2008 Top Sectors & Stocks

I have been analyzing the market very closely over the past one month to find new leaders. The old leaders of 2007 will not be the leaders in 2008.

So, here are the top sectors and stocks to trade/invest in 2008:

1. Steel and Metal stocks: SID, MTL
2. Coal Stocks: FDG
3. Gold and Silver stocks: GLD-ETF
4. Other Commodity related stocks: FLS, BUCY, CMP, KWK

• Companhia Siderurgica Nacional (CSN) is a fully integrated steel producer in Brazil. The Company produces carbon steel, and also sells a variety of steel products. Its products are sold both domestically and abroad as a main raw material for several different manufacturing industries, including the automotive, home appliance, packaging, construction and steel processing industries.
• Mechel OAO (Stal’naya gruppa Mechel OAO or Mechel Steel Group ОJSC) is a Russia-based integrated mining and steel company.
• Fording Canadian Coal Trust (the Trust) is an open-ended mutual fund trust.
• StreetTRACKS Gold Trust (the Trust) is an investment trust. The Trust holds gold and from time to time issues streetTRACKS Gold Shares (Shares) in blocks of 100,000 Shares (Baskets) in exchange for deposits of gold and distributes gold in connection with redemptions of Baskets
• Bucyrus International, Inc. designs, manufactures and markets draglines, electric mining shovels and rotary blasthole drills (collectively, machines) used for surface mining, and provide the aftermarket replacement parts and service for these machines. The Company’s equipment is primarily used by companies engaged in surface mining for a range of commodities.
• Compass Minerals International, Inc. (Compass) is a salt producer in North America and the United Kingdom.
• Flowserve Corporation (Flowserve) is a manufacturer and aftermarket service provider of flow control systems.
• Quicksilver Resources Inc. (Quicksilver) is an independent oil and gas company. The Company is primarily engaged in the development, exploitation, exploration, acquisition and production and sale of natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGLs) and crude oil.

Tech was the leader in 2007 but this year is a big laggard. That has to do with the increase in chances of a recession. Following Friday's job numbers that reported a loss of 63,000 jobs, the chances of a recession are now even higher.

If you carefully go over the stocks and sectors that I mentioned, you would observe that I have listed only commodity related stocks. With the dollar weakening and setting new lows, commodities converted back to dollars are setting new highs. Oil above $100 and Gold near $1000 are good indications of this phenomenon. Also, most of the companies mentioned above have a lot of international exposure. More international revenues when converted to Dollars directly correlate to more revenues.
I have purposefully left out Agriculture leaders of 2007 viz. MOS, CF POT etc as on a TA basis, they seem to be in a no-man's land. I would like to watch their action over the next couple of weeks before adding thme to this list.

All these companies in the above list have excellent balance sheets and are fundamentally sound. The TA setups are also great pointing to great performances in 2008.