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Using Discounted Closed Ended Funds designed to Increase Income and Reduce Risk

Currently focuses on: Cohen & Steers Select Utility Fund (nyse: UTF)

Its investment objective is to achieve a high level of after-tax total return through investment in utility securities. In pursuing total return, the Fund equally emphasizes both current incomes, consisting primarily of tax-advantaged dividend income, and capital appreciation. Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its managed assets in a portfolio of common stocks, preferred stocks and other equity securities issued by companies engaged in the utility industry.

The Utility and Electrical industry is forecasted to grow at 8.5% for then next 5 years.*

Currently the Cohen & Steers Select Utility Fund is at a 16.89% discount

That means for every 100,000 invested in principle you invest roughly only 83,000.

Using regression to the mean* theories believing that historical mean for US based closed end funds historically trade at a 5% discount we would forecast Cohen & Steers Select Utility Fund would increase in principle about 12 percent assuming no change in the market value.

** Regression to the mean is a technical term in probability and statistics. It means that, left to themselves, things tend to return to normal levels, whatever that is.

Cohen & Steers Select Utility Fund has a short but profitable history of growing principle

The current income from this fund is 6.14%

We believe due to the fact you could buy 100,000 pounds of income producing utilities that produce over 5% income or over 5,000 pounds per year for around an investment of 83,000. Those how invest with the much lower amount of 83,000 still has the same income of over 5,000 giving a much higher income of 6.14%

Performance:

If you’re patient, buying funds at a steep discount can be extremely lucrative? For example, suppose you divided the closed-end universe into fifths, starting with the most expensive. The priciest 20 percent gained 48 percent in the past five years. The 20 percent with the steepest discounts, however, soared 160 percent. ***

To Reduce Risk

With an effort to reduce the risks associated with closed ended funds at deep discounts with high income we recommend diversification using many different asset classes and fund families utilizing asset allocation approach. In our growth and income model we use 7 different asset classes to provide a balanced portfolio. This structure was designed to minimize fluctuations. An event that might hurt one class of investments might benefit another. Two examples of this is after the 911 terrorist attack and the 2000 stock market crash. In both cases the stock market had a tremendous sell off, but the high grade bonds had very large rallies. During those two events the stock market and high grade bonds had no correlation. Many experts believe diversifying between non-correlated asset classes is the single best way to reduce volatility risk.

When building portfolios we use a selection criteria that focus on: unique asset classes, deep discount , high yield, consistency of payments, ongoing fees and other factors we incorporate into the selection are, past track record of the fund, and past track record of the management team, and of course the management team. We apply our selection criteria to over 600 closed ended funds with a goal to find only 1 or 2 in each asset class that fits our needs.

Simply dont put all your eggs in one basket. If the assets classes are non-correlated this reduces the portfolio risk.

To summarize Cohen & Steers Select Utility Fund:

1) A conservative industry
2) Diversifies investments inside the utility industry
3) An industry forecasted to grow at 8.5%
4) Investing at a 16.89% discount
5) Receiving a 6.14% current income
6) Regression to the mean would indicate principle growth of about 12% with no market change.

We forecast Cohen & Steers Select Utility Fund to achieve industry growth rates plus regress to a more historic means these two combined events would indicate a total return of 10.9% percent per year over the next 3 to 5 years.

Randy Durig manages several Portfolios including the Growth & Income Portfolio to see the full list go to www.durig.com or www.money-manager.us

Randy Durig owns Cohen & Steers Select Utility Fund in his discretionary client’s portfolios and in his personal account. Past performance is not a guarantee for future returns. All information we believe to be correct but make no guarantee to accuracy.

Durigs Monopoly Blue Chip Portfolio National Performance Rankings: 3rd In the United States, Ranked by 3 year annual return, for Large Capitalization Blend, 4th Quarter 2005, By Money Manager Review.

Durig Capital is a registered investment advisor. If you know someone that would like to receive our research call toll free 877-359-5319.

For those looking for articles on closed and mutual funds Randy recommends www.investment-investment.us there are about 75 articles focused on mutual funds and Exchange trade funds.

*Zacks Utility industry forecast
** Source http:www.visi.com
***Source USA Today newspaper

Use The Home Secured Loans To Fund Your Financial Emergency

Buying a house is one of the major investments in life. The amount used to purchase the house is available as the home equity. If a house is mortgaged, the installments we repay gradually build the home equity for us. Property prices are not static, they increase or decrease keeping pace with the economic indicators. With this the value of home equity also rises and falls. Any loan taken against this home equity or the property we own is called home secured loan. Home-secured loan as the name suggests uses the home as the collateral.

Many times in our busy and demanding lives we confront a situation where our monthly incomes and the bank balance that we own, fall awfully short in funding some financial exigency. It could be the mounting debts requiring urgent consolidation, buying a new car, escaping on that seven star cruise, buying a new speedboat, getting that cosmetic surgery or any medical emergency. We require funds and they are simply not available. Waking up to the stark reality that the only thing, which can salvage the solution for us is a loan, we look toward the lenders. The lenders, driven by their concern for profits and security of the loan amount ask for a collateral. Finding comfort with the ownership of a home by the borrower they are happy to lend against the available home equity.

www.ukfinanceworld.co.ukuk_secured_loans.htmlhome secured loans are gaining popularity both with the borrowers and the lenders. These loans are available to citizens of UK, which have a home of their own and are aged between 18 and 65 years. Lenders provide a wide ranging amounts as home secured loans. The lenders feel comfortable giving sums that match the collaterals value. If the collateral is of sufficiently high value and the borrower has a good credit history he can get a loan amount of 1 million very easily. The repayment period of any such loan is also quite long. The borrower can repay the loan between 3 to 30 years and this coupled with the fact that a collateral is being offered drastically brings down the interest rates charged on such loans.

People with bad credit also find it easy to get a home secured loan and can use it to improve their credit ratings. The application process for a home-secured loan is quite easy and can be done from the comfort of your home or office. Most of the lenders now offer an online application process, which save time for both parties. A borrower can also apply through a telephone, by visiting the lenders office or by asking a representative of the lending company to visit him. Any lender, no matter how comfortable he might feel with the collateral, will go for the borrowers credit check. He will use credit rating agencies, your pay slips, employment history and bank balance to get a clear picture about your financial soundness. The entire process of granting a home-secured loan will take between 2 to 4 weeks. During this time a property consultant will visit the borrower to value the collateral. Signing of the legal contract between the borrower and the lender will most probably be the final step before the loan is delivered.

Getting a competent legal attorney to interpret and understand the fine prints of the credit contract will be in the best interests of the borrower. Since, it is too risky to blindly believe a lender who is in any case driven by his economic interests.

This is a series of articles about The Foreign Exchange Market. You will learn here what Forex is , how it works and how profitable it can be. The whole series contain the following articles . . .

1.What is Forex

2.Technical analysis

3.Fundamental analysis

4.Money management

5.Compound interest

Fundamental analysis.

Forex fundamental analysis strategies consist on studying economic factors of a country to forecast the future value of its currency. This includes, but it is not limited to: economic condition, monetary policy, etc.

Fundamental analysis focuses on studying economic, social and political factors that drive supply and demand. Some important indicators are interest rates, inflation and unemployment. Political decisions are also important.

Bellow you can find some of the most important fundamental analysis indicators and their definition. You can learn more about these indicators and how they are used on www.investopedia.com.

Producer Price Index – PPI

A family of indexes that measures the average change in selling prices received by domestic producers of goods and services over time. PPI measures price change from the perspective of the seller.

Consumer Price Index – CPI

A measure of price changes in consumer goods and services such as gasoline, food and automobiles. Sometimes referred to as “headline inflation”.

Gross Domestic Product – GDP

The monetary value of all the finished goods and services produced within a country’s borders in a specific time period, though GDP is usually calculated on an annual basis. It includes all of private and public consumption, government outlays, investments and exports less imports that occur within a defined territory.

It is important that you pay attention to financial news when you trade using a fundamental analysis trading system. You can find financial news on the following websites . . .

1.www.bloomberg.com
2.www.businessweek.com

3.money.cnn.com

4.www.economist.com

5.news.ft.commarketscurrencies

6.www.fxstreet.com

Fundamental analysis is very important as you can see, but it is also important to implement some other techniques on your trading strategies. You can learn about other aspects about Forex trading like technical analysis and money management in my other articles on this series.

EasyWebRiches 2006

The One Thing You Must Do To Skyrocket Your Fundraiser!

Every fundraiser group struggles with the impossible quest of finding the ultimate all-in-one fundraising idea. However, the best idea doesn’t have to be too crafty. Actually it’s very simple: just have fun! And let everybody else have fun as well. It doesn’t matter what type of campaign you’re running, as long as everybody is having fun success will become inevitable. The following 5 surefire ways to having fun during a fundraiser can be easily applied to any scenario:

- Reward your volunteers: If you offer attractive incentives and prizes to your contributing volunteers they might have more fun. The idea is to create a competitive but friendly environment. The prize doesn’t have to be one million pounds; a simple gift such as a custom trophy is more than enough.

- Plan: Before even starting your campaign plan to have fun. Think about a day’s fundraising activities and how you can make every part of the process enjoyable to work with. Always ask yourself the key question: How can I make this fun? It doesn’t always have to be boring work.

- Show your appreciation: Constantly remember your contributors and volunteers you’re grateful for their work with the words “thank you”. Keep smiling all the way through and everyone else will smile back at you. Be sure to provide snacks and drinks to keep your supporters energetically in action.

- Make a movie: You can film an entertaining movie about your fundraising quest and have everybody appear on it. Make it a sort of a fun documentary in which everybody gets to tell their story and experience with the fundraiser. Give it a funny title related to the theme of your campaign. Then you can throw a party where everyone can watch the movie.

- Challenge your team: Promise you’ll do something daring and funny if your team reaches a certain goal. For example doing the chicken dance or wearing a funny costume for a day. This will give your volunteers a very attractive incentive to do good work.

It’s no secret that people perform better on their tasks while they’re feeling good and having fun. As a leader, stimulating fun into your supporters has the potential of multiplying your group’s rewards!