Yet that is what we do every day, when we listen to the news, or even read many of the President's comments.

It is a simple short hand, used to convey a point. But for investors this kind of thinking can be a real danger to your returns. We need to go beyond this kind of reporting, and look at the important factors underlying our investments. What used to be called the fundamentals of stock investing. You know like earnings, management and market share, to determine whether to invest in a given stock.

And perhaps that's a good resolution for the New Year, let's get back to the fundamentals.