Beware: Cotton Heading For a Dip
While many traders primarily focus on resources like gold or oil, there are plenty of other opportunities in the commodity space. One such opportunity lies in cotton, which can be found in almost every textile product around the world; but as a soft commodity this constant demand does not always translate into consistent returns. The fluffy crop has enjoyed a strong start to 2013, but is well known for its large movements from day to day and for keeping investors on their toes [for more cotton news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
Housing Data Remains Strong, But Lumber Prices Suffer
As the U.S. economy finally picks up its pace, many investors are returning to the corner of the market that was one of the primary sources of the 2008 financial crisis: housing. Across the board, housing stats have been on the rise in recent years, including home prices, housing starts, building permits and construction. As such, interest in the raw materials involved in housing have also benefited from the uptrend, particularly lumber [for more commodity news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
Ethanol Comeback May Boost Corn Prices
The global energy space has been dominated by discussions about fossil fuel alternatives in recent years, as there are a number of solutions to our addiction to these commodities. One of the most popular options has been the use of corn-based ethanol in crude oil, which decreases the amount of crude oil needed when the ethanol is mixed in. While it is not a one-stop solution, many see it as a sign of weening ourselves off of crude oil and working towards a more renewable resource [for more ethanol news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
Natural Gas: Is Now The Time To Make A Play?
Natural gas is one of the most popular commodities in the world and it often ranks among the CME Group’s most traded futures contracts; however, the commodity had been stuck in a rut since the 2008 recession before it finally saw some relief as 2013 opened. From natural gas’s peak to the beginning of the year, the fossil fuel had declined by more than 92%, as a number of macroeconomic factors weighed on the commodity. Just as it finally picked up steam in 2013, NG sputtered into May, dipping more than 9% through the first week of the month [for more natural gas news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
Buy Crude Before The Summer Rally
One of the most attractive features of the commodity space is its cyclical returns. While it may make it difficult for long term investors, traders who know the patterns of certain hard assets can often turn a nice profit simply based on the natural price movements of different commodities. Crude oil is no exception to such patterns, as savvy investors have been profiting from the fossil fuel’s trends for years. Though crude has been exhibiting weakness with questions about its long-term future, its short-term seasonal trend may be a ripe opportunity for traders everywhere [for more crude oil news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
Natural Gas: How To Play The Summer Comeback
It’s been an interesting time for investors in the natural gas space. As hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling have become the extraction method of choice for E&P firms, production of the fuel has skyrocketed and led to a surplus of supply and high storage inventories. The huge surpluses have combined with slack demand for the fuel, causing prices to crater. At one point they were below $2 per MMBtu [for more oil news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
Cotton Fares Well In 2013
While many commodity investors and traders primarily focus their attention on larger natural resources like gold or oil, there are plenty of other opportunities in the space; one of them lies within the soft commodity of cotton [for more commodity news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
