1.   Analysts like Joe Rooney, global strategist for Lehman Brothers in London, predict that stocks in continental Europe will easily outperform American stocks this year.

2.   And the underperformance could cast doubt on the long-held assumption that small stocks always outperform large stocks over time.

3.   Awakening from a decades-long sleep, commodities have outperformed stocks and bonds so far this year, and analysts say the rally has more to go.

4.   Few people, of course, predict the death of value equities, which have outperformed growth stocks for long periods in the past.

5.   Expectations of higher earnings have enabled drugmakers to outperform other stocks listed on the Swiss Performance Index.

6.   If such a period unfolds, a portfolio heavily skewed to bonds is likely to outperform stocks.

7.   One area of the market that has shined of late is the small-cap sector, and some investors expect the group to continue to outperform larger stocks.

8.   Still, Vinik explained that market conditions led him to believe Treasury bonds might outperform stocks over the next year or two.

9.   Taking risk into account, in other words, corporate bonds outperformed stocks.

10.   This year so far, emerging market bonds have far outperformed stocks.