[LancYorkYankee]

Aye jambutty, the current energy price cycle has been down these last few months. Due to the last couple of years of high prices, a rather hefty glut of natural gas, gasoline, and oil has resulted. I believe, due to recent activity, you'll see a short spike in the gas markets in the next few weeks:

The fickleness of this market can be seen just in the last couple of weeks of very cold weather across much of the States. The price of a barrel of oil has risen almost $10 back to almost $60 a barrel. Natural gas prices have been up and down 2 - 3% every other day, at least over here, in the Commodity Markets.

I believe most of this current rise is due to the herd mentality of these markets. Investors are trying to cover short positions and mutual fund managers don't want to miss out on commodity prices rising. Hence they're all buying and driving up the prices of commodities who's supply has not been greatly affected by the current conditions.

I sold my natural gas shares a bit early (we weren't "supposed" to get this much cold weather), but would be uncomfortable with holding in an emotionally driven uprise.

Things should stablize if weather warms up and world events stay neutral.

Brian