• Long-term changes of growth patterns
• Changes in the customer base (demographics)
• Changes in production costs
• Product innovation
• Changes to production processes
• Structural changes of supplementary industries
• Changes of government policy
• Exits and new competitors.

Non-U.S. stocks have all the emotional content of U.S. stocks. Herd psychosis, powerlessness, issues with brokers and mutual funds, overconfidence, and all the rest are common in foreign investing. Foreign stocks also have additional traps we rarely encounter with local companies.Foreign stocks are bought and sold in foreign currencies. Foreign companies make profits and losses in foreign currencies. Because you spend U.S. dollars, foreign stock prices must be translated into U.S. dollars before you can determine if you have any gains or losses. This adds volatility to foreign stock prices. If the Euro sinks by 15 percent and your German auto stock declines in Euros by 15 percent, you lose 30 percent in dollars. If the Euro rises by 15 percent and the auto stock rises by 15 percent, you gain 30 percent in dollars. A similar U.S. auto stock would only swing up and down  15 percent.

Forbearance

If you’re unable to make your scheduled payments but in¬tend to repay your loan, you may request a forbearance to:

• Stop making your loan payments for a short period of time.
• Extend your repayment schedule.
• Make lower payments on your loan for a period of time.

Note: During forbearance, interest charges continue to accrue. The capitalized interest charges add unpaid interest to your principal bal¬ance, increasing both the total amount to be repaid and the monthly payment amount. You have the option to make interest payments to keep your principal balance from increasing due to capitalization.

GradPLUSLoans – Your first payment is due within 60 days after the loan is fully disbursed. You may receive an in-school deferment on your Grad PLUS loan while enrolled at least half-time at an eligible school. For Grad PLUS loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2008, the post-enrollment deferment permits you to defer your loan for the six-month period immediately following the date on which you ceased to be enrolled at least half-time at an eligible school.

Before the grace period expires on your Stafford loan or before the first payment is due on your Grad PLUS loan, you’ll receive a repayment schedule* which includes:
- Available repayment options.
- Outstanding loan balance.
- Interest

TeacherLoanForgiveness (TLF) Program. All or a portion of your Stafford loan debt may be forgiven if you’re eligible for TLF. You must have received a Federal Stafford loan after October 1, 1998, teach certain high-demand subjects for five consecutive complete years, and meet all other participation re¬quirements. For more information about TLF, visit www.ogslp.org.

Disability. Your student loan debt may be conditionally discharged and later canceled if you become totally and permanently disabled. The appropriate documentation verifying your permanent and total disability must be certified by your doctor and accepted by your loan holder. If your loans are conditionally discharged, they’ll be permanently assigned to the U.S. Department of Education for a three-year period,
beginning on the date your doctor certifies the discharge application, before your debt is completely canceled.

• You’re serving in a medical or dental internship or participating in a residency program.
• You receive a national service Education Award under the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993.
• You’re eligible for the Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program and your cancellation amount will satisfy the anticipated outstanding Stafford loan balance at the time of the expected cancellation.
• You qualify for an economic hardship deferment.