If the news today is an indication of things to come, the next few months are not going to be pretty. If the big boys are preparing for the worst, imagine the fear from the debt-ridden little guys.

The risk factors surrounding the nation’s oil industry are through the roof. The action is costing unprepared investors a lot of money. For proof, ask Delta Petroleum (NYSE:DPTR) shareholders.

With large purchases of iron ore, copper and oil, China has been taking full advantage of depressed commodities prices and excess production capacity. Now, the Red Dragon is making its presence felt in the natural gas market – landing two blockbuster deals in the past two weeks.

It is hard to find a “true” growth story these days, especially in the United States. In China, however, things are not quite as bleak. The action from SmartHeat (NASDAQ:HEAT) is a perfect example.

In late January, Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM), the world’s most ubiquitous oil giant, capped off a whipsaw year in the global oil markets by reporting net income of $45.2 billion, an all-time record for corporate profits that shattered the former record it had set a year before.

Leave it to the government. It’s proposing a “tax and cap” regime for energy producers which will require fossil-fuel generating plants to pay extra.  The idea is to encourage clean fuels and discourage dirty ones. That’s fine in theory. But instead of helping our future energy situation, it’s going to make it a lot worse.

U.S. stocks slid on Monday as investors questioned the strength of an economic recovery, while energy shares were dragged down by lower oil prices. After a sharp three-month rally, indexes have eased as traders increasingly questioned if stocks are due for a correction.

Strong Dollar, Falling Oil Prices Send Stocks Down; Homebuilders’ Confidence Dips; IMF Improves U.S. Outlook; Obama Tells Doctors Health Care Changes Needed; Six Flags Bankrupt