The King Is Dead, Windows 10 And Do You Want Fries With That?

Posted on by The INO.com Team

The big news today is the death of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. The king was hospitalized with pneumonia-like symptoms in late December and died early Friday at the age of 90. It was understood that Crown Prince Salman, King Abdullah's half brother, was the hand-picked successor and has moved quickly to established himself as the new king.

The death of King Abdullah is a game changer in the Middle East and Saudi Arabia, which holds 46% of the world's oil reserves. Saudi Arabia is a major ally of the US, how that changes now is anyone's guess.

Change equals opportunity and make no mistake about it, behind the scenes in Saudia Arabia the knives are out for Crown Prince Salman, who is 79 years old and not in the best of health. Continue reading "The King Is Dead, Windows 10 And Do You Want Fries With That?" →

Want to Avoid Oil's Gloom? Turn to the Sun, Says Outsider Nick Hodge

Posted on by admin

The Energy Report: You call yourself an "outsider," and have founded an investment club of that name. In what sense are you an outsider?

Nick Hodge: Being an outsider stems from my upbringing. Both my parents were middle to lower middle class, and I never had anything given to me. I've always had to work for what I have, starting with a lawn-service business when I was 12 and working my way through college as a butcher. I look at the "mainstream" with a skeptical eye. I'm a contrarian. I'm not on the inside of big business, big banking and politics, and don't want to be.

The Outsider Club has been around for about a year now. I founded it after writing for several newsletters over the past decade about energy and speculative investments.

TER: What does being an outsider mean with regard to your views on energy?

NH: I'll give two examples. First is my belief in the peak oil theory. Second is my early adoption of a belief in renewable technologies, such as solar and smart-grid technologies.

TER: It would be safe to say you're not an admirer of our financial elite? Continue reading "Want to Avoid Oil's Gloom? Turn to the Sun, Says Outsider Nick Hodge" →

Would you take a $100 bet that gas prices exceed $4 again in 2015?

Posted on by Adam Feik

Adam Feik - INO.com Contributor - Energies


If only one could know – in advance – when oil prices would bottom… right?

Well, on Fox Business Network’s Varney & Co. Wednesday morning, a well-known expert informed us he expects gas prices to exceed $4 per gallon again by the end of the year. That’s right; in 2015!!!

“Care to put your money where your mouth is on that?” the show’s host, Stuart Varney asked, in essence (I’m paraphrasing).

Would you take the bet? The guest, former Shell Oil President John Hofmeister did! Varney, of course, eagerly and confidently took the other side.

The $100 bet

Here’s a link to the video, if you’d like to watch these 2 aspiring futurists making a $100 bet. Oh, and you’ll be able to hear Hofmeister’s logic as well (summarized later in this article for your convenience).

Mr. Hofmeister must feel pretty secure in the deal he reached with Mr. Varney, since Hofmeister appeared on CNBC the day prior, predicting (sans bet) $5/gallon gas by 2020, saying the world will need 100 barrels of oil by that time, and that “we don’t know how to get there yet.” Continue reading "Would you take a $100 bet that gas prices exceed $4 again in 2015?" →

Europe Is All Out Of Options

Posted on by The INO.com Team

Money makes the world go around, but it’s the trends, the big trends in money, that we find interesting and profitable.

This morning ECB president, Mario Draghi, who famously stated a couple of years ago that the ECB would do "whatever it takes" to stimulate the European economy. Well, clearly that little sound bite and some awkward moments (Greece, Spain, Portugal) were not enough as Europe remains mired in a recession.

So what does Europe do? Well, they trot out Mario Draghi again to announce another stimulus package. So far, the ECB has been wrong on its growth forecast as well as its inflation forecast. It doesn't exactly inspire confidence in their forecasting ability. Here is my take and it's simple - they have no idea how to get out of this economic hole. I never bought into the idea that getting out of a hole, meant you had to dig a deeper hole.

How are the markets going to react and translate this latest move by the ECB?

In today's video, I'll be looking at all the major markets. I'll take a look at how they are reacting to the ECB’s announcement of its 60 billion monthly bond buying program slated to continue well into 2016. Continue reading "Europe Is All Out Of Options" →

Is This ETF Laying The Foundation For A Rally In Crude Oil?

Posted on by The INO.com Team

Picking bottoms is not something one should do if you're going to be a successful trader. But looking at market that may be forming a bottom is a good exercise, and one that you should be doing on a regular basis.

I had done this before gold reversed to the upside traded over $1300 an ounce. Maybe it's time to look at crude oil and see if it's beginning to set itself up for a move to the upside.

Technically, the Trade Triangles remain negative on crude oil, so there is no reversal showing up with those technical tools.

The story is a little bit different with the RSI indicator. This particular indicator is showing that there is a big positive divergence on the Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (PACF:XLE), and it is one that spans months.

Today I'm looking at the ETF XLE and the fact that if it closes higher for the week, it will be a positive sign. The previous week saw a very important Japanese candlestick formation call a "Dragon Fly Doji" this can be interpreted as a strong indication of reversal. It all depend's on how XLE closes this Friday. Continue reading "Is This ETF Laying The Foundation For A Rally In Crude Oil?" →