Medicating a market migraine

While the current market may have you popping painkillers more and more often, biotech funds may be a better cure for your headache. Morningstar analyst Karin Anderson says these funds are a potential safe haven, although they are not without their risks.

The drug business is an uncertain one, and expensive. The Amex Biotechnology Index fell 18 percent earlier this month, despite staying relatively flat throughout the year, Anderson warns.

Still, biotechs have been holding their own, she says. "While an extended recession would no doubt have an impact on the sales of some drugs, … the biotech industry is not dependent on market gyrations at its core."