Investors lose a trillion dollars in one day

EW YORK (CNNMoney) — Investors lost a trillion dollars in the in the stock market Monday as the debt crisis in Europe, lackluster economic news and a downgrade to the U.S. credit rating spark fears of a double-dip recession.

The Wilshire 5000 Total Market Index, the broadest index of U.S. stocks, lost 891.93 points, or just over 7%, Monday. This represents a paper loss for the day of approximately $1.0 trillion.

GLOBAL MARKETS-Investors dump stocks after U.S. downgrade

NEW YORK, Aug 8 (Reuters) – U.S. stocks plunged on Monday
and investors fled to the safety of gold and bonds after the
downgrade of the U.S. credit rating by Standard & Poor’s stoked
fears the United States is slipping into recession.

Wall Street slumped as much as 6 percent by mid-afternoon
and European stocks hit a two-year low. A favored gauge of
investor anxiety spiked well above 40, a sign investors are
afraid of more declines to come. The CBOE Volatility Index
.VIX surged 41.9 percent at 45.40.

Investors were struggling to discern the effects of the
U.S. credit rating downgrade to AA-plus from AAA, which could
hit various components of the vast U.S. financial sector, from
mortgage lenders to municipal issuers and insurers.

CFD markets

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Swiss Economy

companies feel rise of franc focus on specialty goods limits impact, but safe-haven role is costly
The European sovereign debt crisis roiling the global markets and the downgrade of the U.S. debt rating, combined with franc-denominated debts of Eastern European borrowers, have fuelled a huge demand for Swiss francs. By some measures, the currency is now as desired by investors as gold.

Forex Social Networks

In the past few years, social networks have become very big business indeed. Sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are now some of the most frequently used services on the web, with millions of users the world over logging in daily to connect with friends, colleagues, and business associates. Their massive popularity has led to the establishment of a plethora of more specialized, niche networks designed to connect people who engage in shared activities. The advantages are obvious – they allow people to make contact with other people who are active in their chosen field, wherever they are in the world, and share their experiences and expertise. This can be particularly valuable for investors, as having the right information within reach can make all the difference between making a profit and a loss.

Gold Hits $1,800

As gold topped a record $1800 on Wednesday, traders that are long gold [GCCV1 1751.50 -32.80 (-1.84%) ] began to get nervous that they were behind a trade that may not have any potential new buyers left. After all, a trade only keeps working if you can find someone else who wants that particularly security or commodity at a higher price.

Investors flee to gold

Stock-shocked investors are fleeing to gold, pushing the precious metal to new heights.

Gold reached a new intraday high of $1,782.50 per ounce in electronic trading before backing down to $1,746.20. That’s an increase of $33, or about 2%, compared to its Monday close. On Monday, gold broke $1,700 for the first time.

The current flight to gold has been by a nasty stock market plunge. On Monday, the Dow Jones industrial average plummeted 624 points, or about 5.5%, and the Nasdaq and S&P 500 dropped nearly 7%. It was the worst day on Wall Street since the 2008 fiscal crisis.

Foreign Currency Brokers Come Under Fire

ompanies that allow home investors to trade foreign currencies are coming under fire as regulators consider whether to put more rules on the fast-growing but risky market.

Currency brokers allow ordinary Americans to speculate on the value of dollars, euros and yen, and have grown revenue 374% since 2007, drawing in 615,000 American traders, according to the Aite Group consulting firm.

The most intense recent criticism of these brokers came from a hedge fund manager who researches and invests in companies that cater to home investors.