The current earnings reporting season is critical in the sense that the numbers are always important. But also, in light of the current instability in the global economy, what’s reported now will have a significant impact on investor sentiment. Guidance for future operations is the primary factor I’m focusing on. Read More

The broader market averages saw one of their best weeks in years last week only to give back most of those gains in the first two trading days this week. I believe we have more downside and volatility to come near term. Read More

Members of Parliament returned to Ottawa last week to begin their next session amid a rising sense that the minority Conservative government had lost control of the agenda. Read More

The US is often called the Saudi Arabia of coal. And there’s a good reason for that: The nation has more than 27 percent of the world’s known coal reserves and some of the highest-quality deposits in the world. Read More

During economic slowdowns, owning cyclical stocks isn’t the best bet. Furthermore, the coal trade has been crowded of late, and many of the companies are trading at high multiples. But given coal prices and the infrastructure problems, things can improve for coal companies before they get worse. Read More

Canada, unusual among developed countries in the importance of natural resources and raw materials, now ranks with the world’s top five producers of 14 mineral commodities and leads in the production of uranium and potash. Read More

After the 25 percent drop from its late October highs, Asia looks ready for a rally, bear market or otherwise. Pessimism reigns supreme, and analysis of how the region’s being distracted is in full swing. Read More

It will take many more months for the US housing market to stabilize and US financials to work off their bad debts, and there will be negative effects throughout the global economy. Read More

The global selloff in stocks since the end of 2007 has been among the most severe in stock market history. Few sectors have been immune to the volatility, and the energy patch is certainly no exception; the panic is palpable. Read More