HardAssetsInvestor

Written by HardAssetsInvestor.com  |

April 17, 2007

Mining Goes Mainstream

Details

We’ve written here before about how strong returns and new products like ETFs are taking the “alternative” out of “alternative assets.” I was reminded of that today by this article by Jim Jubak at MSN Moneycentral.

Moneycentral is arguably the most mainstream of all the major finance sites. Where Yahoo! Finance focuses on charts and quotes, and sites like TheStreet.com cater to “sophisticated investors,” Moneycentral aims straight down the middle, combining solid (and often insightful) investment advice with Parade-esque columns about savings tips and the softer side of money.

Jubak’s column today is called White Hot Metals, and it looks at the supply/demand issues behind copper, nickel and zinc. Jubak’s opinion? Copper’s run is over, but investors can still benefit from tight supplies in nickel and zinc.

I won’t quibble with Jubak’s analysis. In general, it’s good to see people talking about actual supply and demand. What caught me about the article was the very subject it was focused on. This ain’t Benjamin Graham, here. I’m guessing most Moneycentral readers couldn’t tell you one product in their house that contains zinc.

The expansion of the commodities audience has myriad and very interesting impacts on the commodities space.