Economic growth has held up well so far this year, says Charles Schwab's Omar Aguilar

Market Trends & Economic Outlook - The dominant trends expected this year are a weaker dollar and a steeper yield curve [1] - The economic backdrop presents crosscurrents, including tariff uncertainty, inflation, and real rates impacting future growth and potentially slowing down the US economy [3] - Fiscal stimulus expansion, coupled with resilient consumers, can drive capital expenditures, leading to increased productivity and company profitability [3] - Inflation is trending lower, although not at the Fed's desired pace, and inflation expectations are also decreasing, putting pressure on the short end of the yield curve [5] - Increased capital expenditure, higher productivity, and profitability, combined with a Fed rate cut, could be incredibly bullish for equities [9] - Continued tariff pressure and higher-than-expected inflation could act as catalysts for negative market outcomes [9] Investment Strategy - The firm advocates staying in higher quality assets in both fixed income and equities due to market uncertainty [10] - Investors are encouraged to focus on high-quality companies with high profitability, high free cash flow yields, and dividend-paying capabilities to protect against future volatility [11] - The firm favors intermediate bonds with higher quality, primarily investment grade, advising against venturing into the high yield sector [12]