Suze Pop-Up: What Does This All Mean?

Summary

Podcast Summary: Suze Orman's Women & Money – "Suze Pop-Up: What Does This All Mean?"

Episode Details:

• Title: Suze Pop-Up: What Does This All Mean?
• Release Date: April 4, 2025
• Host/Author: Suze Orman Media

---

Introduction

In the April 4, 2025 episode titled "Suze Pop-Up: What Does This All Mean?", Suze Orman delivers an urgent and insightful message addressing the current economic uncertainties and market volatility. Designed as a real-time advisory outside the regular podcast schedule, this pop-up aims to provide listeners with immediate guidance amidst fluctuating financial landscapes.

Overview of Current Market Conditions

Suze begins by acknowledging the widespread fear surrounding the economy and the stock market. She identifies the recent downturn as a response to escalating tensions, particularly citing China's imposition of retaliatory tariffs as a primary catalyst for investor anxiety.

[00:01] Suze Orman: "We are looking obviously at another down day for the markets today. And you have to ask yourself why? Why are the markets continuing to go down? ... Because number one, China has retaliated."

Investment Strategies During Volatility

Dollar Cost Averaging

While recognizing that some listeners may be engaging in dollar cost averaging with the belief that market lows present buying opportunities, Suze advises caution. She warns against aggressive investment during such uncertain times, emphasizing the importance of incremental contributions rather than significant investments.

[02:30] Suze Orman: "If you are going to continue with that strategy right now you are to do it with seriously tiny amounts. ... Don't catch a falling knife."

Diversification and Safe Investments

Suze stresses the importance of maintaining a diversified portfolio, highlighting bonds and dividend-paying stocks as stabilizing elements during market downturns. She reassures listeners that long-term bonds, despite previous concerns about interest rates, are now performing well.

[05:15] Suze Orman: "Bond yields are absolutely collapsing. So if you've got bonds, your portfolio may be back to even or even showing gains."

Additionally, she recommends securing funds in Certificates of Deposit (CDs), specifically endorsing the Alliant Credit Union CD for its competitive interest rates.

[07:45] Suze Orman: "My favorite CD is the Alliant Credit Union cd. ... If you want your money to be safe and sound right now, you have to take advantage of the 12 to 17 month CD."

Psychological Aspects of Investing

Suze delves into the emotional challenges investors face during turbulent times. She explains the significance of the VIX (Volatility Index) surpassing 45, signaling heightened fear over logic in market decisions. Her advice centers on maintaining composure and resisting emotional reactions to avoid detrimental financial decisions.

[04:10] Suze Orman: "When the VIX is this high, it means fear is absolutely overwhelming logic. And historically when sentiment is this fearful, it is not the time to sell."

Specific Market Insights

Tariffs and Global Tensions

Suze highlights the impact of China's retaliatory tariffs, which have significantly contributed to the current market downturn. She emphasizes that these geopolitical tensions are likely to prolong the economic instability.

Bond Yields and Their Implications

With bond yields collapsing, Suze points out that long-term bonds are now yielding positive returns, reversing previous losses caused by rising interest rates.

Gold vs. Bitcoin as Safe Havens

Contrary to Bitcoin, which she observes as unreliable during crises, Suze advocates for investing in gold as a steadfast safe haven.

[09:00] Suze Orman: "Gold has soared. ... Gold is still the safe haven."

Roth Conversions

She encourages listeners to consider Roth conversions during market lows, as converting traditional retirement accounts to Roth accounts at reduced portfolio values can be tax advantageous.

[08:30] Suze Orman: "When you convert from a traditional to a Roth retirement account, you owe taxes on whatever your portfolio or the amount you're converting is at the time when markets are going down."

Oil Prices and Consumer Impact

Suze informs listeners about the sharp decline in WTI crude oil prices, forecasting further decreases that will ultimately lower gasoline prices for consumers.

[09:45] Suze Orman: "WTI crude ... has dropped sharply ... if this breakdown holds, it could head towards $45 a barrel. ... you will absolutely see that at your pump."

Advice on Portfolio Management

Reiterating the importance of diversification, Suze advises against attempting to "bottom fish" or time the market. Instead, she recommends steady investment in dividend-paying stocks to stabilize portfolios.

[10:00] Suze Orman: "The dividend paying stocks ... can really help stabilize your portfolio."

She shares her personal success with dividend stocks, citing minimal losses and consistent dividend income despite market downturns.

Conclusion

Suze wraps up her pop-up by encouraging listeners to remain calm, stay diversified, and continue contributing to retirement accounts. She underscores the significance of taking courageous, informed actions rather than succumbing to fear. Her closing remarks inspire resilience and collective strength among her audience.

[10:15] Suze Orman: "Take this one day at a time. ... You are stronger than your fear."

---

Closing Affirmation:

[10:19] Suze Orman: "We are strong, we are wise we will not apologize we are here we will thrive Together we will rise."

---

Key Takeaways

1. Stay Informed but Calm: Understand the reasons behind market downturns without panicking.
2. Diversify Your Investments: Maintain a balanced portfolio with bonds and dividend-paying stocks.
3. Consider Safe Havens: Invest in assets like gold and secure CDs to protect your money.
4. Maintain Consistent Contributions: Continue investing regularly, especially in retirement accounts.
5. Emotional Resilience: Avoid making investment decisions based on fear; stay logical and composed.
6. Leverage Market Opportunities: Utilize market lows for strategic moves like Roth conversions and select CD investments.

Suze Orman's "Suze Pop-Up: What Does This All Mean?" serves as a timely beacon for investors navigating uncertain financial waters, offering strategic advice grounded in experience and a reassuring perspective.

Transcript

[A]

April 4, 2025. Welcome everybody to one of the first Susie pop ups. A pop up is where I really want you to know something right now. I don't want you to have to wait till a Thursday or Sunday. I want you to know right now. And given that I'm not in my studio, Sunday, as you will hear, is not a normal Susie school, but one that's really, really important. But here's what I want you to know right now. Listen, I get it. I know many of you are afraid of what's happening in the economy and the stock market and I cannot blame you. Please listen to me closely. Now, I have posted this also on the Women and money community app, but I know that many of you don't use that app, which is why I am doing a Susie popup just for you. So here's my take, everybody. We are looking obviously at another down day for the markets today. And you have to ask yourself why? Why are the markets continuing to go down? And truthfully, I'm sorry to say, the answer is very easy. Because number one, China has retaliated. They have put on retaliated tariffs and that has gotten the investors on edge. Therefore, the markets are projected to go lower as a result. Now, I know that many of you. Do you have your Susie notebooks out? You should. Anyway, I know that many of you are dollar cost averaging. You're thinking, oh, the markets are going down. This is the time for me to buy. I'm going to get a bargain, whatever. Now that's still okay. All right. But you have to hear me on this. If you are going to continue with that strategy right now you are to do it with seriously tiny amounts. Have you ever heard the saying, don't catch a falling knife? This might be a falling knife because we don't know how other countries are going to react. There's time to get in. It's not like if these markets start to go up again that they're going to go all the way back up to the top. You have time. So this is not where I want you to be aggressive and go. I've gotten in at the bottom. So no bottom fishing here. Do you hear me? Because in my opinion we're seeing signs. And to me, this feels a lot like 2022 where it's volatile, it's emotional, it's uncertain. So I want you to breathe. Markets obviously will eventually recover, but not all at once. It's impossible now because they have gone down too much too fast and they're down here. And if these Tariffs stay in place. It's going to take a long, long time. So remember, money you have in the market should have been money, as I've told you over and over again, is money that you did not need for at least five years. So just let this play out and stay calm. If you are contributing to a retirement account, especially an employer retirement account, I am begging you not to stop your monthly contributions. Just stay the course. Especially if you have 5, 10, 15 years or longer. Keep investing steadily because consistency, I am promising you, is your power. It's your secret weapon. Let's talk about fear, which all of you are having right now. The vix. Remember me telling you about the vix? It's a measure of market volatility. Well, it just surpassed 45 and that number means that it's the highest that it's been since the spike in August. When the VIX is this high, it means fear is absolutely overwhelming logic. And historically when sentiment is this fearful, it is not the time to sell. So just stay put right now. Now this doesn't mean that the market can't bounce because even in the middle of a downtrend it can bounce. But just don't react emotionally. But you know, there are bright spots here that I want you to be aware of. Bond yields are absolutely collapsing. So if you've got bonds, your portfolio may be back to even or even showing gains. Remember a long time ago I had many of you buy 20 year bonds, 10 year bonds, longer term bonds and you were also upset because interest rates continued to go up and the value of those bonds went down. Well, you're either even now or you are making money. Just that simple. There's always a silver lining somewhere if you are diversified in your holdings. Now listen to me. The 10 year treasury as I'm recording this is below 4%. It's at 3.8%. Now that's great news for mortgages. It's great news for many things. But you might be thinking about refinancing sooner than later. Now obviously when interest rates are going down, interest rates everywhere are going to go down. And I've said it before and I'm going to say it again, but you've got to listen to me right now and take action today when you are hearing this, if you want your money to be safe and sound. My favorite CD is the Alliant Credit Union cd. And interest rates at Alliant are not going to last in my opinion. I give it at most one more week. All right, now one year treasuries are at 3.8%. Two year treasuries as I'm recording are at 3.6%. That's why I want you to take advantage. I don't make money if you do this, everybody. I want you to make more out of your money. So if you want to keep money safe and sound right now, you have to take advantage of the 12 to 17 month CD. @myalliant.com they're at 4.22% APR for amounts of $1,000 to $74,999 and 4.3% APR for $75,000 and up. That is a big difference than what Treasuries are paying. So seriously for safe money, you might want to take advantage of it right now because that rate is incredible and I don't want you to miss out on it. Now. The dollar is weak, so if you're thinking about traveling to Europe or doing things like that, now is not the time. Gold, however, and I told you a while ago, I want you to be investing in gold. Gold. Gold has soared. At one point it was almost 3200 an ounce. It's back at $3065. But it is turning out to be the safe haven. Bitcoin is not holding up as a safe haven for when things like this is happening. Gold is still the safe haven. If you have been considering Roth conversions, a lot of you are like, oh, I want to put some money in a Roth. I have it in a traditional retirement account and I want to do a Roth. Maybe it's time to start doing that slowly, a little at a time and take advantage of these down markets. Remember, when you convert from a traditional to a Roth retirement account, you owe taxes on whatever your portfolio or the amount you're converting is at the time when markets are going down, your portfolio value is going down and that's the time to convert. WTI crude, I have to tell you now, has dropped sharply, and I mean sharply below its long term support. Near $65 per barrel. And if this breakdown holds, it could head towards $45 a barrel. And that is a major shift in oil and you will absolutely see that at your pump. As for the stock market, I'm just going to reiterate one more time. I want you to stay diversified. Now is not the time to bottom fish. Don't get angry at anybody. Don't blame this. Just stay smart, stay calm. And this is when the dividend paying stocks, everybody that I was telling you about can really help stabilize your portfolio. I looked at all my dividend paying stocks where I have a lot of money in them and I am only down from the beginning of the year 1/2 of a percent and I'm getting the dividend. So companies like AT&T, Verizon and so forth, they've held up pretty well. So here's the bottom line. I want you to take this one day at a time. I want you to stick together. I want you to be kind to yourself. I don't want to read in the posts or anything where you are blaming anybody. It doesn't matter. All the blame, shame and everything in the world isn't going to help your money. Taking action, the right action from a place of courage, not fear, from a place of power, not weakness is what is going to make your money. Make more money. I want you to be kind to others and always remember you are stronger than your fear. I hope you enjoyed this Suzy Pop up for now. Bye bye.

[B]

We are strong, we are wise we will not apologize we are here we will thrive Together we will rise we're the little bit of faith and everything it takes we are strong, we are wise Together we will rise.