Spread betting has thrived since the dotcom crash of 2002 and seemed to escape relatively unscathed as a strategy in the aftermath of the credit crunch. Although now regarded as a “legitimate” investment strategy, at its core spread-betting is still gambling, not investing. You are taking a punt on the future movement (either up or down) of a share price, index or a commodity just as you would on a race track.  

If you have a good credit score, you might be able to get a bank loan for almost all of your long term and short term goals. Yet, the biggest financial goal of any individual must be achieving complete personal financial independence. However, it is an unfortunate fact that more than 23% of Americans are under debt which they consider unmanageable. Also, half of the population has less than one month of saving for emergencies while 20% of them don’t have any saving at all.

Looking over the Morning Star ETF Performance Table I find four ETFs with nice performance over the past month in addition to having decent volume. I have been active in the call option contracts for both Ultra Oil & Gas (DIG) and Daily Energy Bull 3X (ERX). Both have performed well over the past month with good company earnings and strong commodity (oil) prices in addition to unrest in the Middle East.

Selling a business is not as straightforward as putting a house on the market, and there are many things that must be taken into consideration. As with any major sale, getting a deal can take time so being prepared will help the process run as smoothly, and quickly, as possible.

A number of huge acquisitions coupled with a strong earning report from Loews Corporation has allowed share prices to soar.

Pride International Incorporation has managed to gain 16% after Ensco PLC an oil rig operator based in London announced that it would acquire offshore driller for a whooping $7.3 billion.

Beckman Coulter also jumped 16% after Danaher Corporation announced that it was planning to acquire the company for $ 5.8 billion. Beckman Coulter Manufacturers medical diagnostic test equipment.

It doesn’t always take a lot to get your employees motivated to help your business succeed. Sometimes it’s just the simple little things that have them taking a more active interest in their role or the business as a whole and to make them feel like it’s more than just a job.

If you are looking for some ways to help your business succeed by way of employee motivation, here are a few tips and techniques that can help light the fire under your staff and have them taking the initiative to promote and support your business.

Small businesses always operate on small budgets which require a tight rein on costs. Tough economic conditions, recessions and slumps always have the worst impact on small businesses, survival is possible only by adopting cost control methods.

Small business owners today have the advantage of having access to a host of internet based services that come free or at minimal expenses and help them save on administration costs especially those related to IT. Cloud based services are a typical example of what small businesses have at their disposal.

There are a number of basic skills that managers need to master if they are to become competent and proficient in directing the resources under their control. Whilst elementary to some, others may need coaching or training to help develop basic skills that may exist in the newly promoted manager.

First is the ability to manage oneself because if you cannot accomplish that feat, how can you possibly manage others effectively? This requires a degree of objectivity on your part and solid dependable feedback from others you trust in order to get a fair picture of your strengths and weaknesses. All too often managers fail to take time to analyze their own competencies and effectiveness yet expect respect from others that they lead or work with.

It is not just consumers who are feeling the pinch through the recession. Businesses are having to cut their costs to match the reduced revenue and survive through tough times.

But what can be done to save money?

Exxon-An Example Of Success

Exxon Mobil, is one of America’s biggest oil companies and has just reported yesterday a huge fifty-three percent profit increase in 2010’s fourth-quarter.  This is due to the world’s slowly recovering economy and the increase in crude oil prices per barrel.  This was their best reported profit in over 2 years.  This shows the trend of the oil market since 2007 when it was up, then crashed in 2009 before making its way back up by the end of last year.   This is not uncommon results in the oil industry as this profit margin can be seen all across the board in other refinery businesses.