The Fed and other major central banks have panicked, abandoning their 2% inflation targets and slashing their policy rates in view of sluggish economics, weakening labor markets, the East Coast dock strike, and growing Middle East problems. Interest rate cuts have fueled equities but probably come too late to forestall further economic weakness.

A US recession remains a distinct possibility. If it unfolds, a normal 30% drop in average equity prices would be likely. With declining inflation and their safe-haven appeal, Treasury bonds would benefit, as would the dollar. 

Join Michael Kramer as he discusses changes in the market since the election to see what parts have benefits and what parts have not and what that might mean for the markets. He will be looking at interest rates, the dollar, and the stock market sectors.  

Dan Dicker will discuss leveraging market cycles for long-term investment strategies in energy, focusing on both traditional fossil fuel and emerging renewable energy sectors. He will provide insights on timing entries and exits to maximize returns in the evolving global energy market. Attendees will have learned how to improve their investment portfolios by identifying optimal investment opportunities, timing their trades effectively, and investing in the right stocks for maximum profitability. 

Join award-winning market analyst and author Buff Dormeier, CMT, as he unveils the Dividend Tree, a revolutionary goals-based investment strategy designed to cultivate a thriving financial future. Akin to a fruit tree, the Dividend Tree strategy focuses on three key components: The fruit (dividends), the branches (dividend growth), and the roots (free cash flow). In this engaging presentation, Buff will guide you through the unique "quantamental" investment process that combines the power of fundamental and technical analysis to identify the most promising dividend growth opportunities. You'll learn how the Dividend Tree employs the groundbreaking Volume Factor to create a robust portfolio aiming to provide a growing income stream with capital appreciation as well as the preservation of wealth. Discover how the Dividend Tree's risk overlay strategy acts as your portfolio's "crop insurance," helping to mitigate drawdowns during market downturns. Whether you're seeking to grow your income, build your wealth, or leave a lasting legacy, the Dividend Tree offers a compelling investment strategy balancing risk with upside reward. 

Dr. John Rutledge is a private equity guy and a real estate guy and has have been investing in private equity (PE) and real estate (RE), both as a general partner and, in select cases, a limited partner, for more than 40 years. Alternative Assets are not a thing. It is a term someone made up to describe the “other” things you can own besides stocks, bonds, and money market funds. A better description would be either “private markets” or "illiquid investments”. When you invest in private markets, you are on your own. You leave behind the luxury of publicly available information and the stamp of approval from the SEC or a trustworthy auditor. In this talk, he will review the strategies that the great PE and RE investors have used to find, acquire, build, and grow world-class companies. And he will talk about how you can use these ideas yourself to do the same work with the small and mid-sized companies in your own local market. 

Uncover how savvy investors are using strategies that leverage the power of digital assets including crypto staking rewards and futures and options trading to enhance alpha as well as provide an element of hedging to long-term portfolio positions. 

This will explore the potential impact of Fed easing on the US economy in the coming year.  It will also include some initial thoughts on the impact of the US presidential election on the economy and markets.

Renowned technical analyst Harry Boxer, author of the book, Profitable Day & Swing Trading, and founder of the website, thetechtrader.com, will take your symbols and analyze each chart technically in depth. Harry will give you his buy, sell, or hold technical opinion along with defined targets and stops for each symbol 

IBD’s MarketDiem newsletter gives you hand-picked trade ideas for stocks and options right in your inbox every weekday during market hours. Our team does the research, so you get smarter trading insights, timely market analysis, and even bite-size investing lessons––all in a quick 5-minute read. Subscribe today for $4.99 per month or just $20 for the entire year.   

Is there one panacea or is the right answer to embrace the future, while also hedging against the daunting debt? Which hedge? Gold, silver, cryptocurrency, BRICS, investing in foreign countries? How do you add artificial intelligence without buying high (or should you bite the bullet and hope equities keep rising)?