That said, it's easier to look at a piece of the commodities market -- metals, specifically -- to see what's happening and what we can expect in the coming months: a commodities market splinter.
Let me explain...
Given the uncertainty surrounding the world economy, things look fairly solid for precious metals. With every currency looking weak right now, gold and silver should continue to do quite nicely.
In fact, it's difficult to imagine what the world could do over the next year to knock precious metals down. As long as there's uncertainty in economies and/or currencies, precious metals will do well.
Not All Good News for Metals
Industrial commodities, however, will be more at the mercy of the market. If China's interest rate hike does manage to cool its economy, then copper, steel, coal and oil all could fall back a bit.
If, however, the US recovery continues to outpace predictions, and Europe finds its footing, that should more than make up for an easing of demand in the middle kingdom.
Frankly, they could go any direction. And that's true of most industrial commodities... but not all of them.
Green Energy Comes of Age
You've heard it forever -- but this time it's true.
It's time to look at renewable energy. What makes this time different?
Well, for starters, two car companies are putting electric cars into full production -- the Chevy Volt and the Nissan Leaf. A plethora of others aren't far behind, with oil sticking around $90 a barrel (and looking more likely to head up thanks to shrinking supply).
Meanwhile, there are companies building the first solar power plants that can compete -- and in some cases beat -- coal on price alone. With most companies still trying to keep costs down, yet many also holding a large war chest of cash that hasn't found good investment vehicles for years, an outlay for cost-cutting infrastructure seems like a no-brainer.
Even if the cost of oil and coal falls, there is value in knowing exactly what you'll be paying for your energy needs. With solar and other renewables, you get that -- a fixed initial outlay, followed by free energy.
The simple fact is, right now demand for renewable energy far outstrips the ability of producers to satisfy it. You have to go on waiting lists with the best solar panel companies.
Growth in renewables has been in the double digits for years. That was no big deal when they were a fraction of a percent of overall power generation. But these days they're large enough that a double-digit increase is now quite substantial.
Where to Get In on the Green
The Green Age is coming. This is your last chance to get on board before it becomes a completely mature industry.
That means investing in a special class of commodities. I'm talking about those used to make the converters and cells found in green tech and new types of batteries.
As our industries shift from coal- and oil-based to renewables over the next few decades -- with the pace increasing considerably in the short term -- we can be sure that demand for these green metals will skyrocket.
Meanwhile, supply is actually shrinking -- at least until new mines can get online, and new processing plants are built to deal with this new supply. (It takes five years to build a processing plant.)
For long-term success and large short-term gains, you want to be in this field. The opportunity could be staggering.
To help you take the first step, we just finalized a Special Report on green technology. The U.S. wants to use this technology to decrease our dependence on oil.
But China has a 98% monopoly on a natural resource that is vital to green technology... and we're about to experience a serious shortage! Learn more about what's going on... and more importantly, how you could post gains from it.
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