Fast Food Benefits from Slow Economy
Dated September 04, 2008
Steve West, Stifel Nicolaus & Co
We have heard it all before. The economy is slowing and the consumer is spending less. Steve West, restaurant analyst for Stifel, Nicholas & Co., has identified a real shift from consumers to fast food restaurants away from the casual dining space. Breakfast is the fastest growing daypart and McDonald's [NYSE:MCD] is grabbing large portion of that market. Burger King [NYSE:BKC] has the most potential upside among fast food restaurants, according Steve West. He also likes Sonic [NASDAQ:SONC] and Jack in the Box [NYSE:JBX].

Fishing Industry in Need of Sustainability
Dated August 21, 2008
Rona Fried, PhD., SustainableBusiness.com
Almost 90% of all the fish we eat are on the verge of collapse. Whether it is cod in the Northeast or salmon in the Northwest, the fishing industry as we know it is in need of a serious change. Rona Fried, president of Sustainablebusiness.com and editor of the Progressive Investor, tells us that the fishing industry is consolidating, but stronger regulations must be put in place to make a push toward sustainability. Rona recommends two companies as a play on sustainability. Whole Foods [NASDAQ:WFMI] requires the fish they sell to be certified sustainable. Also, Untied Natural Foods [NASDAQ:UNFI] is the largest distributor of natural food in the country and would likely ship sustainable seafood once it reached land.

International Demand to Send Coal Prices Higher
Dated August 05, 2008
Elliott Gue, Energy Strategist
In part 2 of my interview with Elliott Gue, editor of The Energy Strategist, he explains the differences, and price trends, among several coal types. Before the recent pullback in prices, Elliott points out that Big Sandy Barge Coal, a high grade variety of thermal coal, had tripled in the last year. Due to the high demand for coal in both emerging and developed countries, Elliott's two favorite coal companies, Peabody Energy [NYSE:BTU] and Consol Energy [NYSE:CNX], are in a strong position to export their coal abroad.

The Future Looks Bright for Natural Gas
Dated July 31, 2008
Elliott Gue, Energy Strategist
After a sharp rise higher, both oil and natural gas have pulled back nicely. Elliott Gue, editor of the Energy Strategist, believes that natural gas is in a stronger position over the next several years. Softness in the economy will eventually hurt crude oil because it is correlated to transportation and the consumer. Elliott expects oil to trade in a range between $110 and $150 for the remainder of the year. On the other hand, natural gas should head back to $13 this year and perhaps as high as $20 if a hurricane strikes the Gulf of Mexico.

The Most Value-Stocks in 30 Years
Dated July 28, 2008
John Buckingham, The Prudent Speculator
John Buckingham, editor of the Prudent Speculator, looks to build a portfolio of quality companies selling at an extreme discount. The list of recommended stocks published in his newsletter has grown to over 300 names; the most in nearly 30 years. Value investing is not for the faint of heart, but, using a 3-5 year time horizon, John is finding great values in a number of sectors right now. A few of his favorites companies include Benchmark Electronics [NYSE:BHE], Nokia [NYSE:NOK], JPMorgan Chase [NYSE:JPM], HSBC [NYSE:HBC], Morgan Stanley [NYSE:MS], DR Horton [NYSE:DHI], Dryships [NASDAQ:DRYS], and Merck [NYSE:MRK].

Get Blown Away by New Wind Power ETF
Dated July 24, 2008
Bob Carey, First Trust Portfolios
Wind power is widely recognized as one of the most efficient forms of sustainable energy, but it can be difficult to find a pure play in the US markets... until now. Bob Carey, Chief Investment Officer with First Trust, discusses the new First Trust ISE Global Wind Energy Index Fund [NYSE:FAN]. The fund gives a 70% weighting to companies which are pure plays on wind power, Vestas Wind Systems and Hansen Transmissions (both listed in Europe) and 30% weighting to companies with adequate exposure to the wind sector, BP plc [NYSE:BP] and General Electric [NYSE:GE].