Commentary

The year 2017 has been an up and down year for commodities, but when the dust settles the asset class will post an overall gain on the year. Even though inflation remains below the 2% target set by the Fed and ECB, the prices of commodities... more

Crude oil is the energy commodity that continues to power the world. While many new and exciting energy products will likely take away some of oil’s market share in the years to come, the fact is that today oil remains essential for consumers... more

The dollar index moved lower by 2.66% in the third quarter of 2017, and commodities prices moved higher with four of the six major sectors posting gains. Out of the 29 commodities that I follow, 20 posted gains during the three-month period that... more

In the world of commodities futures, crude oil is the most closely watched and heavily traded market. We are all oil consumers in some form as we drive cars, heat our homes during the cold season, buy products that travel in trucks powered by... more

The dollar index moved lower by 4.79% in the second quarter of 2017. Out of the 29 commodities that I follow, 22 posted losses during the three-month period that ended last Friday, June 30. Commodities are watching the dollar move lower while... more

The US dollar is the reserve currency of the world, and it is also the benchmark pricing mechanism for most raw material prices. Typically, a weak dollar results in strong commodities prices and vice versa. However, the dollar has been... more

Gold opened 2017 with a roar after hitting lows in December. The price of the yellow metal has made higher lows and higher highs so far with the most recent peak coming on April 17, when the active month June COMEX futures contract hit $1297... more

The dollar index moved lower by 2.02% in the first quarter of 2017, and commodities prices moved higher with four of the six major sectors posting gains. Many raw materials made multiyear lows in late 2015 and early 2016 but have recovered in... more

The trading range in crude oil has been narrow since the middle of December 2016. From high to low since December 19, the price of active month NYMEX crude oil futures have traded in a range of only $4.53 per barrel. Considering that there were... more

After Election Day in November, it looked like the rallies in gold and silver that took place over the course of 2016 were over and done. Nearby gold futures fell to lows of $1,123.90 and silver reached a low of $15.70 per ounce in December. Both... more