The Best and Worst Natural Resource Funds

Natural resource prices may have given some investors whiplash in recent weeks -- so it seemed like a good time to look at the performance of funds in that sector for the period ended March 27.

Two weeks ago, oil and gold rocketed to new inflation-adjusted all-time highs. Any number of other grains and metals came along for the ride, prompting headlines about the major upward inflection in commodity prices.

Investors who joined the speculation were jolted back to reality the following week, as gold and oil skidded in a matter of a few days.

Those who thought the tumble signaled a reversal of the commodity inflation trend and took positions on the short side were then whipsawed this past week as petroleum, gold and a host of other tangibles retraced much of the ground that had been lost a week earlier. ...