IF DEFLATION COMES

Somepossible picks

If the well-publicized worriesabout deflation turn out to be wellfounded, what should physician-investors do? Stay away from mostmanufacturers, market watchers say,because they will be hit hard by aneconomy where falling prices are thedominant feature. Look for industriesthat can weather the storm withoutlowering prices, either becausethey have 1-of-a-kind products ormonopoly pricing power. The servicesector, which generally has fewerhard assets, should fare better thansmokestack industries, where thevalue of hard assets will decline. : insurance companiesand health care firms, includingpharmaceutical manufacturers. Financialfirms like banks and brokersshould also do well in a mildly deflationaryeconomy.