Using a proprietary "volume reversal" trading strategy, Mark Leibovit has been consistently ranked among the top newsletter timers. In his VRTrader, he looks at the outlook for stocks, oil, gold & silver -- and offers his choice for exchange-traded funds for traders to play these markets.

Leibovit explains, "The stock market's decline, besides being huge, is relentless. Every rally was met with selling and fresh lows were soon hit. The Dow crashed through the March and January lows and is now trading at its lowest level since September 2006.

"Apparently, that 1500 point rally off the March low was just a giant head fake. The Dow is now down 19% since last October and the S&P is down 18%, approaching bear market territory."

"Breadth is dismal, and down volume is ten times greater than up volume. Sector action is terrible. Seven of the nine market sectors are down more than 2.5%. Ouch! Financials have done it again and have set a new five-year low. Oil spiked through previous records setting a new record high.

"The precious metals also showed strong gains today with gold up 32.80 to 915.10. We cleared the June 9th high of 907.20 touching 909.50 opening up potential to 931.00 (May 21 high).

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 top speculative play for 2008 is SPDR S&P Homebuilders Index (ASE: XHB)," says Mark Leibovit, editor of VRTrader and last year's the #1-rated market timer by Timer Digest.

"The investment seeks to replicate as closely as possible, before expenses, the performance of an index derived from the homebuilding segment of a US total market composite index. The fund uses a passive management strategy designed to track the total return performance of the S&P Homebuilders Select Industry index.

"We expect a sharp recovery in housing stocks. The Case-Shiller Futures Market (traded on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange) is the vehicle of choice for the Plunge Protection team (PPT) to bolster the US real estate market.

"It is obvious that the PPT will be buying the Case Shiller Futures contracts, initially a quiet accumulation, and then more aggressively so as to bias the futures pointing to a rebound in real estate.

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 top conservative play for 2008 is a repeat of my top pick from last year, StreetTracks Gold Trust (NYSE: GLD)," says Mark Leibovit, editor of VRYTrader and last year's #1 rated market timer by Timer Digest.

"StreetTracks Gold seeks to reflect the performance of the price of gold bullion, less the trust's expenses. The trust holds gold, and is expected to issue baskets in exchange for deposits of gold, and to distribute gold in connection with redemption of baskets.

"The gold held by the trust will only be sold on an as-needed basis to pay trust expenses, in the event the trust terminates and liquidates its assets, or as otherwise required by law or regulation. The trust is not managed like an active investment vehicle, and it's not registered as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

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 Picks Report.

streetTRACKS Gold Trust (NYSE: GLD) is the top pick for conservative investors for 2007 from technician Mark Leibovit. The editor of VRTrader explains, "streetTracks Gold Trust is an investment trust whose shares strive to reflect the performance of the price of gold bullion, less the trust's expenses.

"The trust holds gold and is expected to issue baskets in exchange for deposits of gold, and to distribute gold in connection with redemptions of baskets. The gold held by the trust will only be sold on an as-needed basis to pay trust expenses, in the event the trust terminates and liquidates its assets, or as otherwise required by law or regulation.

"The streetTracks Gold Trust is not managed like an active investment vehicle, and it's not registered as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Our upside target for gold is unlimited, but let's call it $850 and then $1,000 over the next two years -- which translates in to GLD trading first at $85 and then the $100 level."

To see Mark's favorite speculative idea for 2007, click here.

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 Picks Report.

Pinetree Capital Corp. (TSX: PNP) (Other OTC: PNPFF) is the top pick for speculative investors for 2007 from technical analyst Mark Leibovit. The editor of VRTrader says, "Pinetree is a diversified investment and merchant banking firm focused on the small cap market. Its investments are primarily in the resources sector: uranium, oil and gas, precious metals, and base metals.

"Its investment approach is to build a macro position in a sector, find the micro-cap opportunities in that sector, and work with those companies to build them to commercial production and create an exit.

"Our primary interest in Pinetree is for its strength as a uranium play. Spot uranium has hit a new bull market high of $60/lb. as growing demand on a worldwide level for uranium grows, based on the recognition that nuclear generated power is the only true long-term answer to our energy needs.

"The upside target in Pinetree is unlimited, depending on whether or not a buying panic ensues for uranium shares. It is our view that larger fish will eventually be gobbling up all available uranium resources to insure future supply for current and soon-to-be-built nuclear plants. Upside target is set for $30 for now, looking through 2007."

To see Mark's favorite conservative idea for 2007, click here.