Best & worst performing commodities in 2014 give clues to where the next billion will come from for our mining royalties

Best & worst performing commodities in 2014 give clues to where the next billion will come from for our mining royalties. These billionaires are well poised to cash in on the next boom even as the rest of us nurse losses in Fortescue Metals, BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto. It's the weakness in energy and mineral prices that is largely blamed for the soggy finish to our sharemarket in 2014 as weak commodity prices put the spotlight on vulnerabilities of our economy. Iron ore is suffering a loss of around 40%. It's the worst performing commodity in 2014. Crude oil prices aren't far behind with a 30+% loss. However, Coffee delivers a stunning 52% increase due to bad weather in Brazil, but it's the 45% surge in the price of feeder cattle that is more attention grabbing as Australian mining billionaires, like Gina Rinehart and Andrew Forrest, have invested big in cattle stations. But the investment returns are potentially bigger because there are two other tailwinds - falling costs and the decline in the $A. Read more here (VIEW LINK)