Market Mondays #303: Market Turmoil — What You Need To Do Right Now (Before It’s Too Late)
Date: March 31, 2026
Hosts: Rashad Bilal, Troy Millings, Ian Dunlap (Jay)
Network: Earn Your Leisure (EYL)
Episode Overview
This special Market Mondays episode tackles the topic dominating both the economy and headlines: heightened market turmoil caused by war, recession fears, and sector volatility. The hosts, joined by resident market expert Ian “Red Panda” Dunlap, break down what investors should do right now, delivering practical strategies for making (and keeping) money during uncertain times. They offer technical tips, economic outlooks, and hard-hitting talk on wealth disparity, while fielding questions from the community—providing insight for both short-term traders and long-term investors.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Current Market Volatility: What’s Happening?
- Theme: The stock market is experiencing significant turmoil—a “spooky hours” stretch shaped by political escalation, war in Iran, and volatility across major indexes.
- The Mag 7 tech stocks are down sharply; oil is surging; volatility index (VIX) is rising (25:10).
- "This is what you call spooky hours. The second year of a presidency traditionally is the worst for the stock market cycle... Add war, oil strife, and you’ve got disaster in the making." — Jay (18:58)
- The market hasn’t “fully collapsed”—but there is anxiety about a deeper decline similar to the 2008 crisis (22:32).
2. Trading & Investing in Turmoil: Handling Volatility
Trading Tips (08:33, 10:11)
- Ian: "Just because there’s more volatility in the market doesn’t mean you should take more trades. Less is more... The people who've made the most money are the ones who held their trades for the longest. If you lose, you deserve to be broke." (08:38, 09:45)
- Stick to 12 high-quality trades per year if possible; don’t get caught in overtrading.
- Troy: "If you’re trading options or buying equities, buy time. Long-term vision lets you survive volatility." (10:28)
- Set your plan and stop-loss BEFORE entering a trade; know your profit target and pullback levels.
Long-Term Strategies
- Seasonality statistics: Historically, March can now be considered a 'worry month' in addition to August, especially if there’s geopolitical turmoil or viral outbreaks (15:40-17:05).
- April and November are typically the strongest performance months for the S&P 500 (17:05).
3. Specific Market Concerns & Sector Analysis
War & Geopolitics (18:58–22:41)
- War in Iran directly spiking oil and threatening global supply chains (e.g., Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz closures).
- Risk of escalation leading to global economic consequences: "Now you got 30% of the world’s cargo in danger of being strangled over arrogance... It’s a disastrous, unnecessary war." — Jay (20:44)
- Every crisis presents opportunity: declining tech presents buying chances for those who are ready (23:01).
Opportunities Amid Crisis (23:01–25:22)
- Max 7 stocks (MSFT, AAPL, NVDA, META, TSLA, GOOGL) are down substantially; this is the time to look for entry into fundamentally sound companies as they reach historical support thresholds.
- "This is where thousand percent returns are birthed. We’ve watched things depreciate and took advantage of it." — Rashad (23:47)
Rotation to Energy
- Sector rotation out of tech and into energy (oil, utilities) is classic during times of recession/war. (50:37)
- "Tech to energy is the real sector rotation, not 60/40 bonds." — Troy (50:37)
Utilities, Semiconductors & Index ETFs
- For conservative investors: stick with broad ETFs (VTI, VO, VHT, SMH, XLK/QQQ, XLE, XLU) for diversified exposure and downside protection (70:44, 71:14).
- “In times of uncertainty, go conservative, grab your ETFs, just chill.” — Rashad (71:44)
4. Technical Analysis Tools & Technical Management
- EMAs (Exponential Moving Averages) are critical for timing entries and exits. Watch for major indexes to touch long-term EMAs (e.g., 400-day)—these have historically triggered strong rallies (39:53-40:33).
- Use technicals like the VIX, VVIX, and crude oil to indicate market bottoms for major buying opportunities (37:17–39:31).
5. Options Trading Deep Dive
- Write down your criteria before every trade:
- Has the equity fallen in price?
- Has the bid/ask spread depreciated?
- What is your depreciation threshold? (e.g. 20–40%)
- Buy time—consider LEAPs rather than short-term contracts.
- In volatile times, focus on ETFs over single stocks for less dramatic swings (33:37-34:32).
- Stop-Loss Best Practices
- Set stop-losses at 20–30% for safety on most contracts; up to 40–50% on very high-conviction trades (46:09–46:31).
- For long-term positions, set stop-loss based on cost basis, not on intra-trade appreciation (105:11).
6. Macro-Economic Cycles & Historical Analogies
- 2008 bear market referenced as spiritual precedent; the current “correction” has not reached those levels of pain—yet (25:22).
- "If you take a long historical view, realize that from the drop of a midterm election, median return one year out is +39.8%. Hold for the long-term.” — Ian (29:36)
- Focus on "stock of the decade," not just the hot stock of the year.
7. Wealth Gap & Societal Impact
- Wealth inequality is worsening, especially for Black Americans and the broader bottom 50%.
- "Recessions only hurt poor people... Rich people have opportunities in every crisis." — Jay (53:18)
- AI and automation will accelerate the wealth divide and cause job losses, especially in white-collar jobs. (73:17–74:13)
- Trade professions like electrician, plumber, HVAC are seen as increasingly valuable, accessible alternatives (74:34–75:56).
- Healthcare, food quality, and living longer are now also becoming functions of wealth (76:21–79:42).
8. Community Q&A: Practical Advice & Investment Scenarios
- How to invest $50,000 or $100,000 today: prioritize safety, stick to index/ETF allocation (25% each in 4 sectors/ETFs). (69:22–71:44)
- For beginner futures traders: Don’t overtrade—stick to 12 trades/year, focus on quality over quantity (99:39–100:44).
- On stop-losses for long-term holdings: only change stop-loss if your thesis changes, not simply when up (104:38–105:46).
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “Just because there’s more volatility in the market doesn’t mean it’s time to take more trades... Less is more.” — Ian (08:38)
- “If you lose, you deserve to be broke.” — Ian (09:45)
- “When Powell is saying we need to rebalance even the United States debt to GDP, that’s a concern.” — Ian (13:57)
- “Wealthy people are living longer to accumulate more wealth. That means there’s always going to be a permanent employee class.” — Rashad (77:15)
- “AI is the final infinity stone in racism—now it separates the racial wealth gap away from a system and puts it against the machine.” — Troy (85:01)
- “You don’t need to catch every move. You need to survive long enough to catch the right moves.” — Rashad (102:49)
- “If you’re undisciplined, yes, it’s time to take profit. If you have no plan or playbook for how you’re trading, pack it up and reassess.” — Troy (43:35)
- "In order to have generational wealth, you need to hold for a generation." — Ian (37:35)
- “When you can make people money and add value, they’ll be forever indebted to you.” — Rashad (01:26)
Timestamps for Important Segments
- Market Volatility, Trading Discipline: 08:33–10:11, 13:14–13:54
- Seasonality & Monthly Patterns: 15:40–18:08
- War & Oil, Macro-Economic Risks: 18:58–25:09
- Options Trading Process: 31:58–34:30
- Technical Analysis & Buy Signals: 39:39–40:33
- Sector Rotation to Energy: 50:37
- Historical Lessons (2008 vs. Now): 25:22–29:36
- ETF Allocation & Wealth Preservation: 69:22–71:44, 98:20–99:28
- Wealth Gap, Social Impact: 73:17–79:42, 85:01
- Futures/Options Advice for Beginners: 99:39–102:21
- Community Q&A/Investment Scenarios: 104:38–105:11
Final Thoughts & Calls to Action
- The market is in rare territory—be disciplined, stick to your investing plan, and don't try to 'catch every move.'
- Focus on ETFs and diversified index funds for safety until geopolitical and economic storms pass.
- The best strategy is surviving the storm so you’ll be there to take advantage of the next generational opportunity.
- “If I made you money, put 'yes' in the chat!” (throughout)