Yesterday, we talked about why it might be 1998—or 1999—all over again. After all, many of the conditions are similar. Although growth continues for now and we may get a lifeline, you might be concerned that the economy could be settling into a recession in the next couple of quarters. Our most recent experience of a recession and market decline, 2008–2009, has left horrific memories. So, should we be panicking? In a word, no.

Recently, I've fielded a few calls from advisors asking for my thoughts on media coverage declaring that current market conditions are similar to those of the late 1990s. Their clients are worried about what might happen. Could we see a replay of 2000?

As we head into the Memorial Day weekend, I would like to take a moment to honor members of the U.S. military for their service and their sacrifice.

“In Flanders fields the poppies blow /
 Between the crosses, row on row . . .”
— John McCrae

Yesterday, we started Wonderful Wednesday with the benefits of share buybacks. But Eeyore has not left the building. Today, we debut Threatening Thursday. Just as Wednesday will be the day to highlight good news that often goes unreported, Thursday will be about pending threats that are not on the radar—but should be.

I am starting a new feature on the blog: Wonderful Wednesday! Much of the commentary we see in the press—and certainly here—tends to focus on things that can go wrong and things we should worry about. You rarely see a story stating that everything is great.

About a month ago, I started a series of posts on my current personal project: beating the market. As noted then, I am quite humble about what I expect from this endeavor. On the whole, I would like to use it as a way to learn more about the market itself, forcing myself to think through various issues in a very difficult context. But then again, you never know. We might really figure something out. We shall see.

I just returned from spending the past week in Monaco on a Commonwealth conference trip. It was a stellar experience, per usual—our conference planners are the best of the best. Also per usual, getting out of my comfortable home environment has prompted a new level of reflection in me. In this case, I’ve been musing over affluence, income distribution, and what it means to be wealthy.

Thus far, it has been an eventful year. Markets were up substantially, pulled back sharply, and then bounced again. The economy was slow going into the year, picked up during the first quarter, and now may be slowing again. The political story has included the Mueller report, a China trade deal and then trade war, and Brexit (now postponed). Like I said, it has been an eventful year—and it is only May.

Yesterday, we talked about the effects of the tariffs on the stock market and why those effects—even though they are real—are likely to be limited. Today, I want to discuss what actually happened with the tariffs, what they mean for the economy, and where this situation is likely to go. The conclusions from yesterday on the stock market remain the same, but this discussion will provide valuable context for what might happen in the future. So, let’s start with what happened.

After yesterday’s terrible performance—with U.S. stock markets down more than 2 percent—worries are starting to rise. Combined with last week’s declines, it looks like we may be seeing the end of the bull market. So, is it time to panic?