Investing

The past few years have seen the development of the notion that GLD and SLV represent uncorrelated plays on the market, making them safe haven bets for your portfolio. Looking at historical trends (aside from 2011), [however,] one would have to go back to 2007 to find a year where these two metals weren’t highly correlated to the S&P 500. For all of 2011, both ETFs have featured low correlation, but as recent trading weeks have shown, old habits die hard, as the two ETFs have fallen back into a highly correlated trend. Let's take a look at the particulars.] Words: 672

A Barclays Capital research [report] notes that gold prices are vulnerable to a recession - more so than some of the other commodities. In the last recession of 2008, gold prices appreciated the least among precious metals. Below is a table that ranks 30 different commodities. Words: 571

Whilst it is true, more often than not, that mining stocks move in the same direction as gold [and historically outperform that of the physical metal based on their better beta statistics] there are periods where this relationship does not hold. That is one of the reasons we currently have no interest in trading or investing in mining stocks. Why form a bullish view on gold and buy mining stocks based on this view, only to see gold rise and mining stocks fall? [Instead,]... our preferred strategy to optimize and maximize potential profits... is using options that are directed based on the price of gold with no other factors influencing their performance. [Let us explain why.] Words: 1235

Natural gas is increasingly becoming an important fuel in meeting the global energy needs. Let's take a quick look at the largest natural gas fields in the world. Words: 300

You’d be in the top 1 percent of U.S. households if your income in 2010 was at least $516,633; your net worth in 2007 was $8,232,000 or more, and your average income this year is $1,530,773. Where did the top 1 percent make its money? [Take a look at the following charts for the answers.] Words: 1048

If sales for November and December match the levels of 2010, total sales of American Silver Eagle coins for 2011 should... [be] more than 20% above the record breaking sales level of 2010. [Not only that but] with physical demand remaining robust and investors seeking safe-haven investments in the face of the Eurozone debt crisis, I believe we could still see silver break above $50 by year-end or during Q1 of 2012 at the very latest. [Let me explain.] Words: 402

We now believe that there is at least a 50% probability of Israeli airstrikes against Iranian nuclear sites... Iran has multiple retaliatory options at its disposal...[and it begs the question:] Which options would most adversely affect the price of oil? [Let's take a look at what those options would be.] Words: 544

About two years ago, I looked through a BHP Billiton presentation which listed the number of years remaining for particular commodities. It was not an analysis of “peak” commodities as such, just a report on when various commodities would be completely, 100% depleted based on current usage rates and reserve assumptions. Copper in that report was determined to be scarcer than oil! [What does that mean for the future well-being of the U.S. - and the world?] Words: 1380

Should we jump into the market now? [Let's take a look at the 178 year history of the 4-year Presidential Cycles and the Decennial (10-year) Cycles and see what they suggest might well unfold in 2012.] Words: 1174

With continued strong investment demand for physical gold in the face of heightened macro uncertainty and unprecedented, globally-coordinated monetary stimulus and a US dollar that will continue its path lower, the best performing assets at present are gold, emerging market equities denominated in local currencies, and commodity related stocks. [Let me explain why that is the case.] Words: 560