small caps
small capitals

Q. What is going to turn things around for small caps?

Right now, there is no convincing reason to buy small caps.

Lower case letters are included in the form of small caps.

No wonder that the small caps have had such a hard time keeping up.

Small caps have lagged over the last couple of weeks.

Over the longer run, small caps tend to do a bit better because they are the more aggressive companies.

Q. At base, what is the case for small caps?

"I would suggest investors take a hard look at small caps now," he said.

And the smallest of the small caps are very cheap.

We have seen periods when the economy contracted and small caps did well.

"That suggests the risk levels in small caps currently are probably lower."

But in the small caps, it's likely to have a greater effect."

But this is a time when small caps play catch up."

Of course, there is no guarantee that either these stocks or small caps in general will take off.

"I'd invested in small caps for years and done well.

"I still think the real oomph is in small caps."

"If people start loading up on small caps at the beginning of 2004, we think they'll be disappointed."

I think the smaller caps holding up is probably good news."

"On the other end, people are concerned about being in risky stocks like small caps."

Q. Why have small caps done so well, and what is going to slow the momentum?

For one, small caps are holding up rather well.

And it did not take much to convince investors that small caps were cold.

"I think small caps will continue to outperform," he said.

In some years, more than three-quarters of the small caps beat the index.

Indeed, the Russell 2000 index of small caps is now down 3 percent this year.