Keith Fitz-Gerald says the recession that is now inevitable in the US and Eurozone will not necessarily evolve into a worldwide contraction. US influence in the global economy is waning, while China’s is growing rapidly. Keith says countries with high cash reserves and low external debt should bounce back strongest in the long term.

Crude oil is now worth less than half its July value. But as central banks and consumers rejoice, socialist oil-exporters like Russia and Venezuela are in “dire straits”. Justice Litle says desperate times could prompt desperate measures from the firebrand leaders of these countries.

The turmoil in US stock markets is making all the headlines. But BRIC nations are facing a much deeper crisis in their stock markets. Despite recent setbacks, however, Andrew Gordon reckons Brazil is the most likely of the pack to weather the current financial storm.

The ugly truth can sometimes yield beautiful profits, says Irwin Greenstein, writing for Contrarian Profits. But the truth exposed by the US government’s recent round of Wall Street bailouts is that the US actually lost the Cold War in terms of its free-market philosophy. Investors should adjust their portfolios accordingly…

The news that Washington is fast becoming the world’s biggest slumlord through the buyout of distressed mortgages helped send international markets skyward. The biggest gains were in Russian stocks. And this could be the situation for quite some time, says emerging markets expert Irwin Greenstein, writing for Contrarian Profits.

Andrew Snyder recommends three stocks that have been dramatically oversold in the crash. They are Vimpel-Communications (NYSE:VIP), Rostelecom (NYSE:ROS) and Mechel OAO (NYSE:MTL).

Only crazy people would invest in Russia, right? Wrong, says Smart Commodities UK editor Garry White. Now is a great time to snap up some Russian assets.

US stocks haven’t exactly been putting in stellar performances lately. But that’s not the case for emerging market stocks. Taipan Emerging Markets blog editor Irwin Greenstien’s Emerging Market Index is up 9.3%. That’s after 5% gains last week…