China Forecast: Cloudy With a Chance of Rain

Remember the phrase “Buy what China needs to buy”? It was a good thesis for us for years. I dipped the ladle into this idea bowl often. And the stocks of producers of potash, oil, iron ore and other stuff from the earth did well. But the tides of fortune ebb and flow. Will these commodities be good investments from here?

[Read more...]

Another Chinese Resource Grab

The stakes just got higher in the 3-D chess game China's playing for natural resources. On one dimension, the Middle Kingdom is on the offensive. But on another, it's playing strictly defense…

Beijing is ordering state-owned businesses to explore a bid for PotashCorp (POT), the Canadian fertilizer giant that's already fending off a hostile bid from BHP Billiton, the Anglo-Australian mining giant.

[Read more...]