Is gold ready to break out?

The days of shouted orders and crumpled trade tickets on vast floors jammed with frantic stock traders are numbered. Turns out the human faces of Wall Street are rapidly being replaced by nondescript computer technicians quietly monitoring speedy rack-mounted servers.  They execute billions of trades daily in placid data centers located in remote locations far from the high rises (and high rents) of Manhattan.

President-elect Barack Obama has made no bones about wanting to jump-start the renewable energy markets – pledging $150 billion for the development of biofuels, solar and wind power, other alternative energy sources during his first term.

The wild market swings of late are most likely down to hedge funds says Keith Fitz-Gerald. These big money movers are liquidating assets to meet margin calls, causing chaos in the markets. Keith has four tips on how to dodge the worst of the damage.

U.S. stocks rallied the most in six years yesterday (Thursday) – with traders actually cheering the ticker action from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange – on the news that the federal government is taking steps to shore up the unraveling U.S. financial system and end the global credit crisis.

NAHB Holds Out Hope for Housing Market; Copper Golden for Chile; Lowe’s Sales Up; BHP Reports Record Annual Profit; Japan Bank Sweetens Bid; Airlines’ Labor Day Decline; Nymex’s Temporary Seat Sale Halt; Golden Gate’s Restaurant Order

If U.S. Federal Reserve policymakers make the expected quarter-point rate cut at the end of their meeting today (Wednesday), the impact will be felt well beyond U.S. borders.

I’ve been so wrapped-up in the ongoing credit crunch that I might have missed an even larger crisis brewing, that’s threatening the global economy: FOOD!