Monday, January 30, 2012

Zecotek Provides Corporate Update on Commercialization Strategy

Singapore, January 30, 2012 - Zecotek Photonics Inc. (TSX-V: ZMS; Frankfurt: W1I), a developer of leading-edge photonics technologies for medical, industrial and scientific markets, is pleased to provide shareholders with a corporate update on its path to commercialize and monetize its leading-edge photonics technologies.  The Company was founded with the vision to develop and commercialize photonic technologies that offer both superior performance and economic advantages over competing technologies.  Recent developments by Zecotek have brought the Company closer to realizing this vision in its three distinct industry segments: medical imaging, 3D displays and laser systems.

One of the most important developments in the past 12 months was the test results of the newest version of LFS scintillation crystals LFS-8.  Tests conducted by the University of Washington and by researchers affiliated to the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) show the LFS-8 crystals to be the fastest and brightest scintillation crystals based on lutetium oxide material.  Due to its speed and brightness, the LFS-8 is a potential crystal for positron emission tomography (PET) scanners, especially the new Time-Of-Flight designs being adopted by many international OEM’s.  Furthermore LFS-8 crystals are characterized by high radiation hardness so they can be used for high energy physics experiments such as the Electromagnetic Calorimeter at High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider, one of the main projects at CERN.

Because LFS customers are seeking trustworthy and reliable suppliers of fast and bright scintillation crystals, Zecotek established a strategic partnership with the Beijing Opto-Electronics Technology Co. Ltd. (BOET).  BOET has access to the raw materials required for the LFS crystals and specializes in the growing, cutting, polishing and the large scale production of scintillation crystals.  The partnership between Zecotek and BOET should provide customers with a consistent supply of quality scintillation material at a competitive price.

Zecotek’s patented LFS scintillation crystals and solid-state MAPD photo detectors are two of three central components for the new generation of PET scanners for medical diagnostics. Zecotek’s many years of cooperation with the University Of Washington has also led to a patented design of the electronics for PET scanners as the third key components of the PET device. This consists of a data acquisition board and readout system. Zecotek is integrating the three proprietary elements: LFS, MAPD and data acquisition board and readout system, into a new PET scanning device for markets in China and other emerging economies. Management is currently in discussions with an integrator group to manufacture the new PET device and with a large government organization to finance the development, manufacture and commercialization of the PET device.  Zecotek will also use its partnership with BOET (China) and the Malaysian Institute for Micro-electronics Systems (Malaysia) to meet the building demand for the LFS crystals and MAPD detectors respectively in other markets.

Zecotek is meeting with industry partners from Japan and Korea for the integration of a cost competitive, high resolution, auto-stereoscopic flat screen 3D display, based on LCD and OLED panels.  Management believes there are no competing technologies that provide a glasses-free 3D display on a flat screen panel at an affordable cost. The patented 3D display system for the visualization of images and data has been developed in-house by Zecotek’s scientific team and technical staff and does not rely on any licensed intellectual property.

Within its laser division Zecotek has a joint laboratory with Inversion Fiber/Novolaser (Russia) for the integration of tuneable fiber lasers in the visible spectrum.  The tuneable visible fiber laser technology platform is now complete and there is an opportunity to leverage this platform to develop an infra-red fiber laser for the laser marking industry.  Zecotek is discussing financial and developmental assistance for this project with a large governmental institute.

As a result of internal technology development, patent acquisitions and licensing partnerships, the Company’s patent portfolio has continued to grow in numbers and technological diversity.  Zecotek owns title to or controls more than 55 patents and applications with two significant additions in calendar 2011.  In July 2011 the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted Zecotek patent number 7,956,331 B2 for a Depth of Interaction technology, developed to provide improvements in the precision and hence the performance of PET scanning and other medical detection systems.  In May 2011 the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted Zecotek patent number 7,944,465 for its glasses-free 3D auto-stereoscopic display system.

Zecotek has built an expansive and valuable patent portfolio covering the form and function of its applied technology.  Considerable time and resources have been spent in developing this patent portfolio and the Company pursues a vigorous program of patent protection of its core technology assets with frequent patent reviews.

Moving forward the Company will continue to commercialize its products and technologies through strategic alliances with major corporations. Zecotek’s key technologies are market ready and are being use by respected scientific organizations and OEMs.  The Company has entered growth markets with products featuring competitive cost and performance superiority and the management team is confident that the Company’s photonics technologies will continue to gain market acceptance.

Zecotek believes that its investment in research and development, human capital, strategic alliances and joint ventures will propel its business forward, ensure leadership status in its technological disciplines and build long term shareholder value.
Zecotek also announces the granting of 1,135,000 stock options to directors, employees and consultants for their contributions to the Company. The exercise price is set at $0.57 and will expire in five years. The stock options are subject to regulatory approval.

About Zecotek
Zecotek Photonics Inc (TSX-V: ZMS; Frankfurt: W1I) is a photonics technology company developing high-performance crystals, photo detectors, medical lasers, optical imaging and 3D display technologies for commercial applications in the medical diagnostics and high-tech industry.  Founded in 2003, the company has three distinct operating divisions: medical imaging, medical lasers and 3D display and labs located in Canada, Singapore and Russia.  Zecotek commercializes its novel, patented and patent-pending bio-photonic technologies directly and through strategic alliances and joint ventures with multinational OEMs, distributors and other industry leaders.  For more information, please visit www.zecotek.com.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements that are based on management’s expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks and uncertainties, which are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual future results and trends may differ materially from what may have been stated.

Friday, January 27, 2012

Strategies used in Forex trading

In forex trading, having a strategy to work with is absolutely important. two of the basic strategies which are used in forex trading are fundamental analysis and technical analysis. Between the two, technical analysis is much more common amongst forex traders.

Fundamental anlaysis is the strategy which is generally the more difficult of the two and is usually used in predicting trends for the long term. When the values of currencies are released at various times, there are many indicators which are used in accordance to these values. Some of these are retail sales, CPI- Consumer price index, Nonfarm payroll, PMI- Purchasing manager’s index and durable goods.

It should be kept in mind however that these are not the only factors which need to be watched when looking for a market trend. There are many meetings from which quotes can be attained which have an effect on the market as well. The purpose of these meetings is generally to discuss inflation, interest rates and any other factor which may affect the value of any currency.

Next is technical analysis which is also used to analyze the trends of prices in the market. Technical analysis is used in equity markets as well however the difference between analysis in the forex market and the equity market is that the former is open 24 hrs in a day.

The forms of technical analysis which are found in forex consist of Pivot points, Fibonacci studies, The Elliot Waves, and the Parabolic SAR. Many of these are used in collaboration so that a more accurate and reliable predication can be made.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Forex signals to make your life easier

There are many aspects of the forex market. One of these aspects is the forex signals. These signals are paid for by traders and the service is provided to them by analysts and/or brokers. There are some companies as well which offer traders these forex signals and do so by monitoring and analyzing the situation of the market. The data which they receive from their analysis is then sent in the form of alerts, text messages and emails to the people who have subscribed for the service.

When data is prepared by brokers and signal service companies, they analyze various factors. A technical analysis of the conditions of the market is carried out and trends are tried to be figured out. Points for entry and exit are also tried to be determined which are going to prove likely to be profitable. The results are then sent to the traders via the method they have selected to be informed.

Generally the forex signals which are provided are offered in a pair of currencies which are the ones used by people on a frequent basis however at times, signal service companies offer a special service which provide signals for the pairs of those currencies which are not normally traded and hence are not as popular. The main benefit which you could receive when subscribing to these signals is that it saves your time and you do not have to conduct the analysis as this is done for you and provided to you in the form of results.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Forecasting in Forex

When dealing in forex, being able to predict what is going to happen in the future market and what the trends are going to be can turn out to be quite beneficial. The method of doing so is called forecasting. In this, statistics are used by analysts which predict the way in which the market is going to turn. For people trading in forex, forecasting can come in handy since it helps them either make money or lose money. The shift in the market is one the most vital aspects of forex and every beginner trader must be aware of it.

There are a variety of methods which are used to forecast forex and one of them is technical analysis. This method makes use of charts and graphs from the past in order to determine the upcoming trends. This is a very accurate method of prediction since it is based on the actual happenings of the market. There are many brokers who work in forex and many traders as well who make use of this system since it is a reliable one, based on trends which existed in the past.

The three principles which technical analysis makes use of to make projections about the future market trends are the action of the market in relation to the events taking place currently, the history of forex and trends which occur in the movement of prices. Each of these principles are made use of to derive the appropriate trend which then traders can use to buy and sell currencies appropriately.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Practicing stock trading to help you earn big

Forex trading is quite risky and if not done correctly, you could end up losing a lot of money. Practicing is a good way to learn how to trade before you actually begin buying and selling real money. By having practice of how to deal with real life situations, you will have the knowledge of whatever comes your way. By getting practice trading experience, you will be aware of the principles made use of in forex trading, what factors will affect your investments and how you need to go about buying and selling shares. This practice will use a stock market simulation and teach you how to go about doing this in real life.

When trying out online practice forex trading, you have the choice of picking from two types of game simulators; fantasy simulators and financial simulators. The former is one which will allow you to practice trading in stocks by making use of a financial portfolio which will be based on actual stock entries. The fantasy game simulator however is based on stocks which are imaginary and is hence the total opposite of financial simulators.

If you wish to make money in the real stock market, it would be a good idea to practice first to understand the basics before you actually begin. Practicing is a risk free way of trying out stock/forex trading as you will not lose any money! Do give it a try and once you have achieved the skills required, you can enter the stock market and make your way through huge amounts of money.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Indicators used in the forex market

When trading in the forex market, traders make decisions based on the conditions of the economy and what is going on politically in the world. In order to predict what the market trends are likely to be in the upcoming future, the best thing to use is the industrial production index. Most traders make use of this specific index because the condition of the economy and rate of the currency are directly related; the better the conditions of the economy, the better the currency rate.

The essential and one of the primary tools which are used in determining the forex trade and its future are the forex indicators. These indicators are absolutely important since they help in anticipating the ups and the downs which are likely to come in the future according to which finances can be dealt with.

The Moving Averages is the most common indicator which is used by traders to be able to calculate trends in forex. This indicator is easy to set up and can be interpreted easily also. This indicator helps in measuring the average movement of the price in a given period of time. This then allows the trend of the market and its tendencies to be observed.

The stochastic indicator is another indicator which is used to estimate the trend of the market. The idea on which this indicator is based is that a price rise will always lie close to the previous high and the price fall is always likely to be near its previous price low.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Forex charts and their importance

Forex trading is a very important aspect of the trading and investment industry. Within forex trading, an important element is that of charts. Forex charts are those which are based on the market action which involves the prices of stock. These charts are an absolute important tool in trading since they help traders in analyzing the conditions of the market, help in forecasting more accurately and also deciphering what the behavior and pattern of the market is and what it is likely to be.
The main aim of any traders is to be able to buy stocks on a low price but sell them on a high price, much in the same way as commodities are traded on Wall Street. Wider forex charts have an impact on the returns you will get from your strategy of trading hence meaning you will have to sell at a low price and buy stocks at a much higher price.

When a good trading strategy has been decided upon, a tight forex chart in collaboration with it can turn out to be quite meaningful. For example, if your chart shows a tight spread but on the other hand your trading shows that it has filled up or for some reason has been rejected.

all kinds of analysts make use of these forex charts; both fundamental as well as technical forex analysts. The fundamental analyst is someone who tries to find a relationship between the trend which is seen on the chart/the bigger events which are occurring alongside it whereas the technical analyst will try to analyze the smaller movements.

What is forex?

The Forex is a forgather of traders conducting tens of trillions of dollars worth of trades 24 hours a day, six days a period. When the Forex or FX activity is in conference, individuals, governments and pupil banks all over the concern dealing currency pairs with one other constantly. Mere seconds can stingy the disagreement between making and losing money, and those one seconds can tantamount the difference between immature and thumping changes in one's wealthiness.

Advantages associated with the Forex market

When people decide that they want to invest their money, the first thing which generally comes to mind is the foreign exchange market. This market, in comparison to others has a variety of advantages, some of which will be mentioned in the following paragraphs.

Firstly, the forex market is one which remains open 24 hours in a day which is very unlike a regular stock market. Another advantage associated with the forex market is that not a large amount of capital is needed to begin working in the forex market. Unlike other stock markets, the forex market does not require an individual to invest a large sum of money; a person can easily enter into the market by investing a small amount, even as low as $300 to begin trading with a mini account.

Another benefit associated with investing and dealing in the forex market is that it is a liquid market where a trader can have complete control of his/her own capital.

There are typically two kinds of market conditions which exist. One is known as the bullish market condition and the other is known as the bearish market condition. People who deals in forex are able to make profits in either of these conditions which are another benefit associated with forex. This is because for someone who deals in forex, they can make a profit even when the trend is upwards or downwards.

Forex trading might be considered a little risky but with the right kind of system and the knowledge needed; forex trading can easily turn out to be a good investment venture.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Things to consider when hiring a forex broker

Foreign exchange currency trading is on the rise and as a result, there are many brokers in the industry as well. When deciding on which broker to consider and to deal with financially, the following are some points which should be considered.

Foreign exchange currency is not traded in the same way as stocks and hence, the spread which brokers use will be different.  Before you open an account with any broker, it is a good idea to see how he/she works. A lot of brokers have websites where they publish prices either delayed or live which can help in comparing spreads. Spreads can either be variable or fixed so depending on what you are looking for, chose your broker wisely.

The second thing to keep in mind is whether or not the broker is true to his word. Brokers may show a certain price on their website but when the time comes to actually go ahead with the buying/selling; they may or may not honor the price they quoted which is something to be cautious about.

Thirdly, foreign exchange is a market which provides non-stop, 24 hours support and this is something your broker should offer as well. It is not necessary that you and your broker would be living in the same country; in fact the likelihood of the two of you living in different parts of the world is quite high. therefore you need to be sure that no matter what time you call your broker, someone is likely to pick up the phone and offer support!

Why you should trade in forex

Forex trading and investment is relatively a new avenue, one which not everyone is very confident in trying. People often look for reasons as to why they should trade in the foreign exchange market and here is why:
  1. The forex market is one which never closes; it functions everyday around the clock! This allows traders to enter into the forex market whenever they wish, make some money and exit. This makes it possible to earn money when you have some free time!
  2. The market offers leverage: selling and buying in the forex market is extremely easy and sometimes brokers are willing to up your money so that you control more than what you have bought.
  3. Traders have the ability of being able to predict what the results are going to be. since price cycles are generally repetitive, it becomes possible to determine what the trend is going to be.
  4. When transactions take place, there is not much cost which you need to incur. When brokers are hired, they generally do not charge any commission when trading or when they are maintaining an account, no matter what the size of the account!
  5. Probably the biggest advantage of the forex market is that unlimited profits can be earned! It is the biggest financial market and traders can simply continue to earn non-stop as the trading volume on a daily basis amounts to more than 1.5 trillion dollars!
These were some of the advantages associated with trading in forex and why everyone should begin to make money by trading!

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Getting the best forex trading software

The forex industry is constantly gaining immense importance and within this field, the importance of selecting the right kind of forex software is also on the rise. The software is important for all traders, without which they find it hard to conduct business. This is because the software has the capability of providing its users with information from the market in an instant allowing them to make quick decisions which are in their interest. It is one of the ways in which a trader can stay on top of his game and always know what is going on in the market.

When deciding on which forex software to buy for trading, there are 3 criteria’s which must be considered. These are:

1.    How reliable the software is
2.    The kind of application it allows
3.    What the needs of the user is and whether or not the user’s needs are being met with that particular software

Forex Killer Software
When considering the first criteria, we are talking about how quick and accurate the software is when it comes to providing immediate information within real time. The second takes into account the applications. There are two applications; server based or web based. The third criterion takes into account what the personal needs of the trader are. This is perhaps the most important of the 3 criteria since it is absolutely essential that the trader gets the kind of software he/she is looking for to conduct business. If it contains the application you want and the interface you are looking for, then you should definitely go ahead and purchase the software!

Reading a forex chart

For those individuals who have only recently begun to trade in the foreign currency market, for them it can be confusing as to how to go about trading. When in such a situation, it always helps by reading forex charts. These charts contain a whole lot of information which can be quite useful to a new trader. There are many tools available online which can help in teaching you how to go about doing this. It is however advisable that when you are fresh in the currency market, a small account is better to start with.

There are many individuals who constantly question as to how these forex charts are to be read. There are many software’s online which give the answer to this. These software’s generate charts and help you study them which later can come in handy when you are trying to make your way through the depths of the foreign exchange market as you will know what these charts show and what the forecast for the future is.

Since the forex trading market is amongst the biggest in the world, it gets hard to keep a track of what is going on but in order to be a successful forex trader, you must know exactly what is going on in the market at regular intervals. This can be made helpful by having a forex software which will show you the market’s behavior over longer periods of time hence helping you determine your next move.  The software can easily generate various patterns and trends within minutes and analysis is also provided which can be helpful when a tough decision has to be made.

The basics of Forex trading

Investments are very common amongst people all over the world and one of the common things in which people invest is the currency of that country which is doing very well in the world economy. The US dollar has been quite a dominant currency which people have wanted to invest in however it should be acknowledged that forex is not something which remains static at all times; it changes frequently depending on the situation and time amongst other factors. Forex depends on how a country deals with international trading which is what causes its currency to go low or high. one of the basics of forex trading is to buy currency at a low price but sell it at a high rate so as to make the maximum amount of money.

Everything in life is a risk and so is forex. Forex trading is based on pure guesswork and trying to decipher which currency is going to be the most beneficial. However timing plays an important role in forex. The more economically stable a country is, the better its currency and hence it would be a good idea for you to invest in that countries currency. In order to know how economically stable a country is, you need to have a look at politics of the country in terms of employment rates for example. This is simply one factor which can be considered in order to determine the stability of a country; there are many more elements which need to be determined before the right decision can be made.

Advantages of forex investment

People have been investing in a variety of things for long. Foreign currency investments have come up relatively recently but have become a popular avenue for investment. Forex trading is definitely seen to be amongst the lucrative investment options which are available. With the help of various factors, traders are able to earn large amounts of profits every month. It goes without saying that before an individual decides to invest in foreign exchange; he/she must be learned in all the strategies which are used in forex trading and all the current information regarding the market.

Another advantage when investing in forex is that the amount of capital needed for the initial investment is not a lot; a mere $300 can also be enough to help you get started. Earning profits daily is also quite simple in comparison to other kinds of investment opportunities. The forex market is one which goes up and down on a daily basis hence giving traders the possibility of earning a nice profit before they leave the market for that particular day. There are also many strategies used within trading which allow compounded profits to be earned which are profits earned apart from the basic profits.

Another thing which is a benefit associated with forex trading is that the investor/trader is not required to spend a great deal of time in the market. A total of 15 hours is usually enough in a week’s time for a trader to be able to earn a good sum of money. These are only some of the advantages associated with forex investments which are making it quite clear that it is definitely a worthy decision to invest in the forex market.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

EnerGulf Special

Just added a special page for EnerGulf, one of my favorite stocks:


Friday, January 13, 2012

Charts

Chart Basics


Learning how to read a forex chart is considered to be somewhat of a science. They look complicated at first glance. Forex charts can look drastically different depending on what options you want to use. Charts usually have settings for the display style of the price and the time frame that you want to view. Time frames can be anywhere from 1 second to 10 years, depending on the charting system. Price can usually be displayed as a candlestick, a line, or bar.

Chart Types


Charts have typically have several different display modes for displaying the price. One method that price can be displayed is called Japanese candlesticks. Candlestick charts are the most commonly used display method for showing the price on a forex chart. There are theories about using candlestick patterns to predict the price.

Price can also be displayed as a line. Line charts are a good way to simplify the display of the price. The line chart will show you the closing price for each period.
Another way to display the price is by using a bar chart. The bar chart is similar to the candlestick chart. A bar chart will show you where the price opened, the high and low, and where the price closed.