Gold ETF

Ten investors survey the rubble from this week's shakeup and see opportunities everywhere. It's time to quiet those nerves and deploy your dollars to take advantage of fire-sale prices. Here's a rundown of investment ideas -- stocks, mutual funds, ETFs, and otherwise.

With gold trading at around $1,600 an ounce, this most precious of metals seems to many like a smart investment. And if you have a television, you've doubtless seen ads encouraging you to buy physical gold. But think twice: Owning bullion can be more trouble than it's worth, and alternatives exist.

Thanks to the Greek debt crisis and other economic shocks, investors have been rushing into gold all year. Is this just a herd mentality at work, or is it a wise assessment of the economic road that lies ahead?

The smart money has moved away from stocks. So is the era of stock investing over? It's too early to tell, but one thing is certain: "Money goes where it is treated best, and that hasn't been in stocks," says one expert.