China Development Bank, one of China’s largest state-owned enterprises, has agreed to lend $10 billion to Brazil’s Petrobras (PBR) in exchange for a long-term supply of oil – the latest illustration of how Beijing is using the global downturn to further its domestic agenda.

If you are waiting to pounce on oils rebound, Lou Baseness of Investment U recommends the best play in crude oil investing.

Pfizer Buys Wyeth for $68 Billion; Existing Homes Sales Rose 6.5%; McDonald’s Posts 5.8% Sales Growth; Freeport McMoran Lowers Sales Targets; Lincoln National Corp Cutting Staff 5%; GM Cuts More Jobs, Production; Petrobras to Cut Costs by $4 Billion; Halliburton Settles Bribery Investigation

Oil prices could fall as low as $20 a barrel in early 2009, says Jason Simpkins. But don’t expect these low prices to last long. Dwindling investment will prompt a longer-term supply crunch, which will send crude to new record highs. Jason gives seven ways to profit from this coming spike.

Commodities will rebound in the New Year, says Martin Hutchinson. Supply and demand fundamentals remain bullish for natural resources. Even more importantly, massive increases in the money supply will create inflation, against which hard assets are an important hedge. Martin gives five ways to play this trend in 2009.

The brutal market sell-off in emerging markets has led many to doubt their importance in the global economy. But Horacio Marquez says the ‘right’ countries in Latin America will thrive in the New Year. Top of the class is Brazil, but Horacio also sees good opportunities in Chile and Mexico.

The Fed’s drastic rescue measures for the economy are sure to keep the US dollar in the doldrums, says Martin Hutchinson. Foreign governments – which have long supported the greenback – are slowly diversifying their holdings. Martin says investors should play this long-term trend by buying hard assets and international stocks.

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On Monday we featured a bullish piece on Brazil by Money Map Report editor Horacio Marquez. Since then, the iShares MSCI Brazil Index ETF (NYSE:EWZ) he called a “screaming buy” has gained as much as 31%. Here, William Patalon III provides an update on some of the reasons to be investing in Brazil right now.

Brazilian stocks have been pummeled in October’s global market rout. But Martin Hutchinson says this has created a great opportunity for investors. South America’s largest economy still has a robust growth outlook and moderate inflation. These six “bargain basement” stocks are now well worth a look.