When oil prices moved to over $30 a barrel in the mid 1980s, it was considered a significant event. It also signaled the birth of small ethanol companies in the Midwest. Many of them managed to hang around long enough to get a second wind when Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait and the ensuing Gulf War pushed oil prices past $40.

The Markets await the Obama economic stimulus and bank rescue plans…  AngloPlat reports higher earnings but flags up cost fears… Johnson Matthey (JMAT) sees 2009 platinum demand declining 5 pct…

Gold sank in the overseas markets, rallied back into positive territory by mid-morning Friday, but made its high for the day there, as it declined for the rest of the Comex before steadying through the Globex and finishing at $723.70, down $12.00. For the week, gold was off 1.5%.

Gold was flat to the end of Hong Kong trading, but then pushed higher from there to mid-morning in New York, peaking at nearly $775, before declining slowly to finish at $755.30, up $11.50. Overnight, gold is trending higher.

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.

To leverage political crisis in Pakistan, use MCB Bank ADRs, Pakistan’s most profitable bank. It has a return on average equity of 38 percent and loan profitability of 8 percent.

In March, this company announced that its oil and gas reserves were up 28% and rumor has it they are expecting to confirm a significant reserve discovery in the next few weeks. The stock price has already seen a 69% increase this year so you don’t want to wait to jump onboard.

Gold, which was up a bit in the far East, plummeted from $910 to $889 once London opened, but from there it forged higher through the New York trading day, to finish at $899.90/oz., down $4.40. Overnight, gold has continued to decline.

How long before Bakken has a real impact on the price of oil? The answer’s never, sorry. Here’s why…

Gold had a very choppy day that saw it peak short of $880 in the far East, then decline steadily during London and the first hour of the New York session on Wednesday, but then bounce off an $865 low three times by noon, after which the trend was gently upward, to a finish at $867.80, down $7.90.