This Week on StockHouse

Talk of a global energy crisis might be overblown according to Michael Schaefer, who claims to know where to find gas to fuel the world (http://www.stockhouse.ca/shfn/editorial.asp?edtID=18923) for 4,000 more years in Pure Energy.

Also on StockHouse this week:
Canadian markets were dealt a haymaker this week when Finance Minister Jim Flaherty announced that the popular income trust structure would be subject to new proposed taxes. Companies liked income trusts because they could avoid taxes by paying out income as distributions to unit holders. Investors also favored the vehicle because of the guaranteed distributions, which were taxes under a preferred tax rate.

Mayhem broke out on the income trust BullBoard forum following this week’s trust tax shocker (http://www.stockhouse.ca/shfn/article.asp?edtID=18924 ).
But reporter Sean Mason found that the boards were abuzz with other topics as well, including the discussion surrounding an underwater miner (http://www.stockhouse.ca/shfn/article.asp?edtID=18908) with a share price that’s resurfaced with a vengeance, and the latest word on an auctioneer stock (http://www.stockhouse.ca/shfn/article.asp?edtID=18914) that investors are quietly bidding up.

StockHouse Publisher Darin Diehl handed out some Halloween treats (http://www.stockhouse.ca/shfn/editorial.asp?edtID=18907) for StockHouse readers in his Publisher’s Notebook.
To visit the week’s most popular features please see StockHouse Top Five (http://www.stockhouse.ca/shfn/article.asp?edtID=18913), a compilation by Sean Mason and Keri Korteling.

A resource for natural resources

Gold traded at its highest levels in two months this week. Junior gold and diamond explorers trying to make the grade were a sparkle (http://www.stockhouse.ca/shfn/editorial.asp?edtID=18901) in columnist Danny Deadlock’s eye.

But base metals were also in focus; the Discovery Investing column pointed to growing evidence of a supply squeeze (http://www.stockhouse.ca/shfn/editorial.asp?edtID=18903) for industrial metals like zinc and lead.

A British Columbia miner is set to re-start the huge Pine Point mine,(http://www.stockhouse.ca/shfn/editorial.asp?edtID=18902) says Doug Hadfield.

And in Best of the Blogs, Editor Keri Korteling examines one blogger’s take on gold plays with a potential to double. http://www.stockhouse.ca/shfn/article.asp?edtID=18930

Columnist Don Whiteley believes three dragged-down uranium juniors deserve a second look on Venture Friday. http://www.stockhouse.ca/shfn/editorial.asp?edtID=18929
Investor education

Securities Sleuth Mark McNair offers a response (http://www.stockhouse.ca/shfn/editorial.asp?edtID=18912) to criticism of securities class action lawsuits in the second part of his Investor Basics series.

Meantime,
Financially Fit’s Nancy Zambell reminds investors that stock research must go deeper than the company to factor in the company’s industry. (http://www.stockhouse.ca/shfn/editorial.asp?edtID=18926)

The markets
Thursday’s IPO Digest (http://www.stockhouse.ca/shfn/editorial.asp?edtID=18918) provides a review last week’s winners like Home Inns and Hotels Management (NASDAQ: HMIN) and preview of the week's new public stock offerings.

In addition, contributor Steven Saville continues his series exploring monetary policy (http://www.stockhouse.ca/shfn/editorial.asp?edtID=18915), and wonders if the markets are about to turn the screws on the Fed.

The weekly Micro-cap Spotlight shines on a sticky auto products stock (http://www.stockhouse.ca/shfn/editorial.asp?edtID=18906) that has warranted a ‘strong buy’ recommendation.

Columnist George Leong contends investor sentiment remains bullish (http://www.stockhouse.ca/shfn/editorial.asp?edtID=18917) on Technical Thursday.