"Chinese markets have been absolutely soaring this year," says long-standing income expert Carla Pasternak.

In her High Yield Investing advisory, she suggests, "The China Fund (NYSE: CHN) - ranked in the top 1% of funds in the Pacific/Asia ex-Japan category for the latest ten-year period -- should be an excellent way to play this growth story over the long term."

"China's massive stimulus spending and interest rate reductions have succeeded in igniting domestic demand.

"We think that junk bonds -- bonds rated BB+ or lower by S&P or Ba1 or below by Moody's -- are worth considering as part of a diversified income portfolio." says Carla Pasternak.

In her High Yield Investing, she asks, "If you agree with us that one's person's junk may turn out to be your treasure, how do you invest?" She answers by offers a pair of junk bond fund ideas.

"SPDR Barclays Capital High Yield Bond ETF (NYSE: JNK) has a $2.2 billion portfolio of 140 junk bonds. Its holds junk bonds in only three sectors: industrials (75.8%), utilities (12.16%) and financials (8.72%).

"It pays a monthly distribution comprised entirely of earnings. JNK is best held in a tax-advantaged account as distributions are taxed at your marginal income tax rate.

"For income investors, China is one of the hardest places on the planet to find high yields," says income specialist Carla Pasternak.

In her High Yield Investing, she suggests, "However, we have found a trio of China funds that do offer a dividend yield along with tremendous long-term potential." Here, she looks at two favorites: Oberweis China Opportunities (OBCHX) and Matthews China (MCHFX).

Pasternak explains, "I think we're in the early stages of China's economic boom, and I believe the country can continue to grow at a high single-digit pace for the next decade; if that happens, then plenty of Chinese companies will provide handsome returns for their shareholders.

"Following last year's dismal market performance, investors are looking for something they can be sure of in the year ahead; and for income investors, that means finding a safe and rewarding dividend yield," says Carla Pasternak.

In her High Yield Investing, she offers a fascinating review to find the "safest dividend in the Dow." Here's her assessment.

"The 30 members of Dow Jones Industrial Average represents some of the strongest names in America. So these corporate titans are a good place to start searching for the safest dividend.

"The first step in the process is not to look at the Dow at all, but to start with the 10-year Treasury note, currently yielding 3.86%.

This post is part of a 12-article feature that can be read here: Today's best income ideas.

"You don't have to be in the upper tax bracket to rake in higher returns from these tax-free bonds," says income expert Carla Pasternak.

In her High Yield Investing, she looks two favorite vehicles: Morgan Stanley Insured Municipal Securities (NYSE: IMS), with a tax-equivalent yield of 7.9% and Western Asset Municipal High Income Fund (NYSE: MHF), with a tax-equivalent yield of 11.1%.

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.

"My top pick is US Cellular 8.75% Senior Notes (NYSE: UZG)," says Carla Pasternak. In her income-oriented advisory service, High-Yield Investing, she says, "The best thing about them? They are bonds, but trade like stocks."

Pasternak explains, "Their total interest payments of $2.1875 a year dished out quarterly are legal obligations, not discretionary payments like stock dividends.

"As senior notes, too, investors can rest assured that UZG's interest payments have a prior claim on the company's assets, ahead of any common or preferred share dividends, if the issuing company were to run into trouble.

"Not that I consider it likely United States Cellular (NYSE: USM), America's sixth-largest wireless firm and the name behind these bonds, is any danger.

"After reviewing financial statements and data on dozens of closed-end funds, we identified MFS Intermediate Income Trust (NYSE: MIN) as one of my top picks," says income expert Carla Pasternak.

In her High Yield Investing, she explains, "You won't find many closed-end funds with a better mix of high-quality bonds than MIN's AA+ rated portfolio." Here's her look at this fund that offers an estimated 9.8% yield.

"MFS Intermediate Income Trust holds U.S. and foreign developed government bonds; it offers a discounted share price and a steady income stream powered by healthy earnings from portfolio assets.

"And like other bond funds, it can be affected by rising interest rates, but its diverse portfolios should help steady returns.

"You won't find many closed-end funds with a better mix of high-quality bonds than MIN's AA+ rated portfolio. The fund invests in AAA-rated U.S. Treasuries and agency bonds, foreign debt of developed countries, and high-grade corporate bonds.

"Management insulates the portfolio assets from currency volatility by holding them in U.S. dollars. A low duration of 4.4 years limits sensitivity to changing interest rates. The fund also may trade derivatives and use leverage to boost returns.

"Housing starts have swooned, foreclosures have jumped and home prices saw their steepest drop in 26 years," notes income expert Carla Pasternak, who nevertheless is suggesting a real estate investment.

In her High Yield Investing she explains, "Our money-making opportunity isn't based on the housing market; rather, it's with a REIT -- Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc. (NYSE: OHI).

"REITs and housing are both real estate, but that's where the likenesses begin and end. Property-holding equity REITs invest in commercial real estate. And commercial properties continue to generate steady cash flow from rental income, thanks to long-term leases.

"Above-average dividends are what allow REITs to pack a punch. These companies must distribute at least 90% of their profits to shareholders, making them especially attractive to income investors.

"Founded in 1992, Omega manages a $1.3 billion portfolio of over 200 hospitals and nursing homes in diverse locations across 28 states. The company leases the properties to established healthcare operators.

For 25 years, Steven Halpern, editor of TheStockAdvisors.com, has surveyed the leading financial newsletter advisors asking for their favorite stocks for the coming year. This article is one of 100+ ideas in the Best Stocks for 2008 report.

"The India Fund (NYSE: IFN) is our top speculative idea for 2008," says Carla Pasternak, editor of High Yield Investing. "As investors fret that a downturn in the US housing sector could cool global growth, the world's second-fastest growing major economy after China is forging ahead.

"India's economy is expanding at a rapid +9% clip, nearly double the latest growth rate put in by the US economy. It's no wonder India's benchmark Bombay Sensex Index is up 44% this year.

"And the future looks equally strong. Thanks in part to US firms outsourcing their customer service and data-processing jobs, India is seeing the rise of a new middle class. Estimated at some 300 million of the billion-plus population, India's middle class is mushrooming at a rate of about 20% a year.

"A growing consumer class with an insatiable appetite for everything from houses to TV sets, and the money to buy them -- the world's fastest-growing democracy appears to be in the early stages of a major bull market.

For 25 years, Steven Halpern, editor of TheStockAdvisors.com, has surveyed the leading financial newsletter advisors asking for their favorite stocks for the coming year. This article is one of 100+ ideas in the Best Stocks for 2008 report.

"My favorite conservative idea for 2008 is Templeton Emerging Markets Fund (NYSE: EMF), a closed-end fund that holds the vast majority of its stocks in emerging market economies," says Carla Pasternak, editor of High Yield Investing.

"About a third of its stock holdings are in Brazil and China, two of the countries popularly known as the 'BRIC' economies (the other two are Russia and India). Led by one of the legends of emerging market investing,
Mark Mobius, EMF also goes off the beaten track to find stocks in Turkey, South Korea and Thailand.

"About a third of the portfolio stocks are in the energy sector, with another 20% in the industrials materials group such as iron ore. With energy prices and industrial commodities soaring this past year, EMF has been in the right
place at the right time.

"The same can be said of the entire emerging market sector. And since the world stock market bottom in mid-August, emerging market funds have been hot, hot, hot. These funds attracted $23 billion in capital in all of 2006, but since the last week of August have drawn more than $24 billion.

"Short term, the sage advice of Peter Lynch may ring in your ears -- Beware the hottest stock in the hottest sector.
Still, EMF shares haven't kept up with the asset growth of the fund's portfolio holdings, and the fund is trading today at an attractive discount of 10% to its net worth.

"In other words, you can scoop up a dollar's worth of stock for just 90 cents. Long-term investors willing to withstand a possible short-term pullback in the fund may want to invest at this time."

"The commodity bull is awakening," says Curtis Hesler, editor of the Professional Timing Service. The advisor, who focuses on long-term market cycles, explains, "We have been through a long stretch where everything, including gold mining stocks and oil issues, have gone up and down in tandem with the movements in the popular averages (Nasdaq, Dow, S&P 500, etc.).

"We are going to enter a phase now and through 2008 where this will no longer be the case. Next year looks like it will be a very profitable year for commodity-related (real asset) issues, but dismal for financial (paper) assets.

"I am looking for $100.00 crude oil (as well as a move to $850 in gold). This should be the basis for your strategy. The commodity bull will thrive in 2008 at the expense of the general market, and the weak dollar will be no small reason for this.

In recent posts, I have reviewed the newsletter advisors' Top Picks from 2007, first highlighting stocks that were in the healthcare, tech, and telecom sectors and then highlighting favorites in the out-of-favor metals and energy areas.

To conclude this review, I'm turning now to the most popular sector in this year's annual Top Picks report -- financial stocks. Of particular note this year is the type of financial stocks that rose to the top of the advisors' buy lists.

In past years, it was routine to see brokerage firms and large cap consumer banks among the Top Picks. This year, only one such company was chosen; Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) was selected as the favorite stock of both Mark Skousen and Kelley Wright.

Outside of Citi, the advisory community looked to an area that has rarely been cited in previous Top Picks reports --specialty finance companies. For example, Gordon Pape selected Brookfield Asset Management, which provides financing to real estate ventures.

Neil George chose a pair of companies spun off from Australia's Macquarie Bank. Both the Macquarie Infrastructure Trust (NYSE:MIC) and the Macquarie Infrastructure Group (OTC:MCORF) provide financing to global road, bridge, and airport development projects.

Each year, Steven Halpern, editor of TheStockAdvisors.com, surveys the leading financial newsletter advisors asking for their favorite stocks for the coming year. This article is part of his 24th annual Top Stocks Report.

The top conservative pick for 2007 from income specialist Carla Pasternak is The Zweig Total Return Fund (NYSE: ZTR). The editor of High Yield Investing says, "ZTR is a diversified closed-end fund that seeks a high total return (dividends, interest, and capital gains) by investing in both stocks and bonds

"Over half of ZTR's portfolio is in risk-free U.S. Treasuries. The balance is mostly in blue-chip dividend-payers. The Treasury bonds carry the highest credit rating possible with virtually no risk of default. They have an average duration of about six years, making the fund well positioned for a stable interest rate environment.

"The fund has paid dividends every month for the past two decades. Its latest monthly payment of $0.043 a share equates to $0.52 annually, providing a 9% yield at current share prices. A 1.02% management fee brings the effective yield to 8%.

Each year, Steven Halpern, editor of TheStockAdvisors.com, surveys the leading financial newsletter advisors asking for their favorite stocks for the coming year. This article is part of his 24th annual Top Stocks Report.

Ares Capital (NASDAQ: ARCC) is the favorite speculative stock for 2007 from income specialist Carla Pasternak. The editor of High Yield Investing says, "Ares is a business development company that invests in private or thinly traded companies.

"Known as BDCs, these companies either buy an equity interest in promising firms, or they provide them with loans at above-average rates. Since going public in October 2004, Ares has built a $900 million portfolio of debt and equity securities, with a take in about 50 privately owned businesses.

"Ares is one of the fastest dividend growers I have seen. It has raised its dividend every single quarter for the past year, and its quarterly payouts have increased 33% in just two short years since the company paid its first dividend.

"If you annualize Ares' latest declared quarterly dividend of $0.40 per share, that brings the security's payout to $1.60 per share ($0.40 x 4 payments), giving the stock a forward yield of 8.3%. However, if you add in the $0.10 special dividend paid at the end of 2006, ARCC yields 8.8%.