Knowledge@Wharton

Jeremy Siegel of Wharton

Stocks are still the best bet for long-term investors, offering better returns than bonds or cash, says Wharton finance professor Jeremy Siegel. But with all the turmoil in the financial services industry, he's not betting on quick gains in the S&P 500.

Gold prices tend to ride a wave of investor emotion, says noted economist Jeremy Siegel. Investors and speculators have bid gold prices up over the past year because they consider it a safe haven amid worries about the credit crunch, slowing economy, rising inflation and stock market volatility. "Once the fears are past, gold goes back down."

With a slowing economy and fear-inducing headlines popping up every day, there's still one ray of light-the middle market. Find out why in this insightful exploration into the world of $500 million to $1 billion deals.

Brazil's real estate market, awakened from its lethargy in mid-2005, has continued to grow, fed by the country's economic and political stability, the powerful reduction in interest rates, and the measures taken by the Lula government to provide incentives for civil construction and home buying.