Tracing the policy movements of Presidential power-handler Vladislav Surkov is rather like witnessing a three-point turn in a dark alley - as a piece in the Power Vertical points out today.  Whilst transparency is the last thing once can expect from the Kremlin's shadowy ideologue, his moves of late are dizzying analysts.  Brian Whitmore identifies some of Surkov's recent twists - from the motives for his alleged involvement in the Duma walkout - to the matter of his oscillating stance on liberalizing political structures to aid economic development.Whitmore quotes from a Stratfor.com analysis, which suggests that Surkov's maneuvring is underpinned by a familiar motive: power rivalry.  In a recently published four-part series titled "The Kremlin Wars," Stratfor.com offers up one possible answer.According to Stratfor, the Kremlin is divided into two roughly ...

Reuters reports that next week Vladimir Putin will hold a meeting with global oil giants on how to exploit gas reserves on the Arctic Yamal peninsula.  Natural Resources Minister Yuri Trutnev has told Reuters that Russia will consider easing laws regulating foreign participation in offshore energy projects, which had been restricted during the 2002-July 2008 boom in oil prices.  Rosneft has apparently said that it will not be able to maintain the high level of oil exports that has seen Russia overtake Saudi Arabia as the world's biggest oil producer, as the domestic market will become more alluring to oil producers.  The President of OPEC has reportedly argued that the cartel must improve cooperation with Russia in order to keep prices stable.  Bulgaria has agreed to continue preparations for the Russian-backed Belene nuclear plant, South Stream and ...

The EU Ambassador to Russia, Marc Franco, has suggested that Russia will remain a 'third world economy' unless the rule of law and democracy are re-enforced.  Whilst Russia is hoping that higher taxes from the energy sector will help reduce budget deficit, it is also considering borrowing $18 billion abroad in 2010.  According to Reuters, the total borrowed domestically and abroad next year may amount to $52 billion.  Vladimir Putin has vowed to protect the Russian steel industry, possibly through rendering state firms' purchases of their products compulsory.  VTB has taken control of 1,200 hectares of prime real estate in lieu of repayment for a loan to businessman Sergei Pugachev.  Russia is planning to revise its bankruptcy laws to protect the integrity of companies in the event of default.  Natural Resources Minister Yuri Trutnev has suggested ...

[Editor's Note: Fifteen trades. All profitable. Since launching his Geiger Indextrading service late last year, Money Morning Investment Director Keith Fitz-Gerald is a perfect 14 for 14, meaning he's closed every single one of his trades at a profit. And he did this during one of the most volatile periods for the U.S. stock market since the Great Depression. Fitz-Gerald says the ongoing financial crisis has changed the investing game forever, and has created a completely new set of rules that investors must understand to survive and profit in this new era. Check out our latest insights on these new rules, this new market environment, and this new service, the Geiger Index.]

China made headlines around the world this week when it revealed that its foreign reserves had eclipsed the $2 trillion market for the first time, rising by a record …

China made headlines around the world this week when it revealed that its foreign reserves had eclipsed the $2 trillion market for the first time, rising by a record $178 billion in the second quarter – thanks to a flood of “hot money” that flowed into the world’s most promising economy.

But the “hottest” investment money may soon be flowing from China back into the United States – thanks to an accompanying development that didn’t even make the news (let alone headlines) here in this country. This will translate into windfall profits for U.S. investors with holdings in the “right” kinds of companies, and in the long run should bolster the U.S. dollar.

This other, below-the-radar development was China’s decision to relax the rules that guide its company’s overseas investments. In a clear attempt to boost investments beyond its borders, China has changed some of its rules to make it easier for

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The Dow has been hit hard with selling, breaking through the key 11,600 support level I’ve been warning about. I said that once the Dow breaks 11,600, the bear is back in control and much lower prices are to come. That means U.S. stocks, and by default the U.S. economy, are going over the cliff. How low will it go? We need more fear in the market before a bottom comes and I see the Dow dropping to as low as 9,200 before a turnaround starts to take hold. Of course, it won't be a straight-down affair. There will be a lot of fake-out moves and with all the uncertainty out there, there will be a lot of volatility. The economic news is not good, and a lot of investors are very, very nervous, and rightfully so. What should you do? Be cautious. Stick ...

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke is trying to support the dollar, making rare statements on Tuesday about how the weak dollar has contributed to inflation, and that the Fed is closely monitoring the dollar. Bernanke went on to repeat his inflation concerns while speaking at Harvard University yesterday, saying that “some indicators of longer-term inflation expectations have risen in recent months, which is a significant concern for the Federal Reserve. We will need to monitor that situation closely." Interestingly enough, his comments come at a time when my models have been forecasting a bounce in the buck, and a short-term correction in gold, oil and other natural resources. So Bernanke’s unconvincing attempt to support the dollar comes as no surprise to me. These moves tend to happen at normal turning points in the market, which proves once again that it’s not the news that drives the markets necessarily, but it’s the ...

The Chinese are very smart. They know they need to secure natural resources and commodities to fuel their future growth and are taking steps to insure they get what they need. Fonterra, a New Zealand dairy giant, signed a deal to supply milk powder deal to China for $235 million. Chinese has imported 456,000 tons of agricultural products worth 540 million from Taiwan in the last three years.

Nearly every natural resource under the sun is about to enter the second, most powerful phase of their bull markets, eventually reaching dizzying heights that make today’s record prices seem tame by comparison.

Almost everyone would scoff if I gave you my peak projections for copper, uranium, corn, wheat, and each of the other commodities I follow. They’d probably lock me up in Bellevue!

But then again, that’s what the so-called experts said of me six years ago, when I proclaimed gold would surpass $1,000 an ounce and oil would easily climb to over $100 a barrel.

Maybe now they’re listening!

Bottom line: As for the natural resource bull markets, “You ain’t seen nothing yet!”

All told, I see five persistent, strengthening forces that explain …