Elections in Greece and France over the weekend have ushered in a new period of uncertainty for financial markets that could stand in the way of the easy-money rally that boosted stocks at the start of the year.

US and global corporate earnings have grown for nine straight quarters—nearly all big, double-digit quarterly growth. Revenue, a more direct reflection of the growing global economy, has also grown consistently of late. But now, consensus expectations are full-year 2012 earnings growth will be slower than 2011's 15%.

For decades, many U.S. investors have feared the decline of American manufacturing. Some point to manufacturing's falling share of the economy, others to the loss of U.S. manufacturing jobs. However, a close look at global data shows America remains a manufacturing powerhouse and leads a worldwide wave of productivity gains.

Most readers know that I am an ardent student of market history and a firm believer that it’s prone to repeating itself. So I’m often asked what the current era echoes. My answer: the early 1990s.

America’s least corrupt state is . . . New Jersey.

That’s not a punchline.

The Center for Public Integrity recently released its State Integrity Investigation, aimed at measuring state corruption. In their words “The Investigation is not simply a tally of scandals that have occurred in state governments.” Fair enough, except they don’t really define what “corruption” means.

It's an election year, which means we should all expect plenty of tax policy, debt and deficit rhetoric. And rhetoric can get heated -- but before getting swept away, here are some important factors to keep in mind.

Ah, the partisan electricity of an election year! The hot-gas-bag-bluster pollutes our media-saturated senses all year round. It's a blessed thing for the stock market, and in a variety of ways. Call me non-civic, but investors shouldn't care a wit who wins the White House this year.

Since the peripheral eurozone's debt troubles seized the spotlight in 2010, one fear has repeatedly cropped up: Contagion. Folks worried a Greek default would trigger credit default swaps (CDS), setting off a chain reaction of bank failures across the Continent. However, reality has thus far proved far more benign.

Last year was a dismal year for Chinese stocks. The popular FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index of blue chips fell nearly 18%. This year it has already gained 7.9%, and I think Chinese stocks will shine in 2012.

Chinese officials caused quite a stir when they lowered their 2012 economic growth target to 7.5%. Many already fretted a Chinese hard landing in 2012, and if Chinese growth were indeed to match the target, it would be the slowest expansion since 1990. However, recent history suggests Chinese growth should exceed those low expectations.

With aggregate eurozone GDP contracting in Q4 2011 and the European Commission forecasting a Continental recession in 2012, investors may wonder what a eurozone recession means for the global economy and equity markets.

Q4 2011 GDP growth was revised up to 3% from 2.8%. Which is nice, but backward looking. GDP calculations are inherently a bit wonky and a few basis-point revisions don’t matter much, particularly since GDP can be and frequently is revised significantly, even many years later.

It seems the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) believes a good way to protect you would be curtailing the practice of banks discretely covering your checks, instantaneously, should you overdraft.

With Ron Paul still in the running for president, it’s become popular (again) to call for a return to the gold standard.

Come April or May (ish?) Facebook plans to join the ranks of Tech IPOs, probably aiming to be more like Google and less like Pets.com. Though who knows?

Three years into the eurozone's peripheral debt saga, a ton of political and financial capital has been spent, the euro hasn't suddenly shattered and a eurozone-born financial panic hasn't erupted.

New educational video answers common questions about the US’s outstanding debt

As the US debt ceiling closes in on its 105^th increase in 94 years, investors' concerns over the US's debt load are returning to the fore. But are these concerns well-founded? The answers to these three common questions may provide surprising insight.   

New research graphic answers three key questions about America’s debt.

Investors are about to find out if the economic woes in Europe are going to deliver a deep wound to U.S. company earnings instead of the mere scratch that many expect.

I’m recently back from three weeks traveling in Europe. The trip has given me better perspective on the market’s current obsession—the troubled euro zone. To put it bluntly, I say, give ’em the finger—the Italian Finger, that is.