WashingtonWise

Inflation is at the center of almost every economic discussion these days, whether among individual investors, fund managers, or elected officials. It goes beyond just high prices on everyday goods and has the potential for long-term effects on the economy. Liz Ann Sonders, Schwab’s chief investment strategist, joins Mike to discuss what we can expect as the Fed gets aggressive raising interest rates and if its efforts can bring in...

Everyone has a thought on cryptocurrency. Some think it's the future. Some think it's a fraud. Some think it's just baffling. At the end of the day, investors have more questions than answers. Randy Frederick, the managing director for trading and derivatives at the Schwab Center for Financial Research, joins Mike Townsend for a wide-ranging discussion about the elusive nature of cryptocurrency, its growing popularity, ...

When Russia invaded Ukraine it set in motion a series of abrupt changes. These changes have sparked a host of challenges around the world and prompted questions for investors. How will this conflict end? What will be the impact on the U.S. and global economies of the sanctions on Russia? What are the impacts of the war on the supply chain? What are the longer-term implications of the decisions by hundreds of U.S. companies to pull ...

Too much spending coupled with too few goods caused inflation to rise rapidly, and it’s hanging on longer than most analysts anticipated. The standard antidote for inflation is to raise interest rates with the intent to cool spending. But what does that mean for investors? How long will it take before we see things start to change? How much will it hurt employment? Does the Fed have a plan for where they are going with rates so tha...

The markets are facing a variety of challenges that have sparked a significant increase in volatility, from rising inflation to anticipation of the Fed raising interest rates to Russia’s threats to invade Ukraine. Just a handful of large companies seem to push and pull the markets with every announcement. All of it has led to a market downturn since the beginning of the year, putting investors on edge. JJ Kinahan, TD Ameritrade’s c...

With Russia massing troops along Ukraine’s border and China escalating its saber-rattling against Taiwan, foreign policy challenges have moved to the front burner, forcing the United States and the European Union to consider sanctions and other steps to try to tamp down tensions. Jeff Kleintop, Schwab’s chief global investment strategist, joins host Mike Townsend on the podcast to discuss the options the U.S. and EU are considering...

No one is happy with the recent inflation run-up, least of all the Federal Reserve, whose mandate includes keeping inflation at a manageable pace. For this fight, one of the main arrows in the Fed’s quiver is to raise interest rates in hopes of curtailing spending and bringing prices back in line¬. But how much will it take, and how painful will that be for the economy? Kathy Jones, Schwab’s chief fixed income strategist, joins Mik...

In this year-end episode of WashingtonWise, Mike Townsend takes a hard look at three big issues facing Congress and the president: raising the debt ceiling to keep the U.S. from defaulting on its debts, decisions on the Build Back Better Act with far-reaching implications for climate change and the social safety net, and major changes ahead for the makeup of the Federal Reserve that could impact the direction of the economy for yea...

Those looking to invest in companies whose values align with theirs when it comes to environmental, social, and governance factors, known as ESG, are working toward a dual bottom line: They are seeking positive results for the causes they support and positive returns for their portfolios. Michael Iachini, managing director and head of manager research at the Charles Schwab Investment Advisory, joins Mike Townsend to discuss the sta...

In this episode of WashingtonWise Investor, Mike Townsend continues his discussion with Liz Ann Sonders, Schwab’s chief investment strategist. They dive into the myriad changes currently buffeting the economy, including reductions in the labor market, bottlenecks in the supply chain, evolving views on work/life balance, and new policies coming out of Washington. Liz Ann shares her perspective on what it all means for the markets, w...

While the markets continue to keep a wary eye on the slowly unfolding dramas in Washington, there is plenty more threatening to roil the markets in the fourth quarter and beyond. Liz Ann Sonders, Schwab’s chief investment strategist, joins the podcast for the first of a two-part conversation with host Mike Townsend to break it all down. They discuss how the market is reacting to the ongoing debates in Washington, including the deci...

In this episode of WashingtonWise Investor, Mike Townsend looks at President Biden’s picks for five administration posts and offers insights on how their decisions could impact the markets and your finances. He also discusses the mechanics of how a 50-50 Senate will work, examines the effort to balance confirming Cabinet nominees with preparations for the second impeachment trial, and scours for signs of bipartisanship as lawmakers...

In this episode of WashingtonWise Investor, Mike Townsend focuses on the new balance of power in Washington and shares insights on the mechanics of such a narrowly divided Congress. He explores issues that are likely to be at the top of Biden’s policy agenda—from more COVID relief to tax increases—and the likelihood that the necessary consensus can be built to get them approved. 

WashingtonWise Investor is an original podcast from C...

In this episode of WashingtonWise Investor, Mike Townsend takes a look at the various outcomes of the upcoming Georgia Senate runoff election, what they could mean as President-elect Joe Biden works to implement his policy agenda, and how what does—and doesn’t—get through Congress may impact the markets. 

Mike also provides perspective on the sudden momentum on Capitol Hill for another round of economic stimulus; explains what a new...

After an unprecedented election that saw both Joe Biden and Donald Trump receive more votes for president than any other candidates in history, the focus is shifting to how much of his agenda President-elect Biden will be able to enact. 

In this episode of WashingtonWise Investor, Mike talks to Schwab’s Chief Investment Strategist Liz Ann Sonders about the market reaction to the presumed and actual election results, as well as the p...

In this episode of WashingtonWise Investor, Mike previews what to watch for on Election Night and discusses whether the market cares about the election outcome with Randy Frederick, Schwab’s vice president for trading and derivatives. They also explore what lessons can be learned from market reactions to previous elections, why traders are betting on volatility this November, and why investors should be wary of making big changes b...

In this episode of WashingtonWise Investor, Mike checks in withJeff Kleintop, Schwab’s chief global investment strategist, on myriad topics that could affect international markets—from COVID outbreaks to Brexit to possible outcomes of the U.S. election.

Mike also considers the recent flurry of high-profile news in the capital and whether any of it is actually moving U.S. markets. He also zeroes in on one story that’s flying under th...

In this episode of WashingtonWise Investor, Kathy Jones, Schwab’s chief fixed income strategist, joins Mike Townsend to share her insights on what’s behind the Fed’s new strategy to keep interest rates near zero—possibly for years—while the economy recovers, what it means for inflation risk, and why this change is so important to fixed income investors. They also look at what else the Fed can do to respond to the coronavirus crisis...

In this episode of WashingtonWise Investor, Mike Townsend is joined by Brad Bartick—vice president and branch manager of the downtown Denver Schwab branch—to discuss investing in a market that is riding high while the economy, jobs, the election, and the pandemic are all still big causes for concern. They focus on overcoming the behavioral consequences that biases can have on investing in such unprecedented times.

Mike also discusse...