pJan 6, 2009 (WALL STREET JOURNAL) -- In an early sign that some steel prices may have bottomed out, steelmakers in the U.S., China and some other countries are attempting limited price increases and reopening a handful of mills that were closed because of weak demand a few months ago./ppnbsp;/ppIt isn't clear whether the price increases will stick, however. Steel sellers often announce price increases or special surcharges, only to relent in the face of customer opposition or if rivals don't follow suit. Nor is it clear whether the price increases reflect more demand or lower inventories.br /nbsp;/ppTroubled auto makers, contractors, appliance and equipment makers have cut back on their steel purchases. The majority of mills closed over the last few months remain shuttered and many around the world are operating below 50% of their capacity./ppnbsp;/ppBut steelmakers signaled cautious optimism that there is enough demand to support price increases in ...

Markets kick off 2009 with sizable rally… what’s behind the best New Year’s rally since 2003…  Obama bounce back in effect… Rob Parenteau on whether his $1 trillion plan will actually work… Dan Amoss on the difference between shorting in 2008 and 2009… Bullish factors for gold (and gold stocks) for 2009… The second wave cometh… more troublesome commercial real estate ripples on the horizon.

For the first time in a long time, we can tell you today that the U.S. stock market is up year to date:

The major indexes rang in the new year with a 3% rally on Friday — the best first day of a new year in the last six. And a sharp contrast to 2008, when the Dow had its worst opening day since 1983.

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We are in the early stages of a long and deep recession, says Adam Lass. But that doesn’t mean savvy investors can’t make a profit. Rising unemployment and underfunded local governments is a recipe for crime in urban areas. And that means big business for companies in the self-protection industry. Adam says TASER International (Nasdaq:TASR) stock could triple in the next 18-24 months.

This from Taipan Daily:

It’s certainly no challenge finding stocks under $10 these days. Unfortunately, many of them used to trade for at least twice that much. To make matters worse, in most circumstances, these sad sacks deserve this ignominious fate.

Take your pick: Homebuilders who put up pasteboard shacks alongside highway interchanges and called them “mini-mansions”… banks that sold mortgages to undocumented workers… brokerage houses that bought and sold worthless bonds… retailers who based their

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We had a chance to ask Randall Swisher, Executive Director of the American Wind Energy Association some questions about what he is seeing in wind energy trends and his overall outlook.nbsp;nbsp; Aspire: What surprised you about the renewable energy/clean tech markets in 2008? Were there any significant developments (political, technological, consumer-driven and/or industry-driven) that occurred which you werenrsquo;t anticipating?nbsp;nbsp; Swisher: Wind has been growing at such an explosive pace these last several years that I donrsquo;t think 2008rsquo;s record numbers are a big surprise, but they are notable.nbsp; This year, we expect about 7,500 megawatts of new wind capacity to be built in the U.S. which will make 2008 another year of 45% growth for the wind industry.nbsp;As this growth has occurred, wersquo;ve seen an increasing need to expand the supply chain for wind, including domestic manufacturing capacity.nbsp; This year, AWEA made a conscious effort to encourage new growth in this segment ...

Dayton, Ohio-based DPL Inc. (DPL), a diversified energy utility, sells electricity through its two principal subsidiaries: Dayton Power and Light Company (DP&L) and DPL Energy, LLC. DPL owns approximately 900 megawatts (MW) of natural gas and diesel peaking generation, and 2,850 MW of coal-fired generation.

DPL continues to benefit from its stable regulated electric power operations. The first nine months of 2008 saw gains on the sale of emission allowances, rein in of fuel cost through scrubbers, higher rates mainly in the retail and wholesale segments, and focus on debt reduction. However, increased purchased power costs, a renewable energy thrust in the new Ohio electric energy bill, and uncertainty over the successful allocation of new capital towards greater earnings power remain a concern.

Accordingly, we maintain a BUY recommendation on DPL common stock with a six-month target price of $23.00. Price appreciation to our near-term valuation target, coupled with the recently

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Vectren Corp.'s (VVC) share price has been rallying since early October, helped by the company's strong third-quarter results reported at the end of the month. Analysts are bullish on Vectren, with the next-year estimate projecting 23% earnings growth.

Company Description

Vectren Corp., through its subsidiaries, provides energy delivery services to residential and commercial customers in Indiana and Ohio, specializing in natural gas and electricity. Approximately 75% of Vectren's earnings mix is derived from utility operations with the other 25% from non-regulated businesses. The company was founded in 1990 and has a market cap of $4 billion.

Third-Quarter Results

Vectren pleased shareholders on Oct 30 when the company reported excellent third-quarter results comprising its two business segments.

Income from the utility group came in at $13.6 million, or 17 cents per share, up from last year's $10.7 million, or 14 cents per share.

Income from Vectren's

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The private jets were the last straw. I speak of the chosen mode of transportation for the “Big Three” automaker CEOs last week. When the heads of GM, Ford and Chrysler made their trek to Washington, they did so in the style of fat cats. They should have flown coach.

I’m serious.

Flying coach would have been little more than a gesture, sure. But it would have said something at least. It would have shown that these knuckleheads aren’t completely tone-deaf. But they are tone deaf. They’re crap at the little things.

And in the end, it’s really all about the little things. When you add up all the little things, you get a big impact.

Take Honda, for example. Did you know Honda is in the soybean business? As Forbes tells it, “Honda couldn’t brook the sight of the shipping containers

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The UAW holds the key to the success of the U.S. auto industry. The recent Senate hearing with the CEOs of the big three car manufacturers was better than most sitcoms. The CEOs were unable to answer questions about how they plan to pay back the loans, or just avoided the question, or how long the loans would keep them afloat, or how they would change their business models to avoid asking the taxpayers to bail them out again. It went on and on.

The CEO of GM was asked how long GM had to pay the employees of a plant that had been closed. His answer, “I don’t know.” How long do you think you would be working for him with answers like that? The senator who asked the question shook his head in disbelief and muttered, “Unbelievable!”

The whole time the panel questioned the

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a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_T9VXVyuEITg/SSpYq8j_wfI/AAAAAAAAAl0/9kY9DN2tjic/s1600-h/ohio.jpg"img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 125px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_T9VXVyuEITg/SSpYq8j_wfI/AAAAAAAAAl0/9kY9DN2tjic/s320/ohio.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272123808625443314" //abr /Long gone are the days when the French system of trading furs in Ohio was synonymous of wealth. Today Ohio’s economy is one of the most dynamic in America. These are some interesting facts about Ohio:br /br /1. Ohio is one of the top consumers of energy in the country.br /2. The state has a biomass energy program aimed to increase development and production of alternative biomass fuels in the state.br /3. In 2007 Ohio’s gross domestic product was $466 billion.br /4. The state’s manufacturing industries are the top producers in the U.S. of plastics and rubber, and electrical equipment and appliances.br /5. Walmart is Ohio’s largest employer, employing over 50,000 workers.br /6. The state’s top exports are automobiles and machinery.br /7. Ohio’s exports account for 4% of the total U.S. ...

Expect more pain in the housing market next year, says Don Miller. Rising unemployment will keep the foreclosures coming. And as the backlog of inventories swells, Don says homebuilders still look ripe for shorting in this environment.

This from Money Morning:

The U.S. housing market is already being pounded by the “perfect storm.” And the outlook for the New Year is for the stormy weather to continue – and probably to get worse.

As if a locked-up credit market and tidal waves of foreclosures weren’t already enough, we’re now watching unemployment climb and consumer confidence plunge.

But even when the housing market is taking on water, there are ways to stay afloat. Indeed, investors nimble enough to maneuver can even make money.

The watchword on this market, though, is caution.  If an investor decides to test the waters, beware of the extraordinary financial undertow.

Here’s a look at what’s happening now, and

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