Energy Hedge Fund Center

(Reuters) – China’s oil refineries ran at lower rates in October, and output from steel mills and power plants also dropped, as a credit freeze bit into demand for industrial commodities in the world’s second-largest economy. But the lackluster data should be considered against more sanguine economic indicators which showed October inflation falling sharply, factory ... Read More

As a commodity exporting region, Latin America has greatly benefited from the commodity price boom of the past decade. But with talk of a new global recession, what will happen to the region if the boom turns to bust? The IMF’s latest Regional Economic Outlook: Western Hemisphere sheds light on Latin America’s reliance on commodities ... Read More

Sophisticated readers are well aware of the media’s tendency to twist the news to fit the fashions of the day. Many members of the press earn their daily bread by manipulating the news with sensational headlines sure to grab readers, but unlikely to thoroughly inform the public on an admittedly complex issue. Bloomberg’s recent article by ... Read More

By Umesh Desai and Nishant Kumar HONG KONG, Nov 2 (Reuters) – China’s property sector credit will offer fewer opportunities after last year’s spectacular gains and investors should switch to consumer-driven plays as the world’s second-largest economy turns to consumption from investment as its key driver, hedge fund Prudence Investment Management said. Sectors such as ... Read More

(Reuters) – Crude oil futures fell back on Wednesday as uncertainties about Greece’s bailout loan emerged, deepening the euro zone debt crisis and outweighing a U.S. Federal Reserve view of a somewhat brighter economic outlook. In early trade, hopes that the Fed might signal monetary easing to help boost sluggish economic growth pushed prices up. ... Read More

Nov. 2 (Bloomberg) — The most accurate forecasters say gold will rebound from its biggest monthly plunge since 2008 and reach a record by March because economic growth is stagnating and Europe’s debt crisis is unresolved. Futures traded in New York may rise 13 percent to $1,950 an ounce by the end of the first ... Read More

Well, today — give or take — the world is 7 billion people big. That, at least, is what the UN has been saying. The fact that the world’s population hit 7 billion is almost less astounding than the fact that it was 6 billion only 12 years ago! That means, of course, that each ... Read More

Oct. 24 (Bloomberg) — Commodities surged, led by copper, nickel, lead and oil after a report showed manufacturing probably expanded in China, the world’s top metal consumer and the fastest-growing user of crude. The Standard & Poor’s GSCI Index of 24 raw materials gained 2.4 percent as copper rose to the biggest two-day rally since ... Read More

Oct. 25 (Bloomberg) — The biggest rout in commodities since the global recession may be a sign that the fastest U.S. inflation in three years is peaking. The Standard & Poor’s GSCI Index of 24 commodities entered a bear market last month after sliding more than 20 percent from a two-year high in April, on ... Read More

CHICAGO: Hedge funds increased bullish bets on commodities by the most last week since August on mounting optimism the global economy will avoid another recession, boosting prospects for raw-materials demand. Money managers raised combined net-long positions across 18 US futures and options by 12% to 737,647 contracts in the week ended October 18, Commodity Futures ... Read More