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This special bonus episode of the Science of Economic Freedom is all about the latest action in the financial markets, including why the return of volatility is normal, and not abnormal.

The January pullback in markets has taken a toll on investor confidence. And with stocks still well below 2018 highs, many investors have become jittery about what direction stocks and bonds will take next. Then there’s the headwinds of rising interest rates, geopolitical concerns, domestic political concerns, rising fuel prices, and a host of other causes for concern.

It is during periods such as these, characterized by heightened uncertainty, that investors really need to make sure they have the right investment strategy in place for their long-term goals.

In this bonus episode, I also discuss:

• The importance of an investment plan

• How to tune out negative news.

• How to measure your investment strategy’s performance to see if it’s meeting your expectations.

• A recap of the year-to-date performance of the major indices, including domestic and international stocks, and bonds.

• The “five market conditions” and where we are right now.

• The factors determining equity prices right now (earnings growth, consumer spending, unemployment, household net worth, etc.)