Introduction to Islamic Banking

The most distinguishing feature of the Islamic economic system is the prohibition of interest. Islamic economic principles have prominently been applied in financial industry especially in banking. Islamic Finance is growing in multiple dimensions and is now spreading in other financial sectors like insurance, structured finance, project finance, mutual funds, syndicated finance, investment banking etc. On the geographical level too, Islamic banking has grown from Middle East to Europe and now is well positioned in South Asian markets as well.

Shariah compliance also ensures Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and ethical compliance. Islamic banks do not conduct business with companies producing tobacco, alcohol or engaged in business of gambling, casino, nightclubs, prostitution etc. This mechanism has given Islamic banking the name of 'ethical banking' in Europe.

The balance sheet of Islamic banks is capable of taking financial shocks. Islamic banks are not obliged to give fixed return to their depositors and general creditors. The creditors, shareholders and depositors share and participate in the bank's business. Therefore, if incase, there is a shock on asset side (NPL increasing), Islamic banks will be able to share this loss with their depositors and shareholders.

Importance of Horse Racing News

Those interested in horse sports are aware of the importance of getting current horse racing news regularly. Equestrian sports have become a money making business for those involved in the sport as well as individuals who enjoy watching the sport. When Thoroughbred racing was first introduced, it was regarded as the King's sport because only those of royal blood could enjoy it. With time however, it became a sport open to all and it was quickly coupled with gambling. Many governments worldwide were opposed to the idea of placing bets on the races. In America especially, the government banned gambling and those who were caught participating were arrested. A few years later though, betting was re-introduced and it is now a major part of the game.

Horse races attract people by the thousands to race courses. There are those who enjoy the dynamism of the sport while others take pleasure in the financial stake they stand to gain. Horse racing news is important to both parties because it provides information necessary to determine the general outcome of a race or to establish what bet to make. The news provides a breakdown of a day's events, it gives a chart that has a listing of leading horses, their trainers, jockeys, as well as the different finish times for each horse. Some information may be more detailed than others so it's advisable to look into various avenues that offer these details.

Sharetrading From Home

Trading stocks and shares from home has become ever more popular with the advancements in technology over the last decade or two. Where once the home based trader would be reliant upon using the telephone to call a broker and have them relay a price before a transaction could be executed, nowadays a transaction can be completed swiftly and accurately within the comfort of your own home. So how do you set yourself up to trade stocks, shares or even a whole host of other financial markets?

Firstly, it is important to make sure that you can be as well-informed as you can be. Happily with cable television channels and broadband internet, keeping up to date with breaking financial news stories and breaking economic data doesn't need to break the bank. If you have a cable TV subscription, make sure that you have access to the two main specialist financial news channels. Both Bloomberg Television and CNBC run 24 hours per day and shift around the world, following the financial markets as they open and close around the world. With breaking news headlines and the latest economic data from the major financial centres around the world flashed up onto the screen as it breaks, you can keep up to date with news and reports that have the potential to move the markets. Obviously, you can't be expected to watch news feeds 24 hours per day waiting and wondering what economic news is coming next, so it's good to have access to a simple economic calendar which lists times, and perhaps more importantly, a rating of their possible impact on the markets.

The Importance of News to Forex Traders

In this era where information can be an extremely powerful and strategic asset, whether to individuals or corporations, and information equals money, especially for a trader, shutting yourself off from news can be suicidal. The Forex market is extremely sensitive to the flow of news that is related to it, and major short-term currency moves are almost always preceded by changes in fundamental views influenced by the news. Traders around the world make a living by processing and translating information into money. Financial news services providers know how important news is to the Forex market players, and charge a premium for it. It is not uncommon to get hundreds of headlines of news that are potentially relevant to Forex trading from any news service provider on an average trading day.

Traders, especially those who day trade the Forex market, require the latest up-to-the-second news updates so as to facilitate their trading decisions which have to be made at lightning speed. They mostly make use of online financial newswire services such as Dow Jones Newswires, Bloomberg and Reuters, which display the latest financial news on their computer monitors. Since the speed of news dissemination is very important to traders, many opt for these online instant news services rather than depending on daily newspapers like the Wall Street Journal or the Financial Times which carry stale news that is of little use to traders.

The main reason why news is so important to Forex trading is that each new piece of information can potentially alter the trader's perceptions of the current and/or future situation relating to the outlook of certain currency pairs. When people's opinions or beliefs are changed, they tend to act on these changed perceptions through buying or selling actions in the Forex market. Based on the news, these traders will be preparing to cover their existing positions or to initiate new positions. A trader's action is based on the expectation that there will be a follow-through in prices when other traders see and interpret the same news in a similar way that he or she has, and adopt the same directional bias as the trader as a result.