Ever since the broad market indexes entered into bear market territory and the dollar stopped falling against most of the major currencies, I have been checking the international dividend achievers list for bargains. I came up with the following dividend stocks list, using the followoing screen criteria:

The recent buyout of Alpha Natural Resources Inc. (ANR) by Cleveland Cliffs Inc. (CLF) could ignite more than $50 billion worth of M&A deals in the U.S. coal industry over the next few years as Mainland China rushes to solve a major energy shortfall.

Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc. (MER) has raised its annual infrastructure-spending estimate for emerging markets by 80%, as developing countries try to keep pace with fast-growing economies and large cash reserves, BusinessWeek reported.

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.

Crude oil is grabbing the headlines but it’s coal and uranium that together provide nearly half the world’s power.

So it follows that as worldwide demand for electricity skyrockets - as it will - the shares of companies that provide these two key fuels also will take flight.

Some ugly facts about Australia's overvalued, emerging, "sexy", fast growing iron ore producers. As Christopher Brown says: "Most people want to own sexy, fast-growing stocks. But as Buffett says, you pay a dear price for a cheery consensus."

No, it’s not Christmas in July, for those of you like me who remember when retailers would do “Christmas in July” sales. The season I am referring to is the earnings season that kicked off two weeks ago with Alcoa’s earnings report.