Weekly Roundup: MarketWatch top 10 stories March 5 - 9

Weekly Roundup MARCH 09, 2012 MarketWatch top 10 stories March 5 - 9 By MarketWatch NEW YORK (MarketWatch) — U.S. stocks rounded out the week on an up note, with two of the three major indexes posting gains for the week. Only the blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) was unable to take back big losses from Tuesday's session, closing out the week 0ff 0.4%. The Nasdaq Composite Index (COMP) closed the week up 0.4%, while the S&P 500 Index (SPX) eked out a 0.1% gain. Also please be sure to watch our Week Ahead videos:  U.S. Week Ahead: Fed, consumer sentiment  Asia Week Ahead: Japan, India rates in focus  Europe's Week Ahead: U.S. retail sales, earnings Greg Morcroft, assistant managing editor. Apple unwraps new iPad, due out March 16 Apple Inc. (AAPL) debuted a new version of its iPad tablet on Wednesday, featuring a high-definition screen, faster processor and 4G network connectivity on some models, with prices starting at the same level as the current devices. At a media event in San Francisco, Apple executives touted the new iPad as a major update to the relatively new product line. The first iPad was introduced in April 2010 and the iPad 2 was released last March. Apple sold more than 40 million units of the device last year, and several analysts expect that number to top 60 million this year. Read about new iPad launch, on MarketWatch 5 of the world's cheapest dividend-paying stocks Brighter economic prospects are attracting U.S. investors to shares of foreign companies, but most of the attention is being given to big multinational players that happen to be based outside of the United States. As a result, many companies that lack such global clout are being neglected even though they offer substantial dividends and value. Here are five more underappreciated ADRs from Morningstar. Read about inexpensive dividend payers overseas, on MarketWatch Greece clears one hurdle only to face next Greece has just secured write-down pledges from its private creditors in a historic bond swap, clearing the last hurdle to a second bailout to avoid default. But the country isn't out of the woods yet. Fears are growing that Greece, the epicenter of the debt crisis in Europe, may actually need a third rescue package due to lack of growth prospects. Many are also concerned that Athens may need to restructure its public debt. Adding to this uncertainty are upcoming parliamentary elections. Read more about the problems Greece still faces, on MartketWatch Best U.S. employment growth in 12 years The U.S. jobs market has been on a tear for the past six months, ever since the near-disastrous showdown over the debt ceiling. By almost every measure, the employment picture has brightened considerably since those dark days. For instance, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday that the number of Americans who had jobs jumped by 428,000 in February following a 847,000 gain in January. That's according to a survey of about 60,000 households. Read MarketWatch commentary on latest U.S. jobs data China's not so miraculous recovery The ability of China to support the seriously compromised global economic and financial system is overestimated. The unsound foundations of Chinese economic and financial strength largely have been ignored. But then all food tastes good to the starving man. Driven by spending on unproductive investments, China's growth is economically destructive and ultimately carries the seeds of its own demise. Read Outside the Box column, on MarketWatch Super Tuesday highlights Republican divide Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum were set to continue their bare-knuckle brawl for the Republican nomination after Super Tuesday, as Romney eked out a narrow victory in Ohio and Santorum took Tennessee. By carrying Super Tuesday's marquee state of Ohio, Romney puts into his column a Rust Belt state, home to both blue-collar workers and social conservatives. But after a brutal night that saw wins by each candidate in important states, neither Republican hopeful could claim a lock on the nomination or a knockout blow to the other's campaign. Read MarketWatch outlook for GOP race after Super Tuesday Six tricks to spend less, save more for retirement People will save more if you show them a photograph of their future selves, according to recent research. "The problem between now and later is the question of how much do we care about our future selves," said Dan Ariely, author of several books including "The Upside of Irrationality" and a behavior economics professor at Duke University. "If you care a lot you might save more; if you care only a little, you would save not so much. But if you saw an image of yourself at age 70 you might care more about your future self." Read Bob Powell's take on retirement investing, on MarketWatch Don't count on stocks as an inflation hedge You've heard it so often you can probably repeat it in your sleep: Equities are the best protection against inflation. But academic research, old and new, completely flies in the face of this conventional "wisdom." It establishes clearly that stocks are not a very good hedge at all against inflation, particularly high inflation. Even Mr. Stocks for the Long Run himself, Jeremy Siegel, acknowledges that. Read Howard Gold's column for the Trading Deck, on MarketWatch How to play hot silver market and not get burned Silver prices are outpacing gold this year, prompting cautious investors to wonder how to play the market while guarding against the white metal's well-worn path of volatility. Demand for silver as an investment is on the rise, particularly as gold prices "move out of the reach of the lower middle- to working-class investors in the emerging world," according to Phillips. The iShares Silver Trust, backed by silver bullion, has climbed more than 20% year to date. But interest in the white metal can sway either way. Mark Leibovit, chief market strategist at VRTrader.com, attributed some volatility to market manipulation, which he also calls "financial terrorism." Read MarketWatch story on risks and rewards of investing in silver After three years, we're all hooked on free money This week's rates decision marks three years without any change in British interest rates. But it marks three years of something else as well — and potentially more dangerous — near-zero interest rates. Stability has much to commend it, particularly in economics. It allows businesses to plan ahead, and it allows investors to predict what kind of returns they are going to get from different assets. There is nothing wrong with central banks keeping rates at the same level for a long time, if that is what they believe the economy requires. But free money? This is what the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan and now the euro zone as well effectively have. In truth, that is a dangerous experiment. And one that looks unlikely to end well. Read Matthew Lynn's London Eye column, on MarketWatch Get the latest news on our mobile site: http://www.marketwatch.com/m MarketWatch has sent you this newsletter because you signed up to receive it. To ensure you receive this newsletter in the future, please add marketwatchmail.com to your list of approved senders. 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