With the share markets trading on a one year forward multiple of around 11 times the climate for heightened M&A activity over the next 12 months is likely to gather momentum.

Having fallen 10 per cent from its April highs, the share market does look decidedly cheap.

Given the growing global competition, especially amongst thermal coal exporters, Australia's low-cost high-energy coals will become more desirable.

The climate for heightened M&A activity over the next 12 months is likely to gather momentum.

Having fallen 10 per cent since its April highs, the share market does look decidedly cheap.

Australian small and micro caps present investors with some attractive buying opportunities.

A few dozen of Australia's highest-emitting polluters are expected to pay a whopping 75 per cent of the government's proposed carbon tax-take between them.

Given the growing global competition, especially amongst thermal coal exporters, Australia's low-cost high-energy coals will become more desirable.

It's no secret that an investor rotation out of resource stocks - increasingly exposed to commodity price weakness - and into under-valued industrials and US/Asian assets has been gathering momentum for the last few months.

Following the fallout from Japan's natural disaster in March, now's the time to identify prime buying opportunities within the sector.

Australian small and micro caps present investors with some attractive buying opportunities.

A few dozen of Australia's highest-emitting polluters are expected to pay a whopping 75 per cent of the government's proposed carbon tax-take between them.

Investors have overlooked these "pockets of value" in favour of easy capital gains from small to mid-cap miners.

Recent commodity price falls suggest that a lot of hot speculative money is now rapidly leaving the sector.

There's an argument for investors locking in some of their money on longer term deposit - over one to three years - with rates of 6 per cent or better

Investors have overlooked these "pockets of value" in favour of easy capital gains from small to mid-cap miners.

Shane Oliver AMP Capital Investors chief economist expects the A$ to trade as high as $US1.10 by year end on the underlying strength of increasing demand for Australian commodities.

A few brave souls have even speculated that the RBA could be in rate-cutting mode by mid-year.

The outlook for listed IT services companies is better than it has been for many years.

After falling to a low of US$0.81 early in 2010, the Aussie dollar has appreciated by 20 percent.

The outlook for listed IT services companies is better than it has been for many years.

Growing piles of surplus cash on balance sheets, modest debt positions, earnings growth and limited opportunity for suitable acquisitions are expected to make capital management a prevailing theme for 2011.

Can REITs recover from post-GFC lows, or are you better off in cash?

For investors this represents a golden opportunity to ride the current boom by choosing the best of the companies within a sector that has consistently outperformed the market.

This could be a golden opportunity to ride the current boom by choosing the best of the companies within a sector that has consistently outperformed the market.

There are six sectors that are expected to deliver between 11 and 22 per cent growth in 2011.

IPOs exposed to precious or base metals within offshore markets like Mongolia should attract investors' attention

Mark Story reveals the stocks that brokers expect to perform well this reporting season, and those to watch out for.

It's the ASX Small Industrials Index that brokers expect to outperform both their resources counterparts and larger peers this year.

When TheBull asked analysts to identify the sectors and stocks they expected to be on either side of the regulatory reform ledger in 2011, here's what they said.