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Morningstar
Special Report

Morningstar's Risk Control Week

June 14-18 on Morningstar.com

Morningstar .com

Risk-on. Risk-off. Over the last several weeks, the market has vacillated between flights to safety (namely, Treasuries) and flights to higher-risk/higher-reward investments, with mostly just a lot of volatility to show for it. (The S&P 500 is about flat for the year the date, while the Morningstar US Government Bond Index has registered a 4% gain through June 9; meanwhile Treasury yields, which move inversely to price, recently hit their lowest level of the year.)

After a nice 2009 runup, the global markets are seesawing, as the European sovereign debt drama unfolds, and more recently on some less-than-stellar U.S. economic data. "Risk" has entered the investor's lexicon once more. For some, the pullbacks spell opportunity; for others, confirmation of pre-existing worries and reason to hunker down. What does it mean for you?

During Morningstar.com's special Risk Control Week, June 14-18, you can get a handle on today's risk environment, gauge your portfolio's risk level, take an objective step back from your own risk tolerance, learn how some notable managers and advisors are handling risk today, and find picks from across the risk spectrum.

Each day we'll add new links to articles, videos, Q&As, and moe. Be sure to check back all week for the latest features and reports.

Monday: Defining Risk
What's keeping you up at night? A variety of risk factors could be pressuring your portfolio, from economic risks to market risks to big changes at your biggest fund holding. On Monday, learn to identify, measure, and mitigate the true risks in your portfolio to ensure you manage the biggest risk of all: not meeting your financial goals. 

Tuesday: Risk & Your Portfolio
When we contemplate "risk," the fear of losing money often takes top billing. No doubt--this is critical concern, worthy of some worry on investors' part. But the other side of the coin--the risk of not making enough money--deserves equal consideration. On Tuesday, hear from Morningstar's Christine Benz and several noted planners about managing portfolio risks in retirement--including longevity risk--as well as the top risks facing college savers today.

Wednesday: Risk Outlook Today
Inflation? Deflation? Deficits? Double-dip? There's no shortage of opinions on the current direction of the economy and markets. On Wednesday, you can listen to the range of perspectives, and even if you come away without a strong conviction, you can still prepare your portfolio for a range of outcomes.

Thursday: Risk & Investment Selection
Although it can be hard to understand, let along control for, market and economic risks, investors have a variety of tools and data to help them get a handle on the risk of an individual investment. On Thursday, learn to assess and control risk at the individual investment level by understanding fundamental risk factors and the risks inherent to certain investment types.

Friday: Picks for Risk Takers and the Risk Averse
We hope Risk Control Week has helped to round out your investing toolbox, equipping you to better identify, gauge, and prepare for the risks in your portfolio, in your individual investments, in the larger market and economy, and even in your own behavior. Putting some of these ideas to work on Friday, Morningstar.com's Christine Benz and Jeremy Glaser built some investment screens to help jump-start your own stock- and fund-picking.  

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