It’s official. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the United States could be the world’s largest oil-producing country in the next seven years. Based on the report, the United States could surpass all other countries in oil production by 2020. And 10… Read More

It’s official. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the United States could be the world’s largest oil-producing country in the next seven years. Based on the report, the United States could surpass all other countries in oil production by 2020. And 10 years later, the country could be energy-independent. Talk about your 180-degree turnarounds. For the past several decades, the United States has depended heavily on imports to feed its 19-million-barrel-per-day oil habit. In fact, about one out of every five barrels the United States consumes… Read More

It’s official. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the United States could be the world’s largest oil-producing country in the next seven years. Based on the report, the United States could surpass all other countries in oil production by 2020. And 10 years later, the country could be energy-independent. Talk about your 180-degree turnarounds. For the past several decades, the United States has depended heavily on imports to feed its 19-million-barrel-per-day oil habit. In fact, about one out of every five barrels the United States consumes each day comes from a foreign country. But if this forecast is accurate, then the United States production could eventually outpace domestic consumption. So instead of bringing in oil, we could be shipping it out. Is this plausible? You bet it is. In fact, the whole scenario sounds eerily similar to what has happened in the natural gas market. A decade ago, every credible analyst was convinced that the United States was running out of gas,… Read More

I want to show you the best way to invest in gold and other commodities. But there is something you need to know… Commodities are risky. One of the riskiest things an individual investor can attempt.  It’s estimated that 95% of individual commodity… Read More

On Monday, Jan. 7, the U.S. Mint began taking orders for 2013 American Eagle silver coins. Officials were bracing for an onslaught of sales, but I doubt they were expecting this. By the end of the day, the Mint had sold more than 3.9 million of the 1-ounce 99.9% silver… Read More

I just wrote a check this morning for my monthly power bill, made payable to American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) in the amount of $260.02.  I’m not alone. AEP serves five million residential and business customers in 11 states.  #-ad_banner-#Rain or shine, that’s five million checks that pour in each… Read More

A deep-pocketed mining conglomerate has just anted up $9 billion to make a high-stakes wager on energy.  Freeport McMoRan (NYSE: FCX) is best known for its massive metals hoard, most notably the Grasberg complex in Indonesia, which is the largest gold mine and… Read More

A deep-pocketed mining conglomerate has just anted up $9 billion to make a high-stakes wager on energy.  Freeport McMoRan (NYSE: FCX) is best known for its massive metals hoard, most notably the Grasberg complex in Indonesia, which is the largest gold mine and third biggest copper mine on the planet. With operations on four continents, the company holds 102 billion pounds of copper reserves, 40 million ounces of gold, 266 million ounces of silver, 2.5 billion pounds of molybdenum, and 700 million pounds of cobalt.#-ad_banner-# Starting soon, this world-class… Read More

A deep-pocketed mining conglomerate has just anted up $9 billion to make a high-stakes wager on energy.  Freeport McMoRan (NYSE: FCX) is best known for its massive metals hoard, most notably the Grasberg complex in Indonesia, which is the largest gold mine and third biggest copper mine on the planet. With operations on four continents, the company holds 102 billion pounds of copper reserves, 40 million ounces of gold, 266 million ounces of silver, 2.5 billion pounds of molybdenum, and 700 million pounds of cobalt.#-ad_banner-# Starting soon, this world-class asset portfolio will be joined by millions of barrels of crude oil and trillions of cubic feet of gas.  On Dec. 5, Freeport McMoRan extended a bold $9 billion buyout offer ($20 billion including the assumption of debt) for two mid-tier exploration and production (E&P) firms.  The first target is McMoRan Exploration (NYSE: MMR), which, as you might guess, once belonged to Freeport McMoRan. MMR gained its independence via spin-off in the mid-1990s. After amassing 255 billion cubic… Read More

If you’re thinking of stashing your money in gold, think again. The yellow metal has enjoyed a nice run, posting gains for 12 years running. And it may extend that streak in 2013, particularly if inflation heats… Read More

People want gold and oil. These commodities have long been synonymous with wealth. But they need water. It’s something every one of the world’s seven billion-plus inhabitants needs every day for basic survival. In the not too distant future, the wealth of some nations… Read More

Some of my biggest gains have come from tracing powerful growth trends back to the source. If lemonade sales are booming, then I want to know who’s supplying the lemons. The smartphone revolution, for instance, has been very good to Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL). And analysts are forecasting a 27% increase… Read More