the scheme will have different requirements as to what documentation is needed so all paperwork must be delivered and processed on time to prevent delays in the pension sharing order.

The implementation of a pension sharing order is also dependent upon whether an internal or external transfer method is used by your pension scheme, which you should check before negotiations begin. 

Enforcing a Pension Sharing Order

To ensure that a pension sharing order is successfully enforced, it’s important that all parties go into the courts having asked a few important questions:
Whether or not the non-member can remain in the scheme.
Whether the pension sharing order recipient will need to wait until their normal retirement date, if the pension scheme in question allows for early retirement.
What charges will be levied by trustees, and if these need to be paid up front.
Whether or not your pension sharing order will accrue interest, either directly or through a qualifying agreement.
If internal documents need to be signed before a pension sharing order can be implemented, and the best way to go about gaining the signatures of both parties. 

The Advantages of a Pension Sharing Order

One of the reasons that so many people choose a pension sharing order is that it allows for both parties to make a ‘clean break’. Pension assets are split according to a percentage decided on by the courts, and a pension sharing order is managed from start to finish by court officials and an official pension sharing order advisor. 

Alternatives to Pension Sharing

There are several alternatives to a pension sharing order which may be used to divide pension assets in the event of a divorce or separation. Offsetting and earmarking are two of the other ways in which separating couples may decide to divide pension assets, however both are dependent upon certain other factors, such as the amount of available assets and the amicability of the separation.