Energy & Commodities

If you’re around my age, then you probably remember exactly where you were when you heard the news in November 1963 that President Kennedy had been shot. The first lunar landing in July 1969 is another such time marker for my generation, as is Sept. 11, 2001. Read More

We’ve all heard of peak oil — the notion that, because there’s a finite oil supply, production will one day begin to progressively diminish until there’s no oil left. Well, a similar thing may be happening with silver, one of the world’s most desired precious metals. That’s why we at… Read More

Last week, I told you about the scramble among investors for American Silver Eagles. These coins, minted by the U.S. government, contain exactly one troy ounce of 99.9% pure silver. Twice between 2008 and 2009 the U.S. mint had to suspend sales… and demand has almost doubled… Read More

It’s the best electrical conductor of any metal, and may soon replace the lithium-ion in batteries used in future Apple (NYSE: AAPL) iPhones and laptops. It’s highly reflective, making it a perfect choice for the increasingly popular photovoltaic solar panels. #-ad_banner-#It’s strong enough to… Read More

A Saudi-Sized Oil Find… And a Rupert Murdoch-Backed Company Is in the Middle What I’m about to say might shock you… Israel sits on nearly as much oil as Saudi Arabia. You read this correctly, Israel — a country the size of the state of New Jersey — sits atop an estimated 250 billion barrels of oil. To put the sheer volume of Israel’s reserves in perspective, take a look at the chart below.   As the chart shows, that’s roughly the… Read More

A Saudi-Sized Oil Find… And a Rupert Murdoch-Backed Company Is in the Middle What I’m about to say might shock you… Israel sits on nearly as much oil as Saudi Arabia. You read this correctly, Israel — a country the size of the state of New Jersey — sits atop an estimated 250 billion barrels of oil. To put the sheer volume of Israel’s reserves in perspective, take a look at the chart below.   As the chart shows, that’s roughly the same as Saudi Arabia, which is the 13th largest country in the world and almost exactly 100 times larger than Israel. If oil is worth $100 a barrel, then Israel has the ability to tap into $25 trillion worth of crude. How did a country that’s historically struggled to meet its energy demands stumble into one of the largest known petroleum reserves on the planet? #-ad_banner-#Trapped beneath Israel’s famed Shefla basin, rests a special type of shale called kerogen. Kerogen contains bitumen, the petroleum-rich substance that the Canadians extract from the tar sands to… Read More