After a record-setting October gave investors hope that 2011 would finish on a strong note, the first couple weeks of November have effectively taken any wind out of those sails. The culprit–surprise, surprise–has been the cash-strapped PIIGS economies of Europe, with Italy now grabbing the spotlight as a serious credit risk and a grave threat not only to Europe but to global financial markets. And just like that, it appears as if we are heading to dismal end to a generally dismal year for many investors. The asset classes that had powered big recoveries in 2009 and 2010, such as commodities and emerging markets, have largely fallen flat this year. Most major benchmarks are in the red year-to-date, and it’s probably a safe bet that many investors have lost money this year. There are, of course, a few bright spots; certain asset classes always thrive in chaos and others manage [...] Click here to read the original article on ETFdb.com. Related Posts: Build America Bond ETFs: Crushing The Muni Competition ETF Insider: Can Earnings Trump Euro Drama? REZ: Crushing The Real Estate ETF Competition Using ETFs To Build A Complete Bond Portfolio International Bond ETFs: Cruising Through All The Options