Behind the Numbers,with Gail Dudack

Energy prices should go down for the year overall, with crude oil averaging out to $55 a barrel, according to the Managing Partner of the Dudack Research Group. “Seventy dollars a barrel for crude oil was a trigger for a lot of people to look for alternative sources of fuel. That’s when economics 101 started to work. People have started to conserve and that will be long-lasting,” Dudack says. “For stocks this year, I’ve been looking at the laggard groups and the industrial sector benefits most from lower energy prices. I think that selective technology is also interesting.”–Ryan G. Murphy