While the recent commodity appreciation has become more volatile, many fiduciaries continue to believe commodity allocations will act as a currency inflation hedge. Additionally, commodity supply shortages and growing global demand for most things should assist other inflationary pressures in increasing commodity prices. Oil and natural gas are popular choices.
Tags : Commodity
By Sumit Roy
Finally for the first time in four weeks commodity-related exchange-traded funds saw net inflows, as investors tiptoed their way back into the space. Sector performance varied significantly, however, with three of the five sectors actually seeing outflows. But thanks to strong investor interest in precious metals which received over $1 billion of fresh capital total commodity-related ETP inflows registered at $684 million.
The only other sector to see a net inflow on the week was agriculture, with $187 million. The energy, broad market (multicommodity) and industrial metals sectors saw outflows of $293 million, $204 million and $32 million, respectively.
Almost the entirety of this weeks precious metals outperformance was thanks to a single fund the SPDR Gold Trust (GLD), which received inflows of $1.1 billion, reversing a good chunk of the $2.4 billion in outflows it saw over the past three weeks.
Similarly, agricultures outperformance was due in large part to the Market Vectors Agribusiness ETF (MOO), with $227 in inflows. Investor interest in this fund has been stellar recently, as it has shown up on the top five creations list for three weeks straight, racking up $750 million in inflows in that same period.
Three gold funds the iShares Gold Trust (IAU), Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF (GDX) and Market Vectors Junior Gold Miners ETF (GDXJ) round out the top five list for the week, with inflows of $77 million, $67 million and $57 million, respectively.
Looking at the other end of the spectrum, at the worst-performing products of the week, we see the iShares Silver Trust (SLV) leading for a second week in a row, with $241 million in redemptions. That comes on the heels of last weeks $429 million of outflows. As weve discussed thoroughly in our Precious Metals Monitor, investor interest in gold has been much more resilient than that in silver in recent weeks.
Right behind SLV was the Energy Select SPDR ETF (XLE). This fund has appeared on the top creations and redemptions list frequently over the last few months, as traders use it for exposure to the very volatile energy sector.
Moving on, the SPDR Samp;P Metals and Mining ETF (XME), iShares Samp;P Global Energy Sector Index Fund (NYSE Arca: IXC) and iShares Samp;P Global Materials Index Fund (MXI) took the Nos. 3, 4 and 5 spots on the redemptions list last week, with outflows of $181 million, $55 million and $25 million, respectively.
Shifting gears to price performance for the week, silver funds dominated as the metal rebounded off recent lows. But it was the iPath Pure Beta Cotton ETN (CTNN) that led, with a hefty 11.54 percent return. On the surface, CTNNs performance is puzzling given the fact that cotton prices were essentially flat during the week, but considering the ETN has very little in the way of assets and is fairly illiquid, such oddball moves arent all that unusual.
Other than CTNN, all the other top five price performers were silver-related. The UBS E-TRACS Silver ETN (USV), PowerShares DB Silver Fund (DBS), ETFS Physical Silver (SIVR) and iShares Silver Trust (SLV) saw gains of 9.75 percent, 7.99 percent, 7.88 percent and 7.86 percent, respectively.
Finally, the bottom price performers last week consisted of solar and industrial metals-related products. The Market Vectors Solar Energy ETF (KWT) and Guggenheim Solar ETF (TAN) led with declines of 9.84 percent and 8.83 percent, respectively. The iPath Pure Beta Aluminum ETN (FOIL), Global X China Materials ETF (CHIM) and iPath Dow Jones-UBS Nickel Subindex Total Return ETN (JJN) followed, with respective losses of 7.83 percent, 6.46 percent and 4.93 percent.
Fund Flows Data: May 20 25, 2011
Commodity ETF Weekly Flows By Asset Class
Tags : Commodity
UNDATED (CBS) — Yoga for fertility. Stress can make it harder for women to conceive. And as we know, yoga is good for relieving stress.
Now, as women combine this ancient art with modern science;it seems to be working.
The ancient practice of yoga has helped people worldwide balance mind and body.For an hour every week, hopeful moms to beuse the age-old focus to reduce modern stress, to help with fertility.
NYUFertility Center Yoga instructor Tracy Toon Spencer says This yoga practice provides a community. A place where women can gather and take inspiration from one another…they feel much less isolated so they feel better and theyre more relaxed.
Relaxation may be what the doctor ordered. Adding yogas timeworn wisdom to the modern medicine can be valuable for patients.
Mind-body programs designed to reduce stress have reported fertility increases up to 35percent, regardless of the patients histories.
Tags : Exercises
Nam Y. Huh | The Associated Press
White Sox slugger Adam Dunn watches after hitting a single against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the eighth inning Sunday.
Tags : Exercises
SAP AG today announced the latest version of its enterprise performance management software, SAP BusinessObjects 10.0, which is designed to help companies align their decisions and actions with their business aims.
Tags : Enterprise
By GUY CHAZAN
US regulators lawsuit over alleged manipulation of crude-oil prices in 2008 has shone a spotlight on a shipping tycoon whose risky bets, shrewd investments and buccaneering style have made him Norways richest man.
John Fredriksen owns the trading companies at the center of a civil action brought this past week by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The case brings fresh scrutiny to a businessman with the reputation of a maverick, business interests ranging from oil rigs to fish farms, and an estimated net worth of 6.2 billion, or $10.2 billion, that put him at No. 7 in a recent Sunday Times list of richest UK residents.
The CFTC sued two traders and the companies they worked for, Arcadia Energy (Suisse) SA and its Parnon Energy Inc. affiliate, alleging that in 2008 they amassed and sold off a substantial position in physical crude oil to manipulate future prices. The companies are controlled by Mr. Fredriksens Farahead Holdings, of Cyprus.
Mr. Fredriksen declined a request for comment. In an interview with the Norwegian newspaper Dagens Nringsliv he dismissed the charges, saying Its what happens in an oil marketbuying and selling oil. We have done nothing wrong. In a statement, Arcadia said the CFTCs complaint was without merit and that it was confident no laws were broken.
The son of a shipyard welder, Mr. Fredriksen was born in a working-class suburb of Oslo in 1944. He started off as a shipping broker, running cargoes of fish from Iceland to Hamburg, Germany. In the late 1960s he moved to Beirut, where he shipped crude oil from Saudi Arabia and Iraq, sending back refined products. He bought his first ship in 1973.
Tags : Commodity
Alan Armstead, 49, of Kelso works a late-shift job at
Weyerhaeuser, putting him on a slightly different schedule than
most people.
At 4 am, Armstead likes to hit the grocery store on the way
home. His particular favorite is the open-all-night Safeway on 15th
Avenue in Longview.
This is the one on my way home, so this is the one I shop at,
he said, mulling over a short list topped by garbage bags.
Armsteads tried grocery shopping during regular business hours
and finds that he prefers the middle of the night. He summarizes
his daylight experiences at one local food store as combat
shopping.
He has company at 4 am, but its rarely other shoppers.
Even though the stores shelves are straightened up and
restocked overnight, its quiet enough to hear the freezers humming
inside and the squeaky wheels of a cart being pushed across the
parking lot outside.
For Armstead, its prime time. He recommends it to others who
dont want to deal with the crowds.
Jim Hall, store manager, said the store stays open to serves
customers coming in at odd hours. He said shift changes at St. John
Hospital help boost business in the late evening and early
morning.
Though 2 am to 6 am is usually a dead zone — its also the
period when the store doesnt sell alcohol — Hall said 10 to 15
customers still come through and that closing the store for four
hours while the night crew is there anyway isnt worth the
trouble.
Tags : Shopping
San Francisco Giants general manager Brian Sabean isnt ready to deal for a veteran catcher, at least not yet.
Following what is looking more and more like a season-ending ankle injury to Buster Posey this week, the Giants have relied on Eli Whiteside as their backstop.
Tags : Shopping
Pippas a chic shop-a-holic!
Pippa Middleton indulged in some retail therapy in London on Friday. Clutching several shopping bags and smiling, Duchess Kates little sister, 27, looked demure and stylish in a print minidress, cropped tan coat and nude-toned pumps.
PHOTOS: Pippas amazing style
The worlds most famous Maid of Honor is definitely on the move these days — with two new jobs (her own party-planning company, set to launch soon, and a lobbyist gig with her pal George Percys geothermal-energy firm) plus some major relocation plans.
VIDEO: Look back on the royal wedding
One pal says in the new Us Weekly that Middleton is ready to move out of her familys London pied-a-terre and get her own flat. She wants to move in with Alex, the friend says. That would be Alex Loudon, her 30-year-old beau of one year.
PHOTOS: Kate and Pippa as kids
They are incredibly close, and shes telling friends theyre going to get married, the friend says.
For more on the younger Middleton gals big plans, pick up the new Us Weekly, out now.
Tags : Shopping
In Brazil, concern with the quality of life of pregnant women is one of the points emphasized in the Program for the Humanization of Prenatal Care and Childbirth launched in 2000. However, there are few references in the literature on the role of either land or water-based physical exercise on womens quality of life during pregnancy.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a physical exercise program of water aerobics on the quality of life (QOL) of sedentary pregnant women.
Methods:
A comparative observational study involving sedentary low-risk pregnant women bearing a single fetus with gestational age less than 20 weeks at the time of admission to the study, who were receiving antenatal care at a public health service. One group of 35 women was given routine antenatal care, while another group of 31 women, in addition to receiving the same routine care as the first group, also participated in three classes of water aerobics per week.
QOL was evaluated by applying the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire in both groups at the 20th, 28th and 36th weeks of pregnancy. In the same occasions, women also answered another questionnaire about their experience with pregnancy and antenatal care.
Results:
The great majority of the participants considered that the practice of water aerobics had benefitted them in some way.
QOL scores were found to be high in both groups during follow-up. There was no association between the practice of water aerobics and QOL.
Conclusions:
Further studies involving larger sample sizes should be conducted in different sociocultural contexts and/or using other instruments to adequately evaluate the QOL of women during pregnancy.
Author: Ana VallimMaria OsisJose CecattiErica BaciukCarla SilveiraSergio Cavalcante
Credits/Source: Reproductive Health 2011, 8:14
Published on: 2011-05-16
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Tags : Exercises