recovery

The short-term investors may account for most of the daily trading volume in stock markets, but slow and steady usually wins the investment race. The trick is to identify stocks likely to perform well over a period of years -- or even decades. Here are three strong options.

The real estate market has endured a few years of painful price drops, and home values may have a bit further to fall. But independent experts say the bottom is very close. With prices in many areas at 2002 levels, and mortgage rates at 5%, this may be the moment for you to buy a home.

With U.S. gas prices near historic highs, Americans are anxious about the cost of filling up. But we still feel far less pain at the pump than drivers in many other developed nations. On the flip side, if you drive in the right world cities, you can still pay less than $1 a gallon.

As the economy picks back up, more and more people are working from home. The number of home-based U.S. businesses will grow by more than 10% over the next four years, and the number of telecommuters will rise by 12%. But that's not all based on the recovery: Many are victims of the recession.

Online retailer Overstock.com ended its last fiscal year on a strong note, and now it's gearing up for an international expansion. Outspoken CEO Patrick Byrne discusses the company, as well as his views on sales tax, short selling and the economy.

It's easy to be pessimistic these days. Libya's civil war, surging oil prices and the disaster in Japan have combined forces to send financial markets tumbling. But the cold, hard facts about the economy paint a more optimistic picture.

Beware of the constant metaphors used to frame the world economy as if it were a war or zero-sum competition. Investors should remember that economies cooperate as much as they compete on the world stage. The current U.S. manufacturing boom is a case study.

Goldman Sachs drew some undeserved ire when it recently pointed to proposed cuts in federal spending as a key near-term risk. While the proposed cuts are modest, they could still undermine the rebound at a critical time.

The notion that somehow public workers' pay packages are breaking the state budget just don't hold up. These workers' entire compensation package -- salary, health care, pensions, etc. -- make up a tiny fraction of Wisconsin's spending.

After a few comatose years following the financial crisis, the IPO market is roaring back. And with names like Facebook and Groupon driving the rumor mill, smaller investors are wondering how to get in on the action. The answer: Carefully, thanks to the many risks.