Year 2012 actually turned out quite favorable for stocks . The fiscal cliff in the U. S. and the debt crisis in Europe did not prevent stocks from faring better than bonds and cash. Now, stocks are off to a strong start in 2013 even though Congress has failed to address the contentious U. S. debt limit issue and left room for a nastier fight down the road. To learn what's ahead for stocks, read Mutual Fund Picks for 2013 and The Best ETFs for 2013 . Learn more about AlphaProfit's Free and Premium investment newsletters .