Tag: streetwise

Put Your Trust in Precious Metals, Not Governments

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The Gold Report: You've expressed astonishment at the record highs of world stock exchanges. Given the sluggish world economy, can we expect this trend to end, or have equities become completely disconnected from economic reality?

Leonard Melman: Equities have become somewhat disconnected from economic reality. We've heard comments from the European Central Bank, the U.S. Treasury and the Bank of Japan calling for more inflation because dramatic action is needed to improve the world economy. How does that coincide with the bull markets in equities?

TGR: Is there a connection between these bull markets and quantitative easing (QE)? Continue reading "Put Your Trust in Precious Metals, Not Governments" →

Colorado Floods Highlight Opportunity in Oil and Gas Services

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The Energy Report: Jason, how did the recent flash flooding in Colorado impact the Wattenberg oil field?

Jason Wangler: It was a very nasty flood and all the companies on the ground are working hard to assess the damage. There have been reports of tank leakages and other problems. But the wells were turned off during the flood, so drilling operations were not affected much. The questions that remain are how much work is necessary to fix the roads? And when can the drillers safely turn the wells back on?

TER: Given the ever-present possibility of natural disaster, what type of emergency preparations do oil and gas drillers typically take? Continue reading "Colorado Floods Highlight Opportunity in Oil and Gas Services" →

The Peerless Way to Precious Metal Profits

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The Gold Report: In a July research report, you wrote that the ongoing decline from the all-time high in the gold price may represent a correction of the last large up leg, which some say began in 2009 or mid-2008. Or it may represent a correction of the entire 1999 - 2011 advance in the gold price. Which is it? And has that correction run its course?

Tom Szabo: We are in a correction of the 20082011 rally and it is ongoing. Big picture, the gold price needs to drop below $1,155/ounce ($1,155/oz) and then subsequently below $1,067/oz before this would represent a correction of the entire gold cycle that goes back to 1999. We haven't seen such a decline at this point so we can't conclude that it's a larger correction.

TGR: We've seen modest upward momentum in the gold price since the lows of April. Is there enough momentum to invest in gold equities? Continue reading "The Peerless Way to Precious Metal Profits" →

Technical Analysis Toolkit for Energy Investors

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The Energy Report: Energy prices are very sensitive to international events, especially conflicts in the Middle East. Do your charts factor in the periodic crises that impact oil and gas prices as buy and sell moments? How do you factor in inflation and interest rate movements into your calculations about which energy juniors look like good buys at any given time?

Clive Maund: The charts do factor in periodic crises that impact oil and gas prices as buy and sell moments, but often in a contrary way. The trick is to gauge when a crisis is at its moment of greatest tension, and while this is not at all easy, the charts can often be a great help in defining such a moment. I will give you an example using a recent call on CliveMaund.com, where the top in oil was pinpointed a day after its occurrence. Some readers may remember an old saying used on the London market many years ago, "Buy on a strike." This refers to a strike by labor, not an oil strike. The underlying psychology of this was that the time of maximum tension and uncertainty, which was when labor unions called the workers out on strike, was the best time to buy stocks, because they would have been falling in anticipation of this, and as tensions later eased as the situation headed to resolution, they would rise again. So it is with conflict and tension situations in the Middle East and their impact on the oil markets. Continue reading "Technical Analysis Toolkit for Energy Investors" →

How to Make Money with Clean Tech Energy

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The Energy Report: A large number of photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing firms went bankrupt during the past year. What is the outlook for solar energy firms?

Pavel Molchanov: Most of the solar bankruptcies that took place in the U.S., Europe and China have occurred among companies that manufacture solar modules. But it's important to note that a bankrupt company does not necessarily shut down production. About 75% of these companies, as measured by production capacity, have continued to operate, either on a stand-alone basis during bankruptcy or following an acquisition by a strategic partner.

Take, for example, China's Suntech Power Holdings (STP:NYSE). It was the largest solar manufacturer in the world as recently as 2011. It declared bankruptcy in March, and continues to operate and generate revenue. Solyndra, of course, has been wiped off the face of the earth. But such liquidation is a very rare outcome for large solar companies that take temporary refuge in bankruptcy.

TER: Are bankrupt, producing solar companies attractive investments? Continue reading "How to Make Money with Clean Tech Energy" →