Moody’s Analytics Chief Economist Mark Zandi on markets, housing, and what not to do with your money right now.
If you’ve found yourself glued to the television lately, flipping between headlines about markets, geopolitics, and economic uncertainty, you’re not alone. News about the state of the U.S. economy feels relentless, and for many women, that raises an uncomfortable question: Should I be doing something different with my money right now?
To help make sense of the noise, Jean Chatzky sat down with Mark Zandi, Chief Economist at Moody’s Analytics and one of the country’s most trusted voices on economic policy, on this week’s episode of the HerMoney Podcast. Their conversation covered everything from market volatility to housing affordability and delivered one reassuring takeaway: for most people, the smartest money move right now is surprisingly simple: do nothing.
Market Volatility Is Loud — But It’s Not a Call to Action
Jean Chatzky: How much of what is happening right now in the news is real enough for us to think about changing anything we’re doing with our money?
Mark Zandi: Most folks shouldn’t even look. You should have a long horizon, meaning you’re not worried about what happens, certainly not today, next month, next quarter, next year, if you have a horizon of at least 10 years, or longer.
And so if that’s the case, all of these ups and downs and all arounds, all the drama, don’t even pay attention to it. I wouldn’t change a thing. The only thing you wanna make sure of is that you keep investing and keep putting money into the market and not try to time things because that’s really a losing game. So the best strategy is actually the easiest: do nothing.
US Economy News: Is Anti-American Sentiment a Real Economic Risk?
Jean Chatzky: Yesterday, I was hearing a lot about this anti-American trade and anti-American sentiment and the fact that, potentially, that was responsible for a lot of this drag. And I’m wondering, even if all the talk about Greenland proves to be much ado about nothing and things do settle back down, do you get any sense that there is a growing anti-Americanism that might affect the markets in the long term?
Mark Zandi: The US is pulling away from the rest of the world quickly on every level. You can see that in trade with the tariffs. You can see that in immigration policy, export controls, sanctions, investment restrictions, visas, and on and on and on.
The US economy is pulling away from the rest of the world, and therefore, the rest of the world is pulling away from us, and in my humble opinion, that will diminish the US economy in the long run.
The Bottom Line
In a moment when U.S. economy news feels overwhelming, Mark Zandi’s message is refreshingly steady:
- Ignore short-term market noise
- Stick to long-term investing plans
- Expect housing challenges to ease slowly, not suddenly
- Focus on structural solutions, not financial gimmicks
Uncertainty may dominate the headlines — but for most of us, calm, consistency, and patience remain the most powerful financial tools we have.
MORE ON HERMONEY:
- January’s Best High-Yield Savings Accounts
- How to Invest in 2026: Karen Finerman’s Real-World Advice for Women
- From Nest Egg To Paycheck: Rethinking Retirement Planning
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