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

Preferred Securities: Balancing Yield with Risk

Preferred securities' yields may be appealing, but they almost always come with additional risks.
January 30, 2025

Tariffs: Bark Worse Than Bite?

Markets responded positively during Trump's first week in office, despite threats of tariffs on the three largest trading partners of the U.S. Are trade risks being dismissed?
January 27, 2025

Q4 Tech Earnings: Will CapEx Take Bite of Profits?

Guidance and spending will be important to watch as analysts have their eyes on annual revenue growth, especially after news of DeepSeek shocked U.S. markets.
January 27, 2025

Hard to Handle: A Look at Hard vs. Soft Data

Some soft data metrics have started to rebound sharply and catch back up to relatively resilient hard data, but it's too soon to say whether the gap is definitively closing.
January 21, 2025

What's Ahead for China in 2025?

Economic data and policies out of China are typically delayed until mid-March. Stock volatility may be prevalent until initiatives are clarified after the Lunar New Year.
January 13, 2025

Treasury Bonds: Riding the Range

Yields may trade in a wide range as markets work through issues in the new year. Navigating volatility may mean capturing higher nominal and real yields over the longer term.
January 8, 2025

It Was a Very Good Year

Stocks are coming off another banner year, but strength has bred a frothy sentiment environment, which continues to loom as a risk for likely coming volatility.
January 6, 2025

Schwab's 2025 Long-Term Capital Market Expectations

Continuing last year's trend, our 2025 outlook shows fixed income benefiting from high rates, while equities face a narrowing edge over risk-free investments.
January 3, 2025

January Barometer: Wall Street Trends to Watch

Investors reboot when a new year dawns, but 2025 stands out as a new administration takes over. This may affect investor behavior as they adjust for possible policy changes.
December 18, 2024

Top Five Surprises for 2025

Surprises most often are hiding in plain sight. Being aware and prepared with a plan for the unexpected are keys to achieving goals.
December 16, 2024

2025 Market Outlook: U.S. Stocks & Economy & Global Markets

As we approach 2025, what can investors expect from U.S. stocks and the global markets in the new year?
December 13, 2024

Analyze Vertical Spreads with the Risk Profile Tool

Learn how to set up and analyze an options spread using the Risk Profile tool on the thinkorswim platform for more complex trades like vertical spreads.
December 10, 2024

2025 U.S. Stocks and Economy Outlook

The U.S. economy and stock market are entering 2025 from a position of strength, but risks of volatility—especially pertaining to policy—are much higher compared to last year.
December 9, 2024

Managing Cash-Secured Puts for Income Strategies

Cash-secured puts may generate short-term income or enable purchase of desired stocks at a favorable price. Know what to do if the cash-secured put doesn't work out as planned.
December 5, 2024

2025 Treasury Bonds and Fixed Income Outlook

The bond market is caught between the Federal Reserve's plans to cut interest rates and the risk of higher inflation and federal debt levels.
December 4, 2024

Is It Time to Reassess Your Risk Tolerance?

How much risk can you really handle? The answer may surprise you.
December 2, 2024

2025 Global Outlook: Clearing the Hurdles

International markets are expected to clear the hurdles of uncertain trade policy, tighter fiscal policy and slower than average economic growth to support solid overall returns.
December 2, 2024

Trading Near the Bells

What to know about the market's two most volatile trading hours.
November 26, 2024

What's Your Risk Capacity?

It's not how much risk you can stomach that counts—it's how much time you have left to save.
November 25, 2024

Breadth of Life: Post-Election Market Trends

Some post-election stock market excitement has receded, but the story of strong breadth—which predated the election—has not changed and continues to support the market for now.
November 25, 2024

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