Human beings love to imagine connections between events where none really exist. For financial journalists, this is a virtual job requirement. For investors, it can be a disaster.

You may have  read about a security breech to some SSL encrypted websites. The potential security threat is called Heartbleed (CVE-2014-0160).  

Client.CardiffPark.com is on a windows platform that makes use of a Trust Wave SSL Certificate.

Despite choppy global stock markets the S&P 500 Index headed back to record levels at the end of March returning 0.85% for the month. Outside the U.S., the MSCI European stock market Index fell 1.02%, the MSCI Japanese stock market Index lost 1.15%, while the MSCI Emerging stock market Index gained 3.07%. YTD, the European Index returned 2.1%, the U.S. Index returned 1.81%, the Japanese Index lost 5.47% and the Emerging Market Index declined 0.43%.

What the market took away in the last two weeks of January it gave back in February. Despite latest economic reports expecting weak future growth the S&P 500 returned 4.57% in February negating January’s 3.46% decline. In foreign stock markets, the overall tone was positive. The MSCI EAFE index returned 5.56%.The MSCI Emerging Market index returned 3.19%.

Global stock markets ended January with sharp losses. On January 15, the S&P 500 stock index posted a new all-time high. However, concerns about the global economy and U.S. company earnings coupled with turmoil in emerging markets drove the S&P 500 index down 3.5%; this was its worst monthly performance in the past two years. The European and Japanese stock markets each fell 3.9%. The Emerging markets fell 6.6%. Although emerging markets may continue their downward momentum in the short run, they remain an important component in a properly diversified portfolio. In the long run, emerging markets are likely to grow faster than developed markets.

The amazing performance of US stocks in 2013 was a welcome surprise for investors who are following a simple buy-and-hold strategy and a source of exasperation for many professionals caught flatfooted by the steady rise in share prices.