Investing 101: Risk Terminology - BETA
About thirty years ago, statisticians armed with all of their
statistical theories began to confront the financial markets. A
handful of useful tools emerged that the average investor should
be familiar with when they look to purchase stocks. One secret that people "in the know" use is "BETA". "Beta" is
a number which reflects how volatile a stock has been relative
to the market. This number is also quoted on most quotation
services so it is easy to get to, but I have often found that it
is never defined. A BETA of 1.00 means that on average, a stock
has traditionally matched the markets swings both on the upside
and on the downside. A BETA greater than 1.00 reflects above
average market volatility, and a BETA of less than 1.00
indicates below average market volatility. When a BETA is less
than zero it indicates that the stock moves contrary to the
general market, going down in bull markets and rising in bear
markets.. It used to be the case that Gold mining stocks would
have negative betas. Internet stocks for example have very high
betas. Many of the analysts that cross your TV screen and make
recommendations use BETA as their primary screening device in
searching for suitable investments. So the next time your
broker calls with an investment recommendation, ask him what the
BETA is and then relish the silence on the other end of the
phone. Then send him a copy of this article! Dowjonesfully,
-Harald Anderson
http://www.eOptionsTrader.com Harald Anderson is the founder and Chief Analyst of eOptionsTrader.com a leading online resource of
Options Trading Information. He writes regularly for financial publications on Risk Management and Trading Strategies. His goal in life is to become the kind of person that his dog already thinks he is. http://www.eOptionsTrader.com.
Related News
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Volatile Range
The stock market fell sharply Thu and Fri before and after the employment reports Fri morning. The Nonfarm Payrolls report showed 207,000 net jobs were added in July, which were 27,000 more than the market expected. Also, Hourly Earnings in July rose 0.4%, which was twice what the market expected. There's a strong inverse relationship between employment and profits, in part, because when employment increases, then productivity falls, which generally lowers profit growth. Moreover, some proportion of additional labor costs tend to come from profit growth when there is little slack in the economy. Furthermore, lower productivity is inflationary, ceritus paribus (all else equal).
Which IRA Is Best For You?
An Ira is one of the greatest ways to save on taxes currently and accumulate money for the future.
For Entrepreneurs A SIMPLE Plan May Be Best
Q: I own a small decorating business and I'll be the first to admit that I don't know anything about taxes or retirement plans. I'd like to set up a 401(k) or an IRA or some other kind of retirement plan for me and my three employees. What are the various retirement plan options available for a small business owner and in your opinion, which would work best for me?
-- Wanda S.
Wit and Wisdom on Money, Wall Street and Success - Part #4
Can you concisely summarize your investment philosophy in a few sentences? My experience is that most people can't. The quotes that follow are diamonds that offer a real powerful education in the world of Risk Management. They have had a profound impact in my life. I pass them along hoping they achieve a similar effect on your investments. Enjoy!
Maniac Investment
Let's first understand what maniac
means. According to Webster a maniac is "mad;
raging with madness; raging with disordered
intellect". You don't know anyone like that, do
you?
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?
I am sure you have probably read about the power of compound interest. And how if you invested $10,000 at 10% return and let it compound for 50 years you would have a little over 1 million dollars.
How to Use Annual Report
There are many steps in calculating the fair value of a company. However, before we even do that, it is imperative to know how a company earns its profit. Does it do that by selling to consumers? licensing its technology to other companies? or extracting natural resources from the ground?
Useful Tips on Investing
Here are some useful tips on investing. When you make an investment, you are giving your money to a company or an enterprise, hoping that it will be successful and pay you back with even more money. Some investments make money, and some don't.
Exchange Traded Funds
They call 'em ETFs.
The Perfect Economy?
The U.S. economic data reported this week showed strong output growth with tame inflation. Industrial Production expanded at about 1% in June, three times greater than expected, while both the June Consumer and Producer Price Indices were unchanged. Also, the June Capacity Utilization rate rose to 80.0%, and the June Unemployment Rate fell to 5.0%. The June data generally show there is neither strain nor slack in the U.S. economy. Therefore, the U.S. economy is expanding at an optimal rate.
June 2005: Weather Forecasts for Weather Traders
If Johannes Kepler, the renowned 17th century astronomer and discoverer of the planetary laws of motion, could speak from the heavenlies, he might have a few words of wisdom to share with the National Weather Service. Although Kepler's name is not normally associated with meteorology, he was quite the weather forecaster in his day. His first claim to fame, by the way, was not due to his discovery of those planetary laws, but because of his accurate long-range weather forecast of the severe winter that put Styermark, Germany on ice in 1593.
Begging Your Trust in Africa
The syntax is tortured, the grammar mutilated, but the message - sent by snail mail, telex, fax, or e-mail - is coherent: an African bigwig or his heirs wish to transfer funds amassed in years of graft and venality to a safe bank account in the West. They seek the recipient's permission to make use of his or her inconspicuous services for a percentage of the loot - usually many millions of dollars. A fee is required to expedite the proceedings, or to pay taxes, or to bribe officials - they plausibly explain.
Love The Thrill of Risk? Invest in an Annuity!
With the stock market in steep decline, people are looking for safe places to invest their savings. Many banks and investment companies are pushing annuities. Annuities offer a higher interest rate than CD's, but are they safe?
Commodities - The Next Big Wave of Fortune Building
Have you often wished you could have got in on a tremendous money making opportunity before it took off? How would you feel if you had bought Microsoft stock when it first went public and your investment doubled 5 times? Imagine how rich you would be right now?
Success Trading: Yet More Basic Terminology for New Traders
In this day and age of online brokers for virtually every market out there, there are some very useful tools that will help protect your account and lock in profits when you have them. It is our recommendation that you use a good online broker and take advantage of not only the low commissions they offer, but also the automated tools that are available. These tools are virtually idiot proof if you use them. The number one reason that people's accounts go belly up in the markets is because they lack the discipline to stick with their trading plans and let emotions drive their trading decisions. This approach is a guaranteed way to lose in the markets. Oh, you might get lucky on occasion, but eventually the market will take your money. Let discuss some of the trading tools we're talking about.
Retirement is Never Urgent Until
If you're like many people, your retirement savings have not been growing consistently over the years. We're not referring to the wild fluctuations in the stock market, but rather the fluctuations in our short-term needs. Every once in a while, it just seems like a good idea to yank ALL those retirement savings out and pay for something.
The Differences Betweeen the Wealthy and Everyone Else
I recently received an e-mail from a young lady who had doubts about the principles of wealth found in "Rich Dad, Poor Dad". She mentioned a couple of past failed investments, and wanted to know what I thought about investing and financial freedom - whether it was just a myth, or whether it could be acquired. I thought I'd share it here for the benefit of those who have struggled with investing, or perhaps from ventures that didn't quite pan out. Here's what I wrote back to her:
Getting Started Investing is Often the Hardest Part
There are several reasons people give for not investing their money in things like stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. One reason is that they feel that they don't have enough money to make a serious investment, but a more common reason that many people have absolutely no idea how to go about getting started investing. In fact, if more people understood the basics of investing and had a cohesive plan for getting started investing, more people would do it.
Why the Rich Keep Getting Richer
Rich people: fortunate, lucky, selfish, and arrogant? Or highly educated, caring, brilliant individuals? Becoming rich isn't hard, but it does require a bit of time and knowledge. Having time to get rich, educating oneself, and buying assets are the three key factors in attaining untold wealth.
Porters Five Forces Analysis
If you've ever listened to Warren Buffett talk about investing, you've heard him mention the idea of a company's moat. The moat is a simple way of describing a company's competitive advantages. Company's with a strong competitive advantage have large moats, and therefore higher profit margins. And investors should always be concerned with profit margins.
|
