Even if you don’t follow financial markets closely, if you have money in those markets it is worth considering, every so often, where you have been and where the currents may be taking you.

In a nutshell, the stock market in the United States has generated enormous wealth for investors, and in recent months it has roared ahead with scarcely a setback, raising questions about how sustainable those gains really are.

Bonds haven’t performed as spectacularly as stocks. There have been signs that fixed-income markets just may be ready for a long-awaited shift in direction.

We’ve selected nine articles with reporting and analysis on where the markets have been and some clues on where they may be heading. Together the selection provides an introduction to investing. We hope that at least some of these articles will entertain you as well.