For about the past month now it has looked as though $100 oil was on the horizon, but could today finally be the day that we do indeed see prices crossing through the psychological $100 barrier? Don't be too surprised if it is, with prices already trading above $99 ahead of today's inventory report.

Later this morning we are going to get a very important piece of information from the US Energy Department when it reports last week's inventory numbers. Analysts are expected to see a rise in inventories of 800,000 barrels, but the market has been acting as if it believes we will not see this much of an increase. With prices flirting so close to the $100 mark you can be sure that if inventories do come in below expectations we will be reading about $100 oil before the end of the day.

We will also be watching for gasoline supplies. On average, analysts are expecting to see a 700,000 lift in gasoline inventories in this week's report. While gasoline did fall a bit last night, we are still looking at a national average of $3.09 for a gallon of regular unleaded. This is an amazing increase from the average this time last year when prices at the pump were $2.24, but down from the high of $3.23 we saw back on May 24.

Today's inventory report should be out 10:30 AM EST, and we will post the results as they become available.

Michael Fowlkes has worked as a stock trader for seven years and spent the last two years working as an analyst for the online investment advisory service Investor's Observer.

After pulling back yesterday, oil prices once again moved a bit higher today to close out the week as supply concerns continue to weigh on the mind of traders.

Earlier this week it looked as though we may be seeing $100 oil this week, but that was just not meant to be, not yet at least. On Wednesday, prices hit a high of $98.62 before trading lower in the afternoon session on a slightly bullish inventory report from the Energy Department.

Then yesterday prices pulled back after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said the economy is in danger of economic slowdown in the months to come. Pointing to the current housing slump, Bernanke said that we can expect to see business growth slow considerably in the upcoming months, but would not indicate whether or not we should plan on seeing a rate cut during the next Fed meeting.

Today, prices rebounded on news that there were two shutdowns in the North Sea that once again stoked fears of a supply crunch. Prices rose as high as $96.68 before selling off a bit to $96.20, up $0.74 or 0.76% on the day.

Michael Fowlkes has worked as a stock trader for seven years and spent the last two years working as an analyst for the online investment advisory service Investor's Observer.

Oil prices have once again set a new record today, with prices moving as high as $97 a barrel earlier in the session, and are currently trading up $2.73 to $96.63.

Today's move comes as traders are becoming increasingly worried about supply concerns as winter weather has finally started moving across the Northern Hemisphere. So far this year, mother nature has spared us from onslaught of wintry weather, but now that is changing, and the market is reacting. The past two weeks we have seen greater than expected declines in crude inventories in America, and analysts are expecting even more drops to be announced tomorrow when the Department of Energy releases its weekly inventory report.

Analysts are expecting to see a drop of 1.6 million barrels, and if we get reports of anything greater than that I would not be surprised at all to be sitting here writing about oil at $100 before the week is out. Consider this, before last week's report, prices were trading down to around $90.50, so a move from current prices to the psychological $100 barrier is not by no means out of the question.

After a brief selloff yesterday, oil prices have been moving higher in today's action. Buyers have come back into the market today and pushed prices up as high as $95.00 earlier in the session, Prices nd are now up $1.20 to $94.69.

The main reason why prices have turned higher today is optimism about the economy created by this morning's better than expected October payroll report. According to the U.S. Labor Department, October saw a 166,000 increase in payrolls, which was more than twice the 80,000 increase that analysts expected.

The better-than-expected payroll report was enough to create some optimism of the overall economy, and put some recession fears to rest. According to Michael Lynch, who is president of Strategic Energy and Economic Research Inc., "It suggests that concerns about the economy ... are overblown a little bit."

Oil prices are once again trading at record highs today following a very bullish inventory report from the U.S. Energy Department. Prices had been down earlier in the session, but are currently trading up $3.90 to $94.28 after setting a new record of $94.56 earlier in the session.

Today's price move comes in reaction to the weekly inventory report which showed that America's oil supplies have dropped to a new 2-year low. Leading into today's report, analysts had been expecting to see a rise last week of 400,000 barrels of crude, but were shocked to discover that supplies actually fell by 3.89 million barrels.

On Monday I wrote a post posing the question of if and or when we will be seeing $100 oil. In that article I stated that I felt we were definitely heading to $100 oil, but that it would probably take a couple more weeks to get there. That was, unless we got another big miss in inventories, which we now have seen.

With oil's recent strong moves to the upside, we are now sitting at record high oil prices and are within striking distance of crossing through the psychological $100 barrier. This leads us to ask ourselves if and when $100 oil is finally going to become a reality.

OK, first I have to decide if I think that $100 oil is in fact coming in the not-so-distant future, and to that question the answer is yes, I do. When you look at the current market dynamics, all indicators point to even higher oil prices coming our way. But when? When will we see the $100 oil that everyone is starting to talk about?

With oil prices currently at $92.38, we really aren't that far from seeing the magical $100 mark. With only a little over 8 percent to go, it is feasible to argue that prices could hit $100 this week. I don't think we will see $100 oil this week, but it is a possibility. Let's consider that prices are already trading up about 9 percent from last Wednesday, when we got our last U.S. inventory report from the U.S. Energy Department.

It doesn't take a genius to realize that the time may well be here to start investing in alternative energy sources. Solar energy, the cleanest and most renewable source of electrical power, has long been thought of as a bit of a pipe dream -- good in principle but not as easy to put into practice. But SunPower Corporation (NASDAQ: SPWR), the Silicon Valley-based manufacturer of solar electrical systems for homes and businesses, shows us there might be something new under the sun.

SunPower's 15 years of research and development have put it at the forefront of its field in both form and function: Its innovative technologies generate up to 50% more power than conventional solar energy systems, and its sleek black panels look so good they now grace the roof of the new Shiseido factory in New Jersey. With an exceptional product and lower overhead than its competitors due to its outsourced production facilities in Southeast Asia, SunPower looks to be able to shine brightly among its bigger competitors like Sharp or Nanosolar.

Clearly, SunPower is doing something right. Its recently-announced third quarter earnings show that revenue for the company is up 34% this quarter -- and over 250% from last year. And, if the company's estimates are to be believed, next year looks to be even brighter, with new product lines and new facility contracts on the horizon.

Insights summarizes an idea or business official making financial news, and emphasizes the impact on the typical investor.

Oil industry expert T. Boone Pickens has made news again, and also generated some chatter in Wall Street circles, but this time not for an oil price prediction.

Earlier, Pickens predicted that crude oil, which Tuesday traded around $85 per barrel, would hit $100 -- perhaps as early as Q4 2007.

This time Pickens made headlines by stating to Bloomberg News that global oil production has already peaked at 85 million barrels per day. In other words, "peak oil" has already arrived. Pickens, chairman of BP Capital LLC, spoke at a conference sponsored by the Association for the Study of Peak Oil & Gas, a non-profit research group.

Ted Allrich is the founder of The Online Investor and author of the just released book: Comfort Zone Investing: Build Wealth And Sleep Well At Night. In this weekly column, he'll offer advice to investors who are just getting started.

Oil is trading at an all-time high, almost $90 a barrel. Some experts see it going to $100 a barrel, maybe beyond. With increasing demand from China and India as their economies expand, the black gold is eagerly sought in every part of the globe. While the slippery stuff climbs higher, the price pressure is going to be felt in a lot of different areas.

Of course, you'll notice it in your wallet whenever you fill up your car or truck. We've already had some of the pain, but in Europe, a gallon of premium goes for about $8, so we've got a long way to go before other countries hear our screams. Expect to pay more at the pump for some time to come.

The thesis arguing that oil is headed toward $100 per barrel, soon, and is likely to remain above that level for years to come received another data point of support from an economist with a major investment bank.

Jeff Rubin, chief economist with CIBC World Markets, said $100 per barrel oil could become normal as early as 2008. Speaking at CIBC's 2nd Annual Industrials Conference, Rubin said declining supplies and rising consumption are driving oil's price higher. In addition, oil consumption is growing faster in OPEC countries themselves, who will start using more of their resources for domestic consumption.

Rubin's analysis is compelling and illuminating for two reasons.