And Mark Zuckerberg isn’t the only one to benefit from his own IPO. Many experts agree that the “coming-out” will spur a series of IPOs from smaller companies that have prospered in Facebook’s wake, from game and app developers to marketing and social media firms.  Already, 109 companies are set to go public in 2012, many of which have delayed a 2011 IPO because of an uncertain market. As many as 300 more can file with regulators before year-end, according to the Global Corporate Client Group at Nasdaq.

Several companies have already made it big by riding the Facebook wave. Zynga, a game developer, gained huge popularity with the online game Farmville and has since come up with a handful of equally successful games.  Marketing companies have drawn in hordes of new clients by offering Facebook- and social media-centered strategies. Apps for photo sharing, bookmarking, and other services have also taken off.

The U.S. business climate itself is expected to benefit from the Facebook IPO. The surge in companies going public is a welcome change in the downward trend that has slowed the country in the past few years as a result of the financial crisis. From 2010 to 2011, listings on Nasdaq fell from 195 to 151 as investors lost confidence in the U.S. markets’ capacity to stay ahead of its debts. The rise in small but prosperous tech companies, many of them situated in California’s Silicon Valley, may bring back the investors who had earlier sought to put their money elsewhere.

That being said, the outlook for the U.S. stock market isn’t completely positive: some experts fear a tech bubble similar to the one that burst in 2000. Investors might become overly confident and support companies that simply do not have staying power. While some are fairly safe bets, many companies have a more radical premise that could go both ways. Of course, some welcome surprises have sprung up in the games and apps market, but social media has made for a much less predictable public. Most experts agree that while the market holds promise, investors should still proceed with caution as the IPOs start coming.

There are two ways to invest in precious metals: through financial instruments like mutual funds and certificates, or physical metals such as gold bars and coins. The differences lie in several aspects including liquidity, trading methods, and risks and rewards.

Physical metals generally have a higher perceived value than financial instruments, especially in tough times. This is because when economies tank, investors lose confidence in paper money, and their values fluctuate and often end up lower than before the crisis. When this happens, people fall back to gold and other precious metals, which aren’t subject to the same ups and downs. This security makes them more valuable in the bigger picture.

One of the issues with physical precious metals is storage. Most banks offer storage facilities specifically for such investments, but this leaves the owner vulnerable to bank failures: what happens to the precious metals they have in storage? Will the bank’s creditors, insurers, or account holders have a claim over it? Policies vary by state government and institution, so it’s important to do your research beforehand.

If this is a concern, mutual funds and other instruments may be a better choice. Here, instead of buying precious metals directly, you invest in companies that mine for them or explore potential resources. This is a market that has consistently been profitable, so there is some security compared to other industries. Of course, there is still some risk in tying your money to another company’s success. Other factors that come into play include movements in the labour market and within the organization (e.g. change of management), and even political and economic issues if you invest in international explorations.

Needless to say, it’s important to get informed before putting any money into the precious metals market. Joining a community of dealers such as Lloyds Commodities can help you find reliable market information, and even get you in touch with more experienced dealers who can help you learn the ropes. The market isn’t without its risks, but with good planning and guidance, you can protect yourself and maximize your returns.

A common type of penny stock fraud is called Pump and Dump, in which a group of speculators buys certain penny stocks in bulk and then spreads positive, often false news about the company, causing its value to go up. They then sell to unsuspecting investors, who snap it up for the high price before the scam is revealed.

Other scammers work the other way, in a system people have dubbed Poop and Scoop. Here, the speculators release negative news about a certain company, causing its stock prices to go down. They then buy up the stocks at the new price, then wait for the news to be discredited and for values to go up consequently. Others will short-sell the stocks before the false news is spread, and then make large profits by covering their positions at a higher price.

Penny stock fraud doesn’t always rely on false news. Brokers and industry insiders can also take advantage of knowing what’s going to happen before it becomes public. In this case, they take sizeable positions of the stock before the news breaks out. This is called front running, or “insider trading” if the perpetrators are insiders.

Insiders can also try to generate third-party interest in a stagnant or nonperforming stock in a technique called Circular Trading. They create multiple accounts, usually based overseas, and trade shares between accounts to make it seem like the stock is being actively traded. They can also do cross-trades with brokers, wherein they trade large amounts of stock outside the exchange records. Once this gets the market talking, they sell at a profit.

Unsurprisingly, much of these scams take place on the Internet. Forums and chat boards are a particularly large target, as they attract the most untrained and gullible investors. The Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulatory bodies now monitor the most popular resources for fraud. Of course, this is just the first line of defense—and investors themselves, experienced or not, are still responsible for trading knowledgeably and keeping protected.

For someone who’s long been one of the world’s richest men, Warren Buffett continues to be an inspiration to both the wealthy and the struggling. He has always credited his practical approach to things—from business to investing to government—with his long-standing success as an investor. Here are five lessons from Buffett that can help put your decisions on the right track.

Go against market fears: The financial crisis has created a “climate of fear” among investors, and this has kept many people timid in their decisions. According to Buffett, there’s value to be found everywhere—it’s just that people tend to listen to commentators and market players who overplay the negatives. Learn to see situations as they are instead of letting collective fears guide you.

Stick to what you know: One way to help you follow the rule above is to invest in markets you really understand, or are interested enough in to try to understand. A “perfect opportunity” may be hard to pass up, but if you know nothing about the industry, Buffett recommends steering clear. The risks of making wrong decisions down the road often outweigh the benefits today.

Keep a buffer: The market’s uncertainty is one reason people rush after trendy investments or shy away from good ones. Get over your own financial insecurities by building a cushion, something that will remind you that losing isn’t always so bad. Buffett recommends putting enough money aside to tide you over for six months in case the worst happens. Having this sort of security will keep your mind clear when it’s time to make key decisions that can make or break an investment.

Think long-term: Buffett always tells people to focus on what really counts in investing. According to him, it’s all about how much you pay for a stock today and how much it earns in ten or twenty years. The best value is always gained in the long term. Although there is something to be said about short-term gains, a good investor will always reinvest them—and it all still translates into the long term.

In a way, this brings together all the bits of advice we’ve counted: see the market clearly and stick to what you know, so you have a good idea of what happens in the next two decades. And with your six-month buffer, you won’t be afraid of the dips that are almost sure to happen within that period.

The good news is that dollar investors aren’t necessarily tied to the dollar. These days, it’s easier than ever to invest in foreign currencies and cut your investment ties with unstable ones. Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are one way of doing this; another is buying certificates of deposit (CDs) in foreign currencies, which most banks now let you do. All this can be done electronically, so it’s even more convenient.

Currencies may have been rare commodities twenty years ago, but today, all it takes is logging in to your brokerage account and buying currency, the same way you would buy a stock. And because it’s a 24-hour market, you can do it any time, as opposed to stocks where you have to respond to new developments in a snap. It’s a fairly easy way to diversify your investments, which has long been proven to protect you from unexpected market events.

That being said, it’s not always a good idea to put all your eggs in the currency basket. In fact, since it’s one of the most volatile markets, experts suggest limiting currencies to about five percent of your total investments. Even in tough times, the USD has the advantage of being the world’s reserve currency, and top investors still see it as a safe bet.

The safest way to invest in currencies is similar to the general rule in investing: diversify. It’s usually best to buy a bunch of promising currencies instead of just one or two, as this keeps you from being vulnerable to the politics of a region. Companies such as PowerShares DB US Dollar Index Bearish and the CurrencyShares Euro Trust offer currency baskets that include high-performing ones such as the Japanese yen and the euro.

If you’re still not sure about currency investment, note that there’s already some built-in protection in the system. Multinational U.S. companies routinely hedge against the risk by making much of their money abroad. Investing within Standard & Poor’s top 500 is therefore already playing it safe—with a strong promise of returns.

On a small scale, SGX isn’t immune to ups and downs, peaking and falling like any other firm. But the larger picture, which matters more to investors looking for long-term returns, shows consistent growth over the decades. As an example, the company’s net profit by the end of 2010 was $165.8 million, a 7% rise from a year earlier. The quarter before that, its net profit rose 3% to $77 million, and operating revenue went up 6% to $324 million. And although the weekly close rates are slightly down, figures show that that it has been consistently at SGD$7 (USD$5.80) per share or more (adjusted for dividends and splits) since it last peaked in October 2010.

The company’s revenues come from the securities and derivatives market, which account for 75% and 25% of its income respectively. it operates several divisions, each handling a specific market. These include SGX ETS, which handles global trading access and accommodates traders outside Singapore, and SGX DT and SGX ST, which provide derivatives and securities trading.

SGX has close to 800 listed companies, more than half of which are domestic. Chinese listings make up about a fifth of the total, and foreign companies, exclusion Chinese ones, account for a slightly smaller share. Its market capitalization is valued at more than SGD$650 billion (USD$540 billion). Its major shareholders include SEL Holdings, with a 23.45% share, Citibank Nominees Singapore with 15.81%, DBS Nominees with 7.85%, DBSN Services with 5.99%, and HSBC Singapore Nominees with 5.06%.

Although most investments come from the Asia-Pacific region, investment has picked up from other areas, notably in developed Europe and North America. Its recently expanded trading hours have certainly helped attract and keep transcontinental interest. SGX trades from 9am to 5pm with a break from 12:30pm to 2pm, but the nonstop trading scheme implemented in August 2011 will allow people to trade during this “lunch break.” It will also come in handy for those trading in other time zones, and allow investors to quickly respond to news flows.

Gold rates in Bangalore have risen fairly steadily in the past few months. Even so, gold buyers—locals and foreigners alike—have lost little enthusiasm, trading the precious metal on various platforms to the tune of millions or tens of millions every day. One easy indicator is the jewelry market: the city’s shops have never been so busy, even outside of tourist season. In some of the better-known stores, jewelry pieces can be ordered months in advance.

It’s good news for those investing in gold reserves. It’s a much larger investment, but at the rate things are going, it’s also much more stable. In the last month alone, gold rates went from about Rp2,400 to Rp2,700 ($55 to $62) per gram for 24K gold. The trend looks set to continue as major currencies like the euro and the U.S. dollar remain at a standstill. At the moment, a fast-growing economy like India is more attractive to investors, at least in terms of long-term stability.

Online gold trading is the easiest way to invest in Bangalore gold. It allows you to get your foot in the market without physical backing, and get excellent protection against inflation. What you usually buy are futures contracts, which basically promise to deliver a set amount of gold (or other precious metal) at a given time for a given price. A typical futures contract controls one brick of gold weighing one troy ounce, or a little over 31 grams.

If you’re visiting Bangalore, you may also want to look into gold coins. These are sold in the trading district, often alongside other precious metals and jewelry. Locally they are considered ornamental as well as financial assets, so there’s excellent resale potential even a few years down the road. Of course, this also means you’ll have to shop around for the best deals, and enter the market with a good idea of the Bangalore gold rate.

Other Indian cities also have strong gold markets. Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad are excellent alternatives, and should be taken into account when looking to make your first investment in the country. As with any other financial move, the best way to take advantage of the gold rate in Bangalore is to be informed and make sure you’re getting your money’s worth.

One of the key indicators of a mutual fund is its net asset value (NAV), which is used to determine the price of its shares. Investors can buy shares from the fund company and sell them to another. The buying price is called the “bid price” and the selling level is the “redemption price.” A mutual fund NAV can be obtained by taking the total value of a fund’s cash and securities and subtracting the value of its liabilities. The share price is obtained by dividing the NAV by the number of outstanding shares. This number is calculated at the end of every trading day, when the closing prices of the fund’s securities roll in.

Here’s a pretty simple example. If at the end of the day, a mutual fund ends up with $20 million in assets and $5 million in liabilities, its NAV would be $15 million. From here we can obtain the share price: assuming the fund has one million outstanding shares, we divide the NAV of $15 million by one million, which gives us price-per-share of $15.

The use of a mutual fund NAV differentiates it from company stock listed on stock exchanges. Companies on the stock market have a limited number of shares, determined when it first goes public, and may offer more in a secondary market. In this case supply and demand largely determine the price of the stock, making it sensitive to market changes. Mutual funds are less vulnerable. However, since it’s more diversified, they stand to gain less when one of its stocks skyrockets. A mutual fund manager is expected to balance risk and potential gain and maximize the latter.

It must be noted that the mutual fund NAV is most commonly used as an indicator of price. It helps investors decide whether or not to buy shares from it. It says little about the fund’s performance, as the number of shareholders is also factored in. A much better indicator is the mutual fund’s total returns, which is the amount it has gained through various investments minus any liabilities.

There’s no single answer—both have their pros and cons, and it all depends on what kind of investor you are. Several factors come into play, from your budget and risk appetite to how much analysis you want to put into your decisions. So what’s the difference?

An individual stock is a share of a company that’s usually bought through a brokerage. When you’re into stocks, your investment portfolio becomes your responsibility: you decide whether to buy or sell, what to invest in, and how diverse you should make your investments.

A mutual fund, on the other hand, is a group or “basket” of stocks. These are managed for you by an individual or firm called a fund manager. Other investors have a stake in the basket of stocks, so the risk is thinned down—but so are the benefits.

Mutual funds are often recommended for beginners, as it’s more passive and doesn’t require much direct action from the investor. They are also more diversified by nature, so you get a taste of various funds, from technology and retail to foreign indexes and commodities.

However, this diversity is also a weakness. If you invest in a strong company such as Google as part of a mutual fund, you don’t benefit as much from a rise in Google’s stock value because it only makes up a small part of your portfolio. With individual stocks, if you decide to put more of your money in Google, your money will grow faster as Google does.

Stocks don’t only have larger potential returns; they also have lower fees and are simpler to carry out. Most individuals can buy stocks directly through a brokerage and only have to pay a commission upon purchase, as well as a capital gains tax when they sell for a profit. They can choose how many shares to buy and sell, and have the option to reinvest dividends earned from individual stocks.

A common issue that comes into play is loss aversion. A small drop in the value of a mutual fund can be drastic, but even a substantial fall in individual stocks can be easily compensated. If you’re not sure where to invest, think about how much losing your first $1,000 could affect you. The less you’re willing to put at stake, the more you should lean towards mutual funds. When you’re more confident with your investments, individual stocks are a good step forward.

The term penny stock refers to stocks that trade for cheap, usually in small startups with low capital. They don’t literally cost a penny—it’s more like a term to designate the size and stage of a company, according to investment analyst Barry Allan from Toronto.

Many penny stock companies are in the resources industry—oil and gas, precious metals, steel and industrial materials—and are still in the development stages. Biomedicine and technology also have a noticeable presence. They have very few assets, if any, and short or empty track records in earnings.

Contrary to popular belief, there aren’t many beginners in the penny stocks business. The market is mostly made up of people who are already in the industry and know best where to put their money. These investors have much less disclosure than those who invest in the same industries in the mainstream stock market.

Having a relevant background can also help investors deal with the highly speculative nature of penny stocks. Their values can rise and fall several times in the span of a day, and a thorough knowledge of the business is vital to predicting these swings and acting accordingly.

One thing that can work in beginners’ favor is penny stocks’ accessibility. Although they aren’t present in major market trades, having lower volumes and smaller caps, they are easy to find online and don’t require extensive industry connections. Venture capital venues are a good place to look, according to experts.

The risks behind penny stocks are definitely not to be brushed off, however. Mr. Allan compares them to the lottery—decisions are based on scant information and the values can change drastically at the drop of a hat. Even a new marketing campaign can pull a penny investor’s portfolio sharply in a different direction.

The important thing to remember is that penny stocks aren’t a get-rich-quick scheme. Like any other investor, a penny-stock buyer needs to know what he’s buying and protect himself from the risks. Gut feeling isn’t the best of indicators—you’re better off hitting the books and making educated decisions like anyone else.