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With any disaster comes opportunity. And while it is difficult to see any silver lining right now through the oil-slicked, devastated waters of the Gulf of Mexico, something good may come of the spill. It may help stop a highly problematic piece of legislation--the American Power Act, better known as the cap-and-trade bill.

Markets around the world have taken a few steps back in the past month, and there are a number of factors contributing to this newfound fear among investors. The debt crisis in Europe is, of course, the obvious event to point a finger at when explaining the recent market stall and decline. And a depressed Euro along with the Gulf oil spill are further adding to the instability. But there is one factor quietly lurking in the background that has been impacting the markets more than you might think.