Gold, Copper, Platinum Stuck In Contango
As traders try to make their way through the volatile and often dangerous world of commodities, the futures curve is one of the most important aspects to focus on. Many traders look for contangoed curves to either make savvy trades or avoid potential blunders for their portfolio. Contango, the process by which near month futures are cheaper than those expiring further into the future, is often caused by storage costs of hard assets, but can also be a reflection of future price expectations. In this iteration of our contango report, we focus on three key metals for investors to keep an eye on [for more information on commodities in contango subscribe to our free newsletter].
What South Africa Means To The Platinum Market
Platinum generally receives less attention from investors than other precious metals, but it is rarer than gold or silver. The metal’s physical characteristics have made it important for a wide variety of industrial applications. Its resistance to corrosion, for example, makes it ideal for use in automobile catalytic converters. This use alone accounts for about 50% of its usage. In addition, it used in electronics and fuel cells. The petroleum industry uses it in the cracking process in oil refineries. And of course, platinum is used extensively in jewelry [for more platinum news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
Which Platinum ETF Is Right For You? PPLT vs. PTM vs. PGM
Although not as popular as its precious metal competitors gold and silver, platinum has surely made a name for itself in the investing world. This rare metal is one of the most expensive exchange-traded metals on the market and has been catching investors’ interests thanks to its wide variety of uses. Platinum is best known for its use in the automobile industry: half of the supply of platinum goes towards creating emission control devices for automobiles [for more platinum news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
Five Must-Read Blogs for Platinum Traders and Investors
Platinum is one of that rarest metals on earth, making it a solid member of the precious metals family. Though it does not get nearly the attention that its counterparts gold and silver receive, platinum is still one of the more popular commodities for investors as well a number of industries. About half of the world’s supply of the shiny metal goes towards emission control devices for automobiles; as a catalyst it allows for the combustion of unburned hydrocarbons from the exhaust into carbon dioxide and water vapor, though it also appears in thermometers and dental tools. For those looking to stay up to date on platinum futures and the commodity’s overall environment, we outline five blogs to help give you a leg up on this hard asset [see also Ultimate Guide To Platinum Investing.
Seven Platinum Traders Worth Following on Twitter
Trading platinum has become a lucrative opportunity for investors as this precious metal has quickly become one of the most popular assets in the world. With its heavy use in the industrial world as well as its relatively volatile supply chain, platinum makes for an ideal trading instrument (although it can certainly be used as a part of a long-term strategy) for those who can stomach futures exchanges. One of the best ways to stay on top of platinum markets and trends is to utilize Twitter. It may be difficult for some to view Twitter as a viable source for trading info, but there are a number of professionals who aim their tweets at keeping their followers in-the-know. Below, we outline seven must-follow platinum Tweeple to give you the best information for your commodity trades [see also Jim Rogers Says: Buy Commodities Now, Or You’ll Hate Yourself Later].
How to Trade Platinum Futures
Platinum, one of the more industrious precious metals, has become a popular trading instrument in recent years, as investors have seen the benefits of making a play on this hard asset. Platinum’s uses span from catalytic converters to thermometers and even dental equipment. Given its heavy dependence on an emerging market, South Africa, as far as supply is concerned as well as its massive presence in the industrial world, trading platinum futures has become an ideal play for a number of active investors. Below, we outline the best ways to trade these contracts as well as some helpful tips to help you stay ahead of the platinum curve [see also Ultimate Guide To Platinum Investing].
Four Little Known Factors Driving the Price of Platinum
Platinum, one of the rarest elements in the world, is among the most popular commodities for investors and traders. As a member of the precious metals family, platinum offers a compelling long-term hold as something of a safe haven, but it also can be used as an effective trading instrument given its high liquidity as well as volatile supply chain. Platinum is generally obtained as a byproduct of nickel and copper mining and annual production is only a fraction of the gold and silver mined, making the metal more coveted and far more rare. Just how rare is platinum? It is estimated that all of the platinum in the world could fit into a cube that is roughly 20 feet on every side. As this hard asset continues to grow in popularity, we take a look at four price drivers that demand attention from traders and investors alike [see also … See the full story here →
Commodity ETFs: It Takes Two To Contango
This article originally appeared on ETFdb.com. Futures-based investing has long been a popular option for those looking to gain exposure to commodities that were otherwise difficult to reach. But with the introduction of ETFs came increased granularity in this investing segment, as there are now exchange traded products that offer exposure to a wide variety of commodities through a single ticker. This alleviates the stress and complexities that are involved with managing a futures account, while allowing investors to sometimes gain access to multiple commodity futures with just one fund. Still, for everything that ETFs have opened up for the everyday investor, these funds are by no means perfect.
Ultimate Guide To Platinum Investing
Platinum is one of the rarest metals on earth, found in even smaller quantities than silver or gold. Though it receives less attention from investors than other precious metals, platinum is an interesting option because it is used widely in a number of industrial applications; most notably, this metal is a key component of automobiles. There are a number of different options for investing in platinum, including exchange-traded futures contracts, stocks of companies engaged in the extraction and sale of the metal, and both physically-backed and futures-based exchange-traded products.
