Category Archives: Investments

Oil And Gold Rise –

Oil hit 2 1/2 year highs in afternoon trading and fueled concerns regarding inflation.  Crude oil is putting pressure on the $110 dollar a barrel mark and some analysts are predicting $150 oil before the end of the year.  The inflationary … Continue reading

Posted in Banking, Currency, Economic News, General, Investments, Metals, Oil, Options & Futures, Trading | Leave a comment

Private Equity Transparency –

Transparency in Private Equity firms has always been a concern for investors.  New leadership at three major private equity firms are attempting to address the concerns and change of image of the private equity sector.  The three private equity houses are Blackstone, PAI Partners, … Continue reading

Posted in General, Hedge Funds, Investments, Mergers & Acquisitions, Private Equity, Regulatory, Venture Capital | Leave a comment

Stocks Rise On Data –

Stocks finished the week with gains after the release of positive employment and manufacturing data.  The market had just completed the best first quarter since 1998.  The market gained in spite of oil rising to the highest level since September 2008. To read a … Continue reading

Posted in Banking, Economic News, General, Investments, Oil, Stocks, Trading | Leave a comment

Crude Oil Supplies Rise –

Crude oil supplies rose 2.95 million barrels and gasoline inventories dropped 2.7 million barrels.  Distillate stocks rose slightly with refinery activity preparing to shift to gasoline for the summer driving season.  Crude oil fell in light trading volume as a result of the energy … Continue reading

Posted in Economic News, Gasoline, General, Investments, Oil, Options & Futures, Trading | Leave a comment

Stocks Rise –

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 50 points on Friday in light trading volume.  Corporate earnings helped to fuel the market as well as government data which indicated that GDP grew faster at the end of the year.  IBM and Chevron were market movers … Continue reading

Posted in Banking, Economic News, General, Investments, Stocks, Trading | Leave a comment

Crude Oil Inventories Rise –

Crude oil inventories rose by 2.1 million barrels to 352.8 million barrels which is the highest level since last November.  Supplies of gasoline fell 5.3 million barrels and inventories of distillates were unchanged.  In addition, refinery utilization rates and demand for … Continue reading

Posted in Economic News, Gasoline, General, Investments, Natural Gas, Oil, Options & Futures, Trading | Leave a comment

Exxon Mobil (XOM) Lands Drilling Permit –

Exxon Mobil landed a deep-water drilling permit in the Gulf of Mexico.  The permit  will allow Exxon to drill in the Keathley Canyon Block 240 miles off the coast of Louisiana.  The Bureau  of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement started to … Continue reading

Posted in General, Infrastructure, Investments, Oil, Options & Futures, Political News, Regulatory, Stocks, Trading | Leave a comment

Copper Expected To Fall –

The Bloomberg Chart of the Day highlights the recent decline in copper prices.  Copper futures may post their biggest decline monthly decline in over a year.  The decline in copper prices may continue in the near term due to weak economic numbers, … Continue reading

Posted in Economic News, General, Hedge Funds, Investments, Metals, Options & Futures, Trading | Leave a comment

Nasdaq Bid For NYSE –

Reports indicate that Nasdaq is close to making a bid for the New York Stock Exchange.  Nasdaq may require financing of $5 billion in new debt for the transaction.  The deal would make Nasdaq the leader in trading of U.S. stocks and could face antitrust … Continue reading

Posted in Banking, Economic News, General, Infrastructure, Investments, Options & Futures, Political News, Regulatory, Stocks, Trading | Leave a comment

Private Equity Backed IPOs –

HCA Holdings has placed private equity backed IPOs back in the spotlight.   The large initial public offering follows recent IPOs by Kinder Morgan and Nielson Holdings.  Reuters has an article on the ten largest U.S. private equity backed initial public … Continue reading

Posted in Banking, General, Investments, Mergers & Acquisitions, Private Equity, Trading, Venture Capital | Leave a comment

Crude Oil Inventory Report –

Despite a rise in inventory, crude oil is still trading in the $105 range.  The Department of Energy released their weekly inventory report that showed crude inventories rising 2.5 million barrels.  The increase was larger than analysts had expected and adds to … Continue reading

Posted in Economic News, Gasoline, General, Investments, Oil, Options & Futures, Trading | Leave a comment

Cramer Predicts Gold $1,550 –

Jim Cramer has predicted that gold will increase to $1,550 an ounce.  Recently, gold settled at $1,431 an ounce which is an all-time high.  The Cramer prediction was influenced by Wall Street technician John Roque.  To read a related CNBC article, please click … Continue reading

Posted in General, Investments, Metals, Options & Futures | Leave a comment

GDP Revised –

Growth Domestic Product was revised lower to a rate of 2.8%.  Economists were expecting an upward revision of the original 3.2% figure to 3.3%.  Consumer spending was also revised lower from 4.4% to 4.1%.    To read a CNN Money article, please … Continue reading

Posted in Banking, Economic News, General, Investments | Leave a comment

Crude Oil Ends Lower –

 Crude oil reversed an upward trend in the final hours of trading on Thursday.  Crude oil had topped the $100 mark but ended up lower on the day finishing down almost $2 dollars.  News relating to a Saudi Arabian aid … Continue reading

Posted in Economic News, Gasoline, General, Investments, Natural Gas, Oil, OPEC, Options & Futures, Trading | Leave a comment

Turmoil Sends Oil Soaring –

Reuters reports that Libya has declared a Force Majeure on some oil shipments.  A force majeure would clear companies of some contractual obligations due to events beyond their control.  Specific details relating to the force majeure declaration are unclear and … Continue reading

Posted in Economic News, Gasoline, General, Investments, Oil, Options & Futures, Political News, Trading | Leave a comment