It’s been a challenging stretch for the domestic ethanol industry. “One of the toughest,” according to the Wall Street Journal, “in its three-decade history.” Recent events, though, have led...... (read more)

The volatility of oil prices has brought a lot of uncertainty about the stable revenues for oil and gas companies. This has pushed companies to focus mainly on increasing production to maintain their...... (read more)

Shale gas is a game changer. We are in the very early innings of this process and investors still have ample opportunity to position their portfolio to capitalize on the phenomenon. Stocks poised to benefit...... (read more)

The mandated blending of ethanol in motor fuel -- specifically when produced from corn -- is a highly controversial issue. Is it really corrosive to engines at concentrations of just 10%? What about 15...... (read more)

For years we've been hearing about how much oil we import from foreign sources, particularly the Middle East. While it's true that we import a lot of our oil, there's a bit more to the story, especially...... (read more)

Exchange-traded funds offer a convenient way to invest in sectors or niches that interest you. If you'd like to add some gas and oil stocks to your portfolio, the iShares Dow Jones U.S. Oil and Gas Exploration...... (read more)

It was a rough April for the refiners. At the beginning of the month, the EPA outlined a proposal to reduce sulfur in gasoline starting in 2017. That news knocked prices down 10% to 15% across the entire...... (read more)

Last week, the difference in price between Brent, the global oil benchmark, and West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the main U.S. benchmark, collapsed to its lowest level since early 2011. This so-called Brent...... (read more)

The basic materials sector is under-performing the overall market. As the S&P 500 rises 4.2% for the month and 15% in 2013, a number of companies in the resource sector are in the red. Unsurprisingly...... (read more)