All Eyes on Major OPEC Meeting
Crude oil has been under the microscope for the latter half of 2014, as prices have all but cratered. Starting in late June, crude prices dropped by more than 25% as bearish momentum took over. With oil prices now sitting around $75/barrel many are looking to OPEC to install a solution to keep prices from dipping even further. All eyes will be on the organization as they meet on Thursday (11/27) to discuss possible solutions [for more commodity news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
Crude Oil Takes a Tumble
Crude oil prices enjoyed a strong first half of 2014, as energy had placed itself among the better performing sectors for the year. But the fossil fuel’s bullish run came to a head in June when a number of factors combined to sink its price. Along with barrel prices dipping, major energy companies are taking a hit and even Wall Street as a whole has begun to feel the pinch of the energy sector [for more commodity news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
March Backwardation Report: Energy Futures Downward Sloping
Backwardation is the process by which futures contracts decrease in price as they move further out in maturity. This can often be due to the expectation of future prices or trends in a certain hard asset, but it can also occur from supply boosts, among other things. Though it is not a phenomenon that should worry investors, keeping an eye on the futures curve can help you make more informed investment decisions [for more commodity news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
Commodity Earnings on Tap: Energy All Around (BP, CMI, MRO)
As we enter the latter part of earnings season, investors have already gotten a taste of how the final three months of 2013 fared for the Street. Thus far, it seems that there have been more earnings misses or disappointing guidance given than major wins or rosy outlooks. This week will keep energy firms in the spotlight with a few key European-based firms reporting, as well as one major agribusiness entity [for more commodity news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter]:
Uganda Ready to Develop Its Oil Sector
In recent years, investors have witnessed the U.S. become a dominant force in the crude oil space, thanks in part to a development in technologies like fracking as well as more pipelines distributing the energy resource around the nation. Outside of the country, however, oil giants have struggled to match the U.S.’s fast growth, forcing these companies to new oil “frontiers” [for more energy news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
The Top 5 Commodities of 2013
As 2013 draws to an end, we take a moment to reflect on the happenings in the commodity world from this past year. All-in-all, it was a tough year for a number of hard assets, as the S&P GSCI Commodity Index struggled to find any momentum, losing approximately 2% for the year. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 has jumped more than 26%, as equities have dominated throughout the year. While the story has been grim for some, there are a handful of commodities that have been able to turn in a solid performance in 2013 [for more commodity news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
