If you want to make money in the markets you’ve got to tune out the noise

A few years ago I took my son in what turned out to be an absolutely terrifying rollercoaster ride while vacationing in Florida. Yes, I admit, those five minutes scared me, and as hell-ride neared its end I sincerely worried that my five-year-old had been turned in his seat.

I reached, I found the hand (with some relief) and asked if I was okay. He paused, breathed, and said, "That was awesome!"

Which of course brings us to invest. These are times of volatility in equity markets - enough to give many an investor a bad case of nausea. The VIX, the Council Exchange key measure of volatility in the S & P 500 Chicago, fired several times throughout January. In Canada, the VIXC (measuring volatility in the S & P / TSX 60) saw big jumps in the autumn and winter, and still is about 75% higher than it was last September. And in oil futures, volatility is 400% from its 52-week low, as measured by the Chicago Board of Exchange Volatility Index crude oil.

It is generally accepted that the higher volatility of an investment, the greater the risk. But how much or how real that risk is may depend on your point of reference. History shows that volatility peaks around recessions, as it did in 2008. But also peaks during minor events such as the eurozone crisis of 2010 or the Asian financial crisis of 1997. What were, well, not so great disasters in the grand scheme.

One reason is difficult to know what the volatility appears to be driven by many uncertain data points. What seems we are witnessing is the contrast between what the economist Fischer Black called information and noise. "People sometimes trade on the information in the usual way. They are right to expect profit from these businesses," he wrote in 1985. "On the other hand, people sometimes traded on noise like information. If expect to make noise gains from trade are wrong ".

Even a glance at the financial headlines will make clear that there is much noise about the markets these days. The media are paid to talk, it's true. And back in the day, the street basically ignored them - thinking that by the time information reaches the papers, it is too late. But times have changed, and now plugged, investors always faced with staff equivalent of Big Data: information and opinion and analysis of what apparently know what to do with it.

Geopolitically, economically, the news is good one day, uncertain or downright bad the next. US corporate earnings for Q4 2014 came quite strong. Meanwhile, in Europe, Greece and the EU are playing an interplay of chicken on debt and austerity, the result of which may (or may not) decide the fate of the European Union itself or send global markets into a tailspin. A little further east, Russia and the West are prepared for a confrontation over Ukraine. Far to the east, the China trade data entered on the low side - another sign that the world's second largest economy is slowing faster than feared.

Then there is the oil price. One day, an OPEC official says he sees falling prices get much worse (this after prices have been reduced by 50%). A few days later, the International Energy Agency announced that it is "business-as-unusual" for the oil markets. And somewhere there Citigroup published a report saying that $ 20 a barrel could be just around the corner (along with the end of OPEC). This, incidentally, is just the big things that is covered in the financial press - for cable television commentators, the cup runneth over with speculation on oil prices. What does this mean? Who the hell knows?

In this context of global uncertainty, central banks are just behaving uniformly - easing in Europe and Japan, tightening in the US Oh, and then there was the sudden rate cut by the Bank of Canada, who noted that perhaps our central bank could not 't really understand what is happening in the economy.

Fischer, incidentally, also predicted that one day (when their trade theories noise would be widely accepted) "The conventional fiscal and monetary policies will be viewed as ineffective."

Perhaps we are not yet there. But while the markets are trying to figure out what things are worth, we can expect more volatility, maybe more. And that leaves investors two options: stand aside and watch the roller coaster genius - or hang on for the ride of your life.

How to make money selling your old Med and Technology

Do you have old technological devices or media such as games, music and movies you no longer use? Too often,

these products are forgotten in boxes and cupboards and finally took it away or garage sales. However, the Internet offers many extra to get rid of these unwanted electronics options, and offers the opportunity to make more money than you would at a garage sale. It's all a matter of finding the right demand for what you have, and the web is full of choices. So next time you're about to throw away old technology, consider these options first.

See What Companies Offer Great deals

This is a great tip for newer media such as movies and games you have purchased in recent years communication. If the brightness is gone or those purchases are not looking so good in retrospect, take a moment and see if any of the major networks will allow you to exchange them for cash or credit. Two good places to start online are Amazon.com and Best Buy, which both offer widespread trade in options through different types of media. The constant factor is that they are looking for new products, new especially popular subjects. Older, less popular products are only going to get a few cents, but at least you can quickly search and add products to see what your total score would be.

Find deals Exchange-based products

There is another category of the payment that is worth your time, and that is based on the product version. You see, many companies offer discounts and deals if you bring your old product with you when buying a new one. Trade in your old game console, and the new model to get a discount. Bring in your old phone and upgrade to the next version will be less expensive. A smaller version of this still effective, but the trade-in at a retail store, where you can exchange old games and movies for store credit to buy new media - often combined with limited-time offers for credit Additional.

Dig through their boxes and Sell Nostalgia

Well, what if you really have the old movies or games to get rid of? Fortunately, there are niche markets for these products also, based largely on nostalgia. Search for specific places where you can sell off your old games, classic movies, and maybe even some old CDs you have. Even older mobile devices have their niches to find, and albums have a thriving secondary market to exploit.

Use Auction Sites

If in doubt, visit an auction site like eBay. These sites make it easy to set up his own shop, and allow you to sell their high-tech goods at prices that you think you deserve (or lowest prices, if you just want to get rid of them). Big sites like eBay have an inherent advantage because buyers once often go through there in the first place to look for what they want before moving to smaller niche sites. Use this to your advantage - but remember to thoroughly test the technology you are selling is still in good working order.

If nothing works, try to look for the long line for lesser known small websites that you can still get cash for their goods. Sites like BuyMyTronics, Glyde, Swappa, Gazelle and others offer a way to sell more random electronic or specialize in a particular brand, making it easier for you to find buyers. These sites are few steps above resorting to a garage sale or a bunch of garbage.