Shares of the largest US companies are moving wildly out of sync, creating a sense of calm in the S&P 500 Index not seen in years. But it’s a different story when it comes to the rest of the market.

Whether it’s another move up or a dive down, traders are bracing for added volatility wrought by Wednesday’s dual macroeconomic catalysts: a report on consumer prices in the morning and the Federal Reserve’s rate decision in the afternoon.

Investors who just booked profits from one of the strongest first quarters for the S&P 500 Index in decades are preparing for what comes next — whether that’s stocks climbing higher or crashing back to earth.

Tesla Inc.’s slide to the lowest level since May attracted a wave of bullish option buying not in the stock itself, but with an exchange traded fund that offers more leverage.

Investors’ lingering fears of recession have prompted Wall Street banks to hawk a complex hedge: exotic options that pay off if stocks fall and bond yields also drop.

Citigroup Inc.’s option volume was light on a recent Wednesday, until the session’s last 90 minutes when a wave of trades hit. These weren’t bets on the shares moving — rather, they were part of a long-dormant strategy that’s back in vogue thanks to the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes.

Analysts are growing increasingly doubtful that US consumer spending will hold up into next year, even as American shoppers continue to be surprisingly resilient despite lingering inflation and elevated borrowing costs.

Investors are facing a pivotal week as a key measure of inflation that hits Tuesday and the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate decision on Wednesday are expected to set the tone for the stock market and economy heading into 2024.

Stock investors are turning to roughed-up corners of the market from small caps to value shares as they seek out bargains with the S&P 500 Index riding a five-week winning streak and soaring almost 9% since the start of November.

Individual investors who had been behind the stock market rally this year pulled more money from US equities in October than they have in any month over the past two years.

Investors have shown few signs of panic during a stock market slump that’s pushed the S&P 500 Index into its first losing quarter in a year. But beneath the surface, signs of stress are emerging that go far beyond the just averted US government shutdown.

The S&P 500 Index’s surprise 16% rally this year is rewarding traders who bought in early and punishing those who’ve remained skeptical. But fear of a downturn remains.

The seemingly unstoppable rally in homebuilding stocks may face a few potential roadblocks ahead.

For people looking on anxiously as stock wealth converges in an oligarchy of high-tech juggernauts, some perspective: It’s nothing new.

This year’s annual rebalancing of the FTSE Russell’s stock indexes, when companies are added or kicked out of the equity gauges, will be a headache for active portfolio managers.

As fast as it went up for value managers, it’s coming down. The culprit is the all-consuming craze for artificial intelligence.

Wall Street veteran Bob Michele is eyeing opportunities in intermediate government bonds and investment grade credit as the US edges toward a recession by the end of the year.

There was a time when investors would send money into Cathie Wood’s funds even when they were struggling. This year, even as ARK Investment Management roars back, the flows are notable by their absence.

Wall Street’s model-portfolio boom appears to have flashed its invisible power for the second time in this week after a once-sleepy Charles Schwab Corp. bond exchange-traded fund received another monster inflow.

Bitcoin gained for a second day, spurring optimism among the almost always bullish advocates of the bellwether cryptocurrency for an end to the months-long decline known as crypto winter.

The money flowing out of crypto-related funds in the third quarter has slowed down, a sign that many bearish investors may have already piled out of the risky asset class.

Internships at Meta Platforms Inc., the Facebook and Instagram owner, are coveted for their selectivity, high compensation, lavish perks -- and most of all, the potential job offer waiting at the end of the summer. This year, that’s more elusive.

Cathie Wood’s Ark Investment Management has been selling Chinese tech stocks, with holdings in one of the firm’s funds falling to the lowest on record as Beijing’s crackdown on the sector intensifies.