Word is that retailers will be having a very cold holiday season this year. In fact, MasterCard has noted that sales of apparel, shoes, and appliances dropped considerably in the first two weeks of November. Consumers are being a little thriftier when it comes to extras as they're worried about unemployment and the recent news of a financial crisis. But no matter what's going on in the economy, there are just things that people need, staple items.

An investment in staples means you're banking on something that people are always going to need and will always purchase, no matter what the economy forecast is. Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR (NYSE: XLP) is an excellent way to invest in a variety of staples in one single investment purchase. This exchange traded fund (ETF) includes companies from food and drug retailing, beverages, household products and personal products. Items that are clearly essential to daily living.

With a single stock -- XLP you will get shares of such noted companies as the Coca Cola Co. (NYSE: KO), Colgate Palmolive (NYSE: CL), Kraft Foods Inc. (NYSE: KFT), PepsiCo Inc. (NYSE: PEP), Procter & Gamble Co. (NYSE: PG), and Wal-Mart Stores (NYSE: WMT). These are all well-known household names that will continue to be market leaders in any financial environment. If you want to invest in things that people need, XLP is a sound choice.

"Cash is king," counsels market sector expert Jim Farrish who has chosen "cash" as his latest "sector spotlight". Here is his latest on the need for "patience" from his SectorExchange service.

The sector expert explains, "The market volatility and downside momentum has been king for 2008. Outside of short term trading and/or being short the markets the best place to have been invested is cash.

"My question is why is it so hard for investors to hold cash in their portfolios? Why do so many investment advisors not increase cash positions when market trends shift? Why do professionally managed mutual funds not increase their cash holdings?

"It goes against the psychological grain of investing. It is human nature to believe we may miss out on something. The emotions of investing are in full swing when a prolonged downtrend begins. These emotions dictate how we think and how we act during this period.

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.

"We have chosen Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO) as our favorite for 2008," says Jim Farrish, editor of Sector Exchange.

"Looking into 2008, one area we like is technology, and one of the stronger sub sectors has been the internet. It is important to note the build-out of the internet is not done. Content is still being created at a rate no one can fathom and technological advances continue to explode.

"This brave new world comes with the ability to provide internet video downloading at a rate that will excite and attract users like never before. Why? First, the ability to increasingly compress data and more effectively use bandwidth and second, the expanding infrastructure of the internet.

"While the sector has struggled since the negative Cisco earnings announcement in November, we see opportunity in this downward move. If we consider the reason for the decline, we find it wasn't fundamental; it was judgmental.

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.

"Homebuilders have been in a slump, to say the least," says Jim Farrish, editor of Sector Exchange.

"The technical charts on homebuilders look very similar to those of technology stocks during their rise from 1998-2000. In fact, the index has declined more than 70% peak to trough. Looking toward 2008 and the housing market, we could start to see a turnaround.

"The start is likely to be government aided, which is why we like this as an aggressive play, as the Federal government will put more money into fixing something than corporate America. Current proposals will not come close to fixing it, but will at least put a band aid on the situation and allow the healing process to begin.

"Our vote to benefit here would be Toll Brothers (NYSE: TOL). The company has one of the better-looking balance sheets in the industry and management has done a fairly good job of dealing with this downside market.