As the market dropped from historical highs, nearly to bear market territory in the last quarter of the year, the Consumer Staples sector was one of the hardest hit. That seemed a little ironic, since much of the broad decline was driven by uncertainty and fear about the health of the global economy, and the chances it could ripple over into the U.S. economy; trade tensions between the U.S. and China stoked that concern even more. That kind of uncertainty often leads investors to look for defensive-oriented investments with less exposure to the cyclicality of the economy, and Consumer Staples can often be an interesting place to find them. More →