Sentence:  Investors face a quandary. Cash offers a return of virtually zero in many developed countries; government-bond yields may have risen in recent weeks but they are still unattractive. Equities have suffered two big bear markets since 2000 and are wobbling again. It is <WSD>hardly</WSD> surprising that pension funds, insurers and endowments are searching for new sources of return. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  Barely, only just, almost not.