October 25, 2022 | CORN, Daily JAM, Volatility |
It’s not like the grain export deal that Russian President Vladimir Putin signed is working all that all. Grain exports from Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea are running at an estimated 25% to 30% of pre-war levels. But any exports of Ukrainian grain have been a boon for consumers struggling with food inflation. And especially for consumers in developing economies where the issue hasn’t been just the price of food but also its availability at all. But that deal expires on November 19 and no one knows whether or not President Putin will renew it.
August 26, 2022 | CORN, Daily JAM, DBA, Jubak Picks, Volatility |
Pretty much everything got clobbered today after Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell promised that the Fed would raise interest rates and keep them high until inflation is under control. In other words, no quick turn to cutting interest rates in the second half of 2023. So chip stocks were down today, August 26, with Nvidia (NVDA) plunging 9.23% at the close. Consumer stocks were down with Shake Shack (SHAK) tumbling 8.61%. Financial technology stocks were down with Block (SQ) shedding 7.72%. Climate change stocks, an extremely hot sector lately, were down with EVgo (EVGO) bleeding 7.86%. Hide in gold? No way. The SPDR Gold Shares ETF (GLD) was down 1.22%. (Better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick, I suppose.) But agricultural commodity ETFs? Green in a sea of red.
July 26, 2022 | CORN, Daily JAM, Jubak Picks, UNG, Volatility |
At the close today, July 26, the Teucrium Corn Fund (CORN) was up 2.55% and the Teucrium Wheat Fund (WEAT) was ahead 4.11%. Both of those commodity plays outgained the U.S. Natural Gas Fund (UNG) with its 1.38% move higher. But for consistent gains–and the potential for more–I’d have to say that natural gas is my favorite commodity.
July 18, 2022 | CORN, Daily JAM, MOO, UUP, Videos, Volatility |
My one-hundred-and-fifty-ninth YouTube video “Trend of the Week Hedging with Commodities Lives” went up today. The strong dollar has knocked commodity plays around. But the reasons for buying these hedges still hold. Inflation. Supply shortages (especially in agricultural commodities.) I think there’s still a strong case that commodities are a good way to hedge this market.
June 28, 2022 | COP, CORN, Daily JAM, EQNR, Jubak Picks, Morning Briefing, UNG, Volatility |
The Conference Board’s latest reading on consumer confidence showed consumer expectations in June fell to their lowest level since 2013. The consumer confidence index for June fell to 98.7 from 103.2 in May, below expectations for a reading of 100. The report’s expectations index, which is based on consumers’ short-term outlook for income growth, the job market, and overall business conditions, fell to 66.4, its lowest reading since March 2013.
