Dear Reader,

Even savvy investors and analysts can fall into cognitive traps. Availability bias, for example, fools us into believing today’s headlines tell us the stories that will impact us most tomorrow.

In reality, it’s often the stories we’re not considering that will have the greatest impact on our economy and geopolitics in the next 6–12 months and beyond.

(If you haven’t already claimed your virtual pass for this year’s Strategic Investment Conference, now’s the time. Our expert faculty will provide thoughtful analysis and actionable insights on all the most important challenges and opportunities we face starting on Monday, May 1. Don’t miss it.)

Take energy, for example. It was the biggest story of the summer last year after Russia invaded Ukraine. You’ll remember many folks were talking about $200 oil at the time.

Since then, we’ve heard bits and pieces about the depletion of the SPR or Saudi Arabia getting friendly with the Kremlin. However, people have largely moved on to the next headline.

If you’re considering the economic pivot points that will have the greatest impact in the years ahead, I can’t think of one greater than the energy markets. Energy prices are volatile and feed into the price of everything.

That’s why I’ve asked my friend Sam Rines to assemble his dream team of energy experts for a roundtable discussion at this year’s Strategic Investment Conference.

He shared the names he’s put together, and I think you’ll be impressed with the depth of knowledge and insights you’ll receive if you join us.

To meet the increased demand for energy in the coming years though, I expect we’ll need more than just oil and gas.

To that end, I’m excited to announce SIC will feature a nuclear energy panel with Amir Adnani, Christopher Levesque, and Dr. Michael Goff. Nuclear will certainly play a role, and I’m eager to hear about the biggest opportunities.

Of course, we’ll also have our highly anticipated bear-bull debate, as mentioned earlier, featuring my good friends, Dr. Ed Yardeni and David “Rosie” Rosenberg. Our own Ed D’Agostino will help keep things cordial as they each lay out their case for where they expect the economy to head from here.

Next, we’ll have our money management panel. If you’re managing portfolios or advising clients, you won’t want to miss this lively discussion. The brilliant minds on this panel manage billions of dollars in combined assets. In this session, they’ll each share their unique approach and the opportunities they see.

When we consider the “unthinkable,” no conference worth its weight would skip out on geopolitics. We saw last year the effect an unexpected invasion or geopolitical crisis can have on inflation, commodity prices, and shortages of all kinds. This year, we’ll discuss tensions with Russia, China, and more, plus how we’d be affected if things come to a head.

We’ll add a new moderated discussion between former presidential candidate Andrew Yang and top political strategist and pollster Dr. Frank Luntz. The political climate is reaching a point where Americans are growing increasingly frustrated with the current two-party system. No matter your political leanings, you’ll want to tune in to their discussion on the heart of the problem and potential solutions from the center.

That’s all in addition to the final panel, often my favorite of the entire conference. I’ll admit I selfishly enjoy having the chance to ask several of the smartest minds my most burning questions. This year, I’ll be joined on our last day by Felix Zulauf, Bill White, David Bahnsen, and Neil Howe.

If you haven’t yet purchased your virtual pass for the SIC, don’t delay. We’re just days away from the official kick-off, and you won’t want to miss a single second of it.

You’re welcome to pick and choose which sessions are most applicable to you if you’d like. Many join us for the whole thing and enjoy getting the broader picture. In the end, it’s entirely dependent on you and your goals.

The stakes are higher than ever this year. Make sure you’re there to join us at the most important SIC we’ve ever held. Click here to view all the details and get your virtual pass.

Your eagerly awaiting next Monday analyst,
 

John Mauldin
Co-Founder, Mauldin Economics

P.S. We’re now just days away from getting started. The SIC will be held for five days between May 1–10. Be sure to secure your SIC 2023 virtual pass before we get started. I look forward to seeing you there.