Best Way to Profit from the BP Oil Spill

Sam Subramanian submits: At times, companies or sectors that are in the most troubled areas provide the best buying opportunities. At other times, companies or sectors in seemingly unrelated areas can provide the best opportunities to profit from troubles. Currently, the energy sector is out of favor. Stock prices here are under pressure from concerns of weak oil demand and a stronger dollar.

LONDON — Oil and gas giant BP’s profit fell nearly 80 percent in the fourth quarter in results released Tuesday, dragged down by payouts related to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. BP said that net profit fell to $1.62 billion in the quarter ending on Dec. 31, down from $7.69 billion in the same period the year before. BP took a loss of $3.85 billion for its settlement of all federal criminal charges with the U.S. government.

LONDON — Oil and gas giant BP’s profit fell nearly 80 percent in the fourth quarter in results released Tuesday, dragged down by payouts related to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. BP said that net profit fell to $1.62 billion in the quarter ending on Dec. 31, down from $7.69 billion in the same period the year before. BP took a loss of $3.85 billion for its settlement of all federal criminal charges with the U.S. government.

The SPDR S&P 500 ETF and iShares MSCI EAFE Index ETF are down 8% and 11%, respectively in May. Money market funds have become popular in this tough environment. While money market funds may appear simple investments, investors need to look beyond yields and expense ratios to choose the best Fidelity money market fund for their dollars.

By Tom Lydon: There are a lot of moving parts to the announcement Wednesday that Fidelity Investments and BlackRock's iShares are deepening their partnership in exchange traded funds, but the move can be boiled down into a few essential points for the ETF business and investors.

Exxon Mobil Corp.’s plans to develop a US$14-billion underwater oil field off Newfoundland’s coast allows the world’s biggest energy company to hedge against discounted crude from Canada’s oil sands. “The better pricing is definitely an issue,” Brian Youngberg, an analyst at Edward Jones & Co. said by phone from St. Louis on Jan. 4. “While things could change in the time it takes to finish the project, it’s a great way for Exxon to hedge their pricing.”