








Private Placement Programs and Trade Platforms - What They Really Are Trading Platforms are pools of capital that invest in a wide variety of financial instruments including stocks, bonds, commodities, ETF's and foreign exchange. These pools of capital may be a number of legal entities; however, the most common is known as a PPP, an acronym for Private Placement Programs. Private Placement Trading Programs are not offered to the general public. They are exactly what their name implies, offerings of membership interest to a select group of chosen investors who meet certain financial requirements.
The minimum investment in these Private Placement Programs can often be quite high and require a lockup period, where the capital is committed to the Trade Program for a certain amount of time. The minimum investment levels and principal commitment periods vary depending on the type of investments and the objective of the investment. One year lock ups are not uncommon and in some investments the lock up period may be even longer. Lock ups serve a very important function. They provide the Trade Platform Managers and Platform Traders with time in which to obtain results for the investors. Platform Traders want to know that the capital allocations they have been given to trade are for a long enough period of time to allow a particular trading strategy time to mature.
If you were to look at the returns of outstanding Platform Traders you would see profitable results over time; however, in the short term they may have a period of negative returns. If your interest is in traders with no down periods, please read no further, as they do not exist, contrary to popular belief. There is no such thing as free money. Trading involves risk. Every investor dreams of opening the door today and finding tomorrows Wall Street Journal, but this only exists in fantasy. Platform Trading requires hard work, tremendous discipline, patience and superb talent. The fact is very few people have the gifts to be a successful trader. The Platform Traders at the very top of their peers are rewarded with staggering wealth. Platform Traders utilize many strategies to help determine profitable trades, such as macro analysis, price theory, fundamental analysis, value analysis and many more investment strategies. What superior and outstanding Platform Traders can do is make enough winning trades over time, irrespective of what strategy they may use to accumulate trading profits. However, a number of their trades will not be winners. A large part of successful Private Placement Program trading is risk management; controlling losses and preserving investment capital.
One of the very basic risk management techniques utilized by Private Placement Program Traders is only risking a very small percentage of the investment capital on every trade. It is usually between one half and two percent on a particular trade. If a trade loss hits a defined percentage allocation, the trade is closed out. The average investor has an extremely difficult time taking a loss. In fact, it is a human tendency to hold on to losing trades and cut winning trades short, which is the very opposite of what great Platform Traders do. Risk management systems can get very complex and Platform Traders often write complex algorithms to manage risk when there are many positions and trade strategies running all at once.
The advent of the computer has radically revolutionized trading, just as it has every facet of our lives. Modern Trading Platforms are heavily dependent on mathematics and the hard sciences. Most Platform Traders today have advances formal education and training in mathematics, probabilities, physics, computer science, economics and engineering. Trade rooms are more similar to busy computer driven laboratories than the old image of guys in a boiler-room shouting into two telephones at one time. Almost all orders are input electronically and trades are matched up by sophisticated software. Private Placement Programmers and software engineers are indispensable to successful Private Placement Programs and Trade Platforms.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5802869
Are Online Colleges Right For You?
So, you've been thinking about advancing your education so that you can gain that extra earning power that college graduates enjoy. It is well known that college graduates have a lower risk of unemployment, enjoy better job quality, are more likely to be in high-level positions and have much greater promotion prospects because of their advanced level of education. Perhaps you already have your bachelors and want to get your masters so that you are ready for greater opportunities that come your way. No matter what degree level you want to pursue, you can do it all from the comfort of your home through online degree programs offered by online colleges.
If you are considering studying for an online college degree, then you are not alone. Online colleges and universities are becoming very popular as more and more people are realizing the benefits of online learning. Pursuing a college degree online is an advantageous way to study as you can learn at your own pace and on your own time. But even with all the advantages of pursing an online college degree, is an online college right for you?
Pursuing an online college degree is not for everyone. You need to have the right characteristics to study for an online college degree. Some of the characteristics needed when pursuing an online college degree are:
Self-motivation & Self-discipline
Ability to prioritize
Ability to set your own goals
Good reading comprehension
Self-Motivation & Self-Discipline
You need to be highly self-motivated and self-disciplined and thus, be able to work without supervision. Since you don't have a set class times at online colleges, it will be up to you to set your own studying times. It will help if you plan out your day and carve the same specific time each day to study. Self-discipline is required so you resist the urge of other distractions in your home such as doing the laundry, washing the dishes or watching TV. Self-discipline will also help you stick to your deadlines.
Ability to Prioritize
If you are choosing to pursue an online college degree, then it is probably because you have many other commitments to juggle such as work and family. Once you have made the commitment to attend an online college, then you must keep in mind that your education is just as an important of a commitment. With that mentioned, you should possess the ability to prioritize your schedule.
Just because online college degree programs are flexible, this does not mean the courses are easy, nor does it mean you can procrastinate class assignments and projects. With the many other commitments you have, it is important to prioritize your schedule, set deadlines, and as mentioned above, stick to the deadlines you set.
Ability to Set Your Own Goals
As with getting a degree through a traditional campus college, it is easy to fall off track without clear goals. Thus it is important to set both short-term and long-term goals when you pursue an online college degree. Some online colleges allow you to get a degree at your own pace and your pace will determine whether you get your online college degree in two years or ten years. When you pursue an online college degree you should set reasonable short-term goals such as taking 6-8 units (or as much as you can take) per quarter or semester. These short-term goals will help you reach your long-term goal with ease and will show the progress you are making towards achieving your long-term goal.
Good Reading Comprehension
A good level of reading comprehension is needed as online colleges teach primarily through written material written at college level. While you may have interaction with your classmates and/or instructor, the interaction will be done primarily through e-mail, chat rooms, and message boards.
If you find it difficult to attend college courses on campus, attending an online college is a great way to earn your degree. With online colleges and universities, you now have the opportunity to advance your education without having to push aside previous commitments. Just keep these characteristics in mind and you can be successful in advancing your education by earning your college degree online.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1905835