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]:

Posted in Agriculture, Brent Oil, Coffee, Copper, Energy, Heating Oil, Industrial Metals, Livestock, Lumber, Timber | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

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].

Posted in Agriculture, Commodity Futures, Commodity Producers, Copper, Industrial Metals, Timber | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The 5 Best Commodities of 2012

Another year has come to an end, and another 12-month stretch of frantic commodity trading can go in the books. As is par for the course, this year saw a number of big movers throughout the space, as these assets maintained their reputation for general volatility. This year saw its share of winners and losers, as a number of macroeconomic factors combined to guide the commodity space to the finish line. Below, we outline the five commodities that outperformed their competition in 2012 [for more commodity news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].

Posted in Agriculture, Asset Allocation, Commodity Futures, Corn, Energy, Gasoline, Lumber, Platinum, Precious Metals, Soybeans | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

3 Commodities For A Housing Recovery

Homebuilders and other housing industry stocks have been strong performers in 2012 as low interest rates offset higher underwriting standards for home loans. The SPDR S&P Homebuilders ETF (XHB) rose more than 54% since the beginning of this year, while the iShares Dow Jones U.S. Home Construction ETF (ITB) is up more than 74% over the same period [for more housing news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].

Posted in Agriculture, Commodity ETF Analysis, Commodity ETFs, Commodity Producers, Copper, Industrial Metals, Lumber, Timber | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

WOOD Flirts With Major Resistance Level

Optimism on Wall Street appears to be slowly fading away as major equity indexes haven’t been able to keep up with last week’s bullish momentum. Since the broad-based rally last Friday, price action has been lackluster on the equity front as resurfacing “fiscal cliff” woes  have once again opened up the doors for profit-taking. Economic data releases remain mixed, with October durable goods orders data coming in flat while consumer confidence is showing signs of minimal improvement. Amid the looming uncertainties, precious metals have offered little to no refuge, prompting savvy traders to look to other corners of the commodity market for opportunities [for more economic news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].

Posted in Actionable Ideas, Commodity ETFs, Timber | Tagged | Leave a comment

Timber Catches Fire In Sandy’s Wake

The past week has seen a number of factors combine to push timber prices and forestry stocks higher, with the most notable force coming from Hurricane Sandy. The superstorm wreaked havoc on the East Coast, as its destructive path reached 1,000 miles across, leaving millions of homes and businesses damaged and powerless. Estimates of the damage have come in at a staggering $50 billion, making Sandy the second most expensive storm in U.S. history, behind Hurricane Katrina [for more timber news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].

Posted in Agriculture, Commodity ETF Analysis, Commodity ETFs, Commodity Producers, Lumber | Tagged , | 1 Comment

The Largest Private Landowners in the U.S.

Buying and owning hard assets like farmland and timberland has been a popular investing method for many years. Unfortunately, it is too costly and difficult for the average retail investor, so it is often left to those who have access to a significant capital base. For those who can invest in land, it can often be one of the best investments you will ever make, as the potential for profit is quite large [for more commodity news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].

Posted in Agriculture, News and Current Events, Timber | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Schiff: The Fed Wants To Inflate Housing

Renown and rather outspoken investor Peter Schiff has taken a shot at the Fed in his most recent statements, as he accuses them of trying to inflate the economy. To be specific, Schiff thinks that Bernanke and company want to inflate the housing bubble, which burst in 2007 and had a devastating impact on our economy. “But you can’t blow up a bubble that has already burst. It has too many holes” said Schiff [for more inflation news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].

Posted in Actionable Ideas, Agriculture, Asset Allocation, Commodity ETFs, Timber | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

Timber Set to Soar Says Jeremy Grantham

Jeremy Grantham, famous for co-founding the Grantham Mayo Van Otterloo (GMO), has made a series of forecasts that investors may want to pay attention to. Grantham has become a household investing name with his uncanny predictions of numerous asset bubbles as well as his general knowledge of the financial world. According to Mr. Grantham, the next seven years will see timber outperform all other asset classes. The prediction laid out a 6.5% annualized return for this commodity, while other asset classes lagged behind [for more timber news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].

Posted in Actionable Ideas, Agriculture, Asset Allocation, Commodity ETFs, Commodity Futures, Timber | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Which Commodity ETFs Could Outpace QE3?

Global easing programs from around the world have investors scrambling back and forth. Some are excited to see stock markets have such positive reactions, while others are ripping the Fed for what they feel will be our undoing. Either way you spin it, QE3 is here and it may be staying for quite a while. Ben Bernanke announced that this round of asset-purchasing will feature $40 billion in MBS per month until they see a material growth in the jobs sector and the economy. What they define as a significant growth isn’t clear, so many are predicting for this spending spree to continue on for quite some time [for more economic news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].

Posted in Actionable Ideas, Agriculture, Asset Allocation, Commodity ETF Analysis, Commodity ETFs, Commodity Producers, Energy, Gold, Precious Metals, Silver, Timber, WTI | Tagged , , , , | 14 Comments
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