It’s been a tale of two stock markets so far in 2025, with major indexes like the S&P 500 and Nasdaq crashing to one-year lows in early April and then rallying to record highs three months later.
Much of the volatility is due to President Donald Trump’s tariff plans, and those tariffs continue to be a driving force on Wall Street. Given the ongoing uncertainty, it’s not easy predicting what investments will do well in the months ahead. But some stocks and assets seem well positioned for growth no matter the broader environment.
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Here are four of the best investments to earn money in the second half of 2025.
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Datadog (DDOG)
This tech firm operates an observability and security platform for cloud applications. Its stock price is up only slightly for the year as of July 9.
More importantly, Datadog has just been added to the S&P 500 — which “changes the game” in terms of its investment potential, according to Edward Corona, a Florida-based trader and publisher of The Options Oracle Newsletter.
“You’ve got passive funds buying, institutions paying attention and a ton of volume confirming the move,” he told GOBankingRates. “The business is firing too: revenue grew 25% last quarter, free cash flow came in strong, and large customers keep spending more. Combine that with the surge in AI and cloud usage — all of which need monitoring and observability tools — and I think $200 is well within reach by year-end.”
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CVS Health (CVS)
CVS Health has been one of the better stocks in 2025, with shares rising about 50% for the year as of July 9. The pharmacy chain and healthcare solutions company has been listed by Zacks Investment Research as one of four value stocks to invest in during the latter half of the year, thanks to steady financial growth and a recent string of upside surprises.
The company is “likely to continue benefiting” from a favorable pharmacy drug mix, Zacks noted, boosted in part by the rising demand for high-cost and branded GLP-1 medications used to treat diabetes and obesity.
Gold
If you’re hesitant to invest in stocks because of this year’s volatility, one option is to put your money into gold. Gold prices are up by about 23% over the past six months and have risen by more than 39% over the past year to set new all-time highs, according to GoldPrice.org.
This year’s rally has been driven by a mix of “strong demand, economic uncertainty, and a weakening U.S. dollar,” Fidelity noted in a recent blog.
J.P. Morgan is another investment firm that projects a continued rise in gold prices during the second half of 2025.
Amazon (AMZN)
Amazon is another stock that Corona is bullish on during the latter half of the year thanks to “re-accelerated” growth, improving retail margins, cost reductions and continued investment in AI infrastructure.
Shares of the online retail giant currently trade near $222 and are up slightly for the year after spending much of 2025 heading lower.
“Technically, AMZN just cleared a major resistance level that held it down for months,” Corona said. “That breakout, backed by volume and momentum, puts $270 in play if the current trend sticks. It’s not flashy like some of the newer names, but I’d argue it’s one of the most reliable risk/reward setups for the next six months.”
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 4 Best Investments To Earn Money in the Second Half of 2025
