Weak Dollar and Physical Demand Could Support Gold
Source: Ben Traynor, BullionVault  (1/4/12)
"'Gold may not be a safe haven in financial turmoil,but it does seem to function as a safe haven against real-world geopolitical risks.'" More >

Case for Sustained $100 Oil
Source: Frank Holmes, U.S. Global Investors  (1/4/12)
"Last year's unrest demonstrated how major oil-producing regions can significantly affect oil prices. The story is likely to continue into the new year." More >

Top Five Energy Mutual Funds
Source: Zacks Investment Research  (1/4/12)
"Energy mutual funds are a superior option for forays into the industry as they reduce risks involved by holding widely diversified portfolios." More >

Foreign Funding Ushers in a New Era of Profit Opportunities for US Gas Companies
Source: David Zeiler, Money Morning  (1/4/12)
"U.S. natural gas companies have found a convenient new way to boost their profits—by drawing in overseas companies to help fund their development projects." More >

Significant News for Ucore
Source: Jeb Handwerger, Gold Stock Trades  (1/4/12)
"'On this announcement, the stock has risen 13% on above average volume.'" More >

Oil Companies Big Winners as US Becomes Net Exporter of Fuel
Source: David Zeiler, Money Morning  (1/4/12)
"The United States has become a net exporter of fuel for the first time in more than 60 years. That simple fact could drive oil company profits for at least the next decade." More >

New Rare Earth Metal Deposits in 2012: Jon Hykawy
Source: Brian Sylvester of The Critical Metals Report  (1/3/12)
China's tight grip on rare earth elements supply may loosen as other deposits around the world come to fruition in 2012. In this exclusive interview with The Critical Metals Report, Jon Hykawy, head of global research with investment bank Byron Capital Markets, discusses the supply and demand fundamentals that are driving his predictions for the New Year. More >

Should We Be Worried About Iran?
Source: David Zeiler, Money Morning  (1/3/12)
"If the Iranian government makes good on its recent threats to stop oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, oil prices would shoot up within hours and the price of gasoline in the U.S. would rise by $1 a gallon." More >

Finding Profits in Volatile Energy Markets: Nav Malik
Source: George Mack of The Energy Report  (1/3/12)
Fishing for value is no easy task in a stormy economy, but investors can still come up with a profitable catch. Oil and gas analyst Nav Malik of Octagon Capital uses due diligence to identify select value plays with great growth potential. In this exclusive interview with The Energy Report, Malik discusses three cream-of-the-crop picks and a hot new play in the United Kingdom's North Sea. More >

Natural Gas Q&A: Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics
Source: Kent Moors, Money Morning  (1/3/12)
"The Energy Information Administration continues to wrestle with the distinction between reserves and extractable reserves." More >

Dr. Copper Heading Back to School
Source: Geoff Candy, Mineweb  (1/3/12)
"When combined with the financialization of the market and the increased usage of other materials to replace the red metal, the murky nature of Chinese copper demand means the metal's honorary doctorate should probably be rescinded for the time being." More >

Gold and Silver Surge in First Trading Session of 2012
Source: Eric McWhinnie, Wall St. Cheat Sheet  (1/3/12)
"In addition to uncertainty in Iran, gold continued to edge higher after the most recent Federal Reserve announcement. The central bank announced it will begin to publish policymakers' projections for its benchmark interest rate on overnight loans, and when officials expect the first rise to occur." More >

Gold Price Forecast 2012: The Impetus for the Mania Phase in Gold
Source: Hubert Moolman  (1/3/12)
"A falling dow, with weak economic conditions, will be the impetus for the next massive rally in gold, just like it was in previous bull markets. A falling and/or weak Dow will in some way represent the diverting of value from stocks to gold." More >

Counting Down Washington's Keystone XL Clock
Source: Meghan Gordon, Platts  (1/3/12)
"The law Congress passed just before Christmas to force a quicker decision on the Keystone XL pipeline gives the Obama administration two choices: approve or deny TransCanada's application by Feb. 21. Or does it?" More >

How Qatar and Russia Just Improved Our Liquefied Natural Gas Prospects
Source: Kent Moors, Money Morning  (1/2/12)
"It may not be on some analysts' radars yet, but this event will likely boost natural gas prices in the United States. And that is something we've been waiting to see for quite some time." More >

2012: The Recognition of the Age of Critical Technology Materials
Source: Jack Lifton, Resource Investor  (1/2/12)
"The rare earths supply frenzy has exposed an irreversible shift in the demand/supply picture for all technology materials." More >

China's Future Deconstructed: Holmes vs. Chang
Source: JT Long of The Gold Report  (12/30/11)
China has become the $5.88 trillion question in the world financial equation for 2012. In an attempt to gauge the direction of this economic elephant, Cambridge House International is asking two China experts to debate the health of the second-largest economy at the Vancouver Resource Investment Conference January 22. We called the two speakers for a preview of the tactics they will take in this epic debate. More >

Gold Records 11th Annual Gain, Ends 2011 Up 11%
Source: Adrian Ash, Bullion Vault  (12/30/11)
"The price of physical gold crept higher early Friday, recovering half of this week's 5% loss to near six-month lows as the euro rallied from 12-month lows and world stock markets held flat." More >

Another "Peak" Performance
Source: Chris Tucker, Energy InDepth  (12/30/11)
"But if you take a closer look at the arguments that undergird the peak oil philosophy, you find an interesting and underreported aspect that lies at its core: In most cases, these folks don’t actually argue that the world is physically short on oil and natural gas." More >

Year in Review: Digging into Potash Stocks
Source: The Energy Report Editors  (12/29/11)
People have to eat. That seemed to be the consensus of the markets in 2011, which saw potash gaining traction as a new kind of safe haven. A resource that promises higher crop yields in a time of exploding global population growth, potash is ripe with potential profits for investors who choose carefully. The Energy Report dug deeper into this sector in 2011, interviewing analysts and industry experts who shared how to gain exposure to this growing market. More >

Gold's D-Wave Confirmed
Source: Toby Connor, Gold Scents  (12/29/11)
"The combination of the dollar rally out of its three-year cycle low, gold's yearly cycle low and a D-Wave decline are going to produce a very sharp correction in the gold bull market." More >

Dangerous Rare Earth Supply Risk
Source: Ian Cooper, Wealth Daily  (12/29/11)
"The U.S. Department of Energy just warned rare earth supplies are facing some of their most critical supply levels. If things don't improve, many of our greatest technological advancements could start disappearing from store shelves." More >

Time to Buy the Rare Earth Metals ETF (REMX)?
Source: Eric Dutram, Zacks Investment Research  (12/29/11)
"While demand is slack right now, the incredible importance of the materials in this space and their wide range of applications ensures that they will always see a decent level of buying." More >

Indian Jewelers Reduce Gold Content to Lift Sales
Source: Shivom Seth, Mineweb  (12/29/11)
"Jewelers have resorted to reducing the gold content in jewelry pieces and replacing it with diamonds or other precious stones." More >

Market Looks Poised to Reverse Hard to Downside Within Days
Source: David Banister, The Market Trend Forecast  (12/29/11)
"The patterns that I am seeing are based on crowd behavioral 'Elliott Wave' analysis that now favors a 70% probability of a bearish decline beginning very shortly to the 1150s area on the S&P 500 index." More >