For the U.S. stock market, 2011 was a long wild ride to nowhere.

The broad S&P 500 endured huge daily swings but a year of drama left the index almost where it started. It lost a mere 0.003 percent, closest to unchanged since 1947, according to Standard & Poor's.

Is fracking environmentally safe? That's a key question surrounding the fast-growing method of gas and oil extraction-and one that's triggered debate since the process became more economically viable.

Is fracking environmentally safe? That's a key question surrounding the fast-growing method of gas and oil extraction -- and one that's triggered debate since the process became more economically viable.

I recently returned from FORBES’ “Cruise for ­Investors,” with ports of call in Greece, Israel, Cyprus and Turkey. Even more intriguing than the places we visited was the feedback I got from the 96 cruisers attending. Most of these folks are affluent, postretirement and either married or widowed. They can afford the finer things in life and have a good deal of free time on their hands. All were loyal FORBES readers, real Capitalist Tools.

China's slower economic growth is just one of many things weighing on investors' minds in 2011, and some posit a Chinese hard landing is in store in 2012. However, our analysis finds a re-acceleration far likelier.

What a difference two and a half years make: In May 2009, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh won a landslide reelection on his platform of economic reform, and high hopes drove India's stock market up a whopping 20% the next day. But aside from free trade agreements with South Korea and ASEAN, progress has been limited.

Last week's unemployment rate drop gave the economy's bulls and bears alike something to cheer. The bulls pointed to the drop as a clear sign of broad employment improvement. The bears pointed to it as a sign of the still-all-too-high unemployment rate that could tip us into the next recession. But neither analysis is really right.

The United States faces only limited fallout from the euro zone debt crisis and the struggling European economy, a situation that bodes well for U.S. equity markets in 2012, top U.S. money managers said on Monday.

Fisher, a long-time Forbes columnist and author of several books on the markets, is particularly bullish, saying he does not expect either Europe or the United States to slip into recession in 2012. Fisher said he prefers European leaders do nothing to deal with the sovereign debt crisis in Italy and Spain because he fears anything they agree to would only make things worse.

New blog offers perspectives on market-related topics and news outside the US

It seems November was a good month for private sector job creation—with 206,000 jobs added when only 130,000 were expected. Add that to revised numbers in October and September—October saw 130,000 added instead of the previously reported 110,000, and September jumped to 116,000 from 91,000. What’s more, small firms added the lion’s share, and even the construction industry saw some job gains.

Pretty much everything I read these days suggests much the same: "As the euro goes, so goes the world." I'm not so sure. Particularly for stock investors, maybe the euro and its zone are headed for more trouble, but the world can move on. Unfathomable?

Historical data shows unemployment rises even after recessions end.

In a new twist on the “income inequality” debate, evidently, older people earn more than younger people. The reason why this tautology is news now is because, according to the Pew Center, the gap is wider than ever.

Fisher Investments released its latest Stock Market Outlook, a quarterly research report published by the firm’s in-house research team under the direction of the Investment Policy Committee.

Third-quarter earnings season is in full swing, with 315 S&P 500 firms reporting through Oct. 28, with enough data, in our view, to get a decent picture of what the full quarter may look like.

Economists, both Keynesian and other in bent, have at least one area of commonality: The belief there's an aspect of economics that numerical studies or analysis of plans and policies can't explain. It's the behavioral aspect that drives consumers to spend and businesses to take risk: in Keynesian lingo, "animal spirits." In classical econo-speak, "confidence."

Q3 US GDP growth came in at 2.5%—in line with analyst estimates but certainly much faster than what media headlines predicted. All year, folks have feared a recession ahead—the so-called “double dip” (which are predicted vastly more than they’re ever seen). GDP is the big headline grabber—but it’s far from the only sign the world is not only healthier than most think, but in fact reaccelerating.

Back in January, President Obama suggested all existing federal legislation be reviewed to slash “overly burdensome” regulation. Who can argue with that? Simplifying existing rules would, theoretically, save costs while making existing regulations clearer and more effective. All good things.

It's no secret that economic sentiment is low. Consumer and business confidence surveys have deteriorated worldwide for months. Headlines bemoan an economy on the brink, and some say recession is here already. Yet simultaneously, the balance of economic data has consistently outstripped expectations, registered continued growth and painted a vastly different picture than many might think.

This may be unpopular to say, but the US likely isn’t headed for recession. At least, that’s what the data suggests.

Next year Americans will either re-elect a Democrat or newly elect a Republican. Forget which party you favour - this is a sweet-spot intersection of markets and politics regardless of who wins, says Ken Fisher.

This is simply a lighthearted blog on politics and isn’t even closely related to the normal serious content of my print magazine Forbes columns. And it’s about an upcoming bomb and one that few foresee but is ever predictable. And it’s ridiculous but very real! And because of it, Herman Cain may be the one who bombs. It could alternately be titled, “Bill Clinton Lesson 274” because there are so many almost ridiculous but useful lessons from his era.

A core issue in the debate over the Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Reform Act of 2011 is the idea China’s currency manipulation is sapping the US of jobs—primarily manufacturing jobs.

Steve Jobs while he lived was occasionally criticized for not being more charitable—like his compatriot and competitor Bill Gates or Warren Buffett. Hogwash.

Almost every day you can find in media commentary that XYZ is causing stocks to fall (or rise). Such definitive statements are common—but what’s almost always missing is statistical proof. And if you cannot prove, statistically, two things are linked, you don’t have much basis for believing Event X causes Outcome Y . . . and shouldn’t make market bets based on them.

The U.S. Census Bureau recently released data indicating 15.1% of Americans were living below the poverty line in 2010 - the third consecutive annual increase and up from 12.5% in 2007, before the financial panic and recession. Also making recent headlines was President Obama's latest jobs plan, to be funded primarily by $1.5 trillion in increased taxes, aimed mostly at the "wealthy."

In Obama’s jobs plan (which Democrats don’t appear to be in a big rush to pass), the much-maligned credit ratings agencies appear to be getting a boost. The plan dictates that to qualify for funds from a proposed “infrastructure bank,” a project must have an investment-grade rating from a ratings agency (i.e., S&P, Moody’s or Fitch).

Mr. Obama recently revealed his plan to reduce the budget deficit by $3 trillion over the next ten years. It won't work. Not because his plan is credible or not or the political climate. Rather, because 10-year projections of any sort are impossible to make. Particularly in politics.

Investment Firm Will Participate in Upcoming Campus Recruiting Event at Brigham Young University.

Unless Mitt Romney can legitimately sell himself as a die-hard Lynyrd Skynyrd fan, Rick Perry is likely the 2012 Republican nominee, in my view.

International trade is an important and volatile component of global economic growth, one that's commonly misunderstood. For example, last Thursday's U.S. Commerce Department report on trade led off with a discussion of a $6.8 billion reduction in our trade deficit, to a minus $44.8 billion.

Woodside-based money management firm initiates campus recruiting at UC Berkeley.

Seems everyone these days has a suggestion for "fixing the jobs problem." Which we'd agree is improving slower than most would like.

Even during the most robust economic expansions on record, economic data often gyrate -- speeding and slowing.

Fisher Investments released a new research paper on the current state of European banks. The report provides an in-depth analysis of the financial health of European banking institutions and discusses their potential impact on the global economy.

Fisher Investments is preparing for the upcoming campus recruiting season by planning visits to nearly a dozen West Coast schools, ranging from the Pacific Northwest down through Southern California.

Fisher Investments is planning to release its latest Capital Markets Update video—a roundtable discussion with the five members of the firm's Investment Policy Committee (IPC)—outlining their forecast for the balance of 2011 and the underlying reasons.

August's Conference Board consumer confidence index showed consumers decidedly unconfident—the index fell to its lowest level since April 2009 and down sharply from July.

Fisher Investments published a new infographic summarizing market trends in presidential election years.

Bethenny Frankel took home an estimated $55 million in 2010 for selling a chunk of her Skinnygirl brand—plus her books, TV shows, appearances and a memorable incident with a champagne bucket.

"My advice to Mr. Buffett is to stick to what he does best. If you took a vote of The Forbes 400 I am pretty sure they'd say no to raising taxes on cap gains."

Presidential hopeful Rick Perry's brash appeal to the Republican Party's fiscally conservative base may fall flat with big donors who favor a more moderate candidate to challenge President Barack Obama in the 2012 election.

For presidential hopefuls in a campaign that is all about the U.S. economy, the Republican contenders have offered few clear plans for what they would do to get the country's finances back on track.

Now that the debt ceiling debate's been settled, a 12-member congressional commission will scrutinize where and how taxpayer dollars are spent.

In recent weeks, it's easy to find a lot to be frustrated about regarding markets.

Much has been made of S&P's $2 trillion "math error." Funny indeed. Except the error was based on government baseline growth and spending estimates, which are rarely, ahem, accurate.

The recession proved to be grueling for most businesses, but the financial services industry took an especially brutal hit. Massive layoffs, government bailouts, negative headlines and countless scandals damaged the public's perception of some of the biggest finance firms.

Italy took a step forward Thursday, as its Senate passed a €40 billion austerity bill with a 26-vote margin. The bill hits parliament's lower house Friday, and with all sides vocally unified on austerity it seems likely to pass.

High unemployment remains a major headline grabber-with the implication that ongoing high unemployment (which even ticked up with the last BLS release) is a material economic negative.

Retail Sales Trounced Expectations in June--Even Though Consumers Said They'd Spend Less

Misperceptions about global trade and currency prices abound—yet another recent example surrounds China's artificially low-priced yuan and corresponding large trade surplus.

Ross Stores' ROST third-quarter earnings were in line with our expectations and we are sticking with our fair value estimate of $26 a share.

On July 16, Forbes magazine's Portfolio Strategy columnist Ken Fisher will mark his 27th year writing his column.

Tomorrow Fisher Investments will release an executive summary preview of its upcoming Third Quarter 2011 Stock Market Outlook, which the firm regularly publishes for investors interested in learning about its most recent market views.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke provided investors with little incentive to commit fresh funds on Wall Street as the central bank cut its economic growth forecast for 2011.

Fisher Investments is taking steps to move forward on construction of two additional buildings on its Fisher Creek Campus in northwest Camas.

Judging by the questions, the crowd gathered to hear Fisher Investments CEO Ken Fisher speak Tuesday was hoping  for some news of the company's future in Clark County.

Four years ago, Fisher Investments started moving a portion of it's client service operations to Clark County. Now the investment management firm with $44 billion in assets under management is preparing to take a new step in the process of cementing its future in Southwest Washington.

Fisher Investments has begun testing social platforms to expand distribution of its educational content.

My father, Philip Fisher, always believed management was the key. Warren Buffett said that when great management meets a lousy business it's the management's reputation that changes (and vice versa). They would both agree: A great management in a great business purchased at a great price is, well, great.

SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro leads annual list; exclusive interviews and insights available in the May issue of Investment Advisor and online throughout the month on AdvisorOne.com.

Fisher Investments plans to continue hiring in its Vancouver, Washington office throughout the spring and summer months of 2011.

Fisher Investments released its latest Capital Markets Update video—a roundtable discussion with the five members of the firm's Investment Policy Committee (IPC)—outlining their forecast for the balance of 2011 and answering some common investor questions.

Last month I predicted a flattish stock market, frustrating for most, but tailor-made for stock pickers. We have too many bulls and bears--and few in between. The market almost always does what few folks forecast.

Events in the Middle East have dominated the news in recent weeks, and been a major factor in the rise in energy prices.

Ken Fisher is a relatively new member of the prestigious Forbes 400 Richest People in America list, having been "inducted" in 2005.

Interview with Wallace Forbes

Oil has always been a wild card for stocks, and its rise to $100 a barrel for the first time since 2008 has investors worried about the nearly uninterrupted run of bullish trading since the autumn.

Market breadth weakened and a prominent investor retreated from bullish positions as a vulnerable U.S. stock market slipped off 2-1/2-year highs on Tuesday.

Billionaire investor Kenneth Fisher said the biggest U.S. companies will lead global stocks in 2011 even as returns diminish after a 21-month bull market.