This post is part of a special annual report -- Top Stock Picks '09 -- in which TheStockAdvisors.com asked 75 leading newsletter advisors to select their favorite investment for the new year.

As his top pick for 2009, Jim Lowell -- in his Fidelity Investor newsletter -- opts for a pair of funds that together offer broad market coverage: Fidelity Focused (FTQGX) and Fidelity Low-Priced (FLPSX).

The advisor explains, ""These two fund picks reflect a balanced mix of both offense and defense -- using two managers with decidedly different approaches and investment styles.

"At Fidelity Investor we always 'Buy the manager, not the fund!' Our proprietary manager rankings consistently list Stephen DuFour -- manager at Fidelity Focused Stock -- as a top ranked stock picker (based on his ability to persistently lose less in the downdrafts and consistently outperform on the upside).

"And while losing significantly less than the S&P 500 was 2008's benchmark for success, 2009 is shaping up to be a more balanced trade sheet where I think gains will likely win out.

"DuFour normally invests in 30 to 80 stocks at any one time. His stock picks hold no allegiance to either a simple style box or a singular capitalization range.

Jim Lowell is known for his expertise in assessing mutual funds; in particular, he is the newsletter advisory world's leading authority on Fidelity funds.

In his Fidelity Investor, he recently conducted his mid-year ranking of Fidelity managers, and based on these results, offers four favorite funds offering global diversifcation.

"Stephen DuFour, manager of Fidelity Focused Stock (FTQGX), is no stranger to our ranking top notches. He took over this fund in March last year, and turned its performance up a notch (finishing the year up 17% vs. .5.5% for his S&P 500 benchmark): Bam!

"With 52 holdings, this fund is focused. His top 10 basically says it all – a diversified play on global growth in a stock picker's portfolio: Southwestern Energy, Norfolk Southern, Range Resources, T. Rowe Price, NRG Energy, Unilever, Eaton, Cisco, Cabot Oil & Gas, and Apple.

"Tom Soviero, manager at Fidelity Leveraged Company Stock (FLVCX), has jumped from the third spot in the December rankings to the top spot this time around.

"His top-ranked status reflects his stock picking expertise. The portfolio continues to become even more concentrated in his top 10 picks (29.4% of the fund's assets now vs. 27% six months ago).