Table of contents: VOL. 152, NO. 13 - December 26, 2005
COVER STORY
bing! while you were out
Investing for Dummies
by Stanley Bing

business life
DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH
by Julia Boorstin

The Light Jet Age
by STUART F. BROWN
Coming soon to an airstrip near you: superlight jets starting at around a million bucks. But which planes will fly? STUART F. BROWN checks out the new breed of small wonders. (more)
AUCTIONS COME OF AGE
by Julia Boorstin

investor's guide 2006
Cheers and Tears
by EUGENIA LEVENSON
It was a relatively calm year on Wall Street. Even so, there were some SPECTACULAR WINNERS--and major flops. (more)
Nope--We're Too Gloomy
by ANDY SERWER
These days it's chic to be down on the market. But POSITIVE OMENS ABOUND--not the least of which is pessimism. (more)
The Rainwater Prophecy
by OLIVER RYAN
Richard Rainwater made billions by knowing how to PROFIT FROM A CRISIS. Now he foresees the biggest one yet. (more)
Why Is This Woman Smiling?
by NELSON D. SCHWARTZ
Call it the European paradox: The economy may be lukewarm, but the STOCK MARKETS ARE HOT. Here are six companies to bet on. (more)
Help! My Company Keeps Changing My 401k
by MATTHEW BOYLE
We shed some light on the NEW FEATURES aimed at making the plans easier to use. (more)
A Lonelyhearts Parade
by DEVIN LEONARD
Investors have FALLEN OUT OF LOVE with the entertainment conglomerates. What will it take to win them back? (more)
HOW HIGH CAN GOLD GO?
by Andy Serwer

Built to Last
by JON BIRGER
The economy is strong, but perils abound. We find TEN STURDY STOCKS to see you through a tricky year. (more)
When Sallie Met Wall Street
by BETHANY MCLEAN
The giant of the education lending business is a red-hot stock. But to drive growth, Sallie Mae is SOCKING STUDENTS with interest rates of up to 28%. (more)
Leaders of the Pack
by YUVAL ROSENBERG
These seven funds, which have towered over their rivals for the past 15 years, PROVED THEIR METTLE in booms and busts, and everything in between. (more)
9% Forever?
by JUSTIN FOX
That's economist Roger Ibbotson's forecast for stock market returns. HE'S BEEN RIGHT--very right--in the past. So how come some people think we shouldn't believe him anymore? (more)
Fear of Falling
by ELLEN FLORIAN KRATZ
Have home prices peaked? Or is there still life in one of the greatest equity booms ever? For the real estate mogul in us all, FORTUNE looks at the 100 TOP U.S. MARKETS. (more)
The Top 100: Is the Party Over?
Well, not everywhere. FORTUNE asked Moody's Economy.com and Fiserv CSW to analyze home sales data for the country's 100 largest metro regions. They ranked each area by its projected price change for 2006. No. 1? San Antonio. Dead last: Las Vegas. (more)
The Stock Cop
by NICHOLAS VARCHAVER
The critics were sure that new SEC head CHRISTOPHER COX would be a disaster for investors. So far they've been wrong. (more)
Currency Doctor
by Interview by Eugenia Levenson
Roscoe Ferguson, Mutilated Currency Lab, Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Department of the Treasury, Washington, D.C. (more)
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