Energy news broke yesterday (Tuesday) when the U.S. Commerce Department imposed steep tariffs on solar panels imported from China and Taiwan.
Money Morning's Global Energy Strategist Dr. Kent Moors made one of his regular appearances on CCTV last night and told viewers what to expect as tensions mount between the two nations.
by Jim Bach
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting today didn't give investors much more to work with.
Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen is still mute on interest rates as we get closer to the inevitable rate hike.
But don't worry, you only need to know these three things in regards to the FOMC meeting today...
During the first Arab Spring, some countries were able to avoid the unrest by buying off their populations with goodies. But today in those countries, unemployment is increasing and alternatives to centrally subsidized survival are disappearing.
That's because this untenable balance has been sustained by the price of oil. As long as oil flowed, net outflows from the national coffers could be sustained.
Dow futures today are up after tumbling yesterday (Tuesday).
Markets faltered yesterday on economic turmoil in Russia, which has been hitting companies like Apple and Pepsi hard in their business overseas.
Here's what else you need to know today to make your Wednesday profitable.
In an unstable economy, bond payment failures take on added import as bellwethers of ailing markets.
Especially when they involve large, well-known corporations.
On December 15, Caesars Entertainment failed to make a $225 million interest payment on its 10% Second Lien Notes due 2018.
Caesars has a 30-day grace period to make the payment or be declared in default.
On Friday, December 12, it was reported that negotiations with senior creditors regarding a debt restructuring had broken down.
This comes as no surprise to those of us who have been watching one of the ugliest situations in the debt markets unfold over the past couple of years.
But it does reveal a surprising buying opportunity...
The term "Santa Claus Rally" refers to a seasonal bump in stock prices over the last week of the year – specifically, the last five trading days of December, and the first two of January. This year it falls from Dec. 24 to Jan. 5.
The Dow has seen a Santa Claus Rally more than 77% of the time since 1896. Over that 117-year span, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has gained an average of 1.7% during that week.
Oil Price Forecast 2015: After hovering around $110/barrel for the first eight months of the year, oil prices have tumbled by 45% into the $60 to $65/barrel range.
In fact, in mid-December, oil prices dipped as low as $56 a barrel, a level not seen since May 2009 during the worst of the "Great Recession."
But according to the 2015 oil price forecast by Money Morning Global Energy Strategist Dr. Kent Moors, the worst of the price crash is likely over.
"Oil," Dr. Moors says, "is very near a bottom."
Now here's how investors can profit...
DJIA Today, Dec. 15, 2014: The Dow Jones tallied another triple digit loss after violent swings near the end of the day.
Investors remained confident that the Federal Reserve plans to support the ongoing economic recovery in the United States, while Russia's economy continues to deteriorate at the hands of sanctions.
Here's what you need to know in today's markets.
I've predicted that 2015 will be a rewarding year for the tech industry.
But there are a few stocks I don't expect to yield big gains.
Avoid the following three tech stocks at all cost...
by Tara Clarke
Best ETFs to Own for 2015: Each week our experts dish out the latest profit plays and asset-protection moves for our Money Morning Members – all for free.
Today we want to do something. Rather than provide a roundup of last week's stock picks, we're going to focus on 10 exchange-traded funds (ETFs) our experts like right now.
They are among the best low-cost ways for you to profit from next year's top trends.
"The great thing about ETFs is that you get a lot of potential upside while also greatly diversifying away your risk," Money Morning Defense & Tech Specialist Michael A. Robinson, a 30-year tech market veteran, said Dec. 11.
Read on to get Money Morning experts' ten top picks for ETFs to own in 2015...
