Market Overview - Volatility has returned to Wall Street, with major indexes retreating from all-time highs due to concerns over high inflation, a shrinking labor market, and renewed trade war fears with China [1][3] - The ongoing government shutdown has further unsettled investors, depriving them of economic data to assess the economy's health [4] Investment Opportunities - Cautious investors may consider dividend-paying stocks as a means to generate steady income and protect capital during market fluctuations [2] - Three notable dividend-paying stocks include: - **A. O. Smith Corporation (AOS)**: Announced a dividend of $0.36 per share with a yield of 2.01%, having increased its dividend six times over the past five years [7][10] - **Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT)**: Declared a dividend of $3.45 per share with a yield of 2.62%, also increasing its dividend six times in the last five years [9][10] - **THOR Industries, Inc. (THO)**: Raised its dividend to $0.52 per share with a yield of 1.98%, having similarly increased its dividend six times over the past five years [12][10]