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Follow the Management Names: Taylor MacDonald
2012-01-06 20:00:00
The Gold Report: Taylor , many investors are confused by today’s unpredictable market. Are you as confused as most market observers? Taylor MacDonald: We have come to expect the unpredictability. Since 2008 volatility has become the new norm. You have to learn how to protect yourself in these hazardous times. TGR: How has 2011 tested your bag of investment tricks? TM: We focus on the long term, taking large positions in smaller companies. We look for unique assets, strong management teams and structure. In the past couple of years, we have learned to stick to our knitting, to what we do best. TGR: And what would you say you do best? TM: Our strength is identifying undervalued opportunities . . . → Read More: Follow the Management Names: Taylor MacDonald
More About: Finance

4 Critical Things You Need to Watch as Earnings Season Begins
2012-01-06 19:00:00
We're entering one of the most important phases of the year for investors. In the weeks ahead, many companies will set the tone for the remainder of 2012, laying out strategic goals along with sales and profit targets. For many companies, it will be the only time of the year they'll provide deep, forward-looking insights.. And though we all seem to be busier than ever, investors should carve out time to listen to conference calls of the companies on their watch list. There is simply no way to really understand a business — and its prospects — by only reading quarterly press releases. Here are four key trends that may dominate the upcoming conference call . . . → Read More: 4 Critical Things You Need to Watch as Earnings Season Begins

2011: Flat Year, Wild Ride
2012-01-06 18:35:00
The year ended with the S&P 500 almost exactly where it began, but we doubt many investors have forgotten the wild ride in between.  Defensive sectors were the 2011 winners.  Utilities, Consumer Staples, and Health Care filled their traditional role as the place to be in troubled times if one must stay in stocks.  Treasury bonds were an even better refuge, despite the historic S&P downgrade of the U.S. credit rating in August.  With the 2011 books now closed, what about 2012?  We haven’t seen as many annual forecasts this year.  This is just as well, since the predictions rarely prove very useful.  Their main value is to provide entertainment.  The Federal Reserve’s next policy meeting on January 24-25 . . . → Read More: 2011: Flat Year, Wild Ride

Why 2012 looks to be even ROUGHER than 2011!
2012-01-06 16:55:00
Welcome to 2012! I trust you had an enjoyable holiday season like I did … and that you’re just as ready as I am to make this your most profitable year ever. So what am I expecting? In a nutshell, an even MORE tumultuous year than 2011. I say that because many of the problems that hammered markets in 2011 haven’t gone away. They’ve gotten even worse — and the list of NEW problems is getting ever longer. Why You Still Need to Worry about Europe! Last year, I said repeatedly that Europe’s purported debt problem “fixes” would fail. That was clearly on target. I also told you that I believed the global economy would slow broadly. . . . → Read More: Why 2012 looks to be even ROUGHER than 2011!
More About: Commentary

THE PARTY MAY BE OVER!
2012-01-06 16:46:00
About it every 35 to 40 days we get a major profit-taking event occur in the stock market. In bull markets that’s all it is, a profit-taking event. In a bear market it is a resumption of the cyclical downtrend triggered by deteriorating fundamentals. It still remains to be seen whether or not stocks have rolled over into another cyclical bear market. However we are entering the timing band for one of those daily cycle corrections. It’s not unusual to see this begin as a profit-taking event on the employment report, as we enter earnings season. As long as earnings season meets expectations then that is all this should be, just a profit-taking event. However, if earnings season . . . → Read More: THE PARTY MAY BE OVER!
More About: Party , Technical Analysis

Why Has Gold Been Down?
2012-01-06 15:38:00
By Jeff Clark, Casey Research After all, in spite of some short-term fixes, there remains no real resolution to the sovereign debt issues in many European countries. We’re certainly not spending less money in the US, and now we’re bailing out Europe via currency swaps with the European Central Bank. Shouldn’t gold be rising? Yes, but nothing happens in a vacuum. There are some simple explanations as to why gold remains in a funk. The MF Global bankruptcy, the seventh-largest in US history, forced a high degree of liquidation of commodities futures contracts, including gold. Many institutional investors had to sell whether they wanted to or not. This is similar to why big declines in the stock market can . . . → Read More: Why Has Gold Been Down?

Revealed: My Top Energy Stock for 2012
2012-01-06 14:30:00
It's one of the most unique companies on the planet. In fact, I count only two other business that do the same work. Still, the demand for its product is volatile. This company can earn $20,000 a day or $120,000, depending on the market. When times are good (like they were in 2011), this company can make investors money hand over first. And as you'll see below, all the signs are pointing to 2012 being a banner year for this company. As the chief strategist of StreetAuthority's Energy & Income advisory, I've tabbed it as my top energy stock for this year. Golar LNG (Nasdaq: GLNG) simply has that much potential for the coming year. Golar shareholders . . . → Read More: Revealed: My Top Energy Stock for 2012

EURUSD Hits New Lows Ahead Of Non-Farm Payrolls
2012-01-06 09:42:00
Source: Advanced Currency Markets | G10 Advancers and Decliners vs USD CHF 0.08 GBP 0.06 EUR -0.02 JPY -0.03 EURUSD hit fresh lows of 1.2764 in the Asian session, but volatility has been muted as markets await the upcoming non-farm payrolls release. Asian equity indices have struggled today with the Shanghai Composite the lone index managing to trade higher. Yesterday, under fire SNB Governor Philipp Hildebrand held a press conference in Zurich; with the aim of addressing media uproar that his wife… Read More …
More About: Hits

EUR Tumbles Ahead of Non-Farm Data
2012-01-06 08:35:00
Source: Forex Yard EUR Tumbles Ahead of Non-Farm Data The euro saw heavy bearish movement throughout the day yesterday despite positive US data which typically helps the currency. Euro-zone debt worries continue to send investors away from riskier assets. Whether today's US Non-Farm Payrolls can give the euro a boost to close out the week is still unknown. Economic News USD – Positive US Jobs Report Turns USD Bullish The US dollar had a very bullish day yesterday, following a better than expected ADP Non-Farm Payrolls figure and Unemployment Claims report. Gains were made against the euro, British pound and Japanese yen. The EUR/USD fell to an 11-month low, while the USD/JPY shot up past the 77.00 level. The . . . → Read More: EUR Tumbles Ahead of Non-Farm Data

A Third Pick for my $100,000 Real-Money Portfolio
2012-01-06 02:00:00
We're less than a week into my $100,000 real-money portfolio undertaking, and we've already seen plenty of excitement. I committed more than $12,000 to my first pick, Ford Motor (NYSE: F), which jumped nicely in the days after my initial analysis. If you had the chance to get in ahead of me (I make all of my trades 48 hours after I tell you about it), then you got a nice little bump, as shares have been on the upswing. Then I introduced my second pick, Alcoa (NYSE: AA), which I told you about Wednesday. (Many of my loyal readers have signed-up to get these articles delivered to their email inbox as soon as they're . . . → Read More: A Third Pick for my $100,000 Real -Money Portfolio

Finding Growth in a Flat Energy Market: Tim Murray
2012-01-05 23:00:00
The Energy Report: Tim, what is your investment thesis right now? Tim Murray: It hasn’t changed since the last time we talked. We are biased towards oil plays. But we will look at selective natural gas players and we prefer the lowest-cost producers as well as the companies with a larger production base. TER: Are you currently telling investors that they need to be patient? TM: Yes. Most of the small/micro cap stories have seen a dramatic drop in share price over the last year; however, WTI (West Texas Intermediate) is hovering around $100/barrel (/bbl), and oil companies should be able to generate strong cash flow at these levels. The market has gone quieter on the smaller-cap companies as . . . → Read More: Finding Growth in a Flat Energy Market : Tim Murray

Six Reasons to Avoid Japan In 2012
2012-01-05 17:35:00
One of the best ways to make money in ETFs is to not lose money. I know it sounds obvious, but I can assure you that many people don’t get this key point. So if I can help you do that, then I count it as a success. And today I’ll talk about an ETF category I think you should avoid in 2012: Japan . What’s Wrong with Japan? I’ve been to Japan many times. I love the country and the people. Yet I have to tell you that now is not the time to invest in Japanese stock ETFs. Yes, I know the Nikkei Dow looks oversold, but it’s looked that way for years. As I’ve explained . . . → Read More: Six Reasons to Avoid Japan In 2012
More About: Commentary

Take a Look at My "Cheat Sheet" of Undervalued Stocks
2012-01-05 16:00:00
They say stocks "climb a wall of worry." Well, investors now have something new to worry about. Concerns are growing that profit margins may have peaked for many companies in 2011 and could slip a bit in 2012 and 2013. It's a valid concern. In past economic cycles, companies operated in an ultra-lean fashion during periods of economic weakness, but needed to spend more money on staff and raw materials when the economy starts to strengthen. If profit margins have indeed peaked and earnings-per-share (EPS) growth is hard to muster, then investors are likely to focus on other metrics that help point the way toward value. My favorite litmus test for a stock's value is in the . . . → Read More: Take a Look at My "Cheat Sheet " of Undervalued Stocks

Investment in African Renewable Energy Reaches $3.6 Billion in 2011
2012-01-05 15:50:00
First, the bad news. Although Africa has vast fossil and renewable energy sources, only twenty percent of its population has direct access to electricity and in some rural areas, four out of five people are completely without power. According to the UN, over 600 million Africans currently do not have access to electric power. A depressing 70 percent of Sub-Saharan Africa’s population is living without access to clean and safe energy for their basic needs such as cooking, lighting and heating, making energy poverty among the most urgent issues facing Africa. Worldwide, more than 1.4 billion people worldwide have no access to electricity, and 1 billion more only have intermittent access. Over 2.5 billion people, almost half . . . → Read More: Investment in African Renewable Energy Reaches $3.6 Billion in 2011
More About: Nigeria , Renewable Energy

Doug Casey Addresses Getting Out of Dodge
2012-01-05 15:02:00
(Interviewed by Louis James, Editor, International Speculator) L: Doug, a lot of readers have been asking for guidance on how to know when it’s time to exit center stage and hunker down in some safe place. Few people want to hide from the world in a cabin in the woods while life goes on in the mainstream, but nobody wants to get caught once the gates clang shut on the police state the US is becoming. How do you know when it’s time to go? Doug: Well, the first thing to keep in mind is that it’s better to be a year too early than a minute too late. David Galland recently read They Thought They Were Free: The . . . → Read More: Doug Casey Addresses Getting Out of Dodge
More About: Commentary

EURUSD Heads Lower, US Jobs Report Coming Up
2012-01-05 09:38:00
Source: Advanced Currency Markets | G10 Advancers and Decliners vs USD CHF 0.18 JPY 0.07 GBP -0.23 EUR -0.24 EURUSD topped out at 1.3074 yesterday, and then collapsed back down to 1.2898 lows in the afternoon. Even though the pair managed to stabilize at depressed levels overnight, it seems inevitable that the selling pressure returns at some point. Yesterday?s Eurozone CPI estimate for December was in line with expectations at 2.8% (down from 3.0% in the month prior), but this moderation in inflation… Read More …
More About: Jobs , Report , Lower

EUR Corrects Itself Following German Debt Auction
2012-01-05 08:27:00
Source: Forex Yard EUR Corrects Itself Following German Debt Auction The euro staged a downward reversal yesterday, following a German debt auction that caused investors to once again place their funds in safe-haven assets. Today, traders will want to pay attention as major market volatility is expected following news events from the UK, US and Canada. Economic News USD – USD Rebounds Following Return to Safe-Haven Assets The US dollar had a very bullish day yesterday, following a less than enthusiastic German debt auction which sent investors back toward safe-haven assets like the USD and CHF. The dollar saw upward movement against many of its main currency rivals, particularly the euro and UK pound. The EUR/USD tumbled well . . . → Read More: EUR Corrects Itself Following German Debt Auction

I?m Adding Another Holding to my $100,000 Real-Money Portfolio
2012-01-05 03:30:00
Time waits for no one. The market has rung in the New Year, and slow-to-move investors may miss out on further gains ahead. So I'm moving quickly to name the second pick in my $100,000 portfolio. As is the case with Ford (NYSE: F), my initial holding, it's also a well-known company. Its roots go back to 1887, when chemist (and company founder) Charles Martin Hall figured out how to make aluminum through the use of an electric current. If you missed the initial installment, then allow me to explain. StreetAuthority is giving me $100,000 to invest in my absolute best investment ideas. I'll be sharing my trades with you for free — but only for a . . . → Read More: I’m Adding Another Holding to my $100,000 Real -Money Portfolio

Bond Yield
2012-01-05 03:07:00
No Interest For 18 Months! That’s a nice offer when purchasing a new TV but it sucks when you’re trying to live on fixed income investments. The Fed is serious about keeping bond yield (interest rates) low through the middle of next year. In their own words: “The Committee agreed to keep the target range for the federal funds rate at 0 to 1/4 percent and to state that economic conditions are likely to warrant exceptionally low levels for the federal funds rate at least through mid-2013.” FOMC Minutes, Aug 9, 2011 The resulting anemic bond yields make it difficult or impossible for many fixed income investors to generate enough yield to live on. Take a look . . . → Read More: Bond Yield
More About: Options

FOMC Pledges To Provide Projections On Interest Rates
2012-01-04 18:00:00
Source: Advanced Currency Markets | G10 Advancers and Decliners vs USD CHF 0.22 GBP 0.02 JPY -0.04 EUR -0.09 Asian equity markets have been mixed overnight, with a lack of news events ensuring limited participation. Japanese bourses are open again after the holidays and the Nikkei is up 1.2% today, but the Hang Seng is currently down -0.6% and Shanghai Composite -1.4%. Last night’s FOMC minutes revealed that in future, the Fed will provide projections of how the committee expects the Fed Funds target… Read More …
More About: Interest Rates , Interest

This 18.1%-Yielder Could Be in Trouble
2012-01-04 17:30:00
Investors have been asking me about this stock for weeks. And I don't blame them… The stock is yielding more than 18% right now. This high yield comes on top of a 7-million share buyback announcement this company made just weeks ago. But underneath the seemingly good news are some serious questions. And they suggest Invesco Mortgage Capital (NYSE: IVR) might be in trouble. IVR is a mortgage real-state investment trust (REIT). The company borrows money or raises capital at cheap rates, and then uses this money to buy mortgage-backed securities — pooled groups of mortgages — that pay higher yields. For instance, a mortgage REIT might take out a loan at 2%, invest in a pool of . . . → Read More: This 18.1%-Yielder Could Be in Trouble

December, 2012: Things That Make You Go Hmmm
2012-01-04 17:30:00
For whatever deeply embedded psychological reason – and your humble analyst is profoundly guilty – we humans seem prone to picking out a particular point in our space-time continuum (read: the New Year) to think about the future and new beginnings, rather than running the exercise every week or month. Maybe so much introspection and thinking is just too exhausting, so we only do it on an annual basis. I am deep in my reading as I research my annual forecast issue, which I will write Friday. I am thinking of being especially foolish (and anyone who makes predictions is foolish) and going out to a five-year time frame. It should be challenging. But back to today. One of . . . → Read More: December, 2012: Things That Make You Go Hmmm
More About: Analysis , Spain

These 8 Analysts See Gold Going to $3,000 ? $10,000 in 2012!
2012-01-04 16:55:00
By: Lorimer Wilson Back in 2009 I began keeping track of those financial analysts, economists, academics and commentators who were of the opinion that it was just a matter of time before gold reached a parabolic peak price well in excess of the prevailing price. As time passed the list grew dramatically and at last count numbered 140 such individuals who have gone on record as saying that gold will go to at least $3,000 – and as high as $20,000 – before the gold bubble finally pops. Of more immediate interest, however, is that 8 of those individuals believe gold will reach its parabolic peak price in the next 12 months – even as early as February, 2012. . . . → Read More: These 8 Analysts See Gold Going to $3,000 – $10,000 in 2012!

War Imminent in Straits of Hormuz? $200 a Barrel Oil?
2012-01-04 16:30:00
The pieces and policies for potential conflict in the Persian Gulf are seemingly drawing inexorably together. Since 24 December the Iranian Navy has been holding its ten-day Velayat 90 naval exercises, covering an area in the Arabian Sea stretching from east of the Strait of Hormuz entrance to the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Aden. The day the maneuvers opened Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari told a press conference that the exercises were intended to show "Iran’s military prowess and defense capabilities in international waters, convey a message of peace and friendship to regional countries, and test the newest military equipment." The exercise is Iran’s first naval training drill since May 2010, when the . . . → Read More: War Imminent in Straits of Hormuz? $200 a Barrel Oil?

Riskier Assets Turn Bullish Following Positive British Data
2012-01-04 07:57:00
Source: Forex Yard Riskier Assets Turn Bullish Following Positive British Data Riskier currencies like the euro and UK pound turned bullish yesterday, following the release of the British manufacturing PMI in morning trading. Meanwhile, the price of crude oil is steadily rising as tensions between the US and Iran continues to generate supply side fears. Economic News USD – USD Moves Downward as Investors Move to Riskier Currencies The US dollar saw a largely bearish day yesterday, as positive economic data out of Europe generated risk taking among investors. The safe-haven greenback took losses against most of its main currency rivals, including the euro and GBP. The EUR/USD once again shot up above the psychologically significant 1.3000 level, while . . . → Read More: Riskier Assets Turn Bullish Following Positive British Data

Finding Profits in Volatile Energy Markets: Nav Malik
2012-01-03 22:00:00
The Energy Report: Nav, what is your current investment thesis? Nav Malik: Given the commodity price environment, we prefer oil and light-oil plays at the moment. The economics are much more favorable. We also like liquids-rich gas plays, which serve to boost project economics. Given natural gas prices, we’re not as favorable on dry gas plays at this point. TER: You would think of the liquids as icing on the cake? NM: Absolutely. Projects have better economics via more favorable pricing in the liquids. With dry gas around $3.50/thousand cubic feet (Mcf), it’s not as economic to drill purely for gas, but when you add a liquids component to it, that serves to boost the overall production revenue . . . → Read More: Finding Profits in Volatile Energy Markets : Nav Malik

The Investing Advice That Makes Brokers Cringe
2012-01-03 19:30:00
It's one of the best investing strategies I know… and brokers hate it. Brokers are in the business to make money. Every time you make a trade, they collect a fee. This means they like it when you make as many trades as possible. They don't care if you win or lose — every time you trade in and out of stocks, they make money. That's why you'll rarely hear Wall Street downplay or speak too critically of trading… It's far too profitable for them. But the truth is… when you trade every day… or every week… or even every year, you might be forfeiting your chance of earning BIG returns. Why? Because the market's . . . → Read More: The Investing Advice That Makes Brokers Cringe
More About: Stocks

Collateral Damage
2012-01-03 16:08:00
"Whoever cannot seek the unforeseen sees nothing for the known way is an impasse." ― Heraclitus, Fragments Which path will we take? If we could only grow our way out of our sovereign debt problems. But growing debt creates even more problems if not dealt with, making it even more difficult to deal with; yet getting the debt and deficit under control brings its own form of pain. As I keep pointing out, there are no easy choices left. Some countries must choose between difficult and very bad, and others are faced with either disaster or calamity. Greece simply gets to choose what it wants to be the cause of a depression. Long and slow or fast and . . . → Read More: Collateral Damage
More About: Analysis

China PMI Survey Buoys Risk Sentiment, Boosts Australian Dollar Higher
2012-01-03 10:05:00
Source: Advanced Currency Markets | G10 Advancers and Decliners vs USD EUR 0.52 GBP 0.50 JPY -0.20 CHF -0.28 With Asian markets returning to normality after the holidays (albeit with Japan still out), risk appetite has started strongly. Most risk currencies and Asian equity indices are trading higher this morning, buoyed in part by the strong Chinese non-manufacturing PMI released this morning. The survey increased to 56.0 in December, up from 49.7 in November ? and follows an unexpectedly strong… Read More …
More About: China , Dollar , Survey , Australian , Risk

EUR/JPY Hits 10-Year Low to start off the New Year
2012-01-03 08:24:00
Source: Forex Yard EUR/JPY Hits 10-Year Low to start off the New Year Concerns over the euro-zone debt crisis pushed the common currency to new lows yesterday during the first trading day of 2012. The EUR/JPY fell as low as 98.71, a 10-year low for the pair. Today, traders will want to pay attention to several leading indicators which are likely to inject some volatility into the marketplace. Economic News USD – Non-Farm Payrolls Set to Impact USD this Week. With most markets closed on Monday, the USD started off the week showing very little movement against its main currency rivals. That is all set to change as a series of leading indicators are set to be released throughout . . . → Read More: EUR/JPY Hits 10-Year Low to start off the New Year
More About: Start