To the Editor: An interesting fresh take and a nice shot of optimism (" The Remarkable Revival of America's Heartland -- and Whether It Can Last, " Cover Story, April 11). As Megan Leonhardt points out, the infrastructure and other bipartisan improvements have laid the groundwork for future growth. It will take years for the necessary transformation, but the potential is definitely there. It remains to be seen whether the current administration helps or hurts this transformation, but I love the energy and potential of the Midwest.

David Zoll On Barrons.com

Running the Show

To the Editor: Thank you, Andrew Bary, for reminding us all of who is running the show -- the bond market (" The Bond Market's Rout Is Bad News for the U.S. Economy," Up & Down Wall Street, April 11). We can be sure that at least one Trump adviser understood that when yields are going up and the U.S. dollar is going down, there's cause for concern -- hence, a 90-day pause.

Bob Levine Grand Rapids, Mich.

Recency Bias

To the Editor: Wall Street always forecasts around the mean (" Stocks Are Wildly Volatile. How Bearish Should a Bear Case Be?" Streetwise, April 11). For all of the big words and models, the recency bias is alive and well. Analysts miss the high highs and low lows every time. They also seem very reactionary. I have no idea, but neither do they.

William Mitchell On Barrons.com

What About Silver?

To the Editor: David Rosenberg and others in the current issue mention gold, but not a word about silver (" He's One of Wall Street's Biggest Bears. Why He's More Optimistic Now -- and Where He's Investing," Interview, April 10). As I write this, an ounce of gold trades at 100 times the price of an ounce of silver. In 2011, that ratio dropped to 31. In 1980, it fell to 16. Just saying.

Gene Sweet Chicago

Risk Tolerance

To the Editor: Periods of extreme volatility prove or disprove an investor's risk tolerance, and that's what all investors, and retirees in particular, need to evaluate now (" 2 Moves Retirees Can Make Now to Protect Their Portfolios and Income," Retirement, April 10). It's overly simplistic to say that retirees and near-retirees should maintain one to two years of cash withdrawals without understanding risk tolerance in conjunction with their goals and objectives. For example, weekly option strategies can generate cash flow while potentially achieving desired portfolio rebalancing. One size doesn't fit all.

Geoff Berger Delray Beach, Fla.

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April 18, 2025 18:18 ET (22:18 GMT)

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