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

Treasury Bonds: Why Are Yields Dropping?

Treasury yields have been falling for weeks. Yet inflation expectations remain high and recent growth data have been fairly strong—not a traditional backdrop for declining yields. What's happening?
March 5, 2025

How to Trade Futures on thinkorswim® for Beginners

Learn the risks and benefits of futures trading and how to get started with practice trades using the paperMoney® feature on the thinkorswim® desktop platform.
March 4, 2025

The (Not So) Magnificent Seven?

Heightened economic uncertainty—propelled mainly by trade policy—has unearthed weakness in the equity market, with most pain felt under the market's surface.
March 3, 2025

Stock Sectors: What Are They? How Are They Used?

Here are key facts to know about equity sectors—what they are, what they do, and how stock sectors can be used in investing.
February 28, 2025

The New Magnificent Seven?

We explore drivers that may contribute to continued outperformance of European stocks since the bull market began in October 2022.
February 24, 2025

Jigsaw Puzzle: Growth vs. Value

Growth and value are often thought of simplistically, but subsurface details in growth- and value-labeled indexes challenge pre-conceived notions of the factors.
February 18, 2025

Will the United States Dollar Be Dethroned?

Could the U.S. dollar lose its place as the world's reserve currency? Despite a long-term trend toward currency diversification, we don't see the dollar losing dominance anytime soon.
February 12, 2025

What You Need to Know About 24/5 Trading

Traders can buy and sell hundreds of stocks and ETFs on Schwab's thinkorswim® platform when the market opens on Monday until the market closes on Friday (holidays excluded).
February 11, 2025

Safe Haven From the Trade War?

Tariff policies have been announced and then subsequently rescinded or delayed–but not yet resolved. They may still hold the potential for market volatility.
February 10, 2025

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

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

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