Go!
Energy prices have been increasing for some time now. But over the last year, which energy commodity has seen the sharpest increase, spiking +166%? 

A.) Ethanol
B.) Crude oil 
C.) Coal
D.) Natural gas 
E.) Electricity 
Published: June 30, 2008

The correct answer is      (C.)  Coal

While oil prices have been grabbing the all the energy headlines over the past year, coal prices have spiked higher than oil, rising +166% --  the sharpest increase of any energy commodity.  And although coal is currently trading at record prices nearing $140 per ton, some forecasts have prices continuing to rise.

As energy-hungry emerging-market nations ramp up their energy demand, coal has been the fastest-growing fuel source on the planet. Over the past five years, global consumption of coal has grown by 1.4 billion tons, or about +30%. That's double the +16% growth in natural gas and more than triple the +9% growth in oil.

As expected, Wall Street has cheered these developments and many investors are taking a shine to coal mining stocks. In the span from 2002 through the end of last year, the average coal stock delivered a hefty return of +231%, nearly quadruple the +64% gain of the S&P 500. And consumption is expected to continue to climb, further increasing coal mining profits.

With that in mind, those looking for "black gold" for their own portfolios need to read Nathan Slaughter's Half-Priced Stocks newsletter. In a recent issue, Nathan offered an in-depth analysis of the coal industry and dug deep to find six companies worth taking a long look at (most of which have racked up three-year cumulative returns well over +200%). To learn more about these stocks, and to learn more about the Half-Priced Stocks newsletter, please visit this link.
 

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The Hidden "Wholesale" Market Where Gold Sells for $387/oz
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