2025 Economic Insights From Senior Economist, Strider Elass (Ep. 73)

Where is the economy headed amidst all this uncertainty?  Well, who better to ask than a Senior Economist! Robert Curtiss sits down with Strider Elass, a Senior Economist from First Trust, to navigate the financial landscape we’re seeing so far in 2025. They discuss the implications of recent policy decisions, historic market volatility, and what they could mean for your investments. Other key conversation points include: The impact of COVID-19 shutdowns and subsequent policy decisions on the current economic climate [04:17] The “payback period” we’re entering due to recent economic stimuli [04:55] The role of the Magnificent Seven companies in stock market fluctuations [08:39] The transformative power of AI across different sectors, reminiscent of the dot-com boom [11:09] Strategies for navigating economic slowdowns and the importance of diversification in uncertain times [18:13] And more! Resources: Educational videos (bottom of the page) Connect with Strider Elass: LinkedIn: Strider Elass First Trust Connect with Robert Curtiss: [email protected] (626) 795-2944 About Robert Curtiss  LinkedIn: Robert Curtiss Facebook: Robert Curtiss SEIA LinkedIn: SEIA About Our Guest: Strider Elass is Senior Economist and part of the First Trust Economics Team that Bloomberg has consistently ranked as one of the top forecasters of the U.S. economy over the past decade plus. At First Trust, Strider is responsible for analyzing economic indicators, writing economic commentaries, and building content. In 2022, The First Trust Economic Team was rated the Most Accurate Economic Forecasters in the United States by Consensus Economics. The team also won multiple Gold Medals from Financial Advisor IQ in both 2020 and 2021 for Macro Commentary, overall content, and commentary and was also rated 2nd for Thought Leadership by Fuse Research. The First Trust Economics Team has been awarded the “Crystal Ball Award” by Zillow® in partnership with Pulsenomics over multiple years for accurate home price predictions. In 2017, First Trust’s thought leadership material was ranked as number one for most read and most shared by financial professionals with colleagues or clients in the “Top 10 Financial Providers for Thought Leadership Activity.” Strider was instrumental in researching for the book, It’s Not As Bad As You Think, published in 2009 by First Trust’s Chief Economist, Brian Wesbury. Strider’s contribution to the team’s success goes beyond his research responsibilities. He is also a highly sought-after speaker and regularly presents at broker and retail events across the country and abroad, sharing his experience with a wide audience.