There are signs the broader market and major energy indexes are approaching a key low, setting up for a major rally that will kickoff no later than mid-2009. We’re already seeing a marked improvement in performance in the past few weeks, particularly for our three key themes for the New Year: high income potential; natural gas over oil; and integrated Super Oils. Read More

Oil and natural gas prices are at unreasonably depressed levels right now, and related stocks are pricing in an extremely pessimistic outlook for commodity prices. Read More

We’re following a simple strategy in The Energy Strategist: buying stocks in beaten-down energy subsectors with strong long-term prospects and buying defensive stocks and preferreds that offer high income potential. Read More

The oil markets are already sowing the seeds of another big rally. Weak oil prices spell a moderation in new exploration investment and shrinking supplies of crude. I suspect we’ll see the global economy begin to recover in the latter half of 2009. When that happens, oil demand will stabilize, and the supplies needed to meet that consumption simply won’t be there. As we wait for this story to play out, I recommend adding a bit of income to your portfolio. Read More

The past few months have been painful for most market sectors, including energy. But there’s a silver lining: Income-oriented investors now have a once-in-a-decade opportunity to grab companies with little or no exposure to an economic slowdown or weak energy prices and lock in tax-advantaged yields of 8 to 15 percent. Read More

Warren Buffett isn’t a market-timer, and he’s admitted on numerous occasions that he’s not great at predicting short-term events. Nonetheless, from a longer-term perspective, investors would do well to follow his basic contrarian discipline of buying stocks when others are fearful and selling when others are greedy. Read More

For the past few weeks, the stock and credit markets have been taking their cue from Washington and the fate of the proposed Paulson plan to buy up troubled mortgage assets from banks. This could remain the case for a while longer. That said, I do expect passage of a bill this week, and we’re setting up for a classic yearend rally. If history is any guide, energy stocks will be among the best performers in such a move. Read More

The past two months have been tough for all investors, particularly those with exposure to the energy and commodity sectors. But we've seen this sort of correction before, and I'm quite certain we'll see more in the future; no great bull market proceeds in a straight line higher. The good news is that the longer-term bullish factors driving these markets remain intact. Read More

The past few weeks have brought considerable volatility to the commodity markets and related stocks. Unfortunately, periodic painful corrections aren’t uncommon in any bull market move, and the energy patch is no exception. Read More

In-house oil and natural gas guru Elliott Gue gives us his take on the US natural gas market and how tropical activity may affect prices going forward. We’ve seen a big run up in prices in the first half of 2008, but what’s expected for the remainder of the year? Read More

The pullback in oil, natural gas and related stocks has been dramatic over the past month and a half. But we’ve seen corrections of this magnitude before, and the recent move isn’t at all unusual from a historical perspective. Read More

Last week I sent out two flash alerts discussing the continued selling pressure we're seeing in the oil and natural gas markets. First, the bad news: The selloff in crude oil, natural gas and energy-related stocks continues, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see further selling over the next few weeks to take oil back to around $110 per barrel. Read More

Alternatives Field Bet Company Name (Exchange: Symbol) Entry Price (USD) Total Return Since 01/24/07 (%) Total Return for 2008 (%) Advice Covanta Holding Corp (NYSE: CVA)* 28.23 -3.0 -3.0 Buy First Solar (NSDQ: FSLR)* 289.36… Read More

When I boarded the plane for Tokyo, I expected focus of this year’s Group of Eight (G8) Summit in Hokkaido, Japan, to be alternative energy. Although we’ve certainly made money in alternatives, I see this as a highly limited solution for rising energy prices and environmental concerns. Read More

The energy sector is a lot bigger than just companies that explore for and produce oil and natural gas. One of the most overlooked energy sectors of all also happens to be one of the oldest sectors in the US market, the railroads. Read More

The tanker industry is absolutely vital to global oil supply. Tankers account for the vast majority of oil trade and 90 percent of all oil shipped out the Middle East. Read More

Russia, Mexico and Norway have all come out over the past two months and announced lower-than-expected oil production growth. This has forced the International Energy Agency (IEA) to revise lower 2008 supply projections yet again in May; IEA projections for 2008 non-OPEC supply are now 40 percent lower than they were in November of last year. Read More

If there's one segment of the energy industry that's often overhyped, it's alternative and renewable technologies. Proponents speak of these technologies as the key to solving both the world's dependence on increasingly scarce, expensive fossil fuels and reducing pollution.  Read More

There have been many ups and downs for Canadian income trusts recently during this volatile market environment. But the key is to ride out the weakness because distributions will rise over time and simultaneously carry share prices higher. Diversifying between sectors will help you achieve that goal. Read More

When billionaire investor Warren Buffet speaks, it pays to listen. I was struck by some unquestionably bullish comments Buffet made over the weekend. Read More