Commodities

The rise of bitcoin this year has taken all but its most ardent supporters by surprise. The virtual currency has risen by as much as 17x since the start of the year, with it passing $17,000 for the first time this week. While it could move higher in the short term, ultimately it appears to…

With the oil price recently reaching $60 per barrel for the first time since July 2015, many investors are becoming more bullish on the outlook for oil and gas companies. After all, a higher oil price could mean that their profits also move upwards. However, the oil price faces sustained pressure from the impact of…

While the gold price has risen by 10% this year, it faces an uncertain future. In the US, UK and Europe monetary policy looks set to tighten, with a rise in interest rates on the cards over the medium term. Alongside this, a new Federal Reserve Chair could adopt a more hawkish stance next year.…

Gold may not have a practical value as an alternative currency. It’s not possible to enter a shop and pay for any product or service in gold. However, the precious metal may have value as an alternative to cash or other assets due to its scope to help protect against rising inflation. Inflation potential In…

The election result has plunged the UK into a period of significant political uncertainty. There have been calls for Theresa May to resign, and there is the potential for a relatively weak minority government formed by the Conservatives and DUP. This could be just the beginning of an intense period for UK politics. In just…

Among the four main ways to make money from mining gold or silver – exploration, development, streaming or financing a mine – it is streaming (or royalties) that can often be by far the most profitable. I showed in my earlier streaming coverage how streamers tended to make much more profit from a mine than…

Following my recommendation 15 months ago, followers saw Berkeley Energia (LON:BKY) nearly treble by January as more and more commentators jumped aboard and as the company issued a stream of bullish news on progress and prospects for uranium. But the shares are now 20% off their top and perhaps the market is satiated with a…

The share price of gold miner Centamin* (LON:CEY) has slumped by over 12% in the last two weeks. Apart from a 1.5% fall in the price of gold in the same time period, the only other significant news regarding the company was the sale of almost £40 million of shares by its Chairman, Josef El-Raghy.…