Dollar-Euro parity? Crude at $12 a barrel? 15% unemployment? J. Christoph Amberger presents the Today’s Financial News top predictions for 2009…

A month ago, I asked my colleagues at TFN to think about the year ahead… the events that will shape the year both politically and financially. In short, to come up with realistic “Predictions for 2009″. As history is fast-forwarding, some of these events have already taken place. Others look increasingly probable… and not half as far out as they appeared just a month ago.

Here they are, in no particular order

*** Dollar hits parity against euro by June 2009.

*** Oil bottoms at $12 per barrel by April 2009.

*** Gold falls to $500 as Indian economy crashes and Dubai abandons spending spree.

*** Russian troops wearing Gazprom uniforms invade Ukraine to “protect” natural gas pipeline. The Russian stock market collapses. Three European energy stocks soar. (Yes, there’s

The weight of the global economy rests on the American consumer, says J. Christoph Amberger. That’s who all these government bailouts are trying to reach. And unless shoppers throw caution to the wind this Christmas, we could be in for a rough ride.

This from Today’s Financial News:

The U.S. dollar dropped against the euro as the Commerce Department reduced Q3 GDP growth to -0.5% and the Fed announced that it was getting ready to throw another $800 billion into the fiery furnace of this fine financial mess.

Why did the greenback drop? I think it is more of a reflexive move. Investors still think in bi-polar terms: If things look bad for the States, the grass must be greener in Europe.

Of course, it isn’t. It never was.

If anything, Europe is worse off than the United States. The EU economy has turned recessive a full quarter before the U.S. economy. While

J. Christoph Amberger says the casino industry is following the automaker sector into deep water. He says Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS) stock is likely to keep on sinking as access to credit dries up. Short traders have a chance to make 20-30% gains by Christmas.

This from Today’s Financial News:

Despite the substantial drop in the U.S. equity markets, Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS) gained over 9% today. The company is currently in talks with a syndicate of banks to raise between $1.5 billion and $2 billion to finance new casino projects in Macau. The company had suspended construction on its expansion into Chinese gaming, laying off most of the 11,000 construction staff.

The stock price has dropped from over $122 last December to just above $6 today.

We think Sands is the new GM: Obtaining credit to finance the Macau project at this point is a

Canada’s resource-rich economy is feeling the strain of tumbling commodity prices and falling demand in the US. And that’s bad news for the Canadian dollar. J. Christoph Amberger says the days of parity with the US dollar are long gone. He thinks it’s time to short the loonie.

This taken from Today’s Financial News:

With its main source export revenues plunging down over 50%, the outlook for the Canadian economy and the Canadian dollar is getting bleaker by the day.

Oil prices dropped once again after the U.S. government reported a 0.3% contraction in the U.S. economy in the third quarter.

Light, sweet crude oil for December delivery fell by$1.91 to $65.59 a barrel on the NYMEX. Overall, oil prices are now down 55% since the peak of $147 a barrel in mid-July.

Thanks to lower energy and resource prices and a surging dollar, yearly consumer inflation in the United States peaked at

J. Christoph Amberger says investors should brace themselves for more market volatility in the coming months. Institutional investors like hedge funds are using every rally to liquidate more assets and take short-term profits off the table.

More from Today’s Financial News:

Markets are in violent flux. Double digit drops are followed by enormous gains. Why?  Simple: Hedge funds use every up to liquidate assets, driving prices down after every upward surge.

How long will this last? Watch the video here

The predecessors of TFN used to have a service called Extreme Volatility Speculator. They closed it down a few years ago because the words Extreme Volatility were scaring off potential customers.

How times have changed. These days, it’s no longer penny stocks, microcaps and special situations that would qualify for violent moves upward or downward.

We’re getting used to increases

A lot of contrarian investors are say gold is a bargain right now — “a one-way bet.” J. Christoph Amberger is not so sure. History shows gold prices trend in line with oil. This means if oil hits $50 a barrel, gold could drop back below $500 an ounce.

J. Christoph says the best way to play this move — and protect yourself against volatility — is through put options on the SPDR Gold Trust ETF (NYSE:GLD).

This from Today’s Financial News:

Increasing prices for crude oil result in increasing inflation… making their way into increased transportation, heating and utility costs until they’re eventually reflected in virtually every finished product, including food and commodities in general. Increased inflation in the dollar typically results in higher gold prices.

So — presuming the methods of calculating risk and reward are applicable in bull and bear markets — how would

Monday’s record stocks surge seems so long ago. Today, the stock markets are painted a familiar red again. J. Christoph Amberger says this crash will last weeks…and then the real depression will set in. That means commodity prices are heading down further in the short term. And mining stocks will be right behind them.

This from Today’s Financial News:

The reality of the 2008 crash is that it will drag on for weeks.

In all likelihood, there will be chance for a quick burst after Election Day (November 4th). (That’s independent of the outcome: No matter who wins, investors will be so glad to see an end to the empty campaign claptrap, they simply have to buy.)

Then depression will set in again.

I believe we won’t see a flattening of the day-to-day buying and selling excesses until the second week of December.

By then, only those with iron stomachs and leaden constitutions will

The slump in commodity prices is putting a big strain on mining stocks. J. Christoph Amberger says a number of companies are likely to abandon mines as the costs of continuing production outweigh the revenue potential. He says Apex Silver Mines (NYSE:SIL) looks particularly vulnerable right now…

This from Today’s Financial News:

Our sources indicate that Apex Silver Mines (NYSE:SIL) might be a promising short play at this point in time.

Crashing commodities prices are not just putting hedge fund managers into a jam, they’re also putting resource producers at risk.

The price surge triggered by the commodities super-cycle had been a boon to large-scale miners in particular. Soaring prices for oil, nickel, copper, molybdenum made the exploration and development of marginal sources not only feasible but profitable. Across the world, mines (especially silver mines) re-opened that had been abandoned as too expensive a decade and a half ago.

(The only

J. Christoph Amberger says the economic misery in Europe and fears over emerging markets makes the US dollar a great safe haven. Could this make it the next short-term asset bubble?

This from Today’s Financial News:

The dollar bears should be celebrating.

Their dire predictions about debt catching up with the financial markets are coming true. The markets are plunging.

Some, like the venerable London stock exchange, saw their valuations drop by the largest amount ever.

The papers tell you it’s so bad, you feel like digging up those old Gary North Y2K newsletters from the water-stained boxes in the garage… to find that advertising supplement for the three-year supply of dried butter and canned red wheat.

After all, a man’s gotta eat.

But the bears are eerily quiet. Not only is the dollar SOARING against their favorite currencies. Gold is lagging behind.

Now, if you look at this right, gold ought to be trading at

J. Christoph Amberger says the economic misery in Europe and fears over emerging markets makes the US dollar a great safe haven. Could this make it the next short-term asset bubble?

This from Today’s Financial News:

The dollar bears should be celebrating.

Their dire predictions about debt catching up with the financial markets are coming true. The markets are plunging.

Some, like the venerable London stock exchange, saw their valuations drop by the largest amount ever.

The papers tell you it’s so bad, you feel like digging up those old Gary North Y2K newsletters from the water-stained boxes in the garage… to find that advertising supplement for the three-year supply of dried butter and canned red wheat.

After all, a man’s gotta eat.

But the bears are eerily quiet. Not only is the dollar SOARING against their favorite currencies. Gold is lagging behind.

Now, if you look at this right, gold ought to be trading at