Consumer discretionary names have suffered as budget-conscious consumers have reined in spending. But weakness breeds opportunity. We sat down with John Harris, manager of Fidelity Select Consumer Discretionary (FSCPX), to discuss where we are in the discretionary cycle and where investors should look if they want to make a cyclical bet on recovery. Read More

We talk to two investing experts who tell us what to buy now and why. Read More

I continue to expect a pullback in the market this fall, but I think that will present an excellent buying opportunity--economic data continue to point towards recovery. Read More

Over the past few months anyone with an e-mail account has probably been contacted about managed futures. Here’s look at what they are and how they work. Read More

These are the top funds in five major categories, ranked according to three-year returns. We primarily consider funds with managers in place for at least three years; the only exceptions are managers with at least three years' experience in a similar capacity. We don't rank funds with front or back-end loads greater than 3 percent or funds that are closed to new investors, have less than $25 million in assets, have minimums of $10,000 or more, have trust restrictions or are single-state muni-bond funds. All data as of 07/31/09. Read More

There’s been a lot of froth in the markets lately, with small-cap stock funds performing especially well in the rally off the March lows. But that doesn’t mean that investors should just throw money at every small-cap name--there should always be a reason to expect an upside. Read More

We’re strong believers in active management and have always liked focused funds that have an understandable method which has proven itself over the years. Read More

Prior to taking the helm of Janus Global Life Sciences (JFNAX) in 2007, Andrew Acker spent four years co-managing the fund. In 2008, the first full year of his tenure, the fund suffered a crushing 29 percent loss. It’s since rallied more than 30 percent off the March lows and now ranks in the top quintile of the health care category. We spoke with Acker to get an expert’s take on the likelihood of a health care reform package being passed and the shape it ultimately might take. Read More

The specter of uncertainty continues to haunt the health care sector and in the case of many individual names, investors appear to be pricing in Armageddon. Health care reform will pose challenges for some companies in the industry, but the pervading uncertainty offers an opportunity to pick up quality names on the cheap. Read More

Kvetching over the limited effectiveness of the federal stimulus package has become almost deafening. But the din of road construction will eventually drown out the critics. Here’s how to profit from the noise. Read More