FTSEurofirst 300 up 1.1 pct on the day, up 13 pct on week… Index lost 7 pct in Nov, ninth month of losses in 2008… Cyclicals hammered; defensive pharmas surge

When Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. (NYSE:BUD) shareholders voted to be acquired by Brussels-based InBev N.V./S.A, it affirmed a long-term strategy to penetrate the emerging markets that have long eluded the American giant.

Latin American markets were hit hard as the credit crisis spread to emerging markets. But Sara Nunnally says Spanish banks operating in the region are recording strong profits. And they are not heavily exposed to subprime debt. Banco Santander (NYSE:STD) and BBVA Group (NYSE:BBV) are at “rock-bottom” prices right now. Sara says that makes them a strong, long-term investment option.

If you had the opportunity to visit a German city over the past decade and a half, I bet you’d have noticed it, too: The thickets of bicycles leaning, standing, interweaving in front of schools and places of business.

You’d have to look hard for a bright racing bike, or the Hummer-like overkill of the mountain bikes my boys like to ride. Most are “Holland bikes”… boring, black, unadorned tubular donkeys with wire baskets to carry a half gallon of milk, three yoghurts and some frou-frou vegetables from the supermarket to an immaculate 2-bedroom apartment with balkony overlooking the pedestrian zone and a purgatory of multi-colored garbage cans to sort wheat from chaff, paper from plastic, glass from household waste… and…

Andrew Snyder says Democrat-fearing investors are now looking overseas for profits. Andrew says Eastern Europe is a hotbed of political conflict. But that could end up creating great money-making opportunities in the energy sector.

Incoming president Barack Obama is expected to increase spending and provide new incentives to develop alternative energy. This provides a great opportunity for investors, says Sara Nunnally. She expects international companies like Acciona SA (MCE:ANA) from Spain to play a major role in expanding clean energy in the US.

Over in the UK, where the economy is already shrinking, Ben Traynor looks ahead to the world after this downturn. He sees three major changes to the future global economy: 1) A larger role for governments. 2) Less efficient capital allocation. 3) More protectionism, especially in the US, with disastrous consequences for the dollar.

With partisan politics and media telling their own twisted truth about the U.S. economy, perhaps the most accurate forecast comes from Europe.

A fun little bit of news out of the beautiful city of Prague today…

The first Burger King (NYSE:BKC) will open in Prague in the next few months. And it’s not only targeting the Czech Repbulic. It wants to become number one in European markets. To do that, it’s already got operations in Poland, Bulgaria and Hungary, and it planning joints in Slovakia and Slovenia.

But it’s got tough competition from McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD), who is top dog right now with 70 restaurants serving 53 million customers. It’s spent more than $172.2 million on restaurants in the Czech Republic.

When I was in Budapest, I grabbed a Whopper for a quick lunch before meeting my guide back at the hotel, Buro Panzio. It cost me 750 Forint,…

Almost everything has been taken down by this crisis. But Martin Hutchinson says some markets will “bounce big” after the storm passes. Countries that didn’t have a housing boom and follow sound economic policies. That’s why Canada, Brazil, South Korea and Germany are great places to invest right now.