WashingtonWise
Our finances, portfolios and the markets are affected daily by the policies and politics coming out of Washington. In each episode of WashingtonWise, host Mike Townsend, Charles Schwab’s Vice President for Legislative and Regulatory Affairs, focuses a non-partisan eye on the stories that matter most to investors, and his guests offer actionable suggestions for what to do--and what not to do--with your portfolio. Podcasts are for informational purposes only. This channel is not monitored by Charles Schwab. Please visit schwab.com/contactus for contact options.
Episodes
Affordability is the political buzzword of the moment, contributing to a widening gap between what consumers and investors think about the economy versus how the economy is actually performing. In this episode, Kevin Gordon, head of macro research and strategy at the Schwab Center for Financial Research, joins host Mike Townsend to discuss how affordability, though difficult to define, is shaping consumer sentiment and policy debat...
The longest government shutdown in U.S. history may be over, but Washington now finds itself facing several tough issues that will have significant implications for the markets and the economy. In this episode of WashingtonWise, host Mike Townsend examines the fallout from the shutdown, including the risk of another shutdown in early 2026, how the lack of government economic data could impact the Fed's December decision on rate cut...
With the Fed cutting rates and the bull market in stocks continuing its run of more than three years, some investors are wondering whether bonds still play an important role in a portfolio. On this episode, host Mike Townsend and guest Collin Martin, managing director and head of fixed income research and strategy at Schwab, discuss why bonds still matter when it comes to providing stability in a diversified portfolio. Collin share...
We are living in highly emotional times. But how can investors make sure those emotions don't get in the way of good investing decisions? In this episode of WashingtonWise, host Mike Townsend welcomes Stephanie Shadel, senior wealth advisor at Charles Schwab, for a timely discussion on managing emotions during turbulent markets and the impact of Washington policy decisions on investing. Steph shares practical strategies for keeping...
The bull market has been running since April, despite persistent economic and political headwinds, including tariffs, sticky inflation, a weakening jobs outlook, questions about the Fed's independence, and now a government shutdown. On this episode of WashingtonWise, Joe Mazzola, head trading and derivatives strategist at Charles Schwab, joins host Mike Townsend to discuss traders’ perspectives on whether this market can sustain it...
At last week's remarkable Federal Reserve meeting, the Fed's decision to cut the baseline interest rate for the first time in 2025 took a backseat to questions over which members would get to vote at the meeting. On this episode, Kathy Jones, Schwab's chief fixed income strategist, joins host Mike Townsend to break down the Fed's struggle to balance inflation concerns with a softening job market—and what they might do if they get i...
The coming weeks will see a series of major policy decisions in Washington that will play out in Congress and in the courts. On this episode, host Mike Townsend explores five key issues that are nearing resolution and discusses how the markets may react. He examines the Federal Reserve's plan to resume cutting interest rates and how the president's attempt to fire a Fed governor means the courts will have to resolve a fundamental q...
2025 has been the Year of the Tariff. Since he took office, President Trump has unveiled aggressive tariffs on imports from foreign countries, reshaping U.S. trade policy, sending the markets on a roller-coaster ride, and causing uncertainty for companies of all types. Now a new deadline of August 1 looms that could bring higher tariffs on imports from dozens of countries. On this episode, host Mike Townsend is joined by Michelle G...
As cryptocurrency makes its way into the investing mainstream, investors have lots of questions. In today's episode, Nate Peterson, director of derivatives analysis at the Schwab Center for Financial Research, joins host Mike Townsend for a timely discussion that covers cryptocurrency basics, how this technology could evolve, and how Washington is taking notice by moving forward on the first-ever crypto legislation. Nate explains c...
The One Big Beautiful Bill, the Republicans’ massive tax and spending package, has passed the House of Representatives, but now the Senate is making significant changes to the legislation. In this episode, host Mike Townsend takes a closer look at what’s in the bill and how it may affect taxpayers, investors, and the markets.
He examines the key differences between the House-passed bill and the Senate version, discusses the most co...
Financial fraud is not new, but it evolves so quickly that it can be hard to keep track of the latest developments. Host Mike Townsend is joined on this episode by DJ Johnson, managing director of financial crimes risk management at Charles Schwab, for an informative discussion of what kinds of financial scams are proliferating now and how investors can protect themselves. DJ highlights how fraudsters are using new techniques with ...
On this episode of WashingtonWise, Liz Ann Sonders, chief investment strategist at Charles Schwab, joins host Mike Townsend for a wide-ranging discussion about what’s driven the wild swings in the market in 2025 and what’s on the horizon for the rest of the year. Liz Ann dives into the constantly evolving tariff and fiscal policies and how they are making it harder for companies to plan and for investors to know where things are he...
The last several weeks have seen unusual market volatility, not just in the stock market but in the bond market as well. Fixed income investors have been struggling to make sense of the on-again, off-again tariff policy and its impact on the U.S. economy. In this episode, host Mike Townsend welcomes Collin Martin, director and fixed income strategist at the Schwab Center for Financial Research, for a robust discussion about how tar...
China and the United States are locked in an unprecedented trade war, with each imposing tariffs of more than 100% on the other’s imports. On this episode of WashingtonWise, host Mike Townsend is joined by Jeffrey Kleintop, Schwab’s chief global investment strategist, for an in-depth discussion of the trade war’s implications for investors, companies, consumers, and the economies of both countries. They discuss which parts of the U...
The administration's ever-evolving trade and tariff policy has sent the markets on a wild ride not seen in two decades. In this episode of WashingtonWise, host Mike Townsend dives into what's driving the administration's tariff agenda and how the markets are responding. He also considers the broader implications for the U.S. economy, the tricky task facing the Fed, and the struggle on Capitol Hill to move forward with the president...
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