You know, this gold bug thing isn't going away. Like I've been musing since the beginning of the year, 2006 is definitely going to be the year of the precious metal. I'm reading research reports, quoting many gold industry veterans, saying the spot price of gold could very…

In past columns, I have discussed the importance of diversifying your stock assets outside of the U.S. It allows you to benefit from growing markets in emerging countries. The safest and easiest way to do this is through professionally managed mutual funds.  I have talked about booming markets…

For many commodity and resource-related companies, their stock prices have taken a bit of a rest over the last month or so. I still contend that 2006 is going to be the year of precious metals and any sectoral weakness in this area is a buying opportunity. Investor…

The price of oil has been dropping lately and gasoline prices are much more reasonable. Unfortunately, the stock market isn't paying as much attention to oil prices anymore. It's not that the market doesn't care about high energy costs, it's just that it's a bit of an old…

The mining industry is experiencing a resurgence right now and not only are precious metal prices on an upward swing, but so are precious metal stocks. It is no surprise then that the Canadian stock market, as measured by the S&P/TSX Composite Index is flying high right now.…

Both Michael and Mitchell touched on the topic last week, but I wanted to reiterate why platinum should be a part of your portfolio.  Platinum futures have jumped again, as supply is not enough to meet demand. Platinum topped $1,000 an ounce last week, while gold jumped to…

Copper prices have been on a nice upward trend since June 2005, driven by good economic growth, a strong housing market in the United States, and an insatiable appetite from copper hungry China. But the charts now show some hesitancy, as there are worries regarding demand.  The concern…

Along with precious metals, I still think that oil and gas service companies are going to do very well in 2006. Most energy producing companies, both small and large, have a lot of cash for exploration and drilling. With oil over $50 a barrel, it really is a…

If you are a commodity player, 2005 has no doubt been a great year. If you only owned oil or oil and gas stocks, you would have had a great year. Now, with the year almost over, my prediction is that 2006 is going to be different. Not…

There's an old Italian proverb that goes "big mouthfuls often choke." Isn't it the truth!?  The man who became more famous for having a $6,000 gold shower curtain than he did for his company leadership is going to have to get used to a concrete shower stall in…

I have to agree with Michael's sentiments above, today. When Wal-Mart says that it's experiencing difficulty, you know that a sea of change is coming. The world's largest retailer is having a tough time selling its wares in this market, particularly as most of its customers are very…

The broad stock market averages have really done well lately. Some Wall Street investment firms have recently turned quite bullish on the market. I don't really know what to make of the recent strength in the stock market. Frankly, I remain bearish on the medium-term prospects for stocks.…

On January 15, 2004, last Thursday to be precise, the price of Gold posted its biggest one-day decline in three months, settling back 3.2% on the day and closing. The pro traders out there suggest that the precious metals New Year decline is the result of profit taking…