Knowing Major Stock Indexes (Part I)

By Ahmad Hassam

There are 100s of ETFs and HOLDRS covering key industry benchmarks such as the various Standard & Poor Indexes, Russell Indexes or the Dow Jones Averages. There are ETFs that cover the other less well known narrow based sectors.

You should know the major indexes that are either key benchmarks or have ETFs tied to them. For example SPY tracks the Standard & Poors 500 Composite Index and is the largest of the ETFs.

Standard & Poor: Standard & Poor (S&P) is the financial services segment of the McGraw Hill companies. It has been providing independent and objective financial information, analysis and research for nearly 140 years.

It is also the provider of equity indexes. These indexes are also used as the basis for wide variety of financial instruments such as Index Funds, Futures, Options and ETFs. Investors around the globe use S&P Indexes for investment performance measurement.

S&P 500 Composite is one of the most popular indexes in the global financial markets. Hundreds of companies around the world have licenses with the Standards & Poors for their index products. The influence and name recognition of S&P 500 is unparalleled. It is also used as a key benchmark for money manager performance.

S&P 500 represents more than 75% of the capitalization of the entire US Stock Market. The S&P 500 is a capitalization weighted index that tracks the performance of 500 large capitalization issues. Each year thousands of money managers have the single minded goal of outperforming the S&P 500.

The stocks in the S&P 500 are determined by a nine member committee in accordance with the general guidelines. 30 years back most of the stocks in S&P 500 were from the Industrial Sector. Over the years, the complexion of S&P 500 has changed. By 1970s, six of the top companies were from the Oil Sector. In 2000s, technology composed about one third of the capitalization of the index.

The other Standard & Poors indexes are the S&P Midcap 400 Index and it is based on 400 chosen domestic stocks. It is also capitalization based and measures the performance of the midsize companies of the US economy.

The S&P SmallCap 600 Index consists of 600 domestic stocks chosen for market size and liquidity. It is also capitalization weighted and is of interest to institutional and retail investors. There are also sub-indexes based on these S&P Indexes.

NASDAQ: You will often hear the Nasdaq market being up or down on a given day in the media. NASDAQ Composite Index contains more than 4500+ companies representing a market capitalization of trillions of dollars.

There is another Nasdaq Index called the Nasdaq-100. NASDAQ-100 is composed of the top 100 nonfinancial companies in the Nasdaq Stock Market like Microsoft etc. It is a modified capitalization weighted index. The QQQ is based on the Nasdaq-100 Index. - 23211

About the Author:

Mr. Ahmad Hassam has done Masters from Harvard University. He is interested in day trading stocks and forex. Know Candlestick Charting. Learn Forex Trading!

Affordable Visitor Medical Insurance Policies For Visiting Parents

By Ray Sondeo

A visit by parents of international students studying in the US often means a stay of several months. Age, change of climate and environment and suchlike factors might cause them to fall sick or injure themselves. The dangers and inconveniences are somewhat mitigated in one has a visitor insurance plan. Not only does it ease the financial strain but is also helps find suitable doctors and hospitals promptly.

The type of coverage offered by medical and health insurance plans for visiting parents may be fixed or comprehensive. The age of the insured, the type and duration of the coverage decide the cost of the visitors health insurance. The cost of comprehensive insurance, for instance, is higher than fixed benefit plans, because it offers greater coverage.

The period of coverage is flexible; 5 days to 3 years. The coverage itself can range from $25,000 to $1,000,000. One may choose a deductible as low as $0 or go up to $2500. In short, the plans for visitor health insurance for visitors to USA are flexible and can be customized.

Also, do factor in the out-of-pocket expenses, take a good look at the co-insurance options of the visitor health insurance plans you choose. This will tell you the portion of the eligible payments that you, as the insured, are expected to make.

There are very few plans offering coverage for pre existing conditions for parents visiting the US. For US citizens travelling abroad there are plans offering limited coverage for pre existing conditions. Make sure you understand how pre existing conditions are defined by the visitor health insurance plan.

Visitor?s health insurance covers eligible in-patient and out-patient hospital and doctors expenses. It covers prescription drugs and blood tests ordered by a doctor for covered illnesses and injuries. Coverage is also available for emergency medical evacuation, repatriation of mortal remains and compensation in case of accidental death and dismemberment.

Most health insurance for visitor follow a PPO network of providers making direct billing of expenses easy. This allows you to focus on cure and rehabilitation, rather than paperwork. In some cases you may be required to pay the providers and get reimbursed for your expenses. Always maintain and keep track of all itemized bills, to receive maximum reimbursement.

Visitor health insurance plans for visitors to the US are comprehensive. They are also affordable, with convenient payment options, can be purchased and confirmed online. Every insurance provider makes available experienced insurance advisors who can be contacted via phone or mail to help you buy the policy you need. - 23211

About the Author:

Ray Sondeo often writes about Visitor insurance.

Auto Collision Repair Shop: Make Your Car Shine

By Cedric Zbikowski

What's the deal with the Auto Body Shops? Everyone might be asking themselves that question. It's just a matter of knowing what things you should know before you get mad or happy with them. Your car is too important for you, and you should know how to save your money on some items before it's too late.

You want to be sure that you are getting quality repair at a fair price. There are many things to look for when choosing an auto body repair shop. If your vehicle is in need of repair find out how to choose an auto body repair shop for your vehicle.

There are many different services that can be performed on your vehicle as far as auto body repairs are concerned. Many auto body shops offer a variety of services that include paint touch up, paint less dent removal, bumper repair, wheel rim repair, windshield repair and much more.

You should start looking by asking around or dropping into local auto body repair shops in your area. Ask to see what kind of work they perform, how long it will take to complete the repairs, how much it will cost you to get the work completed, and the kind of process they use to repair vehicles, and anything else you feel is important to your specific needs.

That is the secured interest would try to collect, if the vehicle is repossessed seems like it is a lost cause. If the auto is 100% owned, than it does not matter what the owner does with the insurance payout.

As all states have slightly different insurance laws, pertaining to insured's and claimants, this is just an example. Would I be OK with the usage of a re manufactured bumper cover, used bumper cover, or aftermarket? It would save some money and my vehicle would be repaired and accepted by my lease.

These are all acceptable practices. You as a shop owner or technician, need to make the auto owner understand how important it is to get there car repaired. There could also be numerous safety concerns. The shop needs to explain to the auto owner about hidden damage, and the decline in value of their vehicle.

Even though quality is one of the biggest things you are looking for, you will want to get a good deal. Don't just choose the first shop that you like. Look around at others and compare all aspects of them and then choose the one you feel is right for you and your vehicle. - 23211

About the Author:

If you've enjoyed all the exciting information you read here about auto body,you'll love everything else you find at auto body repair shop north miami beach

Going Online For Affordable Medical Insurance

By Clarissa Winegarten

Currently there are countless reasonably priced and affordable medical insurance plans which are available online for you to select from. It is not that easy to choose the suitable plan from the insurance policies existing on the marketplace today. It is essential to have a general idea about insurance in order to choose the best insurance plan.

It is an excellent idea to read details in order to understand the medical insurance plans and understand things like care by specialists, emergency care, physical examination, prescription drugs, vision care, dental service or services offered for substance abuse. There are many different types of insurance plans and the prices depend on the premium health insurance and various other costs.

After you choose a health insurance provider, you need to take care not to compensate any other sums for the services offered. The insured person needs to be certain that his/hers medical insurance plan covers all the health care and services that they require prior to buying a health insurance.

All insurance companies offer equally individual health insurance as well as group health benefit insurance. The individual type of health care insurance may not give as many advantages as the plans for group health insurance.

You may find a lot of affordable medical insurance plans provided by the medical insurance companies. There are plenty of aspects that you should take into consideration about prices, offered service, location and choice of providers. The decisive factor should be the quality of medical care offered by the insurance policy. Previous to purchasing a medical insurance policy you need to consult individual doctors or hospital facilities.

The quick technology development made the process of getting affordable medical insurance plans online extremely easy. You just have to send all your information and you will quickly get a lot of insurance quotes that might be suitable for you and your family. - 23211

About the Author:

When in the market for a affordable health insurance medical plan, you need to take your search online where finding cheap medical coverage is much easier than the old fashioned way of shopping via the phone.

Protect Yourself in America's Most Treacherous Industry-Get The Right Truck Insurance

By Terry Michaels

"A tractor-trailer loaded with Christmas trees skidded out of control and slid off the highway west of Des Moines, closing a ramp on Interstate 80. Police said the trailer was on the exit ramp to Interstate 80/35 about 3 a.m. when it began sliding on the rain-slickened highway. The trailer began to fishtail and rolled with its load of trees."

"U. SAUCON TWP. | Canned goods were strewn onto the highway, oil spilled and pieces of the cement median were launched into another truck late Tuesday night during a wreck on Interstate 78."

"SPRINGFIELD - A 58-year-old U.S. Postal Service employee died last night after the driver of a tractor-trailer backed into him at a loading dock of a mail distribution facility on Brookdale Drive, police said."

"LAFAYETTE, La. -- Two little girls, who apparently couldn't sleep, got out of the bed they shared less than a half-hour before a tractor-trailer plowed through their bedroom."

"Motorists may have been driven bananas over the years by Route 119, but perhaps none more than John Q. Jones. Jones, 52, of Garland, Texas, was driving a tractor-trailer Monday when it overturned and spilled its 22-ton load of bananas."

"WEST PALM BEACH " Workers were rushing to close holes left in the southbound lanes of Interstate 95 on Monday after a 12,000-pound machine fell off a flatbed rig, the Florida Highway Patrol said."

These are but a minuscule sampling of the many reports of trucking accidents throughout the country.

Over the past ten years, the number of large trucks involved in fatal crashes has increased by up to ten percent, due to unsafe vehicle operation, large, unstable loads, defective equipment or driver fatigue.

Commercial trucking growth is good news for the trucking companies and the nations economy and it's important to keep truckers on the road and delivering America's goods. According to the American Trucking Association (ATA), in 2008 large trucks hauled the majority of all freight transported in the U.S. over nine billion tons. Trucking revenues totaled $710 billion last year and revenues are predicted to nearly double by 2015.

So, it's important to keep you truckers on the road and to help protect you and the drivers around you, here are some tips:

Double-check your mirrors before turning right. Motorists around you may not know that you need to swing wide to the left in order to make a right turn and they may not realize that you are turning.

Signal early and often when maneuvering through and around intersections. In heavy traffic, motorists who drive alongside the truck may not see your turn signal. Signaling early gives motorists the information they need to decide whether or not to pull alongside you.

Leave extra space between your truck and cars around you whenever possible. Many motorists don't know how long it takes a truck to stop or how much room you need to pass safely. It makes motorists uneasy to have 80,000 pounds of truck on their rear bumper. Don't tailgate.

Trucks are four times more likely to be rear-ended than cars. It is especially important to use designated parking areas when possible. Use proper parking areas when pulling off the road. If you can't do this, pull completely off the road and set out flares, safety triangles or other devices to alert other drivers.

Properly insure your trucking business to keep you rolling when the unforeseen does happen. - 23211

About the Author:

Author, Terry Michaels is the trucking insurance specialist at Insurance Pro Agencies. Visit http://www.insproagencies.com and get a free Rand McNally Deluxe Motor Carriers' Road Atlas just for permitting us to provide a truck insurance quote.