“Fertilizer stocks were whipped into a frenzy in an otherwise ho-hum trading session Friday thanks to a brighter forecast from one big name and an apparent resolution to a four-way takeover battle. Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan (POT) raised its first-quarter guidance on increased demand,” Melanie Lindner Reports From Forbes.

According to Chief Executive Bill Doyle, “Strong farmer returns, a depleted distributor pipeline and the agronomic need to replace soil nutrients have kick-started a potash rebound from 2009 lows.”

Lindner goes on to say, “With demand rising, Saskatchewan-based Potash said it now expects to earn between $1.30 and $1.50 per share in the first quarter of 2010, up from the previously estimated range of 70 cents to $1 per share, which the company announced on January 28. Shares of Potash climbed to a 52-week high of $126.98, before slipping back to $125.56 with a gain of $8.65, or 7.4% on the day. In midday trading, more than 12.8 million shares had changed hands, twice the average volume.”

Credit Suisse (CS) analyst Elaine Yip says Potash has seen “improving demand in several regions,” particularly Brazil, as “distributor restocking has driven solid volumes in the first quarter.”

“Investors took increased demand for one potash maker to mean similar gains for its competitors, sending shares of Mosaic (MOS) up $4.29, or 7.2%, to $64.21; Potash One jumped nine cents, or 2.9%, to $3.17; and the Market Vectors Agribusiness ETF (MOO) gained 94 cents, or 2.1% to $45.63,” Linndner Reports.

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Here are some details on the Market Vectors Agribusiness ETF (MOO):

The investment (MOO) seeks to replicate as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the price and yield performance of the DAXglobal Agribusiness index. The fund normally invests at least 80% of total assets in equity securities of U.S. and foreign companies primarily engaged in the business of agriculture, which derive at least 50% of their total revenues from agribusiness. Such companies may include small- and medium-capitalization companies. It is nondiversified.

TOP 10 HOLDINGS ( 61.02% OF TOTAL ASSETS)

Company Symbol % Assets Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (ADM) 4.63 BRF-Brasil Foods S.A. (BRFS) 3.91 Deere & Company Common Stock (DE) 4.66 Kubota Corporation N/A 4.04 Monsanto Company Common Stock (MON) 7.92 Potash Corporation of Saskatche (POT) 7.32 Syngenta AG Common Stock (SYT) 8.07 Mosaic Company (The) Common Sto (MOS) 8.12 Wilmar (F34.SI) 7.99 Yara International (YAR) 4.36

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