tug of war

For investors, 2010 was a 12-month tug of war between optimism and doubt.

Stocks initially strengthened, the job market didn't, and fears of economic collapse in Europe and a chilling "flash crash" left many investors almost too stunned to act.

American Airlines upped the ante in the tug-of-war over Japan Airlines, vowing Thursday to lead a $1.1 billion investment in the struggling carrier to prevent it from falling into the orbit of rival Delta.

There's a tug of war in the financial markets between investors who believe the economy is on its way to a strong recovery and those who believe a rebound is likely to be slow and bumpy.