The unnerving scenes from the Middle East this week have pushed oil prices higher, with November crude futures (CLX24) closing today above $70 for the first time since Sept. 24. At the same time, reports today suggested that the Saudi oil minister may be considering a price war, as he reportedly warned fellow members of OPEC last week that prices could fall as low as $50 per barrel if countries don't adhere to planned production quotas.
Against this tense macroeconomic backdrop for oil, dividend stocks can offer some refuge. The best dividend stocks offer a stable source of passive income for investors, and are generally companies that have an established track record of earnings growth, established over the course of navigating various different business cycles over the years.
