State of the Portfolio, Remember the Portfoliio?

Can't remember the last time I checked in on my portfolio (was it in December or January?). Anyway, time for a review of how my picks are doing:
-COP: +1.4% since July 2007
-E: +7.2% since July 2007
-CHK: +44.1% since July 2007 (sweeeeeet!)
-CCJ: -19% since July 2007 (not so sweet)
-PAL:-36.7% since July 2007 (ouch!)

Overall, -2% since July 2007. Meanwhile, S&P500 is -11% for the same period. Not too shabby.

Just when I was trying to gloat about my CHK (natural gas) pick, PAL kills me! And CCJ as well. You would think any precious metal related company would be doing really well. Have you seen the price of Platinum recently? That's the reason I dont understand the performance of PAL. I passingly read some report that said that there is a supply deficit of Pd next year. So keeping PAL may not be a bad deal.

CCJ on the other hand is a Uranium company. Not sure why they are not doing well too. There is room for alternative energy PLUS CCJ has given out dividends of 5 cents three times and 6 cents one time since July 2007-that's four dividends in less than a year. And still it's down?

On the other hand, look at CHK (natural gas). Nothing extra-ordinary has happened to them in the last year or so. Four times dividends of 7 cents each have been given out. The 2007 annual report was very good but 1Q of 2008 was terrible. But still there is upward movement this year. Why? Let me tell you why. Energy sector momentum. People, like sheep, are buying anything to do with Oil and Natural Gas. I can't find any other reason.

By the way has anyone checked the type of dividends that Oil companies are paying these days. $1.25 for E (3 times the past year) and 47 cents for COP (3 times the past year). I have no comment.

So, I will post my last update of this portfolio in July 2008. Then it's all real time baby!

By the way, I opened a FX (currency trading) account this past week. Real time! I've started with a $250 account. I hope to concentrate on trading the spread between USD and JPY and USD and EURO. I am excited about this! Let's see how it turns out.