News WSJ.com: Money Money Thinking Outside the Stocks The stock market may be slumping, but other investments, from student housing to parking lots, are surging. Here's how to play them. The Hedge Fund Lurking in a 401(k) Be warned, retirement savers: Your target-date mutual fund might be acting more like a hedge fund. Is It Time to Scrap the P/E Ratio? With the vaunted price/earnings ratio losing its mojo as a market gauge, investors are seizing on better ways to value stocks. Futures Funds Flounder Previously limited mostly to institutions and wealthy individuals, managed-futures funds have proved an awkward fit for the mom-and-pop mutual-fund world. Downside Protection Has Downsides Fixed-indexed insurance products, commonly called "equity-indexed annuities," offer the promise of protection on the downside combined with a guaranteed minimum upside. Do they deliver? Is Giving to Charity Still OK? It isn't clear how many efforts to help taxpayers bolster their nest eggs will actually break through the congressional logjam. Here are some tips to help plan among the uncertainty. This Week What happened to your money this week. Bruised Quant Funds Seek a Human Touch Computer-driven mutual funds, chastened by poor results and a wave of redemptions, are striving to become a little more like people in their investment decisions. A Hot Fund Design Turns Cold The popularity of 130/30 funds?which aim to juice stock-market gains with borrowed money and bets against overpriced securities?has faded considerably in recent years. A Simple Mix of Funds Can Pay Off A 50/50 mix of stocks and bonds across three index mutual funds or ETFs often performs better than more aggressive strategies and provides some shelter from risk.

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