Negative Feedback Loops Should Continue Pressuring Iron Ore Prices Lower

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on January 19, 2015. Click here to read the entire piece.) {April 8, 2015 addendum: negative feedback loop is not the accurate term. I should have left it at feedback loops or even destructive feedback loops} {snip} {snip} There is every reason … Read more

The Commodity Crash Playbook: A Long Overdue Rewrite and Revision

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on January 5, 2015. Click here to read the entire piece.) Three and a half years ago, I started a series that I called “the Commodities Crash Playbook” in an effort to take advantage of an investing and economic theory promoted by … Read more

A Chance to Buy Corn At A Potential Bottom

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on August 13, 2013. Click here to read the entire piece.) If there was any time for Teucrium Corn (CORN) to finally bounce, Monday (August 12, 2013) was it. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced its projection for record corn … Read more

The QE2 Reference Price Identifies the Strongest Iron Ore and Metallurgical Coal Plays

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on September 16, 2012. Click here to read the entire piece.) Last week, I demonstrated how the timing of QE2 provided a useful reference point for buying Freeport-McMoran (FCX) as part of a coming revision of the commodity crash playbook. In this … Read more

Using the QE2 Reference Price To Buy Freeport-McMoRan

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on September 10, 2012. Click here to read the entire piece.) {snip}…I want to demonstrate how well last year’s playbook has worked for Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. (FCX) (so far!). One of the rules from the playbook states: “QE2 (the second … Read more

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

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

Chart Review: Canada Index Fund ETF Printing A Major Topping Pattern

Last year I made the case for investing in Canada in 2012 (see “Buying Canadian On Expectations For Stronger Growth“). I have only made one move since then (buying Encana Corporation (ECA) on weakness in natural gas prices) as I continue to wait for discount prices. I thought just such an opportunity had arrived in … Read more

Opportunities From the Crash In Natural Gas

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on January 17, 2012. Click here to read the entire piece.) Last year I wrote a two-part series leveraging the work of Jeremy Grantham to develop a strategy for profiting from a crash in commodity prices (see “Profiting from Physical Assets in … Read more

Time to Moderate Bullishness on the Australian Dollar

This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on December 5, 2011. Click here to read the entire piece.) The Australian dollar was a particularly strong beneficiary of last week’s bullish euphoria. Although the dollar index has only lost about 1% since its most recent peak on Friday, Nov 25, … Read more