China stocks have plunged 6% in two days

Hong Kong (CNNMoney) —  China stocks suffered another round of heavy losses on Tuesday, renewing concerns over government efforts to support markets.

The Shanghai Composite shed 3.5% on Tuesday, bringing losses for the week to 6%. Declines have been even steeper on the smaller Shenzhen Composite, which has lost more than 11% over the past two trading sessions.

Late in the day, China's government announced a shakeup at the country's stock market regulator.

Zhuang Xinyi, a vice chairman at China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), has been removed from his post. His successor, Li Chao, most recently worked for China's State Administration of Foreign Exchange.

The significance of the personnel changes were not immediately clear, but the appointment of a currency expert could be a reaction to the flood of money leaving China in recent months as worries mounted over the stock market and economy.

The first signs of market trouble came in June when the Shanghai Composite peaked at more than 5,100 points, a gain of roughly 150% over the previous 12 months. The bubble burst and the index lost 32% of its value in just 18 trading sessions.

Beijing reacted forcefully. The People's Bank of China cut interest rates for the fifth time in nine months, regulators suspended new share listings, and threatened to throw short sellers in jail.

The CSRC, which polices the country's markets, organized the purchase of shares using cash supplied by the central bank. Much of the actual buying has been carried out by China's so-called "National Team," a group of state-backed investors, brokerages and funds.

Despite costing as much as $236 billion, the measures have failed to stop the slide, and the benchmark Shanghai index is now 42% below its June peak.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "China stocks have plunged 6% in two days"

Read More

2013 Recap of my Investment and before that year

2013 was really an eye opener for me about investing. 

Although I have been investing before when I started working but not much last year. 

My first investment if you consider this as investment is to maintain myself free from debts. 

When I started working in the 90's I see to it that I pay my retirement pension which is the SSS. 

Paying SSS is I think the best first move in investment. 

In the 90's I also bought pension plans from other companies which right now I regretted. 

Actually I can collect those money in 2020 when I reach 50 years old. 

They are not big money but anyway at least I have them. I also bought a farm lot in my province which I already earning, the product are trees. 

It is also a very cheap land because it has no title (it is part of a public land which were squatted by farmers, it is actually a nursery for trees).

In the 2000's I bought a lot in the city which is 200 square meters. 

Right now the value is high, I mean it earned 50% increase which I think better than my first investments. 

I plan to erect a boarding house in it so that I will have a monthly source of income. 

Another investment which I have in the 2000's is an apartment in a subdivision but not yet fully paid. 

The value of the house is now also high compared when I bought it three years ago. 

I still pay for amortization, although it is spread in 30 years, I plan to fully paid it next year so I can use it as collateral for my new project which is the boarding house while I am still employed. 

Another investment which I focus last year is the Mutual Fund. 

Although I started it in 2006, I did not do my monthly investment because I don't trust the Mutual Fund before. 

But in 2012 I found out that the initial investment earned interest that is more than my investment. 

It earned more than 100%. In 2012 and 2013 I concentrated in Mutual Fund investment. 

I invest in balance fund and equity fund until now and I will do it diligently every month. 

My next target is stock market, right now I am constantly monitoring some of the best stocks in my country.

Read More

Trade Show Gadgets

Trade Show Gadgets

Business should be promoted in different ways in order to gain more customers. Online ads and even offline should be implemented accordingly. Ads in television can be very expensive because the rate is per minutes to air ads. Many businessmen forget the power of trade show exhibits that will attract people who are really interested on a certain products. People visit trades because they are interested on the products. Another advantage on trade exhibits is those bulk buyers are potential goers.

If you have a business whether it is new or old, you must attend or display your products in the trade show because in this way you can talk face to face to your customers and can explain what your products are all about. Many customers do not buy because they do not know what they need. Make you display presentable like the table covers should be attractive and match your trade show motif. I am talking about products that you are selling. Table top display will add more drama to your booth. Take advantage of this technology and impress your visitors.

Staying in your booth is not easy if you are not comfortable. Remember this will take day and night perhaps so make your stay fruitful and enjoyable. Buy directors chairs for you to seat and also for your customers and visitors.

Last but not the less be prepared and confident with your products by explaining them with materials and products and perhaps a video or a live demo on how your products work.

Read More

Trade Show Booths

Trade show is the best if you want your products to be known by buyers. Most new products are introduced in trade show because by doing so you can explain it to your potential customers. What you need to attract customers is to find a trade shows booths that look attractive to the customers and passers. Find a booth that is related or that match to your product colors or perhaps style. Another thing to consider is the table skirts that you will use to cover your tables. This is also very important because you need to match it or contrast it to the color of your products.

Banner is a part of your trade show booth to advertise your products. Banner stand can either be high or low or thin. It all depends on what is the size of your banner. The best banner size should be proportional to the size of your trade show booth. There are many types of banner stands like outdoor banner stand, motorized scrolling banner stand, digital banner stand and more.

The last most important is the Pipe and Drape because they can make your place attractive and can be used as a cover to your trade show booth. Choose a contrast color for the drape for the best result.

I hope you will find this advice useful and hopefully you will increase your sale.

Read More

Pop Up Displays

Business needs to be advertised in trade show whether it is old or a new business because by doing so you tell the customers that you are alive and existing. Finding good materials for your booth is also very important with so many competitors today they will eat your ads alive if you don’t upgrade your display and presentation. The pop up displays are now available with right price. They are now used in every job fair or business fair that I attended.


Trade show pop up can be ordered online and you can get it fast and the good thing about it is that it is easy to assemble and fast so you can have your pop up display in minutes. They are available in different shape, monitors, back lighting and even internal shelving. They are available for people with low budget especially for the end user like small business entrepreneurs.


If you have pop up trade show displays in your booth people will like it because it is beautiful and newer display than what we have before. If you want to learn more about this kind of display I think you better visit a trade shows today because most of the companies are using pop up display as their way to showcase their products. .  I saw many pop up booths in the trade show I attended in Dubai and they are really an eye catcher.

Read More

Trade Show In the Mall

Yesterday I was in the Mall to buy a bag and what a coincidence there was a Trade Show going on. Many displays were there from different companies around the world. Most of them are computer related products. I asked about some of the products that are new to me and most of the vendors were very friendly and accommodating. Trade Show can be fun and educational because they shared about their products especially the details and how important are they in our daily lives. I am talking about the usage and operation. I also noticed that most of the products are environmentally friendly.

Trade Show Displays are also the best! I am thinking where they got those beautiful banners, trusses and etc. By the way even if you have the best products but you present them poorly, most people will ignore your display. It is imperative that your display is also pleasing to the eyes of the shoppers. You may also make them look catchy to encourage people to visit your stall and ask you about your products. More people asking about your products more orders will come.If you are a businessman who want to display your products in the mall then be sure that your stall is elegant and beautiful. After I finished asking about their products I decided to buy an external hard disk.

Read More

Shisha Tobacco and Hookah Pipes

Shisha is a very popular social pastime that is now gaining more popularity not only in the Middle East but in Europe too. Al Fakher products are also very famous because of their many different flavor like orange, mango and strawberry. You can buy them cheap online and they are available in U.K. so if you order them you can expect that you can get them faster. Al Fakher tobacco comes in different size and flavor. If you enjoy smoking tobaccos then try shisha because it taste better and what is more important is the bonding that you will enjoy with your friends.

Need Shisha accessories then buy them too online? They have Hookah Pipes and other part of the Shisha. Hookah comes in different colors and made from brasses which are imported from Syria, Turkey and other known countries that started with this kind of pastime tradition. I am fascinated by this pastime because it is not popular in my country and I never saw anyone doing it. I am aware though that it is famous in Europe because our guess who is a trainer from Latvia bought Shisha and Al Fakher uk tobacco here in Middles East because he told me that he cannot buy online since he has no credit card.

Shisha Tobacco is also available online. This tobacco is also available in United Kingdom and you can order them online too. You can order them in different flavor and quantity. What is good when you order online is that it is cheaper than buying in the market. You can also do it at the convenient in your own room.  There are many websites that sell Shisha product but most of them are not cheap and in fact not authenticated as genuine so if you order online, be careful because there are many imitation. Look for Al Fakher brand to make it sure that you get the original products.

Read More

Shisha Time

When I first came in Middle East I saw and observed that most men there are using this kind of pipe inhaling and they used it one after another. This session is common among Arab guys after their work or they do it even in their spare time during working days. I asked one guy what is it because it is not common in our country and he said that it is Shisha. He told me that it is very popular in Europe not only in the Middle East. He said maybe in Europe it is very cold during the winter but according to him Shisha originated in Middle East. I do not know if he just want to boost about Shisha but maybe he is also telling the truth because this Shisha is everywhere in Middle East.

When we have a visitor who is a trainer in flying, he also bought this shisha with complete parts and tobacco with different flavor. He told me that they are available in Europe but he has no time to buy there because his next stop is in China for exhibition. There is this Hookah pipe and other ingredients which are from Syria, Turkey, India and other places he told me and he was looking for these Shisha. I told him that I saw one store in our place. He told me that he might order other Shisha in the Internet.

Shisha is composed of Shisha pipe, charcoal, tobacco, base, hose and more. I have not tried Shisha but it seems to me that the Arab guys are enjoying their chit-chat time when they have this Shisha and it fact they enjoy it too much than smoking. Right now there are online stores that sell shisha if you really want to enjoy this Arabian tradition. You can use credit cards to buy online. Buy now because the winter is fast approaching. This social pastime is very popular in Europe also and you can buy them cheap online and available in U.K.

Read More

Why Lodging House and Apartments are Best Investments Too?

One of my dreams is to have lodging houses for rent. I saw a big money potential in this business. As a student away from my small town, I have to rent a room or bed space near the University where I schooled when I was in college.

My landlord was a very strict and as I counted all the students in the lodging house and computed the total rentals minus the maintenance of the house I found out that he earned big bucks by doing almost nothing. He only fixed the water pipelines if there are some clogs and changed the bulb and florescent lamp if they were boosted. At the end of the month he started collecting money and invests it in other venture.

Here are some guidelines if you are interested in this business:

1. Buy a parcel of lot near in school, hospital, government offices, near the mall, processing Zone or any place where a lot of people are going for works, shopping or going for government services.

2. If you have a lot near to any of those locations then you can start building your house. You don’t need to beautify but just simple but durable so you could save money. Be sure to make it safe for any unpredictable calamities like fire, storm and burglar too. It should be of high standard. Of course you have to take a building permit and other papers requirement. You could ask an Engineer to see electrical wiring and etc.

3. Start posting a vacancy or it is better to ask for a referral for anyone who wants to rent. It is very hard now a day to trust anyone whom you don’t know. If you are running a big or lots of lodging houses, it is better to insure your properties to insurance company.

4. Maintain your lodging house like fixing the bathroom, lights, and other facilities. Ask your boarders what they need. Make your rules clear to them from the very start.

5. Treat them as part of your family too. Be friendly to your tenants.

6. You can also offer laundry or food catering; these will add income to your business.

Indeed lodging house is a profitable business. It has low maintenance and your capital is intact. Whether you are an overseas worker or just around to maintain this kind of business, you are sure of big return and easy money out of it.

Read More

List of Businesses You Should Avoid If You are an Expatriate

This is somewhat ridiculous. I should not write these but it might help you anyway. I am working abroad for the past 8 years and I have heard and experienced these kind of businesses one way or another.

List of Business Expatriate should avoid

Here are the List of  Businesses You should avoid if are an Expatriate:

Computer Internet- 
I have lot of friends who were sorry to have this kind of business and this business that they have are all closed now. Here you have to pay for the place rental, electric bills, Telephone connections and DSL. Also you have to upgrade your PC every now and then especially when there are new programs and new games that need big memories and processor for computer speed. Aside from that, there are lots of competitors in this business, customer services is a must. One of my colleagues here sold his Computers and changed his business. This business needs your presence so don't do it if you are working abroad, somebody will benefit from it. Remember, it is not an investment if the business needs your presence. If you are not sure about the loyalty of your business manager who managed this business then don't do it.

Jeep or any car business services for commuters.
Lot of OFWs are thrilled to buy this, thinking that it will yield good income. My answer is a big NO! I have lot of experiences about this. I have a jeep and multi cab. This business is okay if you invest in quantity and again need your presence. You need to have a good mechanic and drivers. My friend cried a lot and felt sorry when he bought one. His driver abused the jeep and was able to own a Sari-sari or mini grocery store while my friend is away working hard to pay the mortgage of the jeep. In business my motto is " don't trust anybody". The Chinese are known for this motto. I observed when I work in a Chinese department store that the Chinese owner only trust their employee if he has been working with them in at least TEN YEARS! This business has a flaw. Your capital will be affected.

Sari-sari store or mini grocery- 
Anyway this one is tolerable if the capital is very small. Don't give a big capital like more than one month of your salary. Remember business should start small especially if you don't have any experience or the one who will manage it. Sari-sari store is good if it is manage properly. Again if you have someone who is trustworthy.

Piggery, poultry,Fish Pond-
Another dangerous businesses. It it easy to say that this business is attack by a pest or disease. Actually when it is true, everything will perish including your capital. Fish kill is another problem. These business again needs your presence so again it is not an investment. My advice is don't go for big returns. Do it slowly but surely. The fastest way to get rich is to do it slowly.

Planting Rice
Planting rice is not fun or accepting a rice plantation as collateral for loans. You can accept other plants for collateral that are not prone to damage like when there is typhoon. This may sound nasty but again I have experienced this and the problem is, there are lots of works to do like sowing, cultivating the soil, irrigation, applying fertilizer, cleaning the rice field, harvesting, drying the rices and dressing it. A lot of works. When the typhoon strikes, everything is gone.

Restaurant- 
This is a good business because everybody eats right? But be careful, your capital might be eaten alive by somebody. This business needs your extra time and care. Don't trust it to anybody. Why would they care if you don't care. Even relatives are not honest now a day. My two cousins never talked to each other ever since they closed their business.

Water Refill- 
This business sprout like mushrooms lately. Before I can have one, there are four of them right now in my small hometown.

Please add more if you believe that there are more businesses which are not for OFW or you think not a sure winner. I know business is trial and error but I have experienced these kind of businesses and I knew some of my friends businesses are like these as well. You can criticise this post too if you think that this is a nasty post.

Think of business which will generate money without your presence. That what we call investment. 15% to 20% yield a year is healthy and okay.

How to Make Money

Read More