Markets and Economy

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

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Implications of a New Fed Chair Nominee

Liz Ann Sonders and Kathy Jones review the Federal Reserve’s latest dilemma and the complexity of policy setting in this environment.

Bonds

2026 Outlook: Treasury Bonds and Fixed Income

Overall, we expect 2026 to be another good year of returns for bond investors, but the range of potential outcomes is wide.

Markets and Economy

Utilities Lose Defensive Touch as AI Ignites Rally

Thanks to AI-generated power demand, the utilities sector is losing its traditional defensive role. Is this a permanent move, or will utilities ultimately regain their place?

Markets and Economy

Are Transports Losing Their Barometer Status?

Amid tech competition and industry challenges, transports—long seen as an economic barometer—were outpaced by major indexes over the last year. Is the sector still a useful tool?

Stocks: Less Comfortably Numb

After a gangbuster stock market rally since the early-April lows, many of the prior highfliers have taken a breather amid AI bubble and valuation concerns.

The Confidence Map: Navigating Investor Sentiment (With Peter Atwater)

Liz Ann Sonders and Peter Atwater delve into how investor confidence, market narratives, and the "K-shaped economy" are influencing the current market cycle.

Company Earnings

Q3 Retail Earnings Preview: Consumer Mood Darkens

Consumers are in a sour mood over inflation and jobs as major retailers prepare to report earnings and offer their outlooks for the holiday shopping period.

Desert Song: Relying on Alt Data for Economic Pulse

While we wait for federal data to come back online, private sector gauges continue to underscore still-weak manufacturing, resilient services, and mediocre job growth.

International

What Happened to Germany's Spending Boom?

German officials announced a massive stimulus program in early 2025. The results have been underwhelming so far, but we believe the economic boost to Germany and Europe is still coming.

Markets and Economy

How to Effectively Read the Fed's Beige Book

Effectively reading the Federal Reserve's Beige Book can help investors spot economic, industry, and consumer trends that could potentially impact investment portfolios.

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Investing involves risk, including loss of principal. Hedging and protective strategies generally involve additional costs and do not assure a profit or guarantee against loss.

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With long options, investors may lose 100% of funds invested.

Covered calls provide downside protection only to the extent of premiums received, and prevent any profitability above the strike price of the call.

Cryptocurrency- related products carry a substantial level of risk and are not suitable for all investors. Investments in cryptocurrencies are relatively new, highly speculative, and may be subject to extreme price volatility, illiquidity, and increased risk of loss, including your entire investment in the fund. Spot markets on which cryptocurrencies trade are relatively new and largely unregulated, and therefore, may be more exposed to fraud and security breaches than established, regulated exchanges for other financial assets or instruments. Some cryptocurrency-related products use futures contracts to attempt to duplicate the performance of an investment in cryptocurrency, which may result in unpredictable pricing, higher transaction costs, and performance that fails to track the price of the reference cryptocurrency as intended. Please read more about risks of trading cryptocurrency futures here.

Futures, futures options and Forex trading involves substantial risk and is not suitable for all investors. Please read the Risk Disclosure Statement for Futures and Options prior to trading futures products.

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