CME Group: Natural Gas Inventory Withdrawal Below Market Consensus

Today's natural gas inventory came in below the market consensus but still above both last year and the five year average for the same week. The market has viewed the data as bearish in that the market is off about 2% as of this writing. It also supports my view that I have discussed in the newsletter that yesterday's gain in prices were mostly driven by a short covering rally ahead of the expectation for a bullish inventory report today. Another way of looking at the reaction is a buy the rumor, sell the fact pattern.

Next week's inventory report is going to be based on a period that has experienced very warm weather over a major portion of the eastern half of the US and thus the inventory withdrawal is likely to underperform versus history. The latest NOAA six to ten day and eight to fourteen day forecasts remain bearish as they are both projecting above normal temperatures over a major portion of the US for the period February 4th through the 13th.

Inventory withdrawals are likely to underperform versus history during the aforementioned timeframe. With the longer range forecast projecting March to experience above normal temperatures over most of the US.... a sort of early spring.... that does not leave much potential for a sustained winter cold spell. The fundamentals remain bearish and are likely to stay bearish based on the current weather forecasts for the rest of the official heating season which end at the end of March.

Read the entire CME Group article and see Dominick Chirichellas detailed charts.


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Musings: Hydraulic Fracturing Issue Encounters Protests And Movies

On Friday, January 11th a 30 day public comment period in New York State on the issue of hydraulic fracturing ended, but not without a certain amount of high drama. The wife and son of the late Beatles star John Lennon, Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon, led a group of protestors on a visit to the Albany office of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (Dem) and the Department of Environmental Conservation. At the latter stop, the duo, who founded Artists Against Fracking last July, delivered 50 boxes reportedly containing 204,000 comments about hydraulic fracturing.

Around the same time, Ms. Ono had an op-ed published in the Albany Times Union in which she wrote, "My husband, John Lennon, and I bought a beautiful farm in rural New York more than 30 years ago. Like the rest of our state, this peaceful farming community is threatened by fracking for gas. She went on to say, “Governor Cuomo, please don’t frack New York. Don’t allow our beautiful landscapes to be ruined, or our precious and famous clean water to be dirtied."

Read the entire Musings article



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Kinder Morgan [KMP] to acquire Copano [CPNO] for Approximately $5 Billion

Kinder Morgan Energy Partners (NYSE: KMP) and Copano Energy (NASDAQ: CPNO) on Tuesday announced a definitive agreement whereby KMP will acquire all of Copano’s outstanding units for a total purchase price of approximately $5 billion, including the assumption of debt. The transaction, which has been approved by the boards of directors of both companies, will be a 100 percent unit for unit transaction with an exchange ratio of .4563 KMP units per Copano unit.

The consideration to be received by Copano unitholders is valued at $40.91 per Copano common unit based on KMP’s closing price as of Jan. 29, 2013, representing a 23.5 percent premium to Copano’s close on Jan. 29, 2013. The transaction, which is expected to close in the third quarter of 2013, is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approval and a vote of the Copano unitholders. TPG, Copano’s largest unitholder (owning over 14 percent of its outstanding equity), has agreed to support the transaction.

Copano, a midstream natural gas company with operations primarily in Texas, Oklahoma and Wyoming, provides comprehensive services to natural gas producers, including natural gas gathering, processing, treating and natural gas liquids fractionation. Copano owns an interest in or operates about 6,900 miles of pipelines with 2.7 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of natural gas throughput capacity and 9 processing plants with more than 1 Bcf/d of processing capacity and 315 million cubic feet per day of treating capacity.

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Energy Stocks & Crude Oil Special Trend Analysis Report

Crude oil has been trading ways for the past year between the 2011 high and low. The trading range through 2012 has been contracting with a series of lower highs and higher lows. This pennant formation because it is taking place after an uptrend is a bullish pattern with $110 and possibly even $140+ per barrel in the next 6-18 months.

If you look at the weekly investing chart of crude oil the key support and resistance levels area clearly marked. A breakout of the white pennant will trigger a move to the next support or resistance level. And judging from the positive economic numbers not only form the USA but globally the odds are increased for the $110+ price target to be reached sooner than later.

Crude Oil Price Chart – Weekly Investing



Crude Oil Price Chart – Daily short term Analysis and Target

If we zoom into the daily chart and analyze price and volume you will notice the $100 per barrel level is potentially only 2-3 days way… But keep in mind whole numbers (decade & Century Numbers) naturally act as support and resistance levels. So when the $100 century price is reached there will be a wave of sellers with fat thumbs who will slam the price back down to the $96 and possibly back down to the $92 level before oil continues higher.



Utility Stocks – XLU – Weekly Investing Chart

The utility sector has done well and continues to look very bullish for 2013. This high dividend paying sector is liked by many and the price action speaks for its self



Energy Sector Weekly Investing Chart

Energy stocks which can be followed using the XLE exchange traded fund (ETF) typically leads the price of oil. Looking at energy stocks we can see that they are outperforming the price of crude oil and on the verge of breaking out of a large Cup & Handle pattern. If so then $90 is the next stop but prices may go much higher in the long run.



Energy Stocks and Crude Oil Conclusion:

In short, crude oil is stuck in a large trading range much like gold and silver which I just wrote about here...."Precious Metals & Miners Making Waves and New Trends"

Once a breakout takes place on either the white or yellow lines on the first crude oil weekly chart we should see oil, energy and utility stocks start making some big moves. Depending on the direction of the breakout (Up or Down) it must be played in that direction to generate substantial profits obviously.

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Chris Vermeulen


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Precious Metals & Miners Making Waves and New Trends

The precious metals sector has been dormant since both gold and silver topped in 2011. But the long term bull market remains intact. As long as we do not have the price of gold close below the lower yellow box on the monthly chart then technical speaking precious metals should continue much higher.

Large consolidation periods (yellow boxes) provide investors with great insight for investments looking forward 6-18 months upon a breakout in either direction (up or down). The issue with investing during these times is the passage of time. One can hold a position for months and sometimes years having their investments fluctuate adding extra stress to their life when they really do not need to.

Once a breakout takes place a powerful rally or decline will start putting an investors’ money to work within days of committing to that particular investment compared to money invested waiting months for the breakout and new capital gains to occur.

Gold Price Chart – Monthly

 

Gold Price Chart – Daily

The chart of gold continues to form a large bull flag pattern with a potential 3 or 5 wave correction. If price reverses this week and breaks above the upper resistance trend line then it will be a 3 (ABC) wave correction which is very bullish. But there is potential for a full 5 wave correction which is still bullish, but it just means we have another month or two before metals bottom.


 

Gold Miner Stocks – GDX ETF Chart – Daily

Gold miners do not have the sexiest looking chart. It was formed a strong looking bull flag but has continues to correct and is not nearing a key support level. This level could act as a triple bottom (bullish) or if price breaks below then it would be breaking then neckline of a massive head and shoulders pattern which points to 50% decline. I remain bullish with the longer term gold trend until proven wrong.



Silver Price Chart – Daily

Silver remains in a long term bull market much like the monthly chart of gold shown earlier in this report. Silver continues to work its way through a large bull flag pattern with a positive outlook at this time.



Silver Miner Stocks – SIL ETF – Daily Chart

Reviewing the precious metals sector it seems that silver miners have the sexiest looking chart. All price patterns are showing strength and are in proportion to one other. If this chart plays out to what technical analysis is pointing to then we could see the precious metals sector put in a bottom and rally within the next week or two. And if this is the case then silver miner stocks should provide the most opportunity going forward.



Precious Metals Trading Conclusion:

In short, what you need to focus on is the yellow consolidation box on the monthly gold chart. A breaking in either direction will trigger a massive move that should last 6-18 months. Until then long term investors can simply sit back and watch the sector while they put their money to work in other active sectors.

From a short term traders point of view, that of mine. I am looking for a signs of a bottom on the daily chart to get my money working earlier to play the bounce/rally that takes place and actively managing the position until a breakout occurs. The charts overall are not that clear as to when a breakout will take place. Metals could start to rally next week or in a few months and all we can do is wait for a reversal to the upside before we get active.

Knowing the big picture trends and patterns at play along with major support and resistance levels (breakout levels) is crucial for success and piece of mind.

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Chris Vermeulen 



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Jim Jubak: Why I added Targa to my Dividend Income Portfolio

Jim Jubak is still one of the go to guys if you are managing your own fund with a long term state of mind. With MLP's getting so much attention it's worth paying attention when the smart guys in the room are making a move.....

I added Targa Resources Partners (NGLS) to my Dividend Income portfolio on January 11 because the units offer a really attractive potential for dividend growth and capital gains. The current dividend, at 6.81% on January 11, isn’t any too shabby either. For the most recent update on that portfolio see my post at Jubak Picks.com.

The big upside here comes from Targa’s acquisition of oil and natural gas pipelines from Saddle Butte Pipeline that for the first time moved Targa into the Bakken shale formation of North Dakota that is the heart of the U.S. oil boom. The deal also gave Targa its first oil pipelines before that Targa had been a natural gas only pipeline play. The North Dakota oil boom is currently very underserved by pipelines, which gives pipeline companies with footholds in the area, and that now includes Targa, an opportunity to invest today’s cheap money in profitable new capital projects.

After the deal Targa reiterated its projections for 10% growth in distributions to holders of the MLP (master limited partnership) units in 2013 from 2012 levels. And the assets added in the deal look to me like they take some of the risk out of Targa’s cash flow. The company has been moving to increase the share of its revenue that comes from fee based transportation of natural gas liquids from 37% in the last twelve months to a projected 55% by the end of 2014. Fee based rather than price based revenue gives Targa protection from what looks like a developing oversupply of natural gas liquids.

I think Targa can easily grow distributions by 9% or so a year over the next few years. That distribution and dividend growth gives Targa, and investors in Targa, protection from a return of inflation or from rising interest rates.

I calculate a one year target price of $44 for Targa.

Full disclosure: I don’t own shares of any of the companies mentioned in this post in my personal portfolio. The mutual fund I manage, Jubak Global Equity Fund http://jubakfund.com/, may or may not now own positions in any stock mentioned in this post. The fund did not own shares of Targa as of the end of September. For a full list of the stocks in the fund as of the end of September see the fund’s portfolio at Jubak Fund Holdings.


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Who are the Top 10 Drillers in the U.S.?

Here's the top 10 land drillers in the U.S. as of January 18th, 2013. I'll admit, there was some surprises here for us.

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Natural Gas Futures Lower after Inventory Report

A bullish weekly inventory report was not enough to push the Nat Gas futures market back into positive territory nor was the latest NOAA short term weather forecast which was more supportive than the previous day's forecast. The Nat Gas market may be slowly moving into a mode of too little too late so to speak as February is the only month of the remaining winter heating season that is currently projected to experience winter like weather over major portions of the country.

NOAA's six to ten day and eight to fourteen day forecasts are both showing a larger portion of the country expecting more winter like weather especially in the 8 to fourteen day forecast. At the moment both of these forecasts are starting to line up with the 90 day forecast for the month of February issued about a week or so ago. Next week's inventory withdrawal will be bullish versus both the previous year and the more normal five year average.

If the actual weather is in sync with NOAA latest short term forecasts the withdrawals should come in around normal maybe a bit higher through the first week of February. However, as I have been indicating for weeks the winter heating season is running out of time to have a major impact on the ending inventory levels at the end of the heating season.....continue reading.

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EIA: Political risks focus attention on supply of Venezuelan oil to the United States

Uncertainty about the health of Hugo Chávez, Venezuela's president, has raised interest in understanding Venezuela's contribution to U.S. oil supply. Venezuela, a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), ranks among the 15 largest global oil producers and is the United States's fourth-largest source of imported oil, behind Canada, Saudi Arabia, and Mexico. Meanwhile, the United States, the world's largest oil consumer and oil importer, is the leading destination for Venezuelan oil exports.



Venezuela and the United States (the U.S. Gulf Coast in particular) are naturally attractive oil-trading partners because of their geographic proximity and a lack of transit chokepoints between them. Furthermore, the robust trade in crude oil from Venezuela to the United States is due to the compatibility between the configuration of some U.S. refineries and the quality characteristics of Venezuelan crude, which is predominately sour (high sulfur content) and medium or heavy (lower degrees of API gravity, meaning it has a higher density). The U.S. Gulf Coast has a concentration of sophisticated refineries (including some wholly or partially owned by Citgo Petroleum Corp.....Read the entire EIA article


Don't miss Precious Metals and Stocks Poised to Ramp Higher in 2013

Precious Metals and Stocks Poised to Ramp Higher in 2013

It’s been a long drawn out corrective affair with the precious metals since the August-September 2011 top that seems so long ago right now. During that last spike period where Gold rallied to just over $1900 per ounce, we had mentioned many times in articles and to our subscribers that GOLD was likely peaking in a wave 3 of excitement and high powered bullish sentiment. The “tells” were the articles, the CNBC mentions, the daily “CNBC GOLD” ticker at the top of their screen, and the cover of a major magazine.

Since that time, we believe GOLD has been consolidating in what we term a “wave 4” correction, which is a milder version than some others. This is part and parcel of a 5 wave rally pattern and wave 4 is necessary to cool the engines of overbought sentiment and public love of the metals. These wave 4 patterns can take many forms and shapes, but this one appears to be an irregular ABC Version which we have outlined below on the weekly chart views. The length of period of time is nearing 18 months in total, but the lows in the 1550’s were already marking price bottom territories, and now it seems more of a matter of time before we see wave 5 up really take off.

This means that Gold and Silver Exploration stocks are very cheap as well, because the senior producers are seeing their stockpiles whittled away while their grades deteriorate at the same time. Once GOLD pops over $1750 per ounce we should see a rally in all the Gold Stocks, but especially in the exploration plays, which are historically undervalued here. Take a look at our GDJX Junior Exploration Stocks chart at the bottom of this article as well. It will need some help to break the downtrend, but again we think the odds are in the savvy investors favor to speculate on a select few in this sector.

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