It is obvious that the entertainment industry, not just in Hollywood, but worldwide, is a sure money maker. While diversifying your portfolio you want to invest in industries that show the most promise for profitable growth. Since growth is a good trait for your portfolio to have and the entertainment industry keeps growing by leaps and bounds, the two are a perfect match. With so much profit to be had it is no surprise that everyone is trying to get a piece of the action. US states have even begun to compete for large entertainment companies to locate in their state by offering tax incentives.

Within the broad entertainment industry there are several areas from which an investor can choose to invest; trendy, modern, technological, and traditional. Forms of entertainment fall under all of these categories. The first thing that comes to mind when talking about entertainment is movies. The industry, however, is much more encompassing than just motion pictures. With the exponential growth that has been seen by modern technology, there have been many advances in entertainment, such as video games and online platforms. Conglomerate theme parks amuse tens of thousands of people and vacations allow hard working people to take a break from it all, far away; Kid’s toys are becoming more and more complex. And, yet, the classic, timeless activities, such as theatre and literature are still popular in today’s society. In addition to all these mediums there is the entire music industry, which is blanketed underneath the broader entertainment industry; concerts, CD’s, satellite radio, etc.

Investment decisions seem much easier after one realizes just how broad the entertainment industry actually is. When investing in entertainment stock, an investor should remember the basic investment principles. While the industry as a whole will continue to grow, specific companies in which to invest are not always evident. Just as with stocks in different industries it is better to have quality stocks over quantity, and place a continued focus on diversification.

Within such a large and profitable industry there are bound to be some mega companies. Investing in these companies usually helps keep your portfolio diversified because they usually conduct business in numerous industries. AOL Time Warner is a good example; they have multiple entertainment divisions, such as film, television, recording, media/publishing, etc. If one aspect of the industry, say film, is particularly low one year, there will most likely be an upswing in another form of entertainment, like music. Investing in these large, multi-dimensional companies is a good way to spend less money, yet still ensure that your portfolio stays diversified.

For those who want to do more than just purchase stock and want to take a more active part in the industry, there are many opportunities for venture capital investments. Seemingly, every week there is a new up-start tech company taking the industry by storm; a start-up that flourished through VC funding.

Everyone wants to be financially secure, and dependent upon how adept and focused you are on this goal, you may have various ways in which you are working towards that goal. Upward mobility in your career that leads to advances in salary, a stronger savings plan, 401K or IRA contributions, even managing your credit card debt can lead to the security you seek. Occasionally you may even wonder if your various investments could support your lifestyle full-time, without the need to supplement with other income. Certainly, this is worth the research to determine if this is feasible, but be prepared that it will be a full-time job just to ascertain if it is possible. If you are willing and motivated to fully investigate the possibility of living off of your investment income, start the process.

In order to live off of the gains from your investments, sans a traditional career, you will still need to employ the same strategy and planning processes used for any long-term project. The key to a successful portfolio is to meet monetary goals through proper planning, research, and diligent monitoring after your investments have been determined. Daily we are bombarded with the latest get-rich-quick schemes, and urgent calls for action that may lead to disastrous results. Conversely, you can have the ability to jump on opportunities where you believe it is worth the gamble when you have an established investment plan that can cushion potential losses.

Before you begin your investment planning process, you’ll need to identify how much money you will be working with. In an overall budget plan, you need to make sure that monies put into your investment strategy, and therefore inherently at risk of being lost, can be offset with liquid funds elsewhere. Sometimes, simply calculating your budget will make the idea of living off of your investments a moot point, as you may not have enough funds available to make a viable plan. If you are able to continue with your investment setup, you need to identify your monetary goals to meet the needs of your living expenses.

Once you have determined your goals, you can move forward in researching your investing options. If you already have a portfolio in place, carefully review the individual investments to understand their contribution rates, and how they fit into an overall investment plan. Ultimately, it is very important to have what is referred to as a ‘balanced’ plan, with investments that vary in their volatility, time frame, and resulting return on investment (ROI). The amount of risk in your portfolio should reflect how much you are able to gamble your funds versus needing long-term stability, such as someone nearing or in their retirement years.

Investing can be an uncomfortable topic for most people, with unfamiliarity and a lack of real education abound. Do what you can to take advantage of local, and sometimes free, options to learn about investing through colleges and library systems. Armed with good knowledge and planning, you can feel more confident about your decisions, and start small if you feel more secure. Also keep in mind that investing is not pure gambling, rather, your investments are utilized by businesses to help them expand and make more income with paybacks to their investors, you. Researching companies and funds/fund managers will give you a leg up on contributing to more successful investments, but be prepared for the volatility that is inherent in the stock market. Sometimes quite unforeseen market changes can result in losses unpredicted by even the savviest investors; your solid long-term planning will protect you from debilitating losses. Professionalism in times of loss, and humility in the face of success will keep you grounded for the long-term, and keep the focus on your original goals.

NORTHVALE, N.J.—-Ivivi Technologies, Inc. , a leader in non-invasive, electrotherapeutic technologies, today announced that trading of its common stock on the NASDAQ Capital Market will begin today, January 2, 2008 under the symbol IVVI.

Read More at Business Wire via Yahoo! Finance…

ST. PAUL, Minn.—-IntriCon Corporation , a designer, developer, manufacturer and distributor of body-worn medical and electronics devices, announced that as of the opening of trading today, Jan. 2. 2008, the listing of its common stock has moved from the American Stock Exchange to The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC

The year-end results are in, and Tracey Ryniec, editor of Tracey’s Market Update , is reporting stock market portfolio results for the 2007 Portfolio that beat the S&P 500 Index by 18.42 percent. BlogCatalog The popular newsletter writer also announced her newest portfolio, “The Thrilling 17 of 2008,” geared towards “buy and hold” investors, and is eager to watch how her most recent stock picks perform in …

Read More at PRWeb…

The number of companies sued in securities fraud class action litigation rose 43 percent between 2006 and 2007 from 116 to 166, and activity jumped in the second half of the year as the subprime mortgage crisis unfolded and stock market price volatility increased, according to a report Thursday.

Read More at bizjournals.com via Yahoo! Finance…

Market News International is pleased to announce its new product, MNI Credit Bullet Points, set to launch January 2008. The new product will initially be available via the MNI website and Bloomberg.

Read More at Centre Daily Times…

NEWARK, Del., Jan. 3, 2008 — Innospec Inc. today announced that it has transferred its stock listing from The Nasdaq Global Market to The Nasdaq Global Select Market, effective January 2, 2008.

Read More at PrimeNewswire via Yahoo! Finance…

RBC, 25.12.2007, Moscow 11:21:46. The Russian stock market is expected to see an upbeat trend today, with a gap of up to 0.5 percent. The lack of support from international trading floors is likely to make the Russian market dependent on domestic news.

Read More at RosBusinessConsulting…

RBC, 25.12.2007, Moscow 15:26:57. The Russian stock market has experienced a rather difficult year, analysts told RBC TV today. A crisis broke out on the US mortgage lending market in mid-year, which was primarily attributed to a lack of information for investors.

Read More at RosBusinessConsulting…