Two years ago, the pundits were agog over the prospects of the former Portuguese enclave of Macau. Fueled by fast-earned money burning a whole into the collective pockets of the nouveau riche Chinese middle class, Macau surpassed the Las Vegas Strip as the world’s most lucrative casino market. But growth has stalled… not just in Macau but everywhere businesses depended on drunk sales reps blowing little Pugsley’s college fund at the blackjack table during a convention.

To stay in Vegas, you’d have to get to Vegas. And that costs money no-one is willing to spend right now. Accordingly, the supposedly recession-resistant vice stocks are taking it on the chin. Just yesterday [Thursday], we claimed our own 25% short profits share from the collapse of Las…

It’s even easier to write off China. But Keith Fitzgerald says China’s stimulus package, unlike America’s, is large enough to work. Expect an uptick in Chinese demand in late 2009 and an acceleration in 2010.

China’s President Hu Jintao just concluded on a victorious trip Havana on Tuesday – expanding a trade pact that could divert commodities from open spot markets.

Bank of America Corp. (BAC) will likely boost its stake in state-owned banking giant China Construction Bank Corp., paying about 36 cents a share (2.46 yuan), or 1.2 times the Beijing-based lender’s book value, China’s Caijing magazine reported last Friday, citing unidentified sources.

China’s stimulus package proves that the global infrastructure boom is not dead, says Justice Litle. And that’s big news for base metals like copper. These are essential for construction, and will soar as the world attempts to rebuild its economy. That makes strong base metal producers a bargain now.

Whether you agree with them or not, the bailout programs will keep on coming. Keith Fitz-Gerald looks at the key impact these will have on the dollar, commodities and global stocks. He says we could be in line for a market rebound by mid-2009, and suggests six ways to prepare your portfolio now.

After China unveiled plans for a $586-billion stimulus package on Sunday, the media was abuzz that it could re-start the flagging commodities market. But it may be premature to peg all your hope on a single massive infrastructure build-out.

The jury is still out on whether China’s massive infrastructure-based stimulus package is the best way to rescue the economy. But Martin Hutchinson says it is great news for suppliers of raw materials. He picks 5 companies that will benefit from the injection of cash. Of those, Martin says Brazil’s iron ore producer Vale (ADR: RIO) is the best value buy.

Short-term aid, long-term assistance. According to the IHT, this sums up Barack Obama’s attitude toward the government’s role in the US auto industry. Obama is pushing President Bush to use some of the $700 billion bailout package to prop up GM (NYSE:GM).

While the Bush administration clings to trickle-down economics, the Chinese government has embarked on an aggressive ground-up program – creating tens of thousands of jobs, to stimulate its economy.