I think how the rest of this year plays out for investors will be largely influenced by three important questions.

Government officials claim the refi plan has been extremely successful, far moreso, they admit, than the modification program. But clearly it wasn't doing enough, or they wouldn't have widened the parameters of elligibility.

It takes a leap of faith, on a variety of levels, to invest in your company’s future during difficult times. But difficult times are also times of great change and new opportunity. New needs emerge, and those who can see those needs and position themselves to fulfill them can derive huge benefits, writes author Erika Andersen