buck the trend? Remember the Black Swans looming - Europe's fiscal debt mess, China's potential hard landing, the inflation-fighting slowdown in other emerging economies, possible oil shocks courtesy of Iran and the Middle-East.

All this makes for volatility and great trading opportunities, but are anathema to investors. If large companies are hoarding cash, why should SMBs do otherwise? The Government, in my humble opinion, has as yet failed to increase the velocity of money and therein lies the confidence factor.

It may take little more than some certainty about the next 4 years and a do-something Congress to unlock the floodgates.

What do you think?