• Challenges for Oilfield Service Firms - The fall in crude oil prices is making investors and lenders cautious which is creating challenges for oilfield service firms.

• France after QE - Last week the European Central Bank (ECB) unveiled a quantitative easing program worth $1.3 trillion, hoping to revive the Eurozone.

• Euro Rebounds - The euro gained from an 11-year low on the rumor that “fallout” from the election in Greece.

• Chinese Stimulus Helps Growth - Industrial production rose 7.9% and retail sales beat economists’ estimates in December due to the start of stimulus efforts in China.

• World Economy Estimates Down - According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the world economy will only grow 3.5% in 2015 and 3.7% in 2016.

• The Gas Price Debate - John Hofmeister, the former president of Shell Oil, is warning drivers that the low gas prices may end sooner than they think.

• Earnings Forecasts Fall - After equity valuations were at their highest level since 2010, first quarter earnings projections are falling across nine out of 10 industries.

• Russian Bankruptcies on the Horizon? - Unless Russia cuts its interest rates soon there will be a “wave of” bankruptcies, according to Anatoly Aksakov, president of Russia’s regional banking association.

• Encouraging Jobs Gains - December ended on a strong note adding 252,000 jobs, according to the U.S. Labor Department.

• German Inflation Weak - Consumer prices in Germany are idling and according to the Federal Statistics office, inflation slowed to 0.1% in December the weakest since 2009.

• Waiting Game: U.S. Oil Hedges - Rather than waiting until their “price insurance” runs out U.S. oil companies are cashing in their “well-placed” hedges to increase their number of future barrels hedged.

• The Falling Euro - The Euro hit its lowest level against the U.S. dollar in nine years today, down about 14% since May 2014.

• Prediction: U.S. Bond Yields Up - Analysts on Wall Street are cautioning that in 2015 U.S. government bonds are going to have a “disastrous” year.

• Oil Edges Up - Crude oil rose to $60 per barrel on Monday led by the fear that Libya will disrupt production because of blockades and protests.

• Russia Continues to Struggle - The Russian central bank is using its foreign currency supplies, to the tune of $110 billion this year, to bolster the ruble.

• U.S. Industrial Production Rises - U.S. industrial production rose 1.3% last month, the most since May 2010, beating the median forecast of 0.7%.

• OPEC Not Cutting Production - Suhail Al-Mazrouei, energy minister for the United Arab Emirates, said that even if prices fall below $40 a barrel, OPEC is not planning to cut oil production.

• Change in Fed Policy This Week? - The Fed’s policy-setting committee will decide whether they will make a change to one of their “critical” policy statements that will permit interest rate increases in 2015.