American Capital Agency: Time To Give Up?

American Capital Agency (AGNC) has plummeted in 2013 in response to two major concerns; the fact that the Federal Reserve may slow or cease its mortgage asset purchases sometime this year and the fear that rising interest rates will crush portfolio holdings of the mortgage real estate investment trusts (mREITS). The most recent unwarranted selling was just last Friday (7/5/13) which resulted from another better than expected jobs number showing that the market added 195,000 jobs in June. That day, when AGNC was trading down 7.5% at $20.21, I came out with a call to buy the panic selling. Since then the stock is up over 10%, with the first bounce coming shortly after the release of the article. Still, despite the evidence I have laid out in multiple articles and despite the fact that closer examination of the jobs number revealed a still gloomy view of the economy, I am inundated with inquiries as to whether it is time to just give up on AGNC altogether. While I would argue that despite AGNC shedding 1/3 of its share price since April, if you truly believe the sector is still doomed, then you could.....read more

Buy The Rare Earth Metals Strategic ETF Ahead Of The Announced Reverse Split

Rare earth metals and minerals have always been an interesting investment consideration. Many regular investors however, have never considered them. Rare earth metals and minerals are used as vital components in industry, and as the global economy recovers and grows, demand for these finite resources should also grow.(click to enlarge) Some rare earth metals include yttrium, cerium and scandium. A complete list of the 17 rare earth metals and minerals, along with examples of their various applications, can be found here. Figure one displays the elements considered rare earths on the periodic table. The demand for these metals is rising exponentially as they are used for smart phones and TV's, technologies which are just entering the emerging world. In today's technological society, there are more than seven screens per household in western nations. While demand has been growing, prices of these metals have .......read more