There has not been a recession in history that was not followed by inflationary pressure, says Keith Fitz-Gerald. And the unprecedented government spending means this next wave of inflation could be painful. Keith says savvy investors protect themselves from the real enemy – and even turn a decent profit – with inflation-protected securities (TIPS) like the iShares Lehman TIP ETF (NYSE:TIP).

There is a growing body of data that suggests banks have recognized only a fraction of the overall potential losses – approximately $50 billion to $75 billion so far on subprime debt alone. And a variety of estimates suggest that total subprime losses may be more than $300 billion before we’re through.

Gold bugs have suffered one of their worst years in history, says Keith Fitz-Gerald. But the US dollar looks increasingly fragile beyond this period of short-term panic buying. And that means the outlook for gold remains strong. Keith says every investor should ensure gold forms part of their investment strategy for 2009.

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.

Even the most conservative value funds have been whacked this year. But Keith Fitz-Gerald says following a value-investing discipline is the smartest thing to do right now. That’s where the big recovery gains will be. He gives five tips on how to seek out “real value” in the market.

18 banks have gone under so far this year. But how do you know if yours will be next? Keith Fitz-Gerald says the IRA Bank Industry Stress Index can be used like a financial X-ray to see what’s really going on in the banking sector.

Throughout US history, the most dangerous time for stock markets has been when one party controls the White House and Congress, says Keith Fitz-Gerald. And when you account for inflation, it doesn’t really matter whether the Democrats or Republicans are in the driving seat.

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.

Keith Fitz-Gerald gives us a simple-yet-effective portfolio strategy for the current market environment. He says two essential components of any portfolio are dividind-paying stocks and specialized inverse etf funds.

Banking bailouts are nothing new. Starting with the “panic of 1792″, there have been many examples of government financial rescues. Keith Fitz-Gerald says the success of these past bailouts is mixed. And they nearly always cost far more than originally thought…