Personal Finance Daily: International stock funds in a world of hurt

	Personal Finance Daily JUNE 29, 2012 Friday's Personal Finance Stories By MarketWatch Don't miss these top stories: International stock funds in a world of hurt Great artwork owned by con artists now on sale. It's 'duck' season for U.S. stock fund investors . As the U.S. markets wind down the second quarter today, the S&P 500 is closing in on a 3.8% loss for the quarter and the Nasdaq is sitting at a loss of 5.7%, despite being up 3% for the month. Oil's down 20% since the start of the quarter. What's an investor to do? Don't go digging for gold; Mark Hulbert writes today that the gold market has been so frustrating of late that even some contrarians are throwing in the towel. We have our quarterly funds and ETFs review and outlook on MarketWatch today. Take a look at our report on international stock funds, bond funds and U.S. stock funds. — Anne Stanley , Managing Editor, Personal Finance INVESTING Has a major bear market in gold begun? Might gold's continual failure to respond to positive sentiment conditions mean that bullion has entered into a major bear market? That possibility needs to be taken seriously. Read more: Has a major bear market in gold begun? International stock funds in a world of hurt "Stop the world, I want to get off" must be a common refrain these days for international-stock-fund shareholders. A tumultuous quarter left bailed-out countries and burned out investors, writes Myra Saefong. Read more: International stock funds in a world of hurt. Bond funds ride to the rescue The second quarter was downright dismal, as every major U.S. and international stock mutual-fund category lost money. It was left to bond funds to rescue investment portfolios yet again. Read more: Bond funds ride to the rescue It's 'duck' season for U.S. stock fund investors The old Wall Street adage to "Sell in May and go away" was a sound survival strategy for U.S. stock fund investors in an unforgiving second quarter. Read more: It's 'duck' season for U.S. stock fund investors . Bond funds could be on borrowed time In a world where financial rescues dominate headlines, U.S. government bond funds played hero yet again, rescuing portfolios in a tough second quarter. Read more: Bond funds could be on borrowed time. Cheap batteries, big returns Managers at the Goodhaven fund see value in unlikely places, such as Rayovac batteries. Read more: Cheap batteries, big returns. Great artwork owned by con artists now on sale The U.S. Marshals Service is auctioning art once owned by financial schemers, reports Al Lewis, who wonders why the marshals don't open their own museum. Read more: Great artwork owned by con artists now on sale. Fund guys gather at Grimaldi to talk crisis Shawn Langlois encounters odd juxtapositions and sober analysis at this year's Fund Forum International event in Monte Carlo, Monaco. Read more: Fund guys gather at Grimaldi to talk crisis. Overseas buyers seek shelter in U.S. real estate Buyers from all over the world are snapping up U.S. real estate the way prospective brides yanked discount wedding gowns off the racks at those Filene's Basement sales of yore. Read more: Overseas buyers seek shelter in U.S. real estate. Rio+20 was a win for social investors The Rio+20 Summit showed that we can no longer count on the public sector to provide for us. We have to provide for ourselves, and that means protecting the planet we live on as well, writes Thomas Kostigen. Read more: Rio+20 was a win for social investors ECONOMY AND POLITICS Europe takes aim at Spain, Italy borrowing costs A summit of European Union leaders delivers more than expected in the early hours of Friday morning, including an agreement to let Europe's rescue funds directly recapitalize ailing banks and potentially buy government bonds in an effort to bring down soaring borrowing costs for Spain and Italy. Read more: Europe takes aim at Spain, Italy borrowing costs. Consumer sentiment lowest since December With consumers increasingly concerned about the future and current economic conditions, sentiment falls to the lowest level since December, according to data released Friday by the University of Michigan and Thomson Reuters. Read more: Consumer sentiment lowest since December. U.S. consumer spending falls in May Another sign that the U.S. economy has cooled off: Read more: U.S. consumer spending falls in May Coming China data likely glum but improving A batch of Chinese economic data due out over the next few weeks will cast new light on the scale of the continuing economic slowdown, with analysts expecting weak numbers but some improvement. Read more: Coming China data likely glum but improving. 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. 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