Brazil is no longer just a tourist hot spot, but a solid profit play for savvy investors, too. And one of the best ways to profit from Brazil’s expected 4.8% growth in gross domestic product this year is to invest in one of the Latin American nation’s infrastructure-focused firms.

Steelmakers throughout Asia cringed earlier this week when they heard the news that Aussie mining giant Rio Tinto PLC (ADR: RTP) had secured a 97% price increase for its iron-ore. But getting Rio out of the way was only half the battle, because now steelmakers are forced to confront BHP Billiton Ltd. (ADR: BHP) and its chief executive, Marius Kloppers, who may not be so easily placated.

The extent of Australia's commodities boom was underlined yesterday by an Australian government report predicting export earnings from commodities would rise a whopping 40% $201bn in the financial year to June 2009, led by a 48% surge in mineral exports to A$178bn — the biggest rise in four decades.

There are plenty of stocks to choose from. There are more than 30 Brazilian companies with full American Depository Receipt (ADR) listings on the New York Stock Exchange, plus 40 to 50 more that are traded in the over-the-counter market. Here are a few attractive examples to consider.

Middle Eastern countries know their oil supplies aren’t going to last forever. So they’re pumping more than $2 trillion into new, long-term economic projects - such as brand new cities that will function as both business and vacation hot spots.

Commodities across the board- hard, soft, and tender- have all been obliterated in just a day and a half as rumors go around that hedge funds who were leveraged up trading commodities have to unwind that leverage, causing a run on commodity profits like a run on Bear Stearns last week. Others are pointing to the strong (i.e.