Over the last year, swine flu has been the news story that just won’t die. After an early initial scare, H1N1 faded into the background of the minds of many for several months, before returning in full force as flu season approached. Of course, the threat posed by the disease never really diminished, and health authorities continued preparation for a worst case scenario behind the scenes (as did pharmaceutical companies around the world). The ultimate outcome of all this anxiety is still very much in doubt. Flu season could pass with an uneventful whimper or deliver thousands of fatalities and cause yet another global crisis. [click to continue…]
Over the past several months, concerns over the fallout from the massive stimulus plans, rising unemployment, and continued weakness in corporate earnings have left many investors rethinking their allocations to U.S. equities. Once considered an essential element of any portfolio, American stocks have fallen out of favor with some investors who have shifted assets towards [...]
