There's a deep-seated and superstitious refusal to name what we fear. Believing "Macbeth"to be unlucky, Shakespearean actors refer only to "the Scottish play."
A recent study of Americans between 45 and 64 years showed that just over 7 in 10 cited lack of money as the single greatest factor that may prevent them from enjoying a retirement as comfortable as that of their parents.
As prices for fossil fuels soar and as the environment becomes an ever larger concern, ecofriendly plastics are becoming increasingly competitive, though they still remain a niche market.
The demise of a German law that had made a takeover of Volkswagen impractical clears the way for anyone to put in a bid. VW's cross-country rival Porsche would probably win, however, but that is for the best, as many investment advisers see it.
Higher commodity prices have hit profit margins at food and drink producers and sent share prices into a tailspin. Analysts see plenty of buying opportunities.
The bad news is that many banks and financial services companies lost a lot in the subprime crisis. But some say the mess has been cleared up and investors can now focus on underlying quality.
Tourists do not go to Britain for the weather, and investors do not put their money there because they crave excitement. The London stock market tends to be less volatile than others.
To increase auditor choice, British regulators want to allow smaller accounting firms to grow and handle the financial audits of big companies. But the forces of the audit market are pushing the other way.
Funds that buy European stocks felt pain from the subprime fallout; politics hurt Japan funds, while offshore, rest-of-Asia-focused and bond funds prospered.
High flying China funds got most of the attention in the volatile third quarter, but Asia funds that shop the region's smaller countries turned in strong performances as well.
