I don't think oil and gas will respond as immediately as coal. If Romney wins, coal sky rockets. If he loses, then back to the dumps. My money is literally on coal. Of course, I might be a degenerate gambler 8^)
I think the o&g service companies don't have pricing power and probably won't regain it until an economic recovery is well under way. I wish it were otherwise. In that respect, producers are a better investment but demand is necessary. If Obama wins, then forget about it.
In an Obama win case, then I think appreciation in natural resource related stocks is only based on inflationary monetary/fiscal policies but even that is a losing proposition eventually. I don't think china is gonna ride to the rescue (conversely, I think they, like the rest of the world, depend on the us). I'm probably in jbog's camp on this front.
Hoping some secret service employees will soon have a nice assignment in Hawaii.
Charlie
