October 27, 2000 - Not long ago, life was much simpler. By investing in such companies as Microsoft, Intel, Cisco and Lucent meant not only security, but above-average returns. It was a no-brainer. Of course, bear markets can be brutal. In bear markets, nothing is safe. In fact, in the past year, we have seen a variety of mega-meltdowns of seemingly invincible stocks. Who would have thought you would be able to buy Lucent (NYSE:LU) at $21? …showed first 75 words of 392 total…

…showed last 75 words of 392 total…Nortel and Juniper for high-end networking equipment. According to the interim CEO, the troubles of Lucent mean that the company will be in the "rebuilding" stage for 2001. However, in the fast-paced optical world, restructuring can be fatal, as competitors gain more momentum. Now, a high-powered CEO can turnaround Lucent - the company definitely has inherent strengths. But it will take time. And, in the communications industry, time is something that can't be wasted. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **Bibliography**