| Dear Reader, The 20th annual SIC conference is coming together and I’m proud to say it’s shaping up to be better than last year. I’ve never been more eager to bring together a high-caliber faculty with such depth of insight and decades of wisdom and experience. I’m writing today to share an important update that just couldn’t wait. We’re excited to announce that Felix Zulauf, president of Zulauf Consulting, will be joining us again this year at SIC 2024. Felix has always been a highlight of SIC. I mean, the wisdom just cranks out of his mouth when he talks. It just doesn't get any better than Felix telling you what's happening in the world, and he again will talk about cycles and markets and how we can handle the bumps ahead. I want to make a special note about Felix in light of his recent predictions, and how they contribute to the overall theme of this year, and our discussion of cycles. Let’s begin with SIC 2022 when Felix predicted that the Russia-Ukraine conflict was going to last for quite a long time. Here we are two years later, as predicted, witnessing a continuing conflict which still shows little sign of ending soon. Then we have SIC 2023. Felix continued the war conversation and important distinctions between US and China relations with an insight I think a lot of people miss comparing the cycles of war. “In geopolitics, we have war cycles. We have different war cycles, 100 years, 50 years, 25 years, I think the most important one is the 50-year war cycle of international military conflicts. And that will peak very late this decade… There is now the fight for influence and power and interest in the world between [US and China]... What’s important is how the current US-China tensions are more dangerous than the Cold War era because China has a stronger economy and more technological advancement than the Soviet Union.” One of the technological advances of China we’ll dive into quite a bit during the conference is China’s use of dual-use technologies and their implications. There’s a lot to make from all this, and we look forward to Felix's contribution and participation in SIC 2024. You’ll gain a wealth of insight from him. His recent insights offer us a glimpse into what potentially lies ahead for continued tensions between the US and China. Given that Felix will be joining us, let's look at what escalated tensions between US/China could look like this year and think about what it could mean. “Conflict and rivalry between China/US intensify during 2024. The US brings more sanctions against the Chinese government and the Chinese economy. The Chinese retaliate, and they forbid Apple to do business in China. This breaks the stock of Apple, which declines by 50% and takes the other Magnificent 6 with it, creating a big sell-off. The decline is temporary, but sharp and deep. After that, the Fed steps in, calms the situation, and provides liquidity. Then up we go again to new highs.” In light of the accuracy and experience from Felix we have to look at the ways he seamlessly connects geopolitics and the markets—his research raises a host of new questions to ponder. What will be the next domino? What other ramifications for major corporations and the broader market? How will dual-use technologies play out in the coming crisis? When should we expect this to impact our portfolios? As big as our discussion with Felix will be, it mirrors the magnitude and depth of each of the topics that will carry us through the entire conference. Yes, I’m almost irrationally excited to dive into this year’s SIC. You can feel an energy in the air—how things are changing in the world around us. We’ll get through it, as we always do, because amidst uncertainty and chaos, there is opportunity. Reserve your spot today, qualify for an early-bird discount, and save 44% off the retail price. Click here to reserve your discounted Virtual Pass now. The conference runs on alternating days between Monday, April 22, and Wednesday, May 1 this year. So be sure to mark your calendars for April 22, 24, 26, 29, and May 1. If you’re not able to join us live or you have prior commitments, I’d still encourage you to participate. We’ll have recordings and transcripts for you to review at your convenience after the conference. Be sure to look at the diverse faculty we have in store for you. The stakes are higher than ever this year. Let’s position ourselves for safety and opportunity together. Click here to reserve your discounted SIC 2024 Virtual Pass now. You’ll save substantially off the retail price. I look forward to seeing you there! Your confident in a better world on the other side of the storm analyst, 
John Mauldin
Co-Founder, Mauldin Economics | 