TD Ameritrade offers individual investors 24-hour weekday trading

Jan 23, 2018
TD Ameritrade has started to offer individual investors around-the-clock weekday trading for some popular funds. The company said one driver for the change is Asian clients who want to trade U.S. stocks during their daytime hours. The company also wants to satisfy U.S. clients who want to trade in off hours. Analysts point out that […]

What's behind the global rally?

Jan 17, 2018
Economists say cheap interest rates are one factor.
Economists are split on whether Donald Trump's presidency is behind the boom in the economies and stock markets of Europe, China and Japan.
SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

Why the Dow breaking 26,000 points is making some analysts nervous

Jan 16, 2018
While the markets closed today with a slight loss, they opened at a high point. This morning, the Dow broke 26,000 points for the first time in its 120 year history — and that’s after a year with practically no dips to speak of. But that lack of volatility has some market watchers a little […]

Oil prices start the year on a high note

Jan 2, 2018
It’s the highest first-of-the-year price for oil since 2014. But the companies producing crude are taking a more cautious view of things than the investors and lenders who back their efforts. From unrest in Iran to uncertainty about the new tax code, oil could face a profitable but turbulent year. Click the audio player above […]

Why the bond market is trading on the tax bill

Dec 20, 2017
Today, Republicans celebrated the passage of their tax bill. Some predicted that the stock market would soar on the news. But it’s the bond market that has had the most interesting reaction to the bill’s passage. Here’s why.  Click the audio player above to hear the full story. 

Walmart earnings in a fast-moving retail landscape

Nov 16, 2017
Walmart is expected to release third quarter earnings today. Its stock has been trading lately at an all-time high. The retail giant’s biggest challenge is taking on the online retail space … and, at the same time, sustaining profits.  Click the audio player above to hear the full story. 

Looking back on Black Monday, the stock market crash of 1987

Oct 19, 2017
This week marks the 30 year anniversary of Black Monday, the day the stock market lost 23 percent of its value in just six and a half hours.
The stock market crash of October 1987.
Photo collage courtesy of Amy Pearl/ WNYC/ AP

For public good, not for profit.

Tax cuts are not likely to make or break the stock market

Oct 18, 2017
The stock market has been on quite a run since the election. The workings of the Federal Reserve have indeed had an impact on the economy, investors and companies. But recent comments from the Treasury secretary suggest that continued stock successes hinge on tax reform. Most Wall Street analysts will tell you something quite different. […]

Do rising stock prices help the nation’s debt?

Oct 12, 2017
The stock market has surged for much of the last year, and the president — like all presidents — is trying to take credit. Fair enough. But last night, he suggested the stock market can help fix the country’s national debt problem. Which got a lot of people scratching a lot of heads. Is there even any […]

What it means when the dollar and the market diverge

Aug 25, 2017
The U.S. stock markets have been doing well, and President Trump is quick to link his time in office to market highs. But at the same time the dollar has been dropping, losing more than 8 percent of its value against six major currencies since January. That divergence can be significant for retailers, manufacturers, and […]