Despite news about the Covid-19 omicron variant, the U.S. economy is doing well, based on the latest statistics. Nevertheless, Covid impacts the stock market, making for very turbulent times. This week, we discuss how investors should manage their portfolio – no matter their size. We also discuss how many Americans are invested in the stock market, the size of their portfolios, financial illiteracy, and what investing looks like when viewed through demographics.

This week, we discuss the Federal Reserve’s plan to reduce inflation and the number of U.S. Treasury bonds the Fed buys, too. We discuss how the stock market reacted to this situation and why the Fed is charged with controlling inflation. The Fed Chairman, Jerome Powell, is also worried about employment. 

• This week, we interviewed a Connecticut-based financial advisor, Wilder Carnes. We learn how his clients are reacting to the stock market's volatility and how he’s advising his clients. We also talk about what’s causing the major stock indexes – the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ – to react the way they do. Is it based on real financial information or fears over Covid-19’s latest variant or other current events?

Investors learn how to manage their portfolio in a time when the stock market and major indexes go haywire. Is it the company that’s doing poorly and that’s what’s bringing its stock price down? Or is it suffering the drubbings of the market? Investing For Us also shares original reporting on grocery store prices in this episode as well as providing a further explanation of inflation. Finally, there’s a brief discussion about the psychology of the stock market.

Investors learn about President Biden’s choice to keep Jerome Powell as the Federal Reserve chairman and what actions the Biden Administration is considering in an attempt to reverse inflation. Investors also learn more about the Biden Administration’s release of the 50 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Oil Reserve and what’s causing the rise in gasoline and crude oil prices. 

Investors learn what’s next after the inflation we’re experiencing in the United States. Also discussed is the divide between major investors and the management at WalMart and Target, two large retailers. And why General Electric, Johnson & Johnson and Toshiba recently announced they were spinning off divisions and breaking themselves up. Finally, there’s a brief discussion about the Lesson of the Week, which is about how to pick a stock. 

Investors learn about what’s increasing two major indexes that measure inflation, the Producer Price Index and the Consumer Price Index. They also learn about a new company that’s competing in the electric vehicle space and why it might behoove them to look at small cap companies listed in the Russell 2000 Index. Some of today’s large companies, like Apple and Amazon, were once considered small cap companies. We discuss what metric to look at before considering whether or not to buy shares.

Investors learn the role of the Federal Reserve on the American economy and why its chairman, Jerome Powell, will likely be kept in the position by President Biden. There’s also a discussion about why the Dow Jones Industrial Average has increased more than 3.5 times in the last 22 years and why people need to stay invested. Finally, the show ends with a discussion about value stocks and what makes them different than high-growth stocks.