Despite the markets taking a well-earned sabbatical, I love this time of year on the investment calendar. It draws a line under the year gone and allows us to take stock of where our investment strategy is at and where it’s heading. In bad times the break can be the catalyst the market needs to regain a little impetus. In good times the break can serve to simply reinforce market direction. But then of course – as always in this game – the exact opposite can and probably will happen (insert evil laugh)…

Whatever the case, even in the worst of times it allows for just a sneaky bit of optimism to return to a few, at least for a day or two.

And early January tends to bring the tipsters out in droves. Some hang it all on the line, letting their hard-earned rep’s swing in the small-cap and emerging market winds, whilst others take a more defensive approach. If nothing else they give you some sweeping views of financial what-ifs for the coming year.

Below is a handful of articles that should get you thinking of some possibles for 2010. Some list equities, some list markets, some offer general market opinion.

If you bare in mind that a stock tip is a mere starting point for some good ol’ fashioned company homework, then who knows…

• Where the experts will be putting their money (Times Online)
• My ten sterling stock tips for 2010 (Times Online)
• Heatwaves, trade wars and a World Cup victory for Brazil (FT.com)
• 10 stock tips for 2010 (MSN Money UK)
• 2010 stock market predictions (MSN Money UK)
• Fund and share tips for 2010 (Telegraph)
• Twenty top trades to beat the market (Times Online)
• Should we fear a stock market bubble? (Guardian)

I wish all those dropping by a jaw-droppingly prosperous 2010. May all your arrows be blue (except when you’re shorting).

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