+0.36%
+0.60%
I was interviewed by Investor Business Daily on Friday. The topic of the conversation was causation of the recent run up in crude oil prices. I provided several reasons which have all concurrently contributed to the spike in prices. All of these reasons can and have lead to unbridled speculation and hoarding in the commodity:
1. Concerns over mounting tensions associated with the nuclear weapons threat coming out of Iran;
2. Trapped crude oil which is unable to make itself from Canada or Oklahoma to the coastal refineries in the US;
3. Lack of a comprehensive, cogent and practical energy policy from the administration in Washington;
4. A failure of the CFTC to prevent and curb excessive speculation; and,
5. The media. Apparently, according to the local and national news, gas prices at the pump are going to $5. That prognostication is based on speculation and not fact or rigorous research.
Of all those reasons above, the one that provides the greatest long term opportunity is #2, which as it turns out is also a byproduct of #3. We cannot get the raw product to the refineries fast enough or efficiently. Thus we need to focus on both oil and gas storage and transportation. We also have to get over the NIMBY (not in my back yard) issue and build more refineries. I am not going to point you to a specific company but will tell you to look at midstream companies which specialize in storage and transportation. I would emphasize earnings strength over payout ratios in this part of the master limited partnership (MLP) sector.
Friday was another inside day for the markets. I expect that we will be operating under the same playbook for the early part of the week. As we approach midweek’s Automatic Data Processing (ADP) report and Friday’s Bureau of Labor Statistics monthly labor report we could get a bit more action in the markets. Overnight, China set its economic growth target to 7.5% which put a crimp into overnight index futures. However, those losses eroded to slightly negative levels after sunrise in New York.
By the way, on Wednesday I will be appearing on Bloomberg TV with Pimm Fox. You can tune in on your local cable station, on the Bloomberg Professional Service or on the internet.
Disclosure: At the time of this commentary Scott Rothbort, his family and/or clients of LakeView Asset Management, LLC had no positions in stocks mentioned — although positions can change at any time.
Scott Rothbort is also the publisher of the LakeView Restaurant & Food Chain Report, a newsletter focusing in on food, restaurant and agricultural stocks. You can subscribe at www.restaurantstox.com
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You can email Scott at [email protected]
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