It’s 75 degrees and sunny in Baltimore this weekend.
And it’s St. Patrick’s Day.
So go outside and plant something or drink a beer — I’ll keep this to a brief recap of the week…
Oil pulled back a bit from its highs near $110 and has caused a bit of profit-taking in the space, with most majors drifting a few percentage points lower this week.
A ray of light shined on solar as we learned the number of megawatts installed in the United States in 2011 more than doubled from 2010.
Utility demand alone quadrupled to 760 MW.
A 50% decline in the price of solar panels last year is driving customers to take advantage.
That sector is shaking out, the losers are dying, and there are some steep discounts available. I’d wait ’til after this earnings season to pick through them.
A year after Fukushima, uranium stocks are still at a steep discount. And with a supply crunch in store for the next few years, now is looking like a good time to make some easy long-term gains in the space…
Check out the stalwarts: Cameco (NYSE: CCJ), Denison (AMEX: DNN), and Uranium One (TSX: UUU).
And finally, rare earths are back in the news after a hiatus for most of the latter part of last year.
Stocks were up this week as the U.S., EU, and Japan filed complaints with the World Trade Organization, charging China with limiting exports that are vital to technology components.
Molycorp (NYSE: MCP) climbed 30% this week as it bid $1.3 billion to buy Canada’s Neo Material Technologies, gaining rare earth processing capacity and access to the Chinese market.
China still controls over 90% of the rare earth market, so any outside production is going to fetch a premium in the market.
Same goes for the “Miracle Material,” about which I’m holding a free online seminar next Thursday.
China currently controls over 80% of its production, but that is quickly starting to change…
I’m convinced the situation is going to deliver gains on par with the rare earth run of 2010 and early 2011.
Make sure you sign up for a spot today.
Then go outside and enjoy the unseasonably warm weather.
Call it like you see it,
Nick Hodge
Editor, Energy and Capital
Ides of March: The Dow Will Lose 2,000 Points
The upshot is the charts suggest that within the next 957 points, we will see a correction. The Dow has about 7.4% upside here, with a good chance of a 10% to 15% correction back to 11,000 and change within the next 3 months.
Energy & Capital, Through the Years: Remember When?
When it comes to energy and capital, Energy & Capital is early and right. We’ve gotten our readers ahead of the curve and the herd time and time again.
Technology Will Drive Our Oil Boom: The Time is Ripe for New Drilling Breakthroughs
Why investors should be looking for the next big breakthrough in drilling technology.
One Word, Benjamin: Graphene
“I’ve been working in nanocomposites for 10 years, and graphene is the best one I’ve ever seen in terms of mechanical properties. Graphene is far superior to carbon nanotubes or any other known nanofiller in transferring its exceptional strength and mechanical properties to a host material.”
Your Guide to Financial Autonomy: Compounding Preparedness and Work Ethic
Editor Nick Hodge offers a few quick stories to help you focus on the goal of financial autonomy and be prepared when chance comes knocking.
New Fracturing Technology: Could Open Up Even More Oil & Gas
The distance between Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and Ithaca, New York, is 123 miles. At first glance, both towns seem almost identical, but the two towns couldn’t be more different… Williamsport’s economy is going gangbusters.
Rare Earth Investment Opportunity: M.I.T. Mining Data Leaked
Thanks to M.I.T. researchers, we know exactly which mining stock we want to buy next.
Vertical Shorts: Gun Sales are Booming… That’s Why I’m Shorting Ruger
One of the core principles of contrarian investing (contrarian anything for that matter) is to sell when the mainstream catches onto the trend… It’s as true for stocks as it is for vampire movies and novels (though zombies are now the hot trend).
Who’s Afraid of Peak Oil?: Peak Oil Investing
Keith Kohl has what investors need to know to properly take advantage of Peak Oil.
Graphene: China’s New Weapon
Analyst Ian Cooper profiles the newest “rock star” of the resource world, and offers an opportunity that you can’t afford to miss.
