Commodities for Every Portfolio: How You Can Profit from the Long-Term Commodity Boom

Chapter 12

Leveraging Third-Party Assistance

If the eye does not want to see, neither light nor glasses will help.

—German Proverb

In the last decade or so, with the advent of the Internet and technology, third-party assistance has grown into a category all by itself. Previously, commodity investors had only a couple major options when it came to their investment decisions: They could either come up with their own trade recommendations based on research and trading strategies, or they could rely on local brokers for trade advice and prudent portfolio management. Today these options include Internet advisory newsletters, Web sites, trading systems, access to specialized brokers all across the country, and a variety of other trading tools and services.

Unfortunately, as great as some of these sources are in providing investors with assistance, they can also lead many investors along the wrong investment path. In particular, many brokers, Web sites, and advisory newsletters have either failed to mention or adamantly opposed this first stage of the commodity bull market. Relying on these sources for assistance would naturally lead you to miss out on the substantial moves that have occurred in the commodity markets over the last several years. Consequently, it is important to find third-party sources that are not only aligned with your investment views, but also do a good job of executing these views profitably.

This chapter serves to direct you to some of the different tools and services ...