[RealJoe]

I read your warnings after just getting back from a renewable energy meetup meeting. Let me say that people need definitely to take responsibility for their finances (and their lives!), and investing with caution, intelligence and foresight definitely is a part of that. Scam artists will always develop rackets based upon the hot trends of the day and people need to be remain alert and skeptical.

I hope people don't get scared off of investing into renewable energy however. The leading technologies and companies offer some truly fantastic possibilities for growth in the future- greater probably than IC chips and personal computers were in the early 1980s. With common sense and only a little bit of boldness, investors could well find themselves on the ground floor of businesses that will multiply ten-twenty-fiftyfold.

Of course, perhaps one of the best ways to invest would be into one's own home by making it more energy efficient. Distributed energy will be cost-economical as well in the near future, not to mention the peace of mind self-sufficiency and freedom from the grid pv arrays and small wind can give a person.

Finally, besides some oil stocks and precious metal trusts, I am not sure I would recommend that anyone hold a lot of paper equities in the future, not stocks or bonds. When the superspike in oil prices happens (breaking the $100 a barrel for light crude), a mass psychological denial will be breached and we can essentially expect the stock market to tank to realistic price to earning ratios (current stock prices are on average about two to three times these historical ratios). Myself, I doubt the superspike in oil prices is more than three years away and probably less than that.

I think this warning goes doubly for US citizens like myself who should expect the dollar to continue to lose purchasing power (valuation) at substantial rates in the next few years. In terms of investments, we are probably better off collecting aluminum cans than buying stock certificates.

[I_Like_Plants]

Oh yeah, the decline is going to be a GREAT time for fraud from perpetual-motion machines to stock fraud, it's going to be a wonderful time for the crooked.

[Eli]

again the stock has risen in after hours trading.

What I am saying is it will close at 68.30 then in the morning it will open at 69.25 that is a a massive jump for over night.

My bet is somebody is moving large money into the stock after hours so as not to cause a jump during the day in share price.

[LadyRuby]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Eli', 'a')gain the stock has risen in after hours trading.

What I am saying is it will close at 68.30 then in the morning it will open at 69.25 that is a a massive jump for over night.

My bet is somebody is moving large money into the stock after hours so as not to cause a jump during the day in share price.

[Eli]

Yeah that is what I am talking about lady.

It could be indidual investors moving mutual funds into energy funds. But these are large movemnets of money after hours it is very interesting to see.

[MicroHydro]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('RealJoe', 'I') hope people don't get scared off of investing into renewable energy however. The leading technologies and companies offer some truly fantastic possibilities for growth in the future- greater probably than IC chips and personal computers were in the early 1980s. With common sense and only a little bit of boldness, investors could well find themselves on the ground floor of businesses that will multiply ten-twenty-fiftyfold.

[qwanta]

guys, VDE is an ETF (exchange traded fund), it's made up of a whole bunch of stocks:

VDE holdings

VDE moves as its underlying stocks move, like an index. So, noone's doing any manipulation on it if that's what you're implying.... I own VDE too, and I'm enjoying the ride hopefully it'll last

[LadyRuby]

I'll start by admitting that I don't know anything about the stock market. That said, it seems irrational to me that despite clear (to me) evidence of increased energy costs and potential shortages the stock market is holding up pretty well. I assume the energy industry is a relatively small portion of the stock market, but to what degree might the increase in energy stocks be propping up the market?

[Colorado-Valley]

The stock market is being held up by a war economy, massive spending and massive government and personal borrowing.

And Greenspan is throwing a "Hail Mary" by keeping interest rates artificially low.

[Jack]

The stock market is being held up by a couple things...

1) No other game in town. Yields on alternative liquid instruments that meet requirements for pension funds, individual retirment (IRA, 401K, etc) and other savings and investments are quite low. Net yield after inflation and taxes is on the order of 3%. Thus, the stock market is perceived as a good alternative.

2) Ignorance. The last true bear market ended in October, 1974. So anyone a day under 50 - or, more likely, 60 years old - has never experienced a true bear market. For the entire span form October 1974 to March 2000, the theory of buy-and-hold has proven correct. No matter what happened, if you just held on, the market would appreciate. Arguably, the bull market ended in 2000 with the end of the dot.com bubble; but people don't accept that we've transitioned from a bull market to a bear market.

If you'd like a great book on the subject, please let me suggest "Bullseye Investing" by Mauldin.

[caysal]

Hello, would someone communicate their opinion about what will become of the share price of big oil companies like Exxon and BP over the next 6 months to a year?

[pip]

I own a bunch of VLO. I am expecting $150 in the next six months. A bunch of analysts upgraded refiners last week. The hurricane caused enough product supply problems to keep business good for several months. Additionally, there are new EPA rules on gasoline and diesel sulfur coming out next year that will further limit supply.

[shakespear1]

Do a search on MSN Money sight with words such as oil, petroleum and you should find some interesting artcles to get started.

In particular look at Jubak's articles

Money

[BW3]

It appears that most of the big oil companies stocks are worth about the price of one barrel of sweet light crude. Where is the price of crude going to be in 6 months or a year?

[CARVER]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('BW3', 'I')t appears that most of the big oil companies stocks are worth about the price of one barrel of sweet light crude. Where is the price of crude going to be in 6 months or a year?

[Heineken]

The stock market is as crazy as it is stupid. Suddenly oil and gas are worthless and nobody wants 'em! For example, Anardarko Petroleum, an already very cheap company with a forward p/e well under 12, is down about $6 as I write.

I'm buying with both fists.

[strider3700]

damn I'm getting stomped on madmoneychallenge over oil today. It's nice to know that it's not real money when I see nothing but red.

[OilsNotWell]

In my opinion, we are seeing an all-out assault on O&G issues to pound em down and keep em down....

[Heineken]

. . . or to pound them down so that the pounders can buy them back cheap.

[OilsNotWell]

Yes, Heiny, yes, you put a finer point on it...

Why? Because they need to cover their shorting I think..What a house of cards...