Bruised Quant Funds Seek a Human Touch

Technology Reports

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  All Things Digital

  At the eighth D conference, the theme was change. A selection of edited interview excerpts shows a fundamental shift in how we all relate to computing.

  • D8 Conference: Watch all of the video
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  Why Can't We Choose Our Office Technology?

  Companies typically tell us what technology we can—and can't—use. It's time to end those policies.

  • See the November report.
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  Email Reign Is Over

  Email no longer dominates communications. And this shift promises to rewrite the way we communicate -- in ways we can only begin to imagine. ()

  • See the October report.

• The 2009 Technology Innovation Awards

  This year's winners include: a tool to identify new disease strains, an artificial hand, a solar-powered base station for mobile phones and paper-thin flexible speakers.

  • See the September report.
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  Here Comes the E-Book

  Author Steven Johnson outlines a future with more books, more distractions -- and the end of reading alone. (See the full report)

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  Smart Roads. Smart Bridges. Smart Grids.

  A look at the technologies that could take America's decades-old infrastructure to new levels of intelligence. (See the full report)

• Mutual Funds Report

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  Time to Quit Your Old 401(k)s?

  When changing employers, many workers leave money in the company retirement plan. But moving the dollars to your new firm or an IRA might be a better deal. Here's how to decide.

  • Read the August report.
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  Don't Be Complacent in Bonds

  Fixed-income funds have been much steadier performers than stock funds lately. But particularly with interest rates at such low levels, these funds are vulnerable to both rising interest rates and inflation.

  • Read the second-quarter report.
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  Don't Give Up on Europe

  Amid worries about the tumbling euro, here are seven reasons not to dump foreign-stock funds.

  • See the June report
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  The Unseen Figures of Your Funds

  Portfolio managers get the spotlight, but fund directors are ultimately responsible for seeing that investors are well served. Some critics say they aren't doing their job.

  • See the May report.
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  Scared of Stocks? Try These Funds

  "Allocation" funds, by blending equities with other, less volatile investments, offer an alternative for anxious investors.

  • See the April report.
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  The Hidden Costs of Mutual Funds

  How much does it cost you to own a mutual fund? Probably a lot more than you think. Portfolio managers can rack up steep expenses buying and selling securities, but that burden isn't reflected in a fund's standard expense ratio.

  • See the March report.
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  Pay Shift Has Benefits for Fund Investors

  A big change in how financial advisers get paid has rippled through investors' mutual-fund portfolios—and the fund industry itself.

  • See the complete February report.
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  How to Play the Foreign Angle

  Last year was a great year for foreign-stock funds—especially those geared toward emerging markets. So do fund managers anticipate a repeat in 2010?

  • See the January report.

• Wealth Adviser

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  How to Think Smarter About Risk

  Too many investors may be taking big chances with their money because they aren't considering the most important asset of all: themselves.

  • Read the June report.
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  How to Fight the IRS

  Brace yourself: The chances of being audited are rising. So if it happens to you, here's what to do—and what not to do.

  • Video: What to Do When the IRS Comes Knocking
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  What Should You Do With Your Money in '10?

  Financial advisers offer their advice—about stocks, bonds, insurance and more. (See the full report.)

• Your Money Matters Reports

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  The Mistakes We Make—and Why We Make Them

  How investors think often gets in the way of their investment success. Meir Statman looks into our heads and tells us what we're doing wrong. (See the full report)

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  The Best Online Tools for Personal Finance

  Consumers are paying closer attention to what they buy, how much they save, and where they invest. These resources can be a huge help. Even better, most of them are free.

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  What Do I Do Now?

  As we wade through these difficult times, how should you think about your own financial situation? (See the full report)

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  The Future for Home Prices

  Americans still see real estate as their best shot at wealth. It may be wishful thinking. (See the full report)

• WSJ Europe Reports

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  Tennis Becomes a Numbers Game

  Hawk-Eye technology has revolutionized how the sport is umpired, analyzed and coached, and spawned a plethora of data with which to dissect the game.

  • Read the full report.
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  Toxic Citizens?

  American expatriates are fast becoming the world's financial refugees as onerous legislation from the U.S. government makes it too difficult – and too expensive – for banks to service U.S. citizens that live abroad.

  • Read the full report.
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  Questions on Future of Air Travel Smolder

  The closure of airspace amid a cloud of volcanic ash offered a painful reminder of the truths about jet travel: Modern society can't function without it, and the whole system is easily thrown into chaos.

  • See the full report.
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  Maximum Impact

  Top philanthropists and charity executives explain how they would spend $10 billion to best alleviate the world's problems.

  • See the full report.
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  Hot Timepieces

  The dominant trends at this year's Baselworld watch and jewelry show include ultra-thin watches and more restrained styles.

  • So Many Watches, So Little Time
  • Dos and Don'ts of Watch Buying | Glossary
  • See the full Watches report.

• Small Business

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  Start-Ups on a Shoestring

  For many would-be entrepreneurs, money is the insurmountable hurdle. Here's a look at three entrepreneurs who launched companies for less than $150.

  • Podcast: Starting Your Endeavor on a Budget
  • Read the full Small Business report.
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  The Credit Crunch That Won't Go Away

  Forget the improving economy. Entrepreneurs still find it hard to get loans. Here's why we're in this mess—and how we may get out of it.

  • Read the June report
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  What's Holding Back Women Entrepreneurs?

  Women-owned businesses are a lot smaller than men-owned companies. Blame it partly on the women themselves—and partly on the people and institutions they deal with.

  • Podcast: Female-Owned Companies
  • See the May report.
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  How to Succeed in the Age of Going Solo

  Anybody can become a consultant. But not everybody does it well. Here's what you need to know to thrive.

  • See the February report.
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  Top Small Workplaces 2009

  For many companies, tough times end up pushing the work environment to the back burner. But other companies commit to employees' well-being and development, which can pay off handsomely—both now and in the future.

  • See the September report
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  Sick and Getting Sicker

  For entrepreneurs trying to start or run a business, the obstacles are huge. But few loom as large as health care.

  • See the July report
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  Starting Over—as an Entrepreneur

  For laid-off workers, launching a business may seem the best path to survival. Here are the stories of five people who are taking that route and the lessons they’ve learned.

• Economics Reports

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  Strategies for Survival

  How do some companies get through tough economic times relatively unscathed -- or even better off -- while most of their competitors struggle to survive? (See the full report)

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  How to Choose a Financial Adviser

  Having a professional on your side is crucial. But how can you guarantee that your expert is reliable? (See the full report)

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  Future of Finance Initiative

  The Wall Street Journal assembled roughly 100 of the brightest minds in finance to discuss not just how to restart the global financial system, but how to reconstruct it. (See the full report)

• More Reports

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  The Value of Closing the Book

  Nothing says, "I am eating alone because I choose to," like a thick book in your hands.In a village in Kent, England, an American traveler learns to put the book down.

  • Video: Hiking England's Public Footpaths
  • Lonely Planet Trip Planner: Kent
  • Read the full report.
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  How's It Going? A One-Year Report Card

  A year into the Obama administration, we asked Americans how they're feeling about the president and politics. We found a lot of weariness, a few glimmers of optimism, and not much good news for Democrats.

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  10-Year Dose of Reality

  The first decade of the 21st century turned out to be more like the reality-TV shows that proliferated during its span.

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  Fixing the Global Financial System

  More than a year has passed since an unprecedented crisis pushed the world financial system to the brink. Yet plans to rebuild that system on more stable footing remain embryonic. (See the full report)

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  How to Rebuild Global Prosperity

  At The Wall Street Journal's CEO Council, executives had plenty of advice—and plenty of concern that Washington isn't listening. (See the full report)

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  What's Wrong With Charitable Giving

  It's hard to overstate the crisis facing charitable giving today. So what can foundations and others do to make a difference for the nonprofits and the people they are designed to help? (See the full report)