2 quarters with GDP down, current bear market, inflation at a 40 year high, one of the worst approval ratings by any president, polarized country  – Let’s go to Tawain and start WW3!

Sometimes we just need to shake our head and go on a “news diet” – See article below.

On a MUCH lighter note: some of your advisor colleagues and marketers are raising money for a newly launched Non-profit to remove the stigma of Mental Health called The Jones Project.

The initial push is through an endurance climb we are doing called 29029 and we’d love for you to Donate and get this organization off the ground strong!!

When you donate, make sure to put the name of the climber you know that will be climbing so we can properly say thank you.

• If you don’t know one – two of your teammates will be: LeAnne Rodriguez and (yours truly) Cory Swain.

Have a great weekend!

Here are your Quick Hits:

Let’s go on a News Diet

• “Because we’re surrounded by reports of bad news, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that we live in one of most objectively peaceful times in history, where humans are probably even nicer to each other on average than ever before.”
• “How we feel at any given moment, and where we choose to focus our time and energy, is greatly impacted by the information we receive. If our thoughts are negatively impacted by all the news we are consuming, it may be time to consider a news diet.”

Pros and Cons of Annuities – Forbes

• This is a fairly unbiased article from a well known and trusted source in Forbes on types of Annuities.
• “The annuity contract is often described as being the opposite of life insurance. It pays while you live; life insurance pays when you die,”
• “Annuities aren’t for everyone. But they might be a good choice for people who are nearing retirement or are already in retirement, thanks to the ability to receive regular income payments that can help replace regular paychecks, experts say.”

Are annuities safe in a recession? Sales are surging, here’s what to know

• Great article on Annuities in general, but also shows the “Crowd Effect” that annuities aren’t just a “secretive” investment anymore.
• “There’s almost a perfect storm right now,” said Todd Giesing, LIMRA head of annuity research. “Rates are rising so you can earn more on these, and on top of that, the equity market is volatile. People are seeking safety and guaranteed rates.”

Fed officials signal more interest rate hikes to come, despite growing recession risks

• “The U.S. economy is teetering on the brink of a recession as it faces an onslaught of challenges. Still, Federal Reserve policymakers have signaled they will continue to hike interest rates as inflation rages — despite the threat of an impending downturn.”
• “With back-to-back declines in growth, the economy meets the technical criteria for a recession, which requires a “significant decline in economic activity that is spread across the economy and that lasts more than a few months.” Still, the NBER — the semi-official arbiter — may not confirm it immediately as it typically waits up to a year to call it.”

3 Reasons for the Fertilizer and Food Shortage

“Bad news travels fast. Good news takes the scenic route.”

–Doug Larson