What a great and busy start to the year… I just returned from the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2022)... and today, I’ll highlight the best and worst companies that showcased at the event. [0:30]  But first, Goldman Sachs just increased its prediction for the number of interest rate hikes we’ll see this year as the Federal Reserve attempts to control inflation… I pound the table on why inflation is the biggest risk to the markets today… the single, painful solution I see for the Fed… and how to start protecting your portfolio NOW. [1:30]  Cryptos are also seeing a lot of volatility, with Bitcoin dropping from $60,000 to around $40,000 over the past month or so. I explain why the pullback is creating a great buying opportunity. [7:50] Turning to CES, while Omicron had an obvious impact on the number of attendees (several companies ended up canceling last-minute)... there were still plenty of amazing products being showcased—like BMW’s new electric vehicle (EV), which I got to test-drive. [9:20]  One of the biggest themes of the event was the “metaverse.” While the whole concept is still somewhat ambiguous… the biggest companies—including Apple, Google, Facebook, and Microsoft—are already making big moves into the trend. [20:00]  But two companies really stole the show… and I believe one device in particular will become my personal favorite product of the year. [25:50] Finally, a new cross-industry alliance is a huge deal for the smart home trend. [29:20] Check out our , , and the for all of my deep-dive updates from this year’s event. Enjoyed this episode? Get Wall Street Unplugged delivered FREE to your inbox every Wednesday: https://www.curzioresearch.com/wall-street-unplugged/   Wall Street Unplugged podcast is available at: --: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/wall-street-unplugged-frank/ -- : https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/curzio-research/wall-street-unplugged-2 -- : https://www.curzioresearch.com/category/podcast/wall-street-unplugged/   : https://twitter.com/frankcurzio :. https://www.facebook.com/CurzioResearch/ : https://www.linkedin.com/in/frank-curzio-690561a7/ : https://www.curzioresearch.com