Friday January 02, 2009
Leading growth stock expert Mark Skousen looks to the commodity sector for a favorite investment idea for 2009.
In his specialty advisory service, The Turnaround Trader, he explains, "While the market continues to be volatile, we believe Freeport McMoRan (NYSE: FCX) offers an opportunity for profit."
"Industrial commodities have been beaten down in the face of a deep, global recession. Aluminum was $1.50 a pound a year ago, and is now down to 66 cents. Copper was more than $4 a pound last year, and recently fell to $1.40.
"But the outlook for commodities is changing quickly with all the talk of bailouts, stimulus, and easy money.
"Aluminum, copper, and other base metals have risen recently on the news that President-elect Barack Obama has pledged 'substantial' spending to fix and add buildings, roads and bridges as a way to revive the economy.
"And then there’s China. The world’s largest emerging market recently committed to stimulating domestic growth, and announced plans to purchase 1 million tons of base metal for about $3 billion.
"China’s massive stimulus plan, combined with Obama’s, could be enough to reignite the commodities boom.
"Freeport McMoRan owns the world’s largest copper/gold mine located in Indonesia. Indeed, Freeport and other commodity stocks have rallied because of the huge deficits and spending plans by the federal government and easy money policies by the Fed.
"Other nations are following this Keynesian stimulus strategy, cutting interest rates and expanding the money supply.
"But all of this comes at a steep price -- a bigger debt and more inflation down the road. That's bad for the economy, but good for commodity prices in general."
