And there's perhaps no safer long-term strategy than to seek out the best dividend stocks. The stock market always trends up in the long run, so in a sense there's no need to sweat any short-term struggles.

Investors looking for a way to pump up their passive income streams want to turn their attention toward the pharmaceutical industry. From the end of 2022 through Nov. 22, the benchmark S&P 500 index rose by a stunning 55.5%, but many of its drug-selling components haven't participated in the rally.

In the current global market landscape, uncertainty surrounding incoming U.S. administration policies and inflationary pressures have led to a mixed performance across major indices, with sectors like financials and energy seeing gains while healthcare faces challenges.

The power of owning dividend-paying stocks is often underappreciated. Consider, for example, that a study by Hartford Funds and Ned Davis Research found that between 1973 and 2023

As global markets experience broad-based gains, with U.S. indexes nearing record highs and positive sentiment fueled by strong labor market reports, investors are increasingly seeking stability amid geopolitical uncertainties and fluctuating economic conditions.