Commodity Stock in Focus: Monsanto Company (MON)
The agribusiness industry has long been an investor favorite on Wall Street, as these companies provide indirect exposure to some of the most popular commodities on the market. Agricultural products are best known for human consumption, although these commodities are widely used in a number of other applications, making the producers of these products highly appealing [for more commodity news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
2 Commodity Stocks to Buy on the Dip: CF, YPF
The bears arrived on Wall Street with little warning and dragged the S&P 500 Index down almost 8% in just one month after the benchmark peaked on September 19th before finding a bottom in mid-October. Since 10/15, major equity indexes have rebounded sharply, with the S&P 500 gaining over 3% in just one week, perhaps signaling that the recent round of profit taking might be over as we head into the final stretch of 2014 [for more commodity futures news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
Grain Prices Facing Harsh Headwinds
Grains commodities are sitting at lows that have not been seen for approximately four years, creating something of a headache for commodity investors. Corn, soybeans, and wheat have all been getting hit hard this year, as production is on track to set records. In fact, the aforementioned commodities are among the worst performing of the entire space in 2014 [for more commodity news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
Commodities in Focus Amid Russia Sanction Battle
The last few months have primarily focused on the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, and the violent conflict has escalated in recent weeks. Now, the U.S. and European Union are imposing various sanctions on Russia in an effort to get President Vladimir Putin to play ball. These actions have yet to affect the European nation. Instead, Putin has retaliated with sanctions of his own, creating something of a legislative battle, potentially creating major headwinds for certain commodities [for more commodity news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
The Definitive Guide to Coffee Futures
Despite the rise in popularity of soda and energy drinks, the world still gets the majority of its morning caffeine fix via coffee. That fact along with steadily rising global demand makes coffee one of the more interesting investments for traders and investors alike. And like much of the commodities complex, coffee is readily available as a traded futures contract [for more free commodity news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
Coffee Futures Buoy Commodity Indexes in 2014
For the last few years, commodities have dragged behind surging equities, as it seemed that the commodity supercycle was beginning to cool off. 2014, however, has seen broad commodity indexes outpace equities. Beating gains of just over 2% in a little over four months isn’t anything to write home about, but hard assets are holding their own nonetheless. However, most commodity indexes are benefiting from one hard asset in particular, coffee [for more commodity news and analysis subscribe for our free newsletter].
Commodity Scorecard – May 9th Edition
Markets were tested this week as the Nasdaq suffered several punishing trading sessions. Meanwhile, commodities continued to hold their lead over equities, mostly thanks to coffee futures, which have surged this year. Gold continues to battle with the $1,300/oz. mark and lost its grip on Wednesday. Below, we outline the performance of the commodity industry this past week, helping our readers pick out the leaders and laggards in each sector [for more commodity news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter]:
Leaders and Laggards: Commodity Stocks
With four months complete, 2014 has been a mixed bag for commodity producing stocks. While broad equity markets are hovering at about breakeven for the year, many commodity intensive stocks have made big pushes in both directions. Below is a look at some of the sectors that are both leading and lagging through the first four months of 2014:
