Is protecting your nest egg worth paying the government for the privilege? A split is forming among advocates of these ultra-defensive investments.
Friday's jobs numbers reveal that, despite unprecedented money printing from global central banks, the real economy continues to stall.
Tepid economic growth, political turmoil, budget cuts, stalled earnings growth, yet stocks are pushing to new highs? It's all about the Fed.
For the first time in 4 years, GDP growth in the 7 largest economies actually shrank. Will the decline continue?
The true nature of the easing efforts is only revealed after taking into account other government activities.
After a few weeks of impressive buying, risky assets are starting to weaken again.
This power company's shares are backed by the full faith and credit of people who don't want their lights turned off. Meanwhile, Treasurys are riskier than ever.
While the blue chips come back from a 198-point loss, traders fear more declines ahead. Disney results cheer Street. Fossil tumbles after warning European sales are softening. McDonald's April sales disappoint. Oil briefly drops below $96.
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TOP STOCKS
Here's a list of ways to profit from the potential move from defensive to cyclical stocks.
MARKET DISPATCHES
The Market Dispatches column has been discontinued. Here's where to find the latest stock and business news on MSN Money, and the latest from market writer Charley Blaine.
FRUGAL COOL
Starting Monday, this site is joining forces with MSN Money Smart Spending. Here's why.
MONEY & POLITICS
Breaking up big banks is an untested solution to the too big to fail problem that attempts to isolate and dismantle large, troubled institutions while protecting the rest of the economy.
SMART SPENDING
Children from lower income families are at greater risk of suffering accidental injuries and being sickened by food, according to a Consumer Federation of America study.
SMART TAXES
The IRS is struggling to combat identify thieves who file fraudulent tax returns in the names of older residents who don't need to file.

