Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Mexican sweety Crystal shows sexxy signs
USD appreciates against the AUD and NZD
The AUD/USD continues on its intraday plunge, currently trading around 0.8570, a fresh two-week low for the pair. After some volatility at the session opening, the AUD found a downward trend that shed 170 pips.
The Kiwi's session followed suit, plummeting 1.69% intraday versus the 1.70% of the AUD/USD and currently trades around 0.6959, a 12-day low for the NZD, as risk aversion takes over markets.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Keeley Hazell busty beauty and killer booobs
The Tax Consequences of Unemployment
Losing your job is a nightmare. Unfortunately, this has happened to millions of Americans the last few years as we've gone through the Great Recession. With a reported unemployment rate of nearly 10 percent and a "real" unemployment rate of over 17 percent, it has been a tough time for just about everyone. Many are relying on help from the government, but there are tax consequences to that help.
There is an old saying. Be very afraid when the government comes a calling. "I'm from the government and I am here to help" are words that many view with foreboding. This is often the case when it comes to unemployment. The government provides citizens with a safety net in the form of unemployment benefits. There is only one small problem...you have to pay income tax on them!
Yes, you read that right. You've paid into the unemployment fund all those years you've been working. Now that you need to tap the fund in a dire time, you are going to have to pay income tax on the benefits you get. Amazing, no? Most people don't realize this and get stuck with a tax bill at the end of the year that they simply can't pay. This puts them in a deeper hole, which is just about the last thing they need.
Can you set up withholdings from each unemployment check to avoid the problem? Yes, but there is a huge caveat you have to understand. The withholding is in the amount of 10 percent. This is problematic. Why? Nobody pays taxes at a 10 percent level! Put another way, you are still going to end up owing more money when tax time rolls around. This doesn't even cover the taxes you might owe to your state on the benefits.
Don't get me wrong. Unemployment benefits have helped a lot of people get through tough times. When you are trying to keep a roof over your head and food on the table, the tax consequences of unemployment benefits are the least of your worries. Still, it is something to be aware of and another example of the maddening policies of our government.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Shauna Sand is Hot Model in Play
Rising Energy Costs Cause Foreclosures
Almost daily, you hear news reports about the increasing numbers of homes in foreclosure. What you dont hear reported is how increasing energy costs are so often the cause of this devastating problem.
Are you losing your home because you cant afford to pay your energy bills and your mortgage? If you arent facing foreclosure can you afford temperature settings that keep you feeling comfortable inside your home?
During the recent U.S. housing boom, builders completed homes qui... Almost daily, you hear news reports about the increasing numbers of homes in foreclosure. What you dont hear reported is how increasing energy costs are so often the cause of this devastating problem.
Are you losing your home because you cant afford to pay your energy bills and your mortgage? If you arent facing foreclosure can you afford temperature settings that keep you feeling comfortable inside your home?
During the recent U.S. housing boom, builders completed homes quickly. Interest rates were low and investors eager to cash in on high returns on investments. Unless you were knowledgeable about energy-efficient home features and made sure they were included during construction, chances are your new home wastes a lot of energy. Its also likely you dont feel comfortable in your home due to uneven room temperatures, drafts, cold floors, etc.
There was a time when home air conditioning was a luxury. Now it seems more like a necessity. Average temperatures in North America have risen over the last 20 years, remaining high for longer periods and forcing people to turn on air conditioners powered by electricity to survive excessive exposure to heat.
Rate caps that once held down electricity costs are ending countrywide. Maryland residents recently experienced the shock of a 70% electric rate increase. Pennsylvania residents will receive the first of several rate increases starting in 2008.
The mortgage industry facing huge losses from foreclosures is working with homeowners to reduce monthly mortgage costs. A reduction in mortgage costs may help, but this is only a temporary solution. Moving to another home, unless it is energy efficient will not solve the problem.
The best solution is to implement energy saving features in your home as quickly as possible. This will not only be good for you financially, it will also be good for the planet.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Toopless Photos of Heidi Klum For Her 37th Birthday
Brazilian and Mexican stocks rose Friday, aided by advances among resource-related issues in part as a pullback in the U.S. dollar supported a climb in prices for most commodities.
Brazil's Bovespa ended 1.4% higher at 64,832.83, bolstered by gains among communications, housing, transportation and utility stocks, with shares of CESP up 3.2% and LLX Logistica higher by 4% to front advancers. Market heavyweight Petrobras' /quotes/comstock/13*!pbr/quotes/nls/pbr (PBR 36.95, +0.84, +2.33%) preferred shares rose 1.3%, their first advance in seven sessions.
Friday's gains for Petrobras found some support from a 3.1% jump in August oil futures to $78.86 a barrel as traders looked to a potential tropical storm forming in the Caribbean.
Metals stocks in Mexico City were all higher Friday, with copper miner Grupo Mexico (MX:GMEXICOB 32.13, -0.95, -2.87%) and Compania Minera Autlan, which provides manganese ore for use in the steel industry each up 1.4%. Silver mining company Industrias Penoles gained 0.3% as July silver futures rose 37 cents to $19.11 an ounce. July copper rose 9 cents to $3.09 a pound. Read more about metals prices.
Prices for oil and metals found room to rise as the dollar eased from gains against the euro ahead of this weekend's meetings of the Group of 20 and Group of 8 leading industrialized countries in Toronto. Officials are likely to work on efforts to boost global economic growth.
Brazil and Mexico, the largest- and second-largest economies in Latin America, are members of the G-20, as is Argentina.
The dollar index /quotes/comstock/11j!i:dxy0 (DXY 85.31, -0.42, -0.49%) , which gauges the dollar's move against a basket of six other currencies, fell 0.5%. Read Currencies.
Kim Kardashian Flashes Bboobs And Buutt In A Bikini
Currencies: JPY outperformed on concerns about US growth and the European sovereign debt crisis. AUD and NZD underperformed on the risk aversion, although AUD appreciated versus the NZD after Australia’s Labor party changed its leader – and the country’s PM.
USD/CHF. Holding above 1.10
USD/CHF (1.1038) is down slightly overnight, but continues to hold above 1.10 support. With EUR/USD fading, EUR/CHF remains mired near a record low.
Technicals:
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Trend: daily lower; weekly lower.
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Overbought/Oversold (stochastics): Daily oversold; Weekly overbought.
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Support/Resistance levels: Resistance lies at 1.1731 (Jun1 high) and 1.1742 (Apr’09 high), while support lies at 1.1001 (Jun21 low) and 1.0924 (May10 low).
Positioning:
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The CFTC non-commercial net position fell to -16K, among the lowest readings since 2007, and suggestive of USD/CHF weakness.
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The risk reversal (3m, 25delta) rose overnight but remains near the lows since Oct’09 as this market segment has largely abandoned its bullish USD/CHF call.
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Implied Vol (3mo) is up slightly overnight but remains near multi-year lows.
Cross-asset valuation: USD/CHF has correlated mostly strongly during the past 60 days with EUR/USD (negative), the USD index (positive) and the US 10yr yield (negative)
USD/CAD. Rebounding above 1.02
USD/CAD (1.0328) is up overnight and rebounding above 1.02. The downtrend is being tested.
Technicals:
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Trend: Daily higher; weekly higher.
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Overbought/Oversold (stochastics): Daily oversold; weekly neutral.
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Support/Resistance Levels: Resistance lies at 1.0430 (Downtrend from May), 1.0853 (May25 high) and 1.1725 (Jul’09 high). Support lies at 1.02 (psychological), 1.0139 (Jun21 low), 1.0110 (May13 low), 0.9931 (Apr21 low), 0.9825 (May’08 low), 0.9712 (Feb’08 low), 0.9058 (Nov’07 low).
Positioning:
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The CFTC, non-commercial, net position rose modestly to 28.6K, rebounding at the low end of the uptrending channel it has traced out in recent months.
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The risk reversal (3m, 25delta) is up overnight consistent with this week’s rebound.
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Implied Vol (3m) continues to consolidate near the middle of it’s range so far in 2010.
Cross-asset valuation: In terms of other assets correlating with USD/CAD, watch the SPX (negative), DXY (positive), CRB (negative), crude oil (negative), and the 2yr spread (negative).