As an options trader, Erik Smolinski thrives in chaotic markets. “In the options-trading world, what you need is not necessarily persistent, directional moves like most standard buy-and-hold portfolios might,” he told Business Insider in May 2025. “What you need is volatility, which is what we’ve got in spades.” Smolinski has been trading since 2007, when
Even when large-cap stocks lose, they still find a way to win. It’s been a rocky year for the S&P 500, but the mega-cap-heavy index has still easily beaten its peers with a relatively modest 5.2% loss. For comparison, the mid-cap-dense S&P 400 and small-cap-oriented S&P 600 have sold off by 6.9% and 10%, respectively,
Barry Bannister predicts a zigzagging S&P 500 resembling a W pattern this year. He expects a bounce to 5,800 but warns of another dip due to inflation concerns. Bannister favors value, international, and small-cap stocks. Here’s what Barry Bannister says the S&P 500’s price chart will look like this year: W. “It’s going to be