I’ll begin the year’s first with 2 important aspects of portfolio management, which even astute investors tend to overlook in the throes of what transpires in the financial markets and baffles their common investment sense which isn’t that common during these trying times.

The convergence of global trends is prompting changes in many industries and altering the sources of companies’ income.

A year of poor returns so far this year has left investors with few places to hide across global financial markets, but while portfolios may be down, investors should heed the lessons of the past when thinking about their longer-term financial goals.