Markets and Economy

Read our latest market commentary on of-the-moment trends so you can make informed investment decisions

market volatility government policy international sectors us

A Week of Whiplash: What’s Behind the Market’s Mood Swings?

Kathy Jones and Liz Ann Sonders discuss market volatility, tariffs, Greenland, Japanese bond yields, and some momentum toward precious metals.

Company Earnings

Q4 Tech Earnings Preview: Leaders, Laggards Shift

Results from tech titans including Microsoft and Apple are on tap soon. Focus remains on cloud growth and spending after some stocks were punished for raising Cap-Ex last quarter.

Market Volatility

Greenland Spat Sparks Biggest Drop Since October

U.S. stocks face broad sell-off and Treasurys plunge with investors rattled by tariff threats amid President Trump's push to acquire Greenland.

Markets and Economy

Time of the Season … For Year-End Targets

Year-end S&P 500 price targets implicitly assume continuity and fail to recognize volatility and macro forces that affect markets throughout any given year.

Markets and Economy

The Bond Market in 2026: What Could Go Wrong?

We expect another generally good year for bond returns this year, but even the best-laid plans can go awry when circumstances change. Here are four risks to our outlook.

Government Policy

What Is the Debt Ceiling and Why Does It Matter?

What's the debt ceiling? Learn how the debt ceiling works and how a default on federal debt could impact the U.S. stock market and economy.

International

Emerging Markets: AI Opportunity and AI Risk

Technology has become a major driver of emerging-market stock performance.

Company Earnings

Q4 Bank Earnings Preview: Do Results Back Rally?

Big banks begin reporting tomorrow with JPMorgan Chase. Fundamentals may need to be robust to match the sector's recent Wall Street gains, and loan demand could get a close look.

Markets and Economy

Forward/Backward: 2025 Review With a Note on Venezuela

The capture of Venezuelan President Maduro has been digested well by global markets, which is in keeping with 2025’s theme of massive volatility and solid index-level returns.

Closing Thoughts on a Year of Uncertainty

At the end of 2025, Liz Ann Sonders and Kathy Jones assess the resiliency of the economy.

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