I realize it's Halloween today but on a serious note, many of us are wondering why the stock market has been more of a trick than treat to our investment holdings this year. After dropping roughly 25% from its value on the first of July, the US stock market

Most investors are aware that last week pharmaceutical and healthcare company Abbott Labs (NYSE: ABT) decided to split itself into two companies. One will feature its pharmaceutical products, prescription drugs led by its blockbuster rheumatoid arthritis drug, Humira, while the other company will feature its healthcare products such as medical devices. The new companies will be set up to generate roughly equal revenue, with what is now $40 billion annually. Roughly $18

With China's GDP slowing unexpectedly according to recent figures, some observers are wondering if its usually red hot economy may now be headed for a hard landing or not. China's National Bureau of Statistics released data that showed China's GDP grew 9.1 percent year over year for its third quarter, less than the 9.3 percent median figure predicted in a Bloomberg News survey. The GDP had expanded 9.5 percent in the second