Speculators knock OPEC off oil-price perch

what goes up must come down.  This speculation in oil has happened many times during my lifetime and it is the same with all commodites (remember the holland tulips).  Yes, many have and will make fortunes in commoditiy trades, but in the end the real intrinsic value comes through.  When the price of oil starts to drop, just as in real estate, watch out for the thud.

Speculation, which has been around since Hector was a pup, is a part of our economic system. The regulated markets, CBOT, NYMEX, NYSE are after all speculation.    Unfortunately, successful speculation often leads to "windfall" profits.  But profits are why we invest.  In this case however speculation results in a distorted price structure for fuel, which affects...

The traditional rules of Supply and Demand no longer apply. Sixty percent (60%) of the price of oil is being driven by speculation, controlled by an elaborate financial system and four major oil companies that are being motivated by tens of billions of dollars from major hedge funds under the control of Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, JP Morgan Chase and others.