Category: News

The two major exchanges on Wall Street have enjoyed unprecedented growth over the last few years, and this situation has many analysts wondering how long this bullish run will last.

Investors are asking themselves two questions: How high is too high and when will the market change direction? Both the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq are at record levels despite a few recent weeks of losses in the tech and financial sectors.

The Wall Street bull run has lasted this long for a few reasons, one of them being the ongoing recovery of the United States, which started around 2012 and has been gradual. There is also the excitement surrounding initial public offerings of companies such as Facebook and Twitter. Another factor that cannot be ignored is that the Trump administration has promised an economic stimulus package that is expected to be announced at some point in 2017.

Predicting the Direction of Wall Street

At first glance, financial markets seem to be unpredictable and sensitive to major news headlines; this much was made evident on the night of the United States presidential election when there was uncertainty created by the political forecast models that had incorrectly predicted a landslide victory for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Investors engaged in after hours trading quickly sold off their market positions after they noticed turmoil in overseas exchanges, but the situation was rectified after the votes were counted.

A forecast on the general direction of Wall Street can actually be made with stock market prediction software based on historical charts of the S&P 500 index. It is important to remember that traders react to more than just headlines, institutional investors and investment banking firms often consult technical charts to gauge the sentiments that traders take upon certain changes in the …

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For some small business owners it is important that they try to keep expenses down. Large overhead and lack of cash flow is the single biggest reason for business failure. In times like this it is essential we do all way can to save money. Here are 3 easy ways to save money in your business:

Outsource what you can

This has got to be this biggest money saving tip I ever received. This can include everything from sending work overseas to outsourcing local jobs and eliminating or reducing payroll. There are many jobs that can be outsourced locally that several small business owners bring in house. One example of this is printing. It may appear that you save money on printing by doing it in house but you better look close. Printing is much more than the cost of ink and paper. How many copies can your printer produce before it needs some routine maintenance or worse, replaced? Printing companies and office supply stores have big machines and spit out copies (even color) at extremely low prices. Sometimes they can add a margin and still do it cheaper than you or I could.

Another example is sending select jobs overseas. Our website developer was in the Philippines and we communicated with email and Skype. He was great; he did all the design work and got it up and running. Then we had a short call where he showed us how to use and update the site. He was a little more expensive than some of the people I interviewed but was still less than $8.00 per hour. I used another assistant in the Philippines that did some writing for me as well as some research and email marketing. The risk here is that if you pay by the hour …

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There are several business trends on the horizon which may be carried in by the New Year. Being aware of these trends allows you a great opportunity for planning in advance so that you will be able to leverage those trends for your benefit prior to the new year rolling in. The following is a sneak peek at what you can expect in 2017.

1. Businesses are going out of their way to attract top talent thus increasing the importance of doing whatever necessary to make yourself appear among the cream of the crop. The best way to do that is by acquiring as many skills as possible to both perform the job you’re applying for and beyond. You should also be willing to go over and beyond the call of duty, be willing to bring a lot more to the table than what’s required, and to also be able to display your willingness to do so when communicating with potential businesses – during interviews, on resumes or on social media platforms.
2. More and more businesses are turning to social media to get a glimpse at potential candidates before making their final hiring decisions. They believe that what appears on social media sites is more of a tell-tale sign about what’s really going on with respective candidates. This trend has become a form of due diligence for businesses seeking candidates.
3. In 2017, companies are leaning more towards being flexible in the workplace, allowing their staff members to have flexible work schedules so they can perform some of their work duties from home.
4. Although hiring staff members based on referrals is not new in the marketplace, it is certainly ramping up. It has become a reliable trend that companies have grown to depend on. It not only reduces the recruitment process, but

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Simple but effective business strategies to make money in 2017

The year 2017 is going to be the year of competition. There is competition in every field. The business field is no different from the rest in any way. We will share some tips on how to remain ahead of the field in the rat race in 2017. Remaining ahead of your contemporaries can ensure that you will make money. That is the driving force behind every business campaign. Here are some simple tips on how to make money in 2017.

Customer satisfaction:

This is an age-old remedy. Customers drive your business. There should be nothing new in this aspect. However, in this competitive world, customer satisfaction has become a very effective tool in business. In the olden days, there was a concept known in business circles as customer loyalty. Today, this is a diminishing quality. You cannot blame the customer on this score. He or she has a variety of choices. If you cannot satisfy him or her, your competitor is waiting to pounce on the opportunity. Of course, the same logic applies to him or her too.

Customer retention:

Customer satisfaction is important. Customer retention is more so. In this ‘dog-eat-dog’ world, it does not take much time for you to lose your customers. Hence, you should do everything in your capacity to entice the existing customer and try to retain his or her patronage. Good service always matters. Your customer will definitely not desert you for the sake of a few dollars when he or she experiences good service from you. Sourcing new customers is always great. However, retaining the existing customer is definitely more important. This is one sure way on how to make money in 2017.

Specialization of services:

This is not a one-size-fits-all kind …

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