ID Analysts

Our seasoned team of analysts continually monitors investment opportunities around the world, to provide investors with the widest possible array of money-making ideas.

Analyst Articles

We knew they’d come around eventually. Standard & Poor’s finally got around to putting US government debt on its watch list with negative implications. The rating agency has publically acknowledged that our excessive debt threatens our economic well-being and is placing a one-third chance of a debt downgrade in the next two years. Read More

With the economy showing more signs of weakness, the Federal Reserve is likely to continue to with its easy monetary policy of quantitative easing. But with our national debt having climbed above $14.5 trillion and foreign buyers increasing standing on the sidelines, long-term interest rates are likely to rise from current levels. That’s bullish for our position in the iShares Barclays 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) January 2012 95 put option, which will increase in value as rates climb. It’s a buy for new clients at its current price.   Despite the positive action in gold, the shares that comprise the Junior Gold Miners ETF (GDXJ) have tracked fairly closely with the overall stock market. Should the focus return to the metal, as we suspect it will, a gain of roughly 10 percent for the gold shares could quickly ensue. The Junior Gold Miners ETF August 40 call option is a buy with a limit set at $3.90 per contract. Our other gold play, Gabriel Resources (GBU.TO, GBRRF), is also a buy at its current price.   The resource-heavy Canadian stock market started off weak yesterday, but closed strong. The iShares MSCI Canada ETF (EWA) ETF is back above its 50-day moving average and while it could trade sideways for a few days, it should soon challenge its recent high around $34.50. The iShares MSCI Canada ETF September 34 call option is a buy at its current price.   Fertilizer company Mosaic (MOS) is likewise bouncing back from a short-term oversold condition. The Mosaic September 80 call option it a buy for new clients at the current price.   Read More

We’ve gotten off to an ugly start to the week for commodities and commodity stocks. Oil prices have shed several percentage points. In the metals space, silver, gold and copper have all given up ground too. Commodity stocks were, on balance, are down much more than the underlying products. Read More

As for our positions, we closed the Junior Gold Miners ETF May 39 call option for a 23 percent gain. In its place, we added the Hartford Financial Services Group June 27 put option, which we sold earlier today for a 23 percent gain. We then returned to the battered gold shares, buying the Junior Gold Miners ETF (GDX) August 40 call option. The option is a buy with a limit set at $3.90 per contract.   It turns out we’re in good company with a bearish bet on U.S. Treasury Bonds. Bill Gross, manager of the PIMCO Total Return Fund, the world’s largest bond fund, has allocated a portion of his holding to short government paper. We’ve got a modest profit on our iShares Barclays 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) January 2012 95 put option and rate it a buy for new clients on a dip below $9.65 per contract.   Starwood Hotels (HOT) kissed its 200-day moving average yesterday before recovering somewhat. Most likely, it will continue to trend lower, but we’re quickly running out of time with our Starwood Hotels (HOT) May 57.50 put option. If the move down doesn’t occur quickly, we may be forced to walk away from the trade.   Read More