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The author presents his thoughts on waiting to invest in oil futures and petroleum industry stocks following a nearly 30 percent drop in the price of crude oil between June 2015 and late August 2015. The article examines investments in energy exchange-traded funds (ETFs) such as the SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF, whether sharp price declines precede pops in the market, and the global economic outlook.

The article discusses implication for the oil market of an agreement between Western nations and Iran that could lift sanctions against the latter's oil exports. By the close of 2016 additional Iranian exports could roughly equal the volume of oil held in the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve, putting further downward pressure on oil prices already diminished due to a glut of oil.

The article discusses potential risks posed to investors by the high valuations accorded to private startup companies such as ride-hailing service Uber Technologies and smartphone maker Xiaomi. When these firms go public individual investors who buy in at their inflated initial-public-offering (IPO) prices could end up disappointed.

The article discusses the financial pros and cons to the proposed merger of oil fields services companies Halliburton and Baker Hughes. Topics include how the merger would increase the share prices for Baker Hughes, the likelihood that the merger would trigger an investigation by antitrust regulators due to a duopoly in the logging a drill bits industries, and the implication on the combined company's overall stock value.

The article discusses volatility in the price of oil, focusing on the possible benefit of volatility and lower prices to Saudi Arabia. Topics include a discussion of lower volatility in prices offered by oil company Exxon Mobil; the impact of price instability on the oil industries in Saudi Arabia's competitors; and risk in the oil industry.

The author discusses factors that do not bode well for Russia's future. Although a decline in the country's population has been arrested, demographics suggest it could resume. The World Bank forecasts a decline in Russia's working-age population. Russia is heavily dependent on exports of oil and natural gas, but rising production of those commodities in the U.S. could exert downward pressure on prices. In the author's view there is little hope for economic reform under President Vladimir Putin.

The author discusses prospects for the stock market value of the U.S. electric utilities industry as of December 2013, with a focus on the effect of solar power sources. Topics include government subsidies and technology costs for solar energy, cost-competition between solar power and retail electricity prices, disintermediation, and financial and nonfinancial bonds.

The article discusses the current and predicted valuation for electric-automobile producer Tesla Motors. Between April and late October of 2013 Tesla's share price has risen more than 200%. The author cites the case of online retailer Amazon.com Inc. to illustrate how inaccurate valuations derived from the discounted-cash-flow method can be. One price forecast from securities firm Wedbush Securities rests on assumptions about Tesla's earnings in 2017.

The article discusses challenges facing U.S. coal-mining firms. Regulations announced in September 2013 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency make unlikely the construction of any new coal-fueled power plants. Although coal miners such as Arch Coal Inc. and Alpha Natural Resources have made acquisitions of firms that mine metallurgical (coking) coal, they have taken on considerable debt to do so.

The article looks at petroleum industry finance as of June 2013, focusing on exploration-and-production (E&P) companies which have experienced rapid output increases including Occidental Petroleum and Anadarko Petroleum. It discusses the financial and strategic planning challenges they will face as they enter a stage of inevitably slower growth. Investor perspectives on the industry are offered.

The author presents reasons why he believes a bull market in commodities is over. Supplies of oil and natural gas have increased thanks to ample investment in the sector. By one estimate supplies of copper will exceed demand until at least the end of 2014. China's shift from fixed-asset investment to consumption will slow its demand for oil.

The article considers options for oil company Hess. Investment firm and Hess shareholder Elliott Management wants Hess to break itself up and appoint new directors, while Hess chief executive John Hess would prefer to downsize the company and return cash to stockholders. The author makes that case that Hess should think about selling itself to Norwegian oil company Statoil.

The article looks at petroleum company Exxon Mobil, as of March 2013, focusing on its financial position and strategic planning. It says a fall in natural gas prices has hurt the company's profitability since its 2009 acquisition of shale gas company XTO Energy. The relationship between oil prices and the company's consideration of possible acquisitions in order to increase its petroleum reserves is discussed.

The article discusses hedge-fund manager David Einhorn's proposal for smartphone maker Apple Inc. to issue preferred stock that pays a perpetual dividend. The author believes Einhorn is motivated by the belief that at a time of low interest rates, investors would be willing to pay a high price for such securities. He further states that the issuance of such shares would indicate a bubble exists in the market for high-yield securities.

The article discusses prospects for merger activity in the natural-gas and petroleum industries during 2013. In the author's view, rising output of shale gas and other unconventional resources will likely make North America the top venue for energy mergers. He believes a consequent fall in energy prices could prompt more energy companies to put assets up for sale.

The article discusses the market value of stock exchanges in the emerging markets of Brazil, Russia, India, and China (BRIC) as of December 2012. Topics include the high growth rates of BRIC markets; the representation of BRIC markets in the World Federation of Exchanges; and economic forecasts for BRIC growth by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The article looks at forecasts for supply and demand in the global oil market as of 2012. It cites several factors that its says suggest that supply growth will exceed demand growth in the coming years, putting downward pressure on oil prices, including higher oil production in the U.S., Canada, and Iraq. Topics include tensions within the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) intergovernmental group, Saudi Arabia's leading role in OPEC, and the Arab Spring uprisings.

The article presents advice to investors on investing in the energy business. Considerations and prospects are discussed for several industry sectors including oil and natural-gas production, utilities, nuclear power, wind power, and solar power. A massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has created a climate of uncertainty for petroleum producers.

This article discusses whether stock in British Petroleum (BP) is a good buy for investors. The value of the stock has dropped since the April 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Several scenarios are possible for the future of the company, including bankruptcy, a takeover, or complete recovery. Analysts believe that the bankruptcy option is unlikely and that recovery depends on the amount of cleanup costs and fines.

The article reports on the decline in the shares of electric utility holding firm Southern Co. in August 2015 following its cash deal for natural gas firm AGL Resources.

The article explores crude oil refinery operations in the U.S. as of August 2015, when its four-week-moving-average basis is at above 95 percent according to the U.S. Energy Department and is expected to further contribute to the decline of oil prices.

The article presents a report from the U.S. Department of Commerce regarding increase in gross domestic product, decline in import prices of gasoline in the U.S. as of August 2015 along with a statement of the U.S. Department of Labor regarding lower prices for nonautomotive consumer goods.

The article reports on the 2015 outlook for oil prices and demand, which predicts a 4.4 trillion U.S. dollar decline in revenue over the next three years.

The article reports that oil and gas company, Exxon Mobil is taking a global approach on merger and acquisition (M&A) despite decline in earnings and dividend yields.

The article reports that Whiting Petroleum, a Bakken-shale-focused oil-and-gas producer, predicts that oil prices in 2016 is a little above of 2015 but one-fifth below the consensus forecast.

The article reports on the contribution of the weakening Chinese economy and declining stock prices of Chinese oil and gas firm PetroChina to low crude oil prices.

The article reports updates on the business operations of U.S. oil refinery firms such as Valero Energy, Marathon Petroleum, and Western Refining.

The article focuses on opportunities awaiting Iran's petroleum industry as sanctions are lifted and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) slows down its production starting in 2016.

The article reports on the acquisition by growth-oriented master limited partnership MPLX of MarkWest Energy Partners in 2015 and its benefit to Marathon Petroleum.

The article discusses demand for oil in China ahead of the scheduled July 10, 2015, release of the monthly oil-market report from the organization the International Energy Agency (IEA).

The article discusses the impact on the oil market with the decrease in Chinese stocks and deal of Iran's nuclear program, mentions the increase in shares of oil company PetroChina and adds upturn in the number of US. oil rigs that are in operation.

The article reports that prices of agricultural products are expected to decrease in next 10 years according to a report from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the United Nations (UN), which is caused by more investment in supply due to a decade or more of high demand.

The article focuses on the decline in the stocks of Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold and its launch of an initial public offer (IPO) for its oil business.

The article discusses the potential merger between pipeline operators Energy Transfer Equity and Williams Cos..

The article reports that investors have lined up for new shares from U.S. exploration and production companies raising 10.9 billion U.S. dollars in 2015 despite the 44% decline of oil prices in 2014.

The article looks at the decline in the prices of gas the U.S. and discusses a projection about the continuous increase in natural gas inventories for the summer months and for November 2015.

The article reports on the slowdown in China's oil demand and consumption and mentions topics including the history of the growth of China's economy, the changing relations between the Chinese economy and the oil sector, and the implications to Saudi Arabia of the declining Chinese demand for oil.

The article reports on the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries' (OPEC) decision to keep its production ceiling, the break-even prices in the main U.S. shale basins, and the other key issues facing investors in the U.S. exploration and production sector.

The article reports the successful sale of the 2.5 billion dollar century-bond issuance by Brazilian state firm Petróleo Brasileiro in early June 2015 despite the corruption scandal involving the company, high leverage, and weak oil prices.

The article focuses on the reduction in the oil and natural gas output forecast of petroleum firm Ecopetrol for 2015, along with the International Energy Agency's projection for production outside the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

The article discusses the implications of the move of diversified mining company and coking coal exporter Teck Resources Ltd. to temporarily shut down several mines in Canada.

The article reports developments in the global oil market, including the announcement by the U.S. Energy Information Administration that the commercial stocks of crude oil and refined products declined by 5.5 million barrels in the week ending May 8, 2015.

The article reports on the deal of Noble Energy to acquire its rival energy producer Rosetta Resources that raised concern for the Organization of the Petroelum Exporting Nations (OPEC) over potential increase in oil prices.

The author focuses on the impact of climate change on oil companies and discusses the risks of the mismatch between prices and project economies that may result in another cycle of investment falling, supply tightening and prices rising.

The article reports on Tesla Motors battery unit Tesla Energy head Elon Musk's claim that the company's Powerpack lithium-ion technology could affect the energy business.

The article reports developments in the global iron-ore market as of late April 2015, including the slowdown in China and the significant increase in supply.

The article reports on the 106.2 billion dollar net debt incurred by Brazil's state-controlled oil company Petróleo Brasileiro (Petrobras) in 2014 as it faces an investigation into alleged corruption.

The article reports that British oil investors remain optimistic over the future of oil production, which is seen in the 5 percent hike in the SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production exchange-traded fund as of March 2015.

The article reports developments in the operation of the utility sector in Europe as of mid-April 2015, including its falling behind by over 10 percentage points at the Stock Europe 600 index during the year.

The article looks at the performance of the energy market in 2015 and mentions topics such as brief background of energy firm GasLog Partners, forecasted growth of the liquefied natural gas market, and factors contributing to the market's growth, namely oil prices and interest rate outlook.