Venezuela’s oil production is already below 1997 levels, but could fall significantly lower as the country’s president, Hugo Chavez, has alienated oil service companies by refusing to pay their fees, and in some cases, seizing their assets.

Report: China Exports Likely Down 14%; Whirlpool Sales Sink 76%; Starbucks Adding Value Meals; Chavez: Venezuela Untouched by Crisis; Defaults on Jumbo ARMS Could Double; Satyam to Decide on Action Plan Following Scandal

Who knew that oil, once the pariah of the western world, would have such a positive role in the Obama’ Administration. Senator Clinton couldn’t have asked for a better ally. Oil is bringing America’s strongest enemies to their knees and reminding Europe why Russia isn’t such a great neighbor after all.

In Argentina – where Contrarian Profits is based – falling commodity prices threaten to open a deep hole in the government’s budget. Martin Hutchinson says the county, and other ‘rebel’ states like Russia and Venezuela, has shown little regard for economic laws in recent years. That’s why all three will find it much harder to recover from this crisis.

In 2000, investors thought the world was a “different” place. “You have to value Internet companies differently,” people would say. “Ignore the triple-digit P/E… That is an obsolete way to value a company.”

In Chicago, gas prices have now topped $4 a gallon. Americans all across the country are struggling to fill up the tank. Companies are even pitching in gas money to help their employees out.

Brazil is a lot like a person who gets a new job, pays off some of his debts, and has his credit score upgraded.

Iran has stopped trading in US dollars for oil, according to a top Iranian oil ministry official.

The official, Hojjatollah Ghanimifard, told Iranian state-run television today that “the dollar has totally been removed from Iran’s oil transactions,” and that the country has “agreed with all of our crude oil customers to do our transactions in non-dollar currencies.”

The dollar’s spending power, like it or not, is at the mercy of Iranian president President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, says Addison Wiggan

“Being rich is bad,” declares Venezuela’s president. But someone’s forgotten to tell his people. Because this place isn’t some dour socialist paradise… you can see the money everywhere!

Foreign countries drop their U.S. dollar reserves. We depend on foreign investment in our currency to bolster its value or, at least, to slow down its fall. When that thinly held balance changes, our dollar loses its spending power.