An interview with Gary Tanashian of BiiWii.com

Posted on by The INO.com Team

I recently interviewed Gary Tanashian, who writes the well-respected newsletter "Notes From the Rabbit Hole" and runs the blog biiwii.com.

Before getting involved in the financial markets, Gary ran a successful medical components business for 21 years. This experience gave him an understanding and appreciation for global macro-economics as it relates to individual markets and sectors, and along the way he developed an interest in technical analysis. He has real-world experience and a positive view on how commerce works.

I think you'll find Gary's approach very refreshing when you watch this Skype interview. In the interview, I was able to ask Gary some very pointed questions such as, "what is the worst trade you ever made?" I think you'll be surprised at how Gary feels about that trade today.

Gary also shares with us his views on oil and gold, both of which are in the news due to the recent military flare up in the Mid-East.

I hope you enjoy this interview with one of the most interesting market minds I have run across in recent times.

Adam Hewison
Co-Founder of MarketClub.com

Oil and Gas Volatility Creates Winners and Losers: Robert Cooper

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The Energy Report: It's been about one year since we last spoke, Robert. What do you think have been the most significant developments in the North American oil and gas industry since then?

Robert Cooper: It's a dynamic business, and a number of changes have occurred. First, the macroeconomic backdrop remains murky, resulting in persistent volatility in equity and commodity markets. Investors remain wary of putting on riskier trades because the visibility simply isn't there. The fear that some Monday morning we'll wake up with a negative surprise is inhibiting risk taking and impacting small-cap growth equities, particularly.

"The winners tend to be experienced managers with proven track records."

Second, the rapid increase in U.S. oil production has negatively impacted Canadian producer net-backs. The spread between Canadian light oil prices and the U.S. equivalent has been much more volatile than historical rates. The lack of pipeline capacity has exacerbated this trend and given rise to alternative methods of transportation, such as oil-by-rail. But overall, the "differential risk" has been added to the list of risk factors investors assume when investing in the oil and gas sector.

Finally, the natural gas market, after a period of massive oversupply, has, in our view, self-corrected and appears to have returned to balance. Continue reading "Oil and Gas Volatility Creates Winners and Losers: Robert Cooper" →

Why Copper Is a Critical Metal: Mickey Fulp

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The Critical Metals Report: In the past, there has been some confusion about the term "critical metals." What do you consider to be critical metals and why?

Mickey Fulp: Critical metals are the major metals that are used globally in industrial applications and are essential for world economic health. They include iron, aluminum, copper, the various iron alloys, zinc, lead, tin and uranium. These are the real "critical metals," the ones that enable the world's economy to function.

TCMR: So your classification of a critical metal is based on the need and the supply and demand, is that correct?

"Critical metals are the major metals that are used globally in industrial applications and are essential for world economic health."

MF: It's based on the fact that they have major tonnages mined and processed and are essential to industry and world economic health. Critical metals either trade on worldwide markets through spot, futures and options or they trade as bulk dry commodities, as iron ore does. Continue reading "Why Copper Is a Critical Metal: Mickey Fulp" →

MarketClub TV: My biggest concern, and it's a wild card, is …

Posted on by The INO.com Team

Hello traders everywhere! Adam Hewison here, co-founder of MarketClub with your mid-day market update for Wednesday, the 14th of November.

My biggest concern, and it's a wildcard, is the Middle East and not the fabled "Fiscal Cliff". Today we heard about an Israeli airstrike that killed a top Hamas commander. The Hamas military wing said that the assassination "opened gates to Hell". The rhetoric as always, was over-the-top, but it underscores just how volatile and fragile the whole Mid East region is. The markets immediately reacted with oil moving up almost a dollar and gold shooting up higher in a knee-jerk reaction. Continue reading "MarketClub TV: My biggest concern, and it's a wild card, is …" →

Post-Election Thoughts

Posted on by The INO.com Team

The opening segment of NFTRH 212 did what an unbiased financial writer probably should not do and discussed politics. Then 24 pages of straight analysis followed.

Financial writers far and wide are weighing in on the US Presidential election result and its implications. So jumping into the ring, here are mine.

For the third cycle in a row I cast a protest vote. After voting for George Bush in 2000 (actually it was more a vote against Al Gore) I wrote in Ron Paul in 2004 and 2008. This year I voted for Gary Johnson, although I do not consider myself a Libertarian. I consider myself an independent who has long since been alienated from a two party system that looks a lot like dangerously competitive cartoons from opposite ends of a narrowly constructed ideological spectrum.

When you write a newsletter, you learn about being a newsletter writer; just like when you become a plumber, you learn a lot about plumbing. I once made an unfavorable public blog post about what I considered to be a cartoon that went by the name of Sarah Palin and was summarily served with an indignant email and subscription cancelation from an otherwise satisfied NFTRH subscriber. Lesson learned: There is little place for political commentary in financial analysis. Besides, political ideologues make really biased financial commentators; and in the markets bias just kills you. Continue reading "Post-Election Thoughts" →