Businesses across the globe are in conservation mode. While layoffs and headcount reductions are the headline makers, savvy managers are doing much more to protect their bottom line, from cutting inventories to slashing office space.

One of the biggest impacts of the new administration could be in stem cell research, according to Laura Cadden. Support for the use of embryonic stem cells would open a whole world of opportunity for specialist biotech firms. Laura picks 5 small-cap biotech stocks that would make huge gains on new stem cell legislation.

You won’t see really exciting market growth anywhere in the developed world right now. There’s not even much to be found in emerging market economies.

But there are still countries with over 6% growth, says Andrew Gordon in Investor’s Daily Edge. Some of them, such as Afghanistan and Angola, aren’t the safest places in the world, however. And they are difficult to invest in directly.

A way around this is to find an American company doing business in these high-growth economies or a foreign company listed on a US stock exchange.