Contango Report: Metals Stare at Rising Prices
As the summer months continue, a number of commodities hit a turning point in their seasonality, triggering movements in their prices and expectations of future prices. As such, taking a look at commodities exhibiting contango is a healthy exercise to ensure that you have a firm grasp on the current state of the hard asset world. As a quick reminder, contango is the process whereby near month futures are cheaper than those expiring further into the future, creating an upward sloping curve for future prices over time [for more commodity news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
Q1 2014 Earnings on Tap: Potash, Miners, and Agribusinesses Report
The first quarter earnings season of 2014 is well on its way, with several bellwethers reporting both hits and misses. On the commodity producer front, Alcoa (AA) kicked off the season. AA reported revenues of $5.45 billion, below the expected $5.56 billion, and earnings of $0.09 per share, which managed to beat analyst estimates of $0.05. Agribusiness giant Monsanto (MON) managed to beat both EPS and revenue estimates, posting quarterly revenues of $5.83 billion and earnings of $3.15 per share [for more commodity news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
The Best and Worst Performing Commodities of Q1 2014
With the first quarter of 2014 on the books, investors are still digesting a slew of mixed economic reports, as well as looming uncertainty over the crisis in Ukraine. Equity markets have struggled to find a definitive direction so far this year – a vastly different environment from the record-breaking rallies seen at the end of last year. The commodities market also saw a fair amount of activity in Q1, as geopolitical tensions, severe weather, and global economic uncertainty (particularly in China) came into focus. Below, we outline some of the best and worst performing futures from the first quarter of this year [for more commodity news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter]:
China’s Slowdown Hits Commodities
In recent months, investors have turned their attention to one of the largest commodity consumers in the world: China. Many attribute the most recent commodity supercycle as a byproduct of China’s emergence. Subsequently, analysts have pointed to China’s slowdown as one of the biggest contributing factors to the market’s recent decline [for more commodity news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
Commodity Earnings on Tap: SLB, HAL, FCX
With Alcoa (AA) kicking off earnings season last week, investors will spend the next little while combing through quarterly statements from their favorite commodity firms. Alcoa reported a fourth quarter net loss of $2.3 billion and missed analysts’ EPS estimates. Agribusiness giant Monsanto Company (MON), however, managed to beat the Street’s estimates, posting an 8.6% increase in quarterly profits [for more commodity news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
Backwardation Report: A Mixed Bag
Last week, we gave investors our first contango report for 2014, noting that precious metals are facing upward curves for the foreseeable future. This week, we’re bringing you the first backwardation report of the year. For those unfamiliar with this term, backwardation is the process whereby near month futures are more expensive than those expiring further into the future, creating a downward sloping curve for future prices over time – put simply, it’s the opposite of contango [for more commodity news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
Q3 Earnings Scorecard: Commodity Stock Hits And Misses
2013′s third quarter earnings season was perhaps not what many analysts had expected, as companies across all sectors reported both hits and misses. In the commodity space, Alcoa had set the tone for the start of the season, beating earnings and revenue estimates and posting a profit of $24 million. And while other commodity stocks also managed to post better-than-expected results, some showed signs of weakness from this year’s commodity slump [for more commodity news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
U.S. Housing Market Faces Potential Headwinds
Since the unprecedented crash of 2008, U.S. markets have struggled to make up lost ground. After five years, the economy has finally started to pick up steam – slowly, but surely. And as the economy continues to pick 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. A closer look at the industry in recent months, however, reveals several red flags [for more commodity news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
Caterpillar’s Earnings Highlight Mining Industry’s Challenges
On Wednesday, Caterpillar (CAT)–one of the biggest manufacturers of construction and mining equipment–posted lower-than-expected quarterly results and cut its full year forecast. The bellwether cited weak demand from its mining customers, its most profitable product category, as the primary source of Caterpillar’s sour quarter. In 2014, Caterpillar estimates revenue will be essentially flat to +/-5% compared to 2013. For the year, the company now expects revenues to come in around $55 billion versus the previously forecasted $58 billion figure [for more commodity news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
2 Commodity Stocks To Buy When The Government Shutdown Ends
Week two of the government shutdown is here and politicians have offered little to no hope that a prompt resolution will be enacted prior to the much-feared October 17th debt-ceiling deadline. Although many speculate that the U.S. will avoid default even if the deadline is missed, it’s undeniable that such an event has the potential to trigger a much steeper correction on Wall Street, especially since major stock indexes are still up double-digits YTD [for more commodity futures news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].