Experts offer their insights on the U.S. and global markets

Successful investing begins with being informed. Read the insights of top Schwab professionals and keep up with the daily flux of the stock market.

US Market Commentary

Weekly Trader's Outlook

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite closed at fresh all-time highs, driven by bullish momentum, a better-than-expected monthly jobs report and a trade agreement between the U.S. and Vietnam.
July 3, 2025

Fireworks Spark Amid Hot Jobs Numbers

The economy added more jobs than expected in June and unemployment fell. The hot jobs report got a lukewarm reception from traders who may already be focused on the holiday.
July 3, 2025

Looking to the Futures

Less than two months ago, trading began for Ripple futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange for the fourth largest cryptocurrency by market cap according to CoinMarketCap.com.
July 3, 2025

Easy Money? Rate Cuts May Not Ease Borrowing Costs

Though some urge rate cuts, doing that won't necessarily reduce borrowing costs if the market doesn't agree with the timing. It could raise inflation fears, hurting Treasuries.
July 1, 2025

Energy: Global Excess or Shortage of Power?

Israel-Iran hostilities brought a short-term market focus on oil. Longer term, artificial intelligence (AI) electricity needs could create a power shortage, as well as opportunities and risks for investors.
June 30, 2025

Breadth Check: Strength and Weakness Trend Tracker

Market breadth can help gauge strength or weakness. Methods include tracking the number of stocks trading above or below moving averages or making new highs or lows.
June 26, 2025

Understanding the Gamma Squeeze

A gamma squeeze occurs through a combination of retail call buying, a rally in the stock, and market makers buying stock to hedge exposure, forcing the stock price up.
June 24, 2025

What's Going On…With Inflation

Inflation's trend has been favorable this year, but a growing conflict in Iran—combined with already-imposed tariffs—might put upward pressure in prices later this year.
June 23, 2025

Fed Keeps Rates Steady, Says Risks Still Elevated

The Fed held the federal funds rate steady but noted that the risks of inflation and potentially higher unemployment remained high.
June 18, 2025

IPO Market Starts to Warm After Slow Start to 2025

After a long dry spell, there are signs of life in the initial public offerings space. An increase in offerings can sometimes suggest an improvement in overall market sentiment.
June 18, 2025

When to Consider Buying or Selling Based on News

How to know when to potentially sell a stock, and when to buy, as bad news hits. Learn about evaluating bad news affecting companies, sectors, or the economy using fundamental analysis.
June 17, 2025

2025 RMD Reference Guide

What's new with required minimum distributions? We cover the basics here.
June 13, 2025

Schwab Market Perspective: 2025 Mid-Year Outlook

Tariff policy has clouded expectations for the second half of the year, but there are ways to navigate through the fog.
June 13, 2025

Using Bookmap on thinkorswim®

Bookmap is a charting application available on thinkorswim that offers visual insight into real-time market data. Traders can use it to better visualize supply, demand, and volume.
June 11, 2025

Filtering the Market Using Technical Analysis

Identify and evaluate potential trade opportunities using technical analysis tools, including trendlines, moving averages, volume, and more.
June 11, 2025

Options Strategy Spotlight: Long Call vs. Bull Call Spread

With so many bullish options strategies to choose from, how do you know which is right for your next trade? We'll compare two bullish options strategies in order to assist you with the decision-making process.
June 11, 2025

"Yen-Carry" Anniversary Nears, but Worries Fade

Summer re-runs are popular on TV, but a repeat of last August's "yen-carry" market upheaval isn't likely on the schedule. A shift in positioning by investors is one reason.
June 10, 2025

2025 Mid-Year Outlook: U.S. Stocks and Economy

The U.S. economy and stock market face a confluence of challenges in the second half of the year, keeping the bar relatively (but not restrictively) high for outperformance.
June 9, 2025

3 Strength Indicators for Assessing Stock Momentum

Deciding if a trend is forming—and how strong it might be—can make or break a trade. Here are three strength indicators technical traders use to assess a stock's momentum.
June 6, 2025

Charting Seasonality in thinkorswim® desktop

Identifying market or stock patterns can help inform trades. Here's how traders create seasonality charts with thinkorswim® desktop.
June 6, 2025

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