Gasoline Futures Catch Fire
The past few days have seen a number of factors combine to push gasoline prices higher. The most notable price drive came from hurricane Sandy, which wreaked havoc on the east coast and caused what some are estimating tens of billions of dollars in damages. With pipelines and stations around the country knocked out by the “superstorm”, gasoline futures have been on a 10% tear in the trailing 5 days, with more than 5% coming today [for more gasoline news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
Halloween Special: Three Terrifying Commodity ETF Performances
As markets re-open their doors on Halloween, investors will be scrambling to make up for lost time. But while today’s trading will be in a frenzy, we wanted to take Halloween day to look back on some of the more frightening commodity performances over the past few years. We found three of the worst commodity ETFs in the trailing five years to give you your share of terror on this holiday [for more commodity ETF news subscribe to our free newsletter].
Commodity Volatility Weighted Index Debuts
For years, issuers and investors alike have been trying to find unique ways to slice and dice the commodity market to find the best returns. Some prefer to buy into depressed assets, while others have employed strategies that focus in on a specific segment of the broad space. But for every methodology out there, the volatility of the commodity world will, at some point, throw a wrench into even the best laid plans. It is not unusual to see some of these assets move by 3% or 4% in a single trading session, a double-edged sword for traders [for more commodity news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
All About The Wheat ETF (WEAT)
Wheat is arguably one of the most important crops in the world, and currently ranks as one of the three most consumed grains across the globe. Wheat is prized for being relatively easy to grow, as well as for being able to flourish in a vast array of environments. The crop is also able to stay fresh for extended periods of time, allowing the it to be stored for a long duration. These qualities have made wheat a dietary stable in both developed and emerging markets [for more wheat news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
Sandy May Delay Key Jobs Report
As Sandy began to hammer the east coast late last night, the U.S. Department of Labor has yet to make a decision when to release October’s jobs data. This report will be a key factor in the upcoming election, as the undecideds will look to the jobs report as a sign of how our economy has been performing which could sway them either for or against current President Barack Obama. This, of course, comes after the last jobs report where many speculated that the numbers were fudged in favor of Obama, as the unemployment rate saw its biggest dip in recent memory [for more economic news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
The Largest Private Landowners in the U.S.
Buying and owning hard assets like farmland and timberland has been a popular investing method for many years. Unfortunately, it is too costly and difficult for the average retail investor, so it is often left to those who have access to a significant capital base. For those who can invest in land, it can often be one of the best investments you will ever make, as the potential for profit is quite large [for more commodity news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
Investing In Cocoa: The Definitive Guide
The commodity cocoa, refers to cocoa beans, which are the dried seeds from the, Theobroma Cacao, or cocoa tree. The tree is native to the Americas, specifically the Southern Hemisphere, and has been a major part of the area’s history, though now the vast majority of the trees exist in West Africa. In fact, cocoa beans were used as a common currency in many areas prior to the Spanish conquest. Now, cocoa is used all over the world to create chocolate, and other products such as cocoa butter. Many consume cocoa beans because of the benefits associated with them, as they are thought to have positive effects on cardiovascular health among other things. As an investment, cocoa has become a popular commodity for investors looking to cash in on the sweet gains it can provide [for more cocoa news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
