As the editor of two natural resources newsletters, I stay closely attuned to various industry costs: the average cost to mine an ounce of gold, the cost to refine a barrel of oil into gasoline, the cost to produce and ship a ton of coal from Australia to China. It goes without saying that fluctuations in these costs have a direct impact on the bottom line (and thus the share prices) of the companies involved. And in most cases, expenses are trending higher. Labor costs climb with each passing… Read More

As the editor of two natural resources newsletters, I stay closely attuned to various industry costs: the average cost to mine an ounce of gold, the cost to refine a barrel of oil into gasoline, the cost to produce and ship a ton of coal from Australia to China. It goes without saying that fluctuations in these costs have a direct impact on the bottom line (and thus the share prices) of the companies involved. And in most cases, expenses are trending higher. Labor costs climb with each passing year as workers receive salary bumps. Businesses that lease property and equipment usually see annual rent increases. And, of course, the raw materials needed to make finished products have grown more expensive. Many of these businesses aren’t in a position to raise prices, so they simply have to absorb the higher operating expenses and watch their profit margins get squeezed. Trust me, the market hates margin contraction. But there’s one small group of… Read More

For the first time since 2004, shares of one of the world’s largest gold and copper mining companies were recently selling below $20. But since the end of April, the stock has appeared to carve out a bottom and is in an uptrend, shooting up 7% in the past week alone. Looking at the technical picture, the situation appears ripe for a sustained turnaround. I think this stock still has an… Read More

For the first time since 2004, shares of one of the world’s largest gold and copper mining companies were recently selling below $20. But since the end of April, the stock has appeared to carve out a bottom and is in an uptrend, shooting up 7% in the past week alone. Looking at the technical picture, the situation appears ripe for a sustained turnaround. I think this stock still has an upside potential of more than 100% from today’s prices. Since 2012, the company has increased its dividend 33% to a yield of 4%, helping tide over investors while they wait. I’m talking about Barrick Gold Corp. (NYSE: ABX). But first, let’s take a look at the reasons behind the recent price drop. To begin with, the price of gold has taken a nosedive since November: A mining company like Barrick makes its… Read More

The bear market in gold may not be over, but one precious metal is a buy now. Before getting to that buy, I want to talk about Japan. Two weeks ago, I explained how trading once every two weeks can increase returns. Last week’s market crash in Japan immediately put that theory to the test. With detailed testing, I have found that trading as little possible with a relative strength (RS) system… Read More

The bear market in gold may not be over, but one precious metal is a buy now. Before getting to that buy, I want to talk about Japan. Two weeks ago, I explained how trading once every two weeks can increase returns. Last week’s market crash in Japan immediately put that theory to the test. With detailed testing, I have found that trading as little possible with a relative strength (RS) system can generally increase returns. In a RS strategy, the idea is to hold winning trades as long as possible.#-ad_banner-# This often means holding even when the market pulls back or suffers a sharp decline. In hindsight, many of these pullbacks will turn out to be buying opportunities in a long-term uptrend. Sometimes, the decline is the start of a bear market and the RS system will confirm that with a sell signal within a few weeks of the top. In testing, I found that holding after a sharp drop in price is almost… Read More

Shares of Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS) have produced only meager returns for investors in recent years, but all that may be changing. That’s thanks to an ambitious growth plan that may boost cash flow by 50%… Read More

For true long-term investors, the intended holding period for a stock is typically measured in years, and the decision to buy it is based solely on that company’s long-term prospects. But every now and then, a short-term factor takes hold and forces an investor to become a trader. Refusing to take on that role, even if only temporarily, can mean missed opportunities. Like it or not, anybody who’s currently holding… Read More

For true long-term investors, the intended holding period for a stock is typically measured in years, and the decision to buy it is based solely on that company’s long-term prospects. But every now and then, a short-term factor takes hold and forces an investor to become a trader. Refusing to take on that role, even if only temporarily, can mean missed opportunities. Like it or not, anybody who’s currently holding a position in Kellogg (NYSE: K), General Mills (NYSE: GIS), or Flowers Foods (NYSE: FLO) is a trader. How so? Because these food stocks and their peers have rallied considerably since the latter part of last year — so much so, in fact, that they’re all at considerable risk of a pullback. Shareholders will have to make a decision soon, too, since the underlying reason for the rally is already starting… Read More

For true long-term investors, the intended holding period for a stock is typically measured in years, and the decision to buy it is based solely on that company’s long-term prospects. But every now and then, a short-term factor takes hold and forces an investor to become a trader. Refusing to take on that role, even if only temporarily, can mean missed opportunities. Like it or not, anybody who’s currently holding… Read More

For true long-term investors, the intended holding period for a stock is typically measured in years, and the decision to buy it is based solely on that company’s long-term prospects. But every now and then, a short-term factor takes hold and forces an investor to become a trader. Refusing to take on that role, even if only temporarily, can mean missed opportunities. Like it or not, anybody who’s currently holding a position in Kellogg (NYSE: K), General Mills (NYSE: GIS), or Flowers Foods (NYSE: FLO) is a trader. How so? Because these food stocks and their peers have rallied considerably since the latter part of last year — so much so, in fact, that they’re all at considerable risk of a pullback. Shareholders will have to make a decision soon, too, since the underlying reason for the rally is already starting… Read More

For true long-term investors, the intended holding period for a stock is typically measured in years, and the decision to buy it is based solely on that company’s long-term prospects. But every now and then, a short-term factor takes hold and forces an investor to become a trader. Refusing to take on that role, even if only temporarily, can mean missed opportunities. Like it or not, anybody who’s currently holding… Read More

For true long-term investors, the intended holding period for a stock is typically measured in years, and the decision to buy it is based solely on that company’s long-term prospects. But every now and then, a short-term factor takes hold and forces an investor to become a trader. Refusing to take on that role, even if only temporarily, can mean missed opportunities. Like it or not, anybody who’s currently holding a position in Kellogg (NYSE: K), General Mills (NYSE: GIS), or Flowers Foods (NYSE: FLO) is a trader. How so? Because these food stocks and their peers have rallied considerably since the latter part of last year — so much so, in fact, that they’re all at considerable risk of a pullback. Shareholders will have to make a decision soon, too, since the underlying reason for the rally is already starting… Read More

For true long-term investors, the intended holding period for a stock is typically measured in years, and the decision to buy it is based solely on that company’s long-term prospects. But every now and then, a short-term factor takes hold and forces an investor to become a trader. Refusing to take on that role, even if only temporarily, can mean missed opportunities. Like it or not, anybody who’s currently holding… Read More

For true long-term investors, the intended holding period for a stock is typically measured in years, and the decision to buy it is based solely on that company’s long-term prospects. But every now and then, a short-term factor takes hold and forces an investor to become a trader. Refusing to take on that role, even if only temporarily, can mean missed opportunities. Like it or not, anybody who’s currently holding a position in Kellogg (NYSE: K), General Mills (NYSE: GIS), or Flowers Foods (NYSE: FLO) is a trader. How so? Because these food stocks and their peers have rallied considerably since the latter part of last year — so much so, in fact, that they’re all at considerable risk of a pullback. Shareholders will have to make a decision soon, too, since the underlying reason for the rally is already starting… Read More

For true long-term investors, the intended holding period for a stock is typically measured in years, and the decision to buy it is based solely on that company’s long-term prospects. But every now and then, a short-term factor takes hold and forces an investor to become a trader. Refusing to take on that role, even if only temporarily, can mean missed opportunities. Like it or not, anybody who’s currently holding… Read More

For true long-term investors, the intended holding period for a stock is typically measured in years, and the decision to buy it is based solely on that company’s long-term prospects. But every now and then, a short-term factor takes hold and forces an investor to become a trader. Refusing to take on that role, even if only temporarily, can mean missed opportunities. Like it or not, anybody who’s currently holding a position in Kellogg (NYSE: K), General Mills (NYSE: GIS), or Flowers Foods (NYSE: FLO) is a trader. How so? Because these food stocks and their peers have rallied considerably since the latter part of last year — so much so, in fact, that they’re all at considerable risk of a pullback. Shareholders will have to make a decision soon, too, since the underlying reason for the rally is already starting… Read More

For true long-term investors, the intended holding period for a stock is typically measured in years, and the decision to buy it is based solely on that company’s long-term prospects. But every now and then, a short-term factor takes hold and forces an investor to become a trader. Refusing to take on that role, even if only temporarily, can mean missed opportunities. Like it or not, anybody who’s currently holding… Read More

For true long-term investors, the intended holding period for a stock is typically measured in years, and the decision to buy it is based solely on that company’s long-term prospects. But every now and then, a short-term factor takes hold and forces an investor to become a trader. Refusing to take on that role, even if only temporarily, can mean missed opportunities. Like it or not, anybody who’s currently holding a position in Kellogg (NYSE: K), General Mills (NYSE: GIS), or Flowers Foods (NYSE: FLO) is a trader. How so? Because these food stocks and their peers have rallied considerably since the latter part of last year — so much so, in fact, that they’re all at considerable risk of a pullback. Shareholders will have to make a decision soon, too, since the underlying reason for the rally is already starting… Read More