Taipan Publishing’s Sara Nunnally thinks we are seeing the first wave of renewable energy investments in Latin America. The region is one of the fastest growing in today’s global economy, and countries like Chile are turning to wind and solar power to boost local energy capacity. However, ongoing political and instability in the region makes any new venture risky, so Sara recommends sticking to established European firms for solid profit opportunities…

Have you ever had your beliefs questioned… only to find out you were wrong? If you have, then you know just how hard it can be to change your belief around to what is actually true. I bring this up because today I’m asking you to take another look at a closely held belief.

“It does not take any prophecy or forecasting to see the second Industrial Revolution unfolding at light speed in places such as China and India,” says Mayer’s Special Situations editor Chris Mayer. That’s why any investor worth his salt must include overseas markets in his long-term investment plan. Below, Chris lists eight facts that show America is no longer top dog in the world economy…

Dave Gonigam writes again about the potential impact of sour U.S.-Russia relations on crude oil prices. Moscow’s envoy to NATO, Dmitri Rogozin, is toughening up his rhetoric to the West, and his hardline views appear to be gaining traction in the Kremlin. Dave says Rogozin will be a key figure in determining how political tensions could affect the energy markets…

Brazilian oil workers with the FUP oil union have threatened a nationwide strike, in what seems like another step toward nationalized oil in Brazil

The saber rattling is aimed at Brazil’s biggest oil company, Petrobras (NYSE: PBR). While contentious union relations at Petrobras are part and parcel of the company’s operations, what’s different here is that the conversation focuses on the pre-salt layer off Brazil, triggered by last year’s massive Tupi find.

The newest breakthrough revealed these discoveries are likely to be contiguous, falling under a new set of guidelines that precariously lean toward nationalization of Brazilian oil...