Posts By Ryan
Five Natural Gas Picks with Significant Upside Potential
Just under four years ago, natural gas prices in the United States traded around $10 per futures contract. Just a few months ago, the price had plummeted to right around $2. There has been a slight recovery to above $3, but prices are still considered severely depressed from a historical context [for more natural gas news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
3 Gold Price Predictions For 2013
The Federal Reserve’s stated mission is to provide “the nation with a safe, flexible, and stable monetary and financial system.” This has historically meant doing its best to keep inflation levels stable and low. It has achieved this goal for more than two decades now, but has decided to shift its focus a bit toward increasing the pace of economic growth. Other central banks across the globe have a similar stance, and this is worrying a number of market experts that it could eventually lead to high inflation. Gold is known as a solid inflation hedge, and could earn this reputation in 2013 if inflation picks up. Below are three well-known gold bugs and their bold predictions for investing in gold next year and beyond [for more gold news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
5 Worst-Performing Commodities In 2012
There are three primary determinants of commodity prices: supply, demand and sentiment. In the near term, if supply exceeds consumption, commodity prices tend to fall. Sentiment, or the opinion of traders that either look to hedge commodity prices to try and smooth out production costs or speculate for profit, is another important indicator that is much more difficult to gauge. For the most part, excess supply conditions are driving prices of the below commodities lower. They happen to be the worst performers so far this year, which could be due in good part to negative sentiment because in a number of cases the price is well below what the fundamentals appear to support [for more commodity news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
Five Plays In The Beaten Down Energy Sector
Sovereign debt worries in Europe are causing global economic growth trends to slow. This is bad news for the energy industry, which thrives when the business cycle is in full swing and demand for its oil, natural gas, and refined products, including fuel and industrial chemicals, is high. But in an attempt to buy low and sell high when market conditions improve, now might be a good time to consider investing in market leaders with reasonable valuations. Below are five stocks that present enticing plays in the beaten down energy sector.
5 Commodity Dividend Stocks To Stay Away From
In his book Ron’s Road to Wealth, investor Ron Muhlenkamp explains that inflation increases the prices that consumers pay for goods and services. However, a more accurate description, especially for those with savings in the bank, is that inflation means the value of your money is shrinking.
A Deeper Look At America’s Commodity Industry
According to the CIA World Fact Book, the United States operates the largest single-country economy in the world. Its gross domestic product for 2011 was estimated at $15.3 trillion, trailing the European Union, which is comprised of 27 different countries, by only $360 billion. China remains in third place, as the developing economy continues to see rapid growth in recent years due to its build out of industrial capacity and its growing class of individual consumers. Growth in the U.S., however, remains subdued below 2%. The global economic slowdown has certainly hampered the nation’s growth, but there still remains a few economic bright spots, namely the advancement of domestic energy production [for more commodity news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
