The markets have put on a strong rally today as a lower number of new jobless claims have set the stage for some strong numbers on employment, due tomorrow from the US Department of Labor. The median estimate on non-farm payroll employment is a gain of 185,000 jobs. Retail sales reports for February were mostly higher as well, adding a bit more impetus to stocks.

The other, bigger driver was crude oil, which fell sharply to just more than $100/barrel at noon, but then turned back higher, most likely on dollar weakness. The US dollar managed to stave off a euro run at $1.40, but that level is definitely in danger. Gold gave back some of yesterday's gains, finishing down at $1,416.00, off about 1.5%.

Here are the numbers for late afternoon trading today:

Dow Jones 12,258.20 +191.40 (1.59%)
S&P 500 1,330.97 +22.53 (1.72%)
Nasdaq 2,798.74 +50.67 (1.84%)

Through a combination of capital gains and dividend yield, the goal of The 25% Cash Machine is to generate 25% annual returns from a combination. Editor Bryan Perry is now building a new position for this portfolio: Cheniere Energy Partners (NYSE: CQP), a play on liquefied natural gas (LNG).

The advisor explains, "LNG is natural gas -- the same clean, safe energy source used to fuel our homes and industries -- that's been reduced to 1/600th its volume through a sophisticated refrigeration process. In liquid form, natural gas can be shipped long distances safely and economically in specially designed ships with insulated storage tanks.

"World demand for liquefied natural gas is expected to double by 2010. The reason demand for LNG is growing is that it is viewed as safe, flexible, reliable, and economical. One other big (perhaps the biggest) plus in the current (and growing) green climate is that LNG is environmentally acceptable.

What are the best energy investments for long-term investors? To answer this question, I surveyed 20 of the nation's leading financial newsletter advisors to find their current favorite ideas in the energy sector.

Interestingly, the advisors see the best opportunities in areas well beyond traditional oil firms; indeed, no one included in this report chose a major integrated oil company. Rather, the advisors have shown a preference for various oil services sectors, non-oil energy sources, and developing alternative technologies.

Some focus on areas such as deep-sea operations with Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc. (NYSE: DO), Transocean Inc. (NYSE: RIG) and Oceaneering International (NYSE: OII), while others look toward oil shippers such as Nordic American Tanker Shipping (NYSE: NAT) and refiners such as Valero Energy Corp. (NYSE: VLO).

Others chose companies that make specific products needed by the oil & gas industries such as NATCO Group Inc. (NYSE: NTG), which makes a wide range of oil & gas processing systems; Dresser-Rand Group Inc. (NYSE: DRC), a maker of control systems; Gardner Denver Inc. (NYSE: GDI), which makes compressor and fluid transfer systems; Tenaris (NYSE: TS), a maker of pipes and tublar products and Schlumberger Ltd. (NYSE: SLB), the largest and most diversified of the oil services companies.