Bad news tends to dominate the headlines and we often miss the signs of good news that are buried lower on the page. One example of good news was the unemployment rate for November falling to 7.7%, a four-year low.

As people return to work, the economy should grow, and that growth will benefit a number of companies. Energy companies are usually among the winners in a growing economy. These companies can be risky, though, especially if the price of oil falls, but there are some companies that are diversified energy plays.