Emerging markets are hot, but volatile, as the end of the year approaches, and most of us have better things to do than ride herd on a flock of growth stocks that are acting like a box of puppies. It’s a good time to look for a strong stock with some good defensive characteristics that won’t spring an unpleasant surprise on you while you’re shopping for a Christmas tree. And Itaú Unibanco (ITUB) definitely qualifies. This Brazilian banking giant is hugely liquid (trades over 12 million shares a day on average), pays a dividend (forward annual dividend yield of...