A little more than 10 years ago, when the market was fixated on high-flying tech stocks like Oracle (Nasdaq: ORCL) and Yahoo (Nasdaq: YHOO), a few savvy commodity investors were making a fortune on a certain industrial metal. During that time, orders for this metal were so strong, that all the mining production in the world couldn’t keep pace with demand…  To cover the shortfall, buyers had to dip into reserve stockpiles in Russia. All this drove prices for this metal skyward. Between January 2000 and February… Read More

A little more than 10 years ago, when the market was fixated on high-flying tech stocks like Oracle (Nasdaq: ORCL) and Yahoo (Nasdaq: YHOO), a few savvy commodity investors were making a fortune on a certain industrial metal. During that time, orders for this metal were so strong, that all the mining production in the world couldn’t keep pace with demand…  To cover the shortfall, buyers had to dip into reserve stockpiles in Russia. All this drove prices for this metal skyward. Between January 2000 and February 2001, spot market prices surged 157% — from $430 an ounce to $1100 in a matter of months. Why do I bring this up? Because not much has changed in the past decade, and I’m seeing a similar situation play out in the market that could send this metal — palladium — soaring again. Here’s the story… #-ad_banner-#Palladium is an extremely important metal. In fact, I would say it’s indispensable for the global economy.  The metal has a multitude of uses, most notably in the dental,… Read More

In the past, I’ve told you where to find 57% of America’s best income stocks. For those who didn’t read that article, my research team found that 12 of the 21 best-performing American income stocks of the past decade came from a single sector — energy. (You… Read More

Warren Buffett’s annual letter to shareholders is one of the most highly anticipated reports in the financial community. (You can find a copy of his latest letter here) Every year, investors around the world anxiously wait to hear what the world’s most prolific investor has… Read More

Since natural gas prices fell off a cliff in 2008, they have continued to descend further and further — until just recently slipping below $2 per thousand cubic feet (Mcf). Prices have perked up a bit recently, but considering how far it’s fallen, it’s of little comfort to investors who… Read More

You probably haven’t heard this story — it’s been overshadowed by the media’s ubiquitous coverage of the Supreme Court health care case.   But while every back was turned, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) quietly released new regulations that could cripple, or possibly even kill, many U.S. coal… Read More

I like to consider myself a contrarian investor. Zigging when others are zagging is usually the surest way to find underpriced stocks and avoid overheated ones that are due for a pullback.   But this time, the crowd just might be right. Read More

With all the changes to the United States’ energy landscape recently, it’s easy to overlook one of the country’s most important petroleum-producing regions: the Gulf of Mexico. For energy investors, drilling in the Gulf is hardly a new story. U.S. oil companies have been… Read More

When nobody expects much from a company, it’s usually pretty easy to please the audience. And there aren’t many sectors that have such low expectations as commercial airlines. In this bleak industry, it’s often a struggle just to avoid bankruptcy — let alone generate any real profits… Read More

Hedge-fund managers and other institutional commodities traders are usually pretty skilled at making broad economic forecasts. But there’s one variable they just can’t seem to predict — the weather.   Mother Nature often creates havoc on agricultural production, which can be good or bad, depending on your view. Read More

I’m a big fan of Las Vegas. I try to visit at least once a year to try my luck at the tables (I leave the club-hopping to the socialites).    I’m also an advocate of gaming stocks. In fact, I spent over a year writing a regular monthly feature… Read More