Crude oil prices fell today as the greenback strengthened on Washington’s support for ailing mortgage firms Fannie Mae (FNM) and Freddie Mac (FRE).

Light sweet curde oil futures on the Nymex fell $1.19 dollars to $143.30 dollars a barrel. The contract is down from $147.27 dollars on Friday.

What if oil drops even further? Say back down to the $100 mark. Justice Litle says smart investors should condsider Asian stocks and Asian ETFs… 

Investors are taking renewed interest in Japan. The Sovereign Society’s Eric Roseman recently says it may be time to invest in the Nikkei. Chuck Butler also thinks the Land of the Rising Sun has a brighter future ahead. But Chuck says a painful period of Japanese-style deflation could be heading to the US soon…

Editors Note:  Money Morning’s Investment Director Keith Fitz-Gerald says increased wealth and Western influence are having a major impact on the local diet in places like Japan and China. As a result, people are getting bigger. As obesity becomes a social issue, companies will be scrambling to join the new health movement. This, says Keith, will create great opportunities for investors…

The hot gossip these days among investors is all about the emerging markets in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Twenty years ago the talk would still have been about Asia. But one country in now gets written off as a has-been: Japan.