Brazil is no longer just a tourist hot spot, but a solid profit play for savvy investors, too. And one of the best ways to profit from Brazil’s expected 4.8% growth in gross domestic product this year is to invest in one of the Latin American nation’s infrastructure-focused firms.

Andrew Gordon in Investor’s Daily Edge is bearish on the outlook for the sector. He says banks are still running on empty. And with the rate of foreclosures rising in the US, this is no time to buy in. Steer well clear until the economy picks up……

Bottom line: The current rout in financial sector shares might smell awful to the simple onlooker. But smart investors should know that it smells like the beginning of the end of their collapse, too.

Starving for capital and hell-bent on retaining its handsome dividend, Barclays PLC (ADR: BCS) plans to raise $8.9 billion (4.5 billion pounds) by selling shares to investment banks and sovereign wealth funds around the world.

The increases demonstrate that global demand for Chinese goods remains strong, even though many Western markets are battling the fallout of a worldwide financial crisis. Indeed, the export statistics are serving as evidence of an economic theory known as “decoupling,” in which emerging economies in Asia and Europe have developed enough market place muscle to no longer be dependent on the U.S.

Middle Eastern countries know their oil supplies aren’t going to last forever. So they’re pumping more than $2 trillion into new, long-term economic projects - such as brand new cities that will function as both business and vacation hot spots.

Q4 07 Earnings from C and MER were expected to bomb so badly they could be best described as "Shock and Awe" earnings announements. Bearish Sentiment preceding these announcements were at an extreme not seen since the Oct 1990 war in Iraw that prompted a 20% correction in the stock market.

Merrill Lynch's Q4 08 negative earnings surprise was well known and anticipated by the street. This allowed them to hold their support around 49-50 this past week

This is Jake Berzon of Odesskiy Listok's take on Fortune Magazines Best Best Stocks for 2008.

Annaly (NLY) – This company used to be on my watch list. It is a rather volatile stock that is in the current at-risk business (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are private companies), whose stock appreciated while all of the financials depreciated – so it is bigger gamble than I am willing to take.