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Traders work in the ten-year U.S. Treasury Note options pit at the Chicago Board of Trade in Chicago, Illinois.
These are some of the items on Byron Wien's annual list of "surprises."
Wien told CNBC Wednesday he remains optimistic about a rising stock market in 2012, an improving U.S. economy and a Europe that manages to come up with a long-lasting plan to solve its financial problems.
"Europe has much too much to lose if the European Union dissolves," Wien said. That's why he thinks Greece and Italy will stay in the EU even though he expects a Greek default and the "strong possibility" of an Italian default on its debt .
Wien sees oil falling to $85 a barrel as more oil is extracted from shale and rock. "Extraction from resources in the U.S. is going to be a game changer," he said. He is also still bullish on gold, saying it will go for $1,800 a troy ounce.
He told CNBC his own investments include U.S. equities, large-cap multinationals, energy, some pharmaceuticals and technology. He named no specific companies.