BHP’s Price Warning Brings the Commodity Crash Playbook Back In Focus

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on May 20, 2012. Click here to read the entire piece.) BHP Billiton (BHP) Chairman Jacques Nasser raised eyebrows in a discussion with reporters on Wednesday, May 16th when he indicated that commodity prices are likely to keep falling for now: “The … Read more

Exports of Liquified Natural Gas Add to Evidence of Bottoming Natural Gas Prices

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on May 11, 2012. Click here to read the entire piece.) On April 19th, natural gas (UNG) reached a 10-year low at $1.907/mmBtu. This week, natural gas traded to a two-month high, the largest and longest-lasting move higher in a very, long … Read more

Chart Review: Chesapeake Energy’s “Abandoned Baby” As Shorts Descend Upon the Stock

Chesapeake Energy (CHK) has been in the news a lot partially thanks to the leveraged stock trading of its wheeling and dealing CEO. The stock has steadily dropped for over a year from a post-recession high of $36. When the company reported earnings two weeks ago, the stock responded with a strong gap up and … Read more

Post-Acquisition Enthusiasm Fades for Molycorp As Short Interest Continues to Climb

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on April 30, 2012. Click here to read the entire piece.) On March 8th, 2012, Molycorp (MCP) announced a critically important acquisition of Rare Earth Processor Neo Material Technologies. The next day, the market responded by sending MCP shares up 19%. Almost … Read more

2012 Has Delivered Some Attractive Bargains In Commodities

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on April 23, 2012. Click here to read the entire piece.) Commodity stocks have generally underperformed the stock market in 2012. I still cannot decide whether this weakness represents a leading indicator of broader weakness to come or a fortuitous relief to … Read more