It's a minefield looking at where to invest your money. At the end of the day you can do all the research in the world yet still quite easily make the wrong decision. The recent events in northern Africa and the natural disaster in Japan has sent ripples through financial markets, something which has no doubt impacted some investors in a big way.
My personal approach would be to consult a financial adviser that deals with investment advice. They will have whole departments that do research into various investments. Initial meetings are usually free and carries no obligation. They will then put forward a proposal based on the outcome of your meeting and can arrange the investments for you if you wish to proceed. Also importantly, they will look at any tax exposure for you as well to ensure your net return is maximised.
At the end of the day it should save you time and also give you confidence that you're making the right investment decision, whilst at the same time give you the peace of mind that your investments are being reviewed on an on-going basis to ensure they're in-line with your original intentions.