Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Good deal with commodities

"Many resources are always scarce, are to promote more difficult and thereby tend to be more expensive. Moreover, the world's population is growing rapidly and people in the emerging markets become wealthier and more upmarket. In addition, without prejudice to the thriving industrial production, the demand for raw materials are constantly increasing. "

This assessment will be followed by a call for the environmentally conscious, resource-saving way of life, you might say. Finally, it is indeed possible for all and long range. But far from it. The author of these lines is not due to warn against over-exploitation of Mother Earth or to express fundamental doubts about the outlined development. Rather, "these developments are good chances for investments in commodities," says the text further. This comes from the newsletter of a bank.

Good deal with commodities

And indeed, with raw materials can make good cash. Prices soared in the past from time to time in the air, brought investors such good profits and consumers higher prices. "I do not care," some people will think. & Play but cobalt, platinum, copper Co. only a minor role in the everyday life of the Otto-Normal-consumer. But resources are also the alltagsbestimmende oil and - even more importantly - sugar, grain, rice, salt, many other (basic) food. In recent years, food prices fall again into the headlines. The reason for this are often extreme weather conditions that make the harvests are bad, or even threaten the stocks.

The devastating fires in Russia threaten large parts of the wheat fields, the Government has imposed a temporary ban on exports of the grain. From June to August, the price of wheat on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange has doubled. Cost per ton of wheat in June, around 100 €, it was in August to pay a little more than € 200 per tonne. In Brazil, rainfall can vary the sugar harvest lousy, too little rain in India has resulted in exactly the same result. The price of sugar has only increased in July by 22 percent, year-end industry insiders expect a further increase of 28 percent again.

Determined by supply and demand only the prices?

The fact that supply and demand determine the prices of food is also, in a market economy only logical. The question is whether there are only really supply and demand, driving up prices. The clear answer is no, unfortunately! "Right now the market is determined by fear," says some of the agricultural analyst at Commerzbank, Eugen Weinberg. Speculators are at work and push up prices for agricultural commodities. Although the price increases go back not only on them, so the vineyard to the "Lausitzer Rundschau on, but the speculators can speed up the movement. And they do. The chairman of the Agricultural Trade Group BayWa, Klaus Josef Lutz, estimates that the price goes to 70 percent on the account of speculators. In some markets, harvest and demand are only secondary factors for the pricing.

We must strive not like the old Native American prophecy that man will find out only after the loss of all life, that you can not eat money. But the question must be allowed, whether with such essential items like food does not require a restriction on the speculation. Claims were often loud and then they not only came from corners, from which they would have been expected anyway. So the Wall Street legend George Soros called for in 2008 a ban on commodity speculation for U.S. pension funds. The time had severe price increases caused by just such transactions. "It's as if we secretly hoarded food in a hunger crisis in order to make profits with the rising prices," Soros then thundered in an interview with Stern. Soros himself was famous for a stock market bet against the British pound, which would also make him more rich.

Shoulder to shoulder against international speculators needed

Finance Minister Schäuble called earlier this year, also an "international shoulder to shoulder" in the regulation of commodity speculation. Condition he was not yet, however. Finally examples from the past to the argument per speculation ban be used: during the Great Depression of the 30s were futures markets in Germany in part is prohibited.

The opponents of speculation bans lead the positive aspects of price bets into the field. In the futures markets are also producers and consumers would hedge against price fluctuations. Are contracts for delivery in two months, for example, for wheat bought, so after two months relating to that fixed price, then even if wheat is actually more expensive. The producer has such planning and immediate value, the risk of the speculator. Also rising commodity prices, speculation can get something out supporters. Permanently low prices would stifle investment in production facilities, etc., which could then turn to a decline in production and thus lead to a tighter range with even higher rates.
However welcome such effects of speculation are, for the speculators are only just at the end of side effects. Their goal is not to give producers and consumers planning security and price stability. They simply want to achieve the maximum possible profit. Therefore, at least as monitoring mechanisms should be established that ensure that these benefits disappear (side) effects by speculation and not speculative excesses can be prevented. Especially in times of severe crisis could be the suspension of commodity speculation an effective way. But for this they need actually calls for an international shoulder closure, the Finance Minister Schäuble. But that is probably only a stronger form of suffering.

At the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the price of wheat broke last Friday, one way, by 7.4 percent. Maybe not a good signal for the speculation opponents.

Commodities: Chinese import data with no clear direction

Category: Commodity Research External | Time: 12:09
Energy: Oil prices lost in the morning one percent to $ 80.5 per barrel. In addition to a stronger U.S. dollar as published in charge of the night import data from China. The second largest oil consumer in the world has imported 19 million tons of crude oil in July. Thus, imports were 17.5% lower than last month and a decrease of 3.2% for the first time since March 2009 back on the previous year. Prepare for a permanent weakening of demand still seems premature. The sharp decline in imports, compared with June, first explained in the record imports the previous month. In addition, a pipeline explosion left the port of Dalian mid-July that has affected imports temporarily. The damage has now been resolved, so that expected in August, again with a normalization of imports. The evening show today by the U.S. Department of Energy EIA report should be published months that China remains the mainstay of the oil demand. So far, the EIA expects a rise in global oil demand by 1.5 million barrels per day this year and next. The increase is thereby almost completely borne by the developing countries, especially China, Saudi Arabia and Brazil. At this perception might initially change anything.
In the evening released the API, the U.S. stock data for the past week. It is expected a drop in crude oil stocks by 1.6 million barrels, as imports are likely to have returned to normal after the strong rise in July. The inventory reduction should however be hampered by a decline in refinery utilization. However, should the product be stocks continued to rise, which indicates a further narrowing of the crack spreads.

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

commodity traders almanac

Commodity Trader's Almanac 2010
The Commodity Trader’s Almanac 2010 is your annual guide to commodities trading. Whether you’re a seasoned investor or just getting started in commodities this vital desk reference is packed with critical commodity trading seasonality trends, strategies and data for every active trader. You get actionable information on specific stocks, ETFs and more! The 2010 edition's key features include:

Friday, March 5, 2010

coltan for sale

There is coltan for sale from the democratic republic of the Congo. And there would be sourcing possible from Zambia. If you are interested into purchasind tantalum base minerals, please make contact at coltan for sale.

Monday, February 8, 2010

International Commodity Trading book review

International Commodity Trading
International Commodity Trading by Ephraim Clark, Jean-Baptiste Lesourd is a fantastic book for the beginner when it comes to commodities. I was surprised how much detail the authors went through. It's probably perfect for someone who does not work specifically in commodities but would like to learn more about what is available in the way of infrastructure, procedures, information, and data.

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Handbook of Commodity Investing book review

The Handbook of Commodity Investing (Frank J. Fabozzi Series)
In his book The Handbook of Commodity Investing  Frank J. Fabozzi PhD deals extensively with the fundamentals of the commodity markets and the inference and workings of investing in commodities with a long-term view. The book does not uncover the latest technical trading methods, but it will teach you almost everything you need to know about Investments in commodities.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

tourmaline for sale

tourmaline gemstones for sale. There are gemstones from the Congo for sale. If you are a serious buyer of tourmaline gemstones, please make contact at tourmaline for sale.

Origin of the name tourmaline
The name tourmaline comes from the Sinhalese word "tura mali" from. Translated it means "stone with mixed colors'.

An old legend of Egypt says that a tourmaline up on the long road from the interior of the earth to the sun over a rainbow was hiked. On the way he had taken all the colors of the rainbow. Therefore it is called even today the "gemstone of the rainbow".

Origin and occurrence of tourmaline
Tourmalines are found almost everywhere in the world.