Welcome back to this week’s live market update on Navigating Abundant Retirement. I’m Carol Dewey, Founder of Perpetual Wealth Financial. We're living through one of the most violent stock market climates in modern history, characterized by rapid drops, historic rallies, and extreme volatility not seen since the 2008 financial crisis or the 2020 COVID crash.

The market's price action might be screaming "catastrophe," but Carol dives into a crucial question: are we truly heading for another Great Depression or a crisis akin to World War II or the 2008 financial meltdown? By comparing historical parallels to today's economic realities, she debunks exaggerated fears and highlights a critical tone shift from escalation to negotiation regarding recent tariffs. Discover why this market turbulence is likely a massive overreaction and how savvy investors can position themselves to ride the rebound.

🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✔️ A breakdown of the recent extreme stock market volatility, including rapid drops and historic rallies.

✔️ Historical comparisons of current market conditions to the Great Depression, World War II, the 2008 financial crisis, and the 2020 COVID crash.

✔️ Why today's economic fundamentals (low unemployment, healthy banks, Fed liquidity) differ significantly from the Great Depression's 24.9% unemployment rate (in 1933) and widespread bank failures.

✔️ Why the current market is experiencing a "policy-driven, market-manufactured panic" rather than a black swan event like COVID-19.

✔️ An analysis of the economic impact of tariffs, noting that even widespread reciprocal tariffs (estimated at ~27% average U.S. tariff rate by Bloomberg Economics) would result in a 3.4% drag on GDP, significantly less than the 8% drop seen in 2008 or 2020.

✔️ The critical importance of the 90-day tariff pause, signaling a shift from escalation to negotiation, with many countries already engaging in trade talks with the White House.

✔️ A measured reentry strategy for investors in volatile markets: nibbling on dips, focusing on quality, buying high-conviction names, and practicing patience.

📘 Mentioned in This Episode:

🎯 Download our FREE guide: Tariffs & Your Retirement

This practical resource helps you understand how evolving tariff policies may impact your portfolio and retirement strategy.

🗓️ Schedule your Lifestyle & Legacy Assessment – A personalized financial review to help you navigate the shifts in today’s market. Visit Perpetual Wealth Financial

🎧 Never miss an episode – Follow Navigating Abundant Retirement wherever you get your podcasts.