iShares Silver Trust (SLV) is recently up 48 cents to $35.17. Silver futures closed up 2.27% to $36.13, according to Bloomberg. March put option implied volatility is at 41, above a level of 37 from last week, April is at 41; above its 26-week average of 35, according to Track Data, suggesting large price movement.

United Technologies (UTX) overall option implied volatility of 21 is near its 26-week average of 22, according to Track Data, suggesting non-directional movement into its analysts and portfolio managers meeting on March 10.

Options Update is by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

Options Update: iShares Silver Trust Volatility Spikes as Silver Rallies to 30-Year High originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 08 Mar 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

After a torrid year, the commodities markets showed some weakness is January. For example, gold fell by about 6%.

So is this a correction or finally a bear market?

Well, legendary investor, Jim Rogers, still thinks that commodities are the best place for your investment dollars (according to an interview on CNBC). No doubt, he has lots of credibility. When others snickered, Rogers started to invest in commodities in the late 1990s. He even wrote a book on the topic.

Continue reading Jim Rogers Is Still a Big-Time Commodities Bull

Jim Rogers Is Still a Big-Time Commodities Bull originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Silver futures are recently trading near 30-year highs. iShares Silver Trust (SLV) December 31 and January 35 calls are active on overall call option volume of 180K,(73K puts). Option implied volatility of 43 is above its 26-week average of 35, according to Track Data, suggesting traders are pricing in large movement.

Schlumberger (SLB) volatility has decreased as shares have trended to 27-month highs. Crude oil futures are recently up 0.59% to $88.31, according to Bloomberg. Overall option implied volatility of 32 is below its 26-week average of 35, according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing price movement.

Options Update is by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

Options Update: iShares Silver Trust Option Prices Expensive on 30-Year High Silver originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 14 Dec 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Options Update: iShares Silver Trust Volatility Flat, as Silver Nears 30-Year High originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 28 Oct 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Options Update: iShares Silver Trust Volatility Flat, Shares Near Two-Year High originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 29 Jun 2010 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Silver may become the next commodity China runs up in price, just as it's done with oil, copper and uranium," exp,ains Peter Krauthis.

Here, the 20-year gold market veteran -- and newest member of The Money Map Reporter team -- looks at the outlook for silver, and the best way to invest in the metal: iShares Silver Trust (NYSE: SLV).

"After 50 years of forbidding precious metals ownership, China's government is now taking the opposite path -- encouraging its citizens to invest in silver. Chinese investors can now buy silver bullion in 500 gram, 1, 2, and 5 kilo bars.

Continue reading Money Map leads to silver

Money Map leads to silver originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 10:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Gold and silver have taken the limelight," says Mary Anne and Pamela Aden, adding "Gold looks ready for take off and silver is poised to outperform gold."

In addition, Doug Fabian is a fan of silver. In Making Money, he suggests, "When inflation threatens, silver offers a safe haven; even when inflation worries subside, silver still retains appeal due to its many uses."

We begin with the Adens; in their The Aden Forecast, they explain, "Technically, gold's 'C rise' is off and running and the triangle it's formed has clearly broken to the upside, with gold recently closing at a three month high today.

Continue reading Golden gains ... and a silver lining

Golden gains ... and a silver lining originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Tread lightly," cautions leading fund expert Bill Donoghue. In his Marketwatch Proactive Fund Investor, which develops various actively-managed mutual funds portfolios, "Further market erosion is more likely than a rally. There's little reason for optimism."

"When trends become highly probable and highly correlated with portfolio holdings, our advice may become very profitable. This is one of those times.

"The Dow Jones Industrial Average is about to take out its 2002 low and safe-harbor investors are shifting to precious metals. Technically the next support is 25% down at 6,000.

"Considering the chronic financial damage done to the global economy, the bottom could even be lower. Even if you are a perennial optimist, you have to entertain and prepare for the possibility that the safest investment is to expect a continuing market downturn.

Continue reading MarketWatch fund expert: A bear-proof portfolio

MarketWatch fund expert: A bear-proof portfolio originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 13 Feb 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

For 25 years, Steven Halpern, editor of TheStockAdvisors.com, has surveyed the leading financial newsletter advisors asking for their favorite stocks for the coming year. This article is one of 100+ ideas in the Best Stocks for 2008 report.

"The commodity bull market has a long way to run," says Martin Weiss, editor of Money & Markets. "And while individual stocks are inherently more risky than funds, they also have more potential upside. And one area with a lot of upside potential is silver. As such, my top speculative pick for 2008 is Silver Wheaton (NYSE: SLW).

"Silver should ride a tidal wave of fundamentals higher in 2008. Above-ground stockpiles are getting very low, new mine production is lagging, industrial demand is surging and jewelry demand is growing in both China and India.

"And then there's the demand from silver exchange-traded funds, such as iShares Silver Trust (NYSE: SLV), which held over 161 million ounces of silver as of December 7, and keeps growing. India doesn't have a silver ETF yet but should have one in 2008 -- that will bring more demand to bear on the market.

"Silver Wheaton gets 100% of its revenue from silver, and has outperformed both gold and silver this year. It purchases silver from operating mines at a set rate, less than $4 per ounce, insulating it from rising costs. Its production should come in at 13 million ounces in 2007 and rise to 25 million ounces by 2010. Finally, Silver Wheaton has 362.2 million ounces in proven and probable silver reserves.

"The stock isn't cheap, but it is outperforming both gold and silver. And I expect precious metals to head much higher in 2008. Overall, I consider this a red-hot silver play."

Best Stocks for 2008: Silver Wheaton (SLW) sees 'surging' demand originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 23 Dec 2007 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

With gold turning down from its recent highs, some have questioned whether the 6-year bull market in metals may be ending. According to Mary Anne and Pamela Aden, the evidence points to the opposite conclusion. Indeed, they note, "Gold and silver have everything going for them and their rises have a lot further to go."

Here, the resource experts and co-editors of The Aden Forecast explain the six key factors they see that are pointing to higher metals prices.

The first two reasons are spending and money. They explain, "The world is swimming in money and that's the fuel that's been driving money assets and commodity prices up. But the magnitude of what's currently happening has never been seen before in world history."

The Adens points out that the U.S. is the world's largest debtor nation and "the government keeps spending money it doesn't have."

Since the government doesn't want to cut spending or raise taxes to reduce its debt, they note, "It simply produces money to cover its expenses, which is what governments throughout history have always done, and this amount is also huge."

In fact, in just over the past year, they observe, the amount of paper dollars that've been created is equal to half the value of all the gold that's ever been produced worldwide over the past 2,000 years, which is about $2 trillion. And it's not just the U.S. "Other countries are pumping out money like mad too. In Europe, for instance, money has been growing at the fastest rate in 17 years."

Continue reading The six reasons to own gold and silver

The six reasons to own gold and silver originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 02 Mar 2007 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In my recent posts, I have been reviewing the most popular sectors for the coming year, according the the newsletter advisors who participated in the Top Picks from 2007 report. In my last post, I highlighted stocks in healthcare, tech, and telecom. Today, I want to review the resource sectors -- energy and metals -- that remain very popular among advisors, despite being out-of-favor in recent trading.

First, let's look at the metals, where gold remains a popular choice. Sy Harding chose ASA Bermuda, a closed-end gold fund, Curtis Hesler selected Yamana, and Martin Weiss opted for Kinross.

Pamela Aden selected the bullion tracking exchange-traded fund, the streetTracks Gold Trust; Mark Leibovit also chose streettracks Gold. Meanwhile, Mary Anne Aden chose the iShares Silver Trust.

Outside of the precious metals, Tom Bishop chose copper play, Taseko Mines, while Neil Macneale selected steel stocks.

Equally as volatile as metals -- and currently out-of-favor -- has been energy. The energy sector has been high on the list of Top Picks for the past 4 years. This year, however, there is a noticeable shift.

Continue reading Top Picks 2007: Out-of-favor favorites in energy and metals

Top Picks 2007: Out-of-favor favorites in energy and metals originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 11 Jan 2007 12:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.