There are three words that I would use to describe the market’s behavior this past week: “noise, noise, noise” — and lots of it. Our Global Stock Investor holdings endured some eye-popping volatility, with stocks like Potash (POT) selling off more than 20% on Friday and Monday, before bouncing sharply on Tuesday. And all this took place in the absence of any news specific to the stock.

Our top performer of the week was the Currency Shares Japanese Yen Trust (FXY) as the dollar hit record lows against the yen. At times like this, it is best to take a deep breath and try to remember that all of our global megatrends are still intact. Mr. Market’s manic mood swings are the price we pay to be in the global investment game.

PORTFOLIO UPDATE

Anglo American (AAUK), Our commodities supercycle play, closed at a record high of $37.02 on Nov. 8 to soar 15% on a single day. The reason? Rival BHP Billiton made a bold $142 billion bid for commodities giant Rio Tinto — a move that was swiftly rebuffed. That has boosted speculation that Anglo American itself may become a takeover target. The stock has pulled back a bit since then, but it remains a BUY.

ABB Ltd. (ABB) sold off sharply this week on general market weakness. Think of this buying opportunity as a gift from Mr. Market. ABB is a BUY.

America Movil (AMX) ended the week down and hit our stop price of $55.50 on Nov. 12. However, we held the position long enough to qualify for a special dividend payment. The stock technically is oversold, so look for a strong bounce here. With America Movil (AMX) now trading at a bargain price, I am recommending it again with a stop price of $49.50. AMX is a BUY. 

iShares MSCI Sweden Index ETF (EWD) closed this week flat. Sweden stays a HOLD.

iShares MSCI Brazil Index ETF (EWZ) was a real rollercoaster as oil giant Petrobras’ shares (which makes up 22% of the ETF) shot up 26% to an all-time high last Thursday upon announcing the discovery of a new oil reserve with as much as eight billion barrels of crude. The find could increase the company’s reserves by 40%, according to Deutsche Bank. That said, by Monday, the ETF had dropped back sharply, before rallying to end the week flat. Brazil remains a BUY.

Currency Shares Japanese Yen Trust (FXY) thrives in periods of market turmoil, as it shot up to a closing price of $91.07 on Nov. 12 — a record high — before settling at $90.00. Market action this past week confirms why this is a terrific hedge against market downturns and remains a defensive BUY.

ICICI Bank (IBN) had a volatile week by dipping sharply last Friday and this Monday, before rallying hugely yesterday to end back where it started. This is all (rather loud) market noise. “India’s Citibank” is a BUY.

Millicom International (MICC) ended the week up slightly after falling below the $100 level for the first time since its blowout earnings announcement. Millicom remains a BUY.

ArcelorMittal (MT) posted net profit of $2.96 billion — a 35.8% rise from the pro forma $2.18 billion in the same period the year before. That figure easily beat market expectations of $2.45 billion. Earnings per share came to $2.10, beating analysts’ expectations of $1.79. The company also reported net revenue of $25.5 billion, a 15% rise from the $22.07 billion pro forma net sales figure for the third quarter of 2006. The steel giant also announced Wednesday that it intends to increase its base dividend by $0.20 to $1.50. ArcelorMittal is a BUY.

Potash (POT) hit a record high last Thursday, before plummeting 20%+, and staging a comeback yesterday. As I said above: “Noise, noise, noise.” Potash is a BUY.

Tesco (TSCDY) climbed back up over $30. Click here to take a look inside Tesco’s new U.S. store format. Tesco remains a BUY.

P.S. Interested in discovering the next sector set to blast off? How about learning the specific shares the experts see as the most profitable in 2008? Attend The World Money Show London and hear from 50+ investment experts as they reveal their profitable strategies and provide their specific stock picks. The World Money Show London is being held Nov. 30 – Dec. 1 at The Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre and will feature 14 panel presentations, leading investment products and service providers. As a bonus, I will be moderating a panel discussion about investment opportunities in India. Call today to register for The World Money Show London at 00 800 1414 8888 (phone number for free international calls) between 10:30 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. Don’t forget to mention priority code #009516. Or visit the Web site.

Nicholas Vardy

Nicholas Vardy has a unique background that has proven his knack for making money in different markets around the world. He was the Editor of The Global Guru, a free weekly e-newsletter, and also edited the trading services Momentum Trader Alert, which focused on making short-term profits in the hottest markets in the world, and The Alpha Algorithm, which was designed specifically to deliver big, fast triple-digit winners, month after month. He was also the editor of Smart Money Masters, a monthly service focused on longer term investments recommended by the brightest minds in the business. Mr. Vardy has been a regular commentator on CNN International and the Fox Business Network. He has also published articles in The New Republic, The World and I, and The Baker & McKenzie Legal Review. The Global Guru/Nicholas Vardy has been cited in The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Fox Business News, CBS MarketWatch, Yahoo! Finance, and MSN Money Central. Mr. Vardy graduated from Stanford with a B.A. — with honors and distinction — in both Economics and History, and he also earned an M.A in Modern European Intellectual History. After winning a Fulbright Scholarship, he earned a J.D. degree at Harvard Law School where he was an editor of the Harvard International Law Journal. When not uncovering investment opportunities for his subscribers and investors, Mr. Vardy is a keep-fit enthusiast and an avid student of classical music.  

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