Excess Returns

Jason Hsu, founder and CIO of Rayliant Global Advisors and co-founder of Research Affiliates, joins Excess Returns to discuss the US-China AI race, the economics of AI spending, and what market concentration means for investors. We explore China's energy and open source advantages, opportunities in Chinese stocks, and how factor investing and machine learning can help build more diversified portfolios.Rayliant Global Advisorshttps://rayliant.comRayliant on Xhttps://twitter.com/rayliantTopics covered:Why Jason believes AI safety requires cooperation between the US and ChinaHow Chinese AI models are closing the gap with US developersChina's electricity infrastructure and the competitive threat from open source AIWhere AI profits could accrue across hardware, energy, models and applicationsHow chip restrictions are encouraging China to develop domestic capabilitiesWhy retail trading creates opportunities and challenges for factor investors in ChinaChinese technology companies, dividend-paying state enterprises and US-China tradeThe AI spending arms race and the concentration risk facing S&P 500 investorsMomentum crashes, value cycles and how Rayliant uses machine learning to combine factorsWhy advisors' greatest contribution may be helping clients find meaning in their wealthTimestamps:00:00 Jason Hsu on AI competition and safety04:00 How close are Chinese AI models to the US?08:25 China's energy advantage and open source economics14:12 Who captures AI profits, and can China catch up in chips?18:41 Chinese stocks, retail trading and speculation24:01 China's overlooked opportunities and dividend stocks28:05 US-China interdependence and the AI spending arms race33:24 The AI concentration hiding in the S&P 50037:25 Momentum crashes, value cycles and factor performance41:54 Machine learning and building multifactor portfolios48:46 Financial advisors, Jack Bogle and having enough53:23 Why inefficient markets do not make alpha easyLearn more about the Excess Returns podcast network:https://excessreturns.coNo information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.

David Rosenberg returns to Excess Returns to explain his bullish case for Treasury bonds, why he expects inflation and economic growth to slow, and the risks he sees in an AI-driven stock market. The Rosenberg Research founder joins Matt Zeigler to discuss consumer spending, Federal Reserve policy, gold, international stocks, and how he translates his economic outlook into a diversified portfolio.Recorded September 16, 2026, before the Federal Reserve's policy announcement.David Rosenberg on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/EconguyRosieRosenberg Researchhttps://www.rosenbergresearch.com/Topics covered:Why Rosenberg believes markets have priced in too much Fed tightening and Treasury bonds offer an opportunityWhy he views higher oil prices as a tax on consumers rather than evidence of sustained, broad-based inflationHow slowing wage growth, falling savings, and the stock market wealth effect shape consumer spendingHow Treasury issuance changes and potential post-election fiscal gridlock could support bondsWhy AI exposure extends beyond technology stocks into utilities, industrials, and other sectorsWhere he sees opportunities in healthcare, consumer staples, pipelines, European stocks, and AsiaHis model portfolio's allocation to equities, bonds, cash, and commoditiesHow gold, central bank buying, and a bearish dollar outlook fit his investment thesisWhy he is positioning for slower growth without making recession his base caseWhat working with portfolio managers taught him about cutting losses and separating conviction from stubbornnessTimestamps:00:00 Rosenberg's portfolio approach and the Treasury opportunity05:58 Why an oil shock can weaken consumer spending10:52 Jobs, wages, and the stock market wealth effect17:35 Fiscal stimulus, Treasury issuance, and the bond outlook22:53 AI concentration risk beyond technology stocks27:10 Why he owns European and Asian equities31:16 Inside his 50% stocks, 30% bonds model portfolio36:43 Betting against the inflation consensus42:41 Gold, central bank reserves, and a weaker dollar48:56 Recession watch and bear market risks for 202753:10 AI correlations and the risks of being fully invested58:27 Cutting losses and knowing when conviction becomes stubbornnessLearn more about the Excess Returns podcast network:https://excessreturns.coNo information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.

Franklin Templeton CEO Jenny Johnson joins Matt Zeigler to explore how AI, blockchain tokenization, and private markets are reshaping investing and asset management. They discuss what these changes mean for individual investors, from personalized portfolios and access to private companies to the concentration risks hiding in passive index funds. Jenny also shares lessons from her journey from intern to CEO, why financial advisors still matter, and why starting early remains her most important investing lesson.Franklin Templetonhttps://www.franklintempleton.comTopics covered:Why AI could create new industries and why learning to use it matters for young professionalsHow Franklin Templeton uses AI agents and why investment decisions still require human judgmentBuilding personalized portfolios around retirement, college savings, and other financial goalsHow blockchain, smart contracts, and instant settlement could reduce financial transaction costsTokenized money market funds, digital wallets, and the obstacles to bringing ETFs on-chainWhy companies stay private longer and what investors miss when they only own public stocksPrivate credit, illiquidity, and the trade-offs involved in expanding access to private marketsHow mega IPOs, AI spending, and changing index composition can increase portfolio concentrationBalancing shareholders, employees, and clients while investing in a company's long-term futureThe value of financial advisors, staying invested, and giving compounding time to workTimestamps:00:00 Jenny Johnson's leadership lessons and path from intern to CEO06:41 AI job disruption and lessons from earlier technology revolutions10:42 How young analysts use AI and where personalized investing is heading15:44 Human judgment, AI agents, and the future of asset management20:17 How tokenization could lower costs and expand financial access24:39 Why blockchain adoption is slow and how tokenized ETFs work29:58 Private company growth, investor access, and liquidity trade-offs35:20 Mega IPOs, index concentration, and the risks of AI spending41:23 Franklin Templeton's family legacy and investing for the next generation46:18 Why financial advisors matter and why investors should start early51:32 Jenny's hands-on experiments with AI toolsLearn more about the Excess Returns podcast network:https://excessreturns.coNo information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.

Jim Paulsen joins Jack Forehand and Matt Zeigler on the latest Jim Paulsen Show to explore why booming AI earnings may be masking a weakening U.S. economy, and what that means for stocks, bonds, and Federal Reserve policy. Using 27 charts, he examines stalled job creation, rising oil prices, growing reliance on debt to finance AI investment, and why he expects a sharper correction in technology than in the broader S&P 500.⁠Subscribe to the Jim Paulsen Show on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the Jim Paulsen Show on Apple PodcastsTopics covered:Why strong S&P 500 earnings hide a widening divide between technology, energy, and the remaining seven sectors.Why low unemployment claims may offer false comfort when job creation has stalled.Jim's job market misery index and what it suggests about the case for Fed easing.How business investment and employment have broken their historical relationship.Why weak real disposable income, low savings, and higher oil prices threaten consumer spending.How fading economic momentum could push Treasury yields lower despite renewed inflation fears.Why a shrinking wall of worry could remove an important source of support for stocks.What growth stock leadership, household purchasing power, and ISM services data reveal about market risk.How debt-funded AI spending and widening credit spreads change the risks facing technology companies.Why extreme stock outperformance versus bonds could matter for portfolio allocation.The difference between rising profits per worker and sustainable economic productivity.Why Jim expects a tech bear market but a more moderate correction in the broader S&P 500.Timestamps:00:00 Why oil, rates, and tight policy worry Jim05:43 The three-way split hiding beneath strong earnings09:58 Why low jobless claims may be misleading16:18 When business investment stops creating jobs20:48 Can consumer spending outrun real income?26:01 How the wall of worry has supported stocks31:44 Investor complacency and a shift toward growth fears36:58 The disconnect between Main Street and Wall Street41:35 AI debt financing, credit spreads, and the case for bonds47:25 Investment per worker and the yield curve's earnings warning51:52 Profit productivity versus real economic productivity58:08 Why Jim expects a tech bear market and a broader correctionLearn more about the Excess Returns podcast network:https://excessreturns.coNo information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.

Former Fidelity president and MFS chairman Bob Pozen joins Excess Returns to discuss retirement investing, the risks in private credit, and why he favors a 90% stock and 10% cash portfolio for investors who can cover their living expenses without selling stocks.Drawing on decades in asset management, he shares lessons from Peter Lynch and Warren Buffett, explains why index funds are difficult to beat, and challenges conventional thinking about bonds, Social Security, and corporate earnings reporting.Bob Pozen's websitehttps://www.bobpozen.comFollow Bob Pozen on Twitterhttps://x.com/PozenResearch discussed:Consequences of Mandatory Quarterly Reporting: The U.K. Experiencehttps://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2817120Rating Without Market Disciplinehttps://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=6859158Giving Life to Private (Rated) Credithttps://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=6857958Topics covered:What investors misunderstand about Peter Lynch and how fund liquidity shaped his approach versus Warren Buffett's.Lessons from leading Fidelity and rebuilding investor trust at MFS after its trading scandal.Why fees, fund size, and market efficiency make large-cap index funds difficult to beat.Private equity in 401(k) plans, liquidity constraints, and the problem with instant valuation markups.How private credit ratings and affiliated investments can obscure risks on insurance company balance sheets.Pozen's proposals for Social Security reform and the consequences of postponing difficult decisions.How automatic IRA enrollment could expand retirement savings access for workers without employer plans.Why Pozen favors a 90/10 portfolio for certain investors and how spending needs and inheritance goals affect allocation.Why quarterly financial reporting and quarterly earnings guidance deserve different treatment.The behavioral cost of chasing rallies and selling downturns, plus Pozen's work on AI and personal productivity.Timestamps:00:00 Peter Lynch, Warren Buffett, and staying the course05:27 Leading Fidelity and keeping stock funds invested11:03 Rebuilding trust at MFS after the trading scandal16:01 Why active managers struggle to beat index funds20:03 Private equity in 401(k)s and valuation concerns24:45 Private credit ratings and insurance company risks29:33 Regulatory gaps and affiliated insurance investments35:51 Social Security reform and the cost of waiting40:00 Automatic IRAs for workers without retirement plans44:09 The case for 90% stocks and 10% cash50:05 Why quarterly financial reporting matters55:00 The problem with precise quarterly earnings guidance59:00 Avoiding emotional market timing and AI productivity toolsLearn more about the Excess Returns podcast network:https://excessreturns.coNo information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.

John Kerschner and Michael Contopoulos of Janus Henderson join Matt Zeigler to explain why persistent inflation and higher interest rates call for a different approach to bond investing. They explore short-duration bonds, AAA CLOs, mortgage-backed securities and how investors can rethink the fixed income allocation in a 60/40 portfolio.The conversation covers why traditional bond benchmarks may deliver too much interest rate risk for their yield, how ETFs expand access to securitized credit, and why the AI buildout could add to inflation rather than solve it.High-Conviction Views: The time for short-duration bondshttps://www.janushenderson.com/en-us/advisor/article/high-conviction-views-the-time-for-short-duration-bonds/Janus Henderson Investorshttps://www.janushenderson.com/en-us/advisor/Topics covered:Why deglobalization, fiscal spending and labor constraints could keep inflation and interest rates elevatedHow the Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index concentrates interest rate risk and leaves out large parts of the bond marketHow AAA CLOs work, why their coupons float, and why they are different from cashWhy tight corporate credit spreads may offer insufficient compensation for the risks investors takeThe three jobs of fixed income: safety, income and insuranceHow duration determines whether rising rates can wipe out a bond portfolio's incomeWhy bond ETF discounts can reflect price discovery when underlying bonds are not tradingHow Treasury borrowing and AI hyperscaler debt issuance affect bond supply and relative valueWhy AI capital spending, electricity demand, labor shortages and wealth effects can create inflationHow to rebuild the bond allocation around securitized credit, agency mortgages and the risks in your equity portfolioTimestamps:00:00 Rethinking bonds after years of disappointing returns04:28 Why the forces behind the bond bull market have changed10:09 The hidden interest rate risk in the Aggregate Bond Index14:53 AAA CLO ETFs: Floating income, structure and drawdown risk20:44 Treasury fiscal risk and tight corporate credit spreads26:16 Moving beyond set-and-forget bond funds30:45 How duration can overwhelm your bond yield36:27 Bond ETF liquidity and price discovery during stress41:11 Treasury borrowing, AI debt and securitized bond supply46:00 How hyperscaler borrowing can create credit market dislocations50:29 Four reasons AI could increase inflation55:56 Rebuilding the 40% bond allocation in a 60/40 portfolio01:02:00 Municipal bonds, recession protection and balancing equity riskLearn more about the Excess Returns podcast network:https://excessreturns.coNo information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.

Jared Dillian joins Matt Zeigler to discuss The Awesome Portfolio, his approach to asset allocation built around 20% each in stocks, bonds, gold, cash, and real estate. They explore how diversification, annual rebalancing, and managing volatility can help investors reduce financial stress and build a portfolio they can stick with through bear markets.Jared explains his "life hedge" concept, challenges conventional wisdom about stock market drawdowns, and shares how losing half his net worth during the financial crisis shaped his investing philosophy.Buy The Awesome Portfolio Bookhttps://amzn.to/3Tf3of7Topics covered:Why Jared questions putting your entire life savings in the S&P 500How the Awesome Portfolio differs from Harry Browne's Permanent PortfolioIncluding home equity when measuring your overall asset allocationWhy volatility and frequent portfolio checking can lead to costly decisionsThe life hedge: protecting against your job and investments declining togetherWhy Jared disagrees with Charlie Munger about tolerating large drawdownsIndex concentration, changing correlations, and the limits of diversificationThe portfolio's historical backtests, including its losses in 2008 and 2022Annual rebalancing, cash reserves, inflation protection, and cryptocurrencyManaging FOMO and taking practical steps toward a less stressful retirement portfolioTimestamps:00:00 Jared Dillian's case against an all-stock portfolio06:33 The five equal allocations in the Awesome Portfolio11:07 Why "never sell" can become a behavioral trap15:26 The life hedge: when your paycheck and portfolio fall together20:38 Risk-adjusted returns and S&P 500 concentration24:49 Why rising interest rates hurt diversification in 202228:51 Backtested losses in 2008 and 202234:26 Combining home equity, retirement accounts, and savings38:58 Cryptocurrency, portfolio distractions, and FOMO44:31 The Death of Equities and lessons from past crashes48:44 How diversification could have changed Jared's financial crisis53:41 First steps toward reducing portfolio risk before retirementLearn more about the Excess Returns podcast network:https://excessreturns.coNo information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.

Cameron Dawson and Dave Nadig join Matt Zeigler on Click Beta to explore how sports betting, leveraged ETFs and speculative behavior are blurring the line between gambling and investing. They also examine AI circular financing, hyperscaler cash flow and corporate disclosure, asking what investors might be missing beneath headline earnings. The conversation closes with baseball, music fandom and the challenge of learning from imperfect role models.Subscribe to Click Beta on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to Click Beta on Apple PodcastsTopics covered:Why sports betting is becoming a financial planning issue for Gen Z and wealthy familiesHow overconfidence and confusion between skill and luck encourage speculative behaviorWhy rapid market recoveries may reinforce risk-taking instead of teaching cautionHow recurring gambling losses can quietly undermine savings and wealth accumulationThe risks of placing gambling products alongside investments in brokerage appsLeveraged ETF innovation, hourly resets and competing approaches to investor protectionAI circular financing, payment terms, leases and opaque special purpose vehiclesHow one-time investment gains can distort headline earnings and future growth comparisonsWhy less frequent corporate reporting could favor investors with greater resourcesBaseball, emo music, Nirvana merchandise and what makes a meaningful role modelTimestamps:00:00 Sports betting, ETFs and the gambling economy05:24 Financial planning after crypto and gambling wins10:57 Why slow gambling losses can be harder to recognize16:55 Betting inside brokerage apps and regulatory backlash21:03 Gambling budgets and the next wave of leveraged ETFs25:04 AI financial shenanigans and hyperscaler cash flow29:25 Who benefits from less corporate disclosure?34:24 Discovering new passions in adulthood: Westerns and baseball38:30 Hot Topic, Nirvana sweatpants and cultural gatekeeping43:17 Can band merchandise introduce a new generation to music?47:26 Keith Morris and the search for meaningful role models51:34 Learning from imperfect people without idolizing themLearn more about the Excess Returns podcast network:https://excessreturns.coNo information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.

Dan Niles joins Excess Returns to explain why he believes AI is a genuine industrial revolution and a bubble at the same time, with significant opportunity still ahead but growing risks in semiconductors, software, AI CapEx and credit markets. We discuss NVIDIA, OpenAI, Anthropic, China's semiconductor push, data center politics, AI debt issuance, Fed policy and the downside protection framework Dan uses to navigate technology cycles.Dan Niles on Xhttps://x.com/DanielTNilesNiles Investment Managementhttps://www.nilesinvestmentmanagement.comTopics covered:Why AI can be both a transformational technology and an investment bubbleThe AI metrics Dan watches: token pricing, token growth, cloud revenue and operating marginsWhat the Situational Awareness unwind showed about leverage, forced selling and semiconductor volatilityWhy hyperscaler AI revenue can accelerate even as free cash flow deterioratesHow data center opposition, electricity constraints and politics could slow the AI buildoutWhere value may accrue across the AI stack and why Anthropic and Google could pressure OpenAIWhy China's memory chip expansion could bring semiconductor cyclicality back faster than investors expectHow AI is reshaping software, including security, systems of record, gaming and usage-based pricingWhy the shift from free cash flow to debt financing matters for AI CapEx, Treasury yields and credit marketsDan's long-short investment process, Fed outlook, market risk framework and emphasis on downside protectionTimestamps:00:00 Intro04:00 The signals Dan watches to know when the AI bubble is peaking09:12 AI ROI, hyperscaler profits and the problem with negative free cash flow14:19 Why data center politics could become a major risk to AI growth21:28 Why semiconductors are still cyclical and China could change the supply picture25:47 Why smart companies still get bubbles wrong and agentic AI could extend the cycle30:43 Is software the next major casualty of AI disruption?35:04 Why video games may be one of software's safer AI categories39:23 Can markets absorb the surge in AI debt and equity issuance?45:28 Dan Niles' long-short investment process and approach to downside protection50:45 Why Dan thinks the Fed could raise rates in September56:38 Why buy-and-hold can fail and downside protection mattersLearn more about the Excess Returns podcast network:https://excessreturns.coNo information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.

Ben Hunt joins Matt Zeigler to explain why damaged Fed and Treasury credibility could matter just as four major risks converge across private credit, AI financing, oil and the consumer. They discuss financial repression, rising long-term rates, shadow banking and insurance risk, the AI CapEx growth engine, and why Hunt believes gold may benefit if policymakers keep trying to suppress the price of money.Topics coveredWhy credibility is a teacup and why policy reputation is difficult to repair once it breaksHow the Fed's July rate decision changed the market narrative around inflation credibilityThe Four Horsemen: insurance and shadow banking losses, capital crowding out, the Iran war and oil inflation, and a stretched consumerWhy insurer-funded private credit could become a systemic risk if fraud and losses reach major institutionsHow government borrowing and AI data center financing could push long-term interest rates higherWhy fading fiscal stimulus, depleted savings and higher energy costs leave the consumer vulnerableWhat financial repression means and how the Fed and Treasury could try to cap rates and prevent major lossesWhy AI investment may be the key source of US economic growth if consumer activity stallsHow Perscient tracks narrative regimes, virality and shifts in common knowledge across marketsWhy gold can act as an inverse measure of trust in central banks and how Ben is positioning around the risksTimestamps00:00 Intro: Credibility is a Teacup04:00 How the July Fed decision damaged inflation credibility08:21 The Four Horsemen that could threaten the financial system14:00 Oil inflation, the Iran war and a stretched consumer18:39 What financial repression means23:20 How the Fed and Treasury could try to prevent a systemic crisis28:21 Why AI CapEx may be the only major source of GDP growth35:00 When lost Fed credibility became a confirmed market narrative39:34 Narrative stock versus flow and how bursts can move prices44:00 The return of bearish AI CapEx narratives48:09 Why private credit may be easier to can-kick than the 2008 crisisLearn more about the Excess Returns podcast network:https://excessreturns.coNo information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.

This month on Last Call, Kevin Muir, Aahan Menon, Ben Hunt and Brent Kochuba break down the market through four lenses: macro, inflation data, narrative and options positioning. They examine whether midterm election volatility is underpriced, why inflation may be more demand-driven and persistent than headline data suggests, how the Fed's credibility has shifted under Kevin Warsh, and why options markets still look remarkably complacent.Follow Last Call on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Last Call on Apple Podcasts⁠Topics coveredWhy ending Fed forward guidance could create more uncertainty around interest rate decisionsKevin Muir's case that midterm election volatility is unusually cheapWhy seasonal volatility, low implied correlation and election risk may favor owning protectionAahan Menon on inflation breadth and why 70 to 80 percent of PCE components are above the Fed's 2 percent targetWhy demand-driven inflation may be stickier than supply-driven inflationHow oil shocks can feed into core inflation and increase pressure on the Fed to hikeBen Hunt on the sudden collapse in the Fed credibility narrative and why gold has respondedThe four risks facing the Fed and Treasury: oil, fading fiscal stimulus, insurance and private credit stress, and the long end of the Treasury curveBrent Kochuba on why implied volatility and put positioning show a market with very little fearNvidia options positioning, potential resistance near 250 to 275, and what dealer gamma says about the stockStanley Druckenmiller's AI-written Wall Street Journal op-ed and what AI-assisted writing means for investment thinkingTimestamps00:00 Midterms, inflation, Fed credibility and options complacency07:45 Kevin Muir on why midterm volatility may be underpriced11:55 Why this midterm could be more volatile than the options market expects16:36 Cheap volatility and how election risk could get repriced20:39 Inflation breadth and why the headline numbers miss the bigger problem25:43 Why cooling inflation data may hide persistent demand-driven pressure33:31 Ben Hunt on why the Fed credibility narrative suddenly reversed40:01 Four risks the Fed and Treasury cannot afford to ignore44:43 What the options market says after Jackson Hole49:10 Why Fed events can become an expensive options tax53:14 Why falling volatility could help stocks push toward new highs57:34 Druckenmiller, AI-written investment commentary and authenticity01:01:53 Why writing is part of thinking in an AI worldLearn more about the Excess Returns podcast network:https://excessreturns.coNo information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.

Kevin Muir of The MacroTourist joins Matt Zeigler to break down the bond market, Scott Bessent's Treasury buybacks, the Treasury General Account, AI-driven earnings growth, leveraged ETF risk, gold and the U.S.-Canada trade fight. Kevin explains why rising long-term yields may be less surprising than investors think, how the AI capex boom can inflate earnings before costs show up, and why leveraged ETFs and policy uncertainty could make markets more fragile.Kevin Muir on Xhttps://x.com/kevinmuirThe MacroTouristhttps://themacrotourist.comTopics coveredWhy stronger nominal GDP, large fiscal deficits and record corporate issuance are pressuring long-term Treasury yieldsHow Scott Bessent's Treasury liquidity buybacks work and why investors are comparing them with QE and Operation TwistHow replacing long-dated Treasuries with T-bills could ultimately force reserve management purchases by the Federal ReserveWhy the Treasury General Account matters for liquidity and why attempts to manage the yield curve can distort market signalsJim Chanos's "earnings bubble" argument and how massive AI data-center capex can boost current earnings while costs are amortizedWhy stock prices can fall before forward earnings estimates roll over, and why retail investors may have an advantage over institutionsHow daily-reset leveraged ETFs create reflexive buying and selling and could amplify a semiconductor or single-stock selloffWhy Kevin is bullish on gold again, the role of People's Bank of China demand, and how he combines fundamentals with technical signalsWhy platinum below production cost caught his attention and what rolling mini-bubbles in gold, silver and AI say about investor psychologyWhat 2025 U.S.-Canada trade data says about autos, oil and gas, manufacturing, tariffs and the economic cost of policy uncertaintyTimestamps00:00 Intro06:31 Scott Bessent's Treasury buybacks and the bond market10:39 How T-bill issuance could lead to debt monetization18:25 The AI capex boom and the "earnings bubble"22:27 The giant bet embedded in accelerating AI earnings27:37 Why leveraged ETFs are changing market structure32:00 How forced ETF unwinds can amplify a selloff36:41 Why Kevin is bullish on gold again41:57 Platinum, production costs and the precious metals trade46:08 Sentiment extremes and why popular trades get dangerous51:00 Globalization, manufacturing and America's distribution problem55:00 Why oil and gas dominate the U.S.-Canada trade deficit59:00 How tariff uncertainty can deter U.S. manufacturing investment01:03:10 The trade math Kevin wants investors to seeLearn more about the Excess Returns podcast network:https://excessreturns.coNo information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.

Dan Rasmussen, founder and managing partner of Verdad Advisers and author of The Humble Investor, joins Kai Wu to examine the unraveling of private equity, the rise of private credit, and how AI is reshaping software, labor, and the economics of technology investing. They also explore the massive AI CapEx boom, why value investing has struggled in the intangible-heavy U.S. market, the unusual opportunity in Japanese small caps, and how investors can quantify intangible value in biotech.Subscribe on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on AppleTopics covered:Why private equity became a consensus trade and why exits are now cloggedHow leverage and high debt costs threaten private equity returnsWhat publicly traded private equity funds reveal about true volatility and NAV discountsHow private equity shifted from old-economy buyouts into software and healthcare technologyWhy AI may have erased code as a software moat while strengthening other intangible advantagesHow ARR lending helped private credit finance software buyouts and created an obsolescence mismatchWhat AI is doing to hiring, junior roles, productivity and the composition of workWhy the AI CapEx boom may be a crowded, path-dependent overinvestment cycleWhy traditional value metrics work better in Japan than in the intangible-heavy U.S.How Tokyo Stock Exchange reforms, buybacks and dividends can unlock value in Japanese small capsHow R&D spend, specialist ownership and short interest can help quantify biotech valueTimestamps:00:00 Intro04:03 Why private equity's debt burden changes the equity math09:24 How private equity became a software momentum trade13:29 Why code may no longer be a durable software moat17:48 How private credit enabled software buyouts through ARR lending23:56 AI productivity, jobs and why displacement is slower than expected30:23 Why the AI CapEx boom may be the market's most crowded risk34:29 Rational overinvestment, leverage and the timing risk in AI38:46 Why consumers may capture more of AI's value than investors44:07 Japan's below-book-value reform and the return of old-school value51:03 Quantifying biotech value with R&D, specialist ownership and short interest55:08 Dan's non-consensus views on private markets and JapanLearn more about the Excess Returns podcast network:https://excessreturns.coNo information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.

Ian Cassel, founder of MicroCapClub and author of Stock Picker, joins Matt Zeigler to break down the mindset, temperament and core skills required to outperform as an active stock picker. They discuss microcap investing, position sizing, active patience, valuation, management quality, portfolio survival, benchmarking against the S&P 500 and how great investors evolve their edge over decades.Stock Picker: How to Develop the Mindset, Temperament, and Strategy to Outperform Wall Streethttps://amzn.to/4hU28ImTopics coveredHow an investor's motivations change as ambition gives way to family, legacy and the scarcity of timeHow Ian turned $20,000 into $120,000, then watched it fall to $8,000, and why that early win permanently shaped his risk toleranceIan's four-part survival framework: recession-resistant growth, strong balance sheets, conservative valuation and signs of intelligent fanaticismWhy balance-sheet strength is not just defensive and can let great companies act aggressively when competitors are forced to retreatWhy Ian targets roughly a 25 percent CAGR without relying on multiple expansionThe Judas goat lesson, talking your book on social media and why investors still have to do their own workWhy comparing short-term returns can corrupt an investing process and why Ian measures himself against the S&P 500 over a 10-year horizonThe five core stock-picking skills: identifying, analyzing, buying, selling and holding, plus why selling matters especially in microcapsWhy position sizing should account for initial excitement, and why Ian now starts much smaller than he did earlier in his careerActive patience, expanding your circle of competence and the difference between good, great and GOAT stock pickersWhy temperament evolves with experience, why leverage can destroy otherwise good investing, and why the best investors keep sharpening their edgeWhy Ian is willing to back repeat-winner management teams before every piece of the business is fully in placeTimestamps00:00 Intro06:58 The $20,000 to $120,000 win and 90 percent loss11:02 Ian Cassel's four-part survival framework15:02 Why strong balance sheets create offensive optionality19:03 The Judas goat and social media stock promotion23:18 Why comparison is the enemy for stock pickers29:39 The five core stock-picking skills34:43 Active patience and knowing what you are looking for39:28 Good, great and GOAT stock pickers47:02 How investor temperament evolves over time52:03 Leverage, situational awareness and surviving to compound57:24 Betting on repeat-winner management before the numbers arriveLearn more about the Excess Returns podcast network:https://excessreturns.coNo information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.

Liz Ann Sonders, Chief Investment Strategist at Charles Schwab, joins us to explain why today's economy and stock market are increasingly defined by rotation, instability and a changing stock-bond relationship. We discuss AI capital spending and earnings concentration, Treasury yields and the deficit, immigration and labor supply, investor sentiment, market breadth, portfolio rebalancing, IPOs and the growing economic importance of the stock market wealth effect.Topics covered:Why the post-pandemic economy is moving through sector-level recessions and expansions instead of a traditional linear cycleThe return of a more temperamental market regime, inflation volatility and the changing correlation between stocks and bondsWhy volatility-based rebalancing may matter more than calendar-based rebalancing and why market leadership is broadeningImmigration, labor shortages and why slower population growth changes how investors should interpret payroll dataFederal deficits, entitlement spending, rising 30-year Treasury yields and why Treasury intervention cannot solve the underlying fundamentalsHow the AI spending boom, imports and hyperscaler capital expenditures are affecting GDP, bond issuance and capital marketsCorporate profits versus labor compensation and why Liz Ann does not see an obvious near-term catalyst for convergenceKevin Warsh, reduced Fed guidance and why less communication could create more market uncertaintyAttitudinal versus behavioral investor sentiment, the vibe session and why sentiment is becoming harder to use as a timing signalThe AI cascade beyond mega-cap tech, the Neural Nine, small caps and why rotation may be the new momentum tradeMargin debt, record household equity exposure and the risk that a future stock market decline feeds back into the economyS&P 500 earnings concentration, sell-side versus buy-side expectations, AI depreciation risk and the return of a major IPO cycleTimestamps:00:00 Liz Ann Sonders on the unusual 2026 market and economic cycle05:49 Portfolio construction, diversification and volatility-based rebalancing11:39 Immigration, labor supply and the new payroll breakeven rate17:38 Why long-term Treasury yields are rising and what the Treasury can and cannot fix22:07 Corporate profits versus labor compensation as a share of GDP27:37 Attitudinal versus behavioral sentiment and lessons from 202232:13 The vibe session, consumer confidence and conflicting investor expectations37:14 The Neural Nine, widening stock dispersion and rotation as the new momentum41:21 Margin debt, leveraged speculation and where the real risk may be45:52 S&P 500 earnings growth, concentration and the sell-side versus buy-side gap50:27 Hyperscaler AI capex, debt financing and signals from the corporate bond market55:05 IPOs, FOMO and why investors should be careful about chasing new issues60:05 Where to follow the real Liz Ann Sonders and avoid impersonator scamsLearn more about the Excess Returns podcast network:https://excessreturns.coNo information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.

Andy Constan is back on First Principles to explain why record stock prices, rising long-term Treasury yields and sticky inflation can all coexist, and why the next major market risk may come from the financing behind the AI CapEx boom rather than the eventual return on that investment. We discuss Kevin Warsh and Fed balance sheet policy, Treasury issuance and the quarterly refunding announcement, corporate bond and equity supply, Nvidia's $500 billion financing structure, and Andy's "not enough pie" framework for comparing AI earnings expectations with GDP and productivity growth.Follow First Principles on Spotify⁠⁠Follow First Principles of Apple PodcastsTopics coveredWhy rising long-term interest rates can be consistent with strong economic growth and record stock pricesWhy Andy does not see higher government interest costs creating an imminent U.S. debt crisisThe "script to kill inflation" and why reducing the wealth effect may require lower stock, bond and asset pricesHow the Fed, Treasury and other policymakers have suppressed long-term interest rates and risk premiumsWhy Kevin Warsh's comments about the Fed balance sheet and letting the bond market "do the work" could signal a policy shiftHow Treasury bill issuance, coupon issuance and the quarterly refunding announcement can affect stocks, bonds and financial conditionsWhy the AI CapEx boom is shifting from cash flow funding toward massive corporate debt and equity issuanceAndy's "hamburger thesis" and why the ability to finance AI infrastructure may matter before anyone knows the ultimate AI ROIWhy capital markets can suddenly close after issuance booms and what that could mean for the AI investment cycleHow Nvidia's $500 billion financing structure expands the pool of capital available to data center projectsThe "not enough pie" problem: why projected corporate earnings may require extraordinary GDP growth, productivity gains or a larger corporate share of the economyWhat Andy watches in new stock and bond deals for signs that investors are becoming unwilling to absorb more supplyTimestamps00:00:08 Why stocks, long-term yields and inflation can all rise together00:07:18 The "script to kill inflation" and why short-term rates may not be enough00:12:48 How policymakers have suppressed long-term interest rates00:16:53 The Warsh "drumbeat" and a possible shift in Fed balance sheet policy00:21:56 Why markets may be underestimating Warsh's willingness to fight inflation00:26:27 Treasury bills versus coupons and the limits of current financing policy00:31:33 The "hamburger thesis" behind the massive AI CapEx funding shift00:38:41 Why AI financing may matter more than AI ROI in the short run00:42:55 Breaking down Nvidia's $500 billion data center financing structure00:47:51 The "not enough pie" problem for AI earnings and economic growth00:52:03 Demographics, productivity and the limits on future GDP growth00:56:14 What issuance prices reveal about capital market stressLearn more about the Excess Returns podcast network:https://excessreturns.coNo information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.

Bob Robotti, founder and CIO of Robotti & Company, joins Matt Zeigler and Bogumil Baranowski to explain why bottom-up value investing may be entering one of its best opportunity sets in decades. They discuss AI and reindustrialization, inflation and interest rates, passive investing, capital cycles, private equity, long-term ownership, and why today's neglected industrial businesses may offer opportunities that the market is missing.Bob Robotti on Xhttps://x.com/BobRobottiRobotti & Companyhttps://www.robotti.comTopics coveredHow Bob finds misunderstood businesses with latent earnings powerWhy his "grassroots macro" process starts with company-level supply and demandHow AI spending is increasing demand for energy, copper, aluminum, cement and other physical assetsWhy North America's natural gas advantage could support a long-term reindustrialization cycleWhy persistent inflation could force higher interest rates and lower valuation multiplesWhy no competitive moat is permanent, even for today's dominant technology companiesHow passive investing and shorter time horizons can create opportunities for fundamental stock pickersWhy prolonged downturns can improve industry economics through consolidation and reduced capacityWhy Bob views himself as an active owner rather than an activist investorWhy he is skeptical of today's private equity model and its expansion into retirement portfoliosThe NewMarket investment that taught him the cost of selling a great business too earlyWhy he thinks individual company research can outperform indexing over the next decadeTimestamps00:00 Intro04:02 Grassroots macro and the search for latent earnings power08:37 Why Bob started his own investment firm13:00 How AI creates demand for the physical economy17:59 Why Bob avoids the mega-cap technology companies22:00 Inflation, interest rates and the valuation risk investors may be missing26:07 Why no competitive moat is permanent31:36 How passive investing creates opportunities for stock pickers36:00 Why Bob believes the "fallen" areas of the market can rise again40:06 How bad business conditions create better long-term investments44:39 Active ownership, boards and understanding businesses from the inside48:59 Why Bob is skeptical of modern private equity55:15 The biggest loss of his career: selling a winner too early01:03:32 The one investing lesson Bob would teach everyoneLearn more about the Excess Returns podcast network:https://excessreturns.coNo information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.

In this episode of The Jim Paulsen Show, Jim explains why weakening labor data, softening inflation, and lagged policy tightening could shift markets from inflation fears toward growth and recession fears. He also breaks down why the AI productivity boom may be overstated, how AI capital spending is supporting the economy, why Treasury yields look too high, and why investors may want to rebalance from new era technology stocks toward old era stocks and bonds.Subscribe to the Jim Paulsen Show on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the Jim Paulsen Show on Apple PodcastsTopics CoveredWhy weak jobs data and benign inflation have changed the outlook for the Federal ReserveLabor force contraction, stalled job growth, and the risks facing consumer spendingHousing affordability, services activity, real income, savings, and signs of economic weaknessHow the stock-bond correlation can reveal a shift from inflation fears to growth and recession fearsWhy Jim expects Fed rate cuts before year-end and sees downside risk for Treasury yieldsHow higher oil prices, bond yields, and the dollar can hit stocks and the economy with a lagWhy today's AI productivity boom may be a mirage rather than a repeat of the 1960s or 1990sHow AI CapEx, core capital goods orders, and technology stocks are linkedWhy the 10-year Treasury yield may be mispriced relative to growth and inflationThe widening divide between new era and old era stocks and what it could mean for portfolio allocationTimestamps00:00 Jim's outlook: weak jobs, benign inflation, and growth fears04:11 Labor force rollover and consumer warning signs09:06 Real income collapse and economic surprise data13:06 Why bond yields could fall below 4 percent17:45 Why Jim expects Fed cuts instead of hikes22:07 How policy tightening hits the economy with a lag26:16 Why productivity gains can be a recession mirage30:20 What a true productivity boom looks like34:38 AI stocks as a leading signal for capital spending39:08 Why Treasury yields may be mispriced44:31 Oil, core inflation, and the case for easing48:32 New era versus old era correlation as a warning52:54 Why today's AI economy may be more vulnerable than dot-com57:22 Portfolio allocation takeaways: bonds, old era, and techLearn more about the Excess Returns podcast network:https://excessreturns.coNo information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.

T. Rowe Price technology portfolio manager Dom Rizzo joins Jack Forehand and Kai Wu to break down the AI investment cycle, hyperscaler capital spending, semiconductor demand, and why the recent tech selloff may look more like 1998 than the end of the boom. They discuss AI return on investment, OpenAI and Anthropic, open versus closed models, financing the data center buildout, the future of software, labor productivity, and how to construct a global technology portfolio.Topics coveredWhy Dom sees similarities between the 2026 semiconductor correction and the 1998 selloffWhy hyperscaler AI CapEx could accelerate from already historic levelsWhat cloud revenue growth and operating margins say about AI return on invested capitalWhy end-user productivity is the key test for sustainable AI demandOpen-weight models versus frontier labs and where AI economic value may accrueWhy chips, memory, logic semiconductors, TSMC and ASML sit at critical points in the AI value chainHow equity, debt and operating cash flow could finance the next stage of the data center buildoutWhy semiconductors remain cyclical even in a structurally capital-intensive AI boomWhy AI agents could turn traditional enterprise software into data pipesAI productivity, labor displacement and the case for faster GDP growthHow Dom thinks about technology portfolio construction, risk factors and global stock selectionTimestamps00:00 AI, the tech correction and the 1998 comparison04:07 Why the AI capital spending cycle may only be halfway12:33 The real test for AI demand: end-user ROI17:00 Why frontier models may capture most of the economic value21:23 Where the biggest AI moats and profit pools could emerge28:12 Financing the AI buildout with equity and debt36:03 Are semiconductors in a supercycle or still cyclical?41:43 What AI agents mean for traditional software companies46:03 AI productivity versus labor displacement51:01 Building a portfolio for a technology revolution56:06 Global tech opportunities and Dom's stock-picking frameworkLearn more about the Excess Returns podcast network:https://excessreturns.coNo information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.

Richard Bernstein and David Rosenberg reunite to debate the Federal Reserve, inflation, the AI investment boom, market bubbles, gold and the case for international diversification. The former Merrill Lynch colleagues examine whether the Fed should raise rates, how AI CapEx is reshaping the U.S. economy, why credit markets may lead the AI trade, what is driving gold, and where investors may find opportunities outside the mega-cap U.S. market.Topics coveredWhy the Taylor Rule points toward higher rates and why Rosenberg thinks the Fed should not hikeWhat slowing GDP growth, productivity and labor costs suggest about underlying inflationHow AI CapEx and data center spending may be misallocating capital away from housing and the broader economyWhy the current AI boom differs from the late-1990s technology bubbleHow credit spreads, CDS markets and financing costs could signal trouble in the AI trade before equities doWhat real interest rates, the U.S. dollar and central bank demand mean for goldWhy Bernstein views gold as a portfolio spare tire rather than a short-term tradeWhy non-U.S. stocks and international markets may offer a better valuation and growth opportunityHow AI exposure extends beyond the Mag Seven into financials, industrials and utilitiesWhy CAPE valuations, leverage, sentiment and market positioning point to a highly speculative U.S. marketWhy diversification becomes most unpopular when investors may need it mostWhat Bob Farrell's market rules say about crowded positioning and consensus forecastsTimestamps00:00 Introduction08:31 Why Rosenberg thinks the Fed should not hike16:02 AI, data centers and capital misallocation25:08 What is driving gold: real rates, the dollar and central banks36:11 Why Bernstein sees a secular shift toward non-U.S. stocks41:41 How AI concentration extends beyond the technology sector48:31 International diversification as protection from AI concentration54:06 Bob Farrell's Rule 9 and the danger of consensus1:00:06 The housing-cycle warning Bernstein and Rosenberg saw before the financial crisisLearn more about the Excess Returns podcast network:https://excessreturns.coNo information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.

Tian Yang, head of research at Variant Perception and portfolio manager of the VPX ETF, explains how investors can use adaptive leading indicators, capital cycle analysis and behavioral signals to navigate a market shaped by AI spending, inflation and government intervention. He breaks down why the macro backdrop remains risk-on, what would signal a true market top, why a Federal Reserve rate hike may still be unlikely and how AI could reshape profits, jobs and portfolio construction.Variant Perceptionhttps://www.variantperception.com/Variant Perception Cycle Aware US Equity ETFhttps://etf.variantperception.com/Topics coveredHow first-principles thinking separates causal signals from noisy dataWhy static recession indicators and consumer sentiment have become less reliableHow Variant Perception combines growth, inflation, policy and liquidity into a Macro Risk IndicatorWhy AI capital spending and low savings rates are supporting economic resilienceHow AI profits could broaden from hardware bottlenecks to adopters and complementary assetsWhy the sovereign technology race may extend the AI investment cycleWhat savings rates, liquidity, leverage and cash settlement reveal about recessions and market topsHow potential SpaceX, Anthropic and OpenAI supply could affect public equity marketsWhat capital cycle and crowding signals say about semiconductors and hyperscalersWhy headline inflation may stay high without creating persistent core inflationHow the K-shaped consumer, labor market and Federal Reserve reform shape the policy outlookHow AI could widen economic inequality, compress wages and change investment researchHow the VPX ETF uses adaptive sector tilts, stock selection and active riskTimestamps00:00 First principles, causal data and leading indicators04:48 Why traditional recession indicators stopped working09:00 Building the Macro Risk Indicator13:02 How AI CapEx is keeping the economy resilient17:18 Is the AI boom different from past bubbles?21:32 Why rising savings rates often precede recessions26:11 Why the market-top warning is amber, not red30:58 Are semiconductors still cyclical?36:22 Why an oil shock may not force the Fed to hike42:12 How Kevin Warsh could reform the Federal Reserve46:50 The increasingly bifurcated economy51:11 How AI is changing investment research55:38 Active risk, playing the game and avoiding forced errorsLearn more about the Excess Returns podcast network:https://excessreturns.coNo information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.

Brent Donnelly joins Matt Zeigler to explain how professional traders build a durable edge through risk management, trading psychology, probabilistic thinking, and creative market analysis.Drawing from his new book, Trade Outside the Box: Advanced Thinking for Professional Traders, Brent breaks down why trading strategies decay, why rationality beats intelligence, how to avoid risk of ruin, and how lessons from poker, behavioral finance, and real-world experience can improve decision-making.Trade Outside the Box: Advanced Thinking for Professional Tradershttps://amzn.to/4h9bi3eBrent Donnelly on Xhttps://x.com/donnelly_brentSpectra Marketshttps://www.spectramarkets.comTopics covered:Why fundamentals, technical analysis, behavioral finance, and quantitative methods are necessary but not sufficient for trading successHow traders can develop an edge by connecting markets to poker, psychology, biology, auto racing, and video gamesWhy profitable trading strategies decay as more investors discover and copy themHow changing volatility regimes force traders to adapt their style and avoid becoming a one-trick ponyWhy mismatching a long-term investment thesis with a short-term stop loss can destroy a good ideaHow trading journals and P&L data help separate normal variance from a broken processWhy the house money effect can make traders more reckless after large gainsWhy rationality, flexibility, and expected value matter more than credentials or raw intelligenceHow Bayesian thinking helps traders update probabilities and fight confirmation biasThe difference between independent thinking and blind contrarianismWhy avoiding risk of ruin, protecting family and health, and defining success beyond money are essential to a sustainable trading careerTimestamps:00:00 Introduction to Brent Donnelly and Trade Outside the Box04:00 Why smart analysts often produce fully priced trade ideas08:00 Poker discipline and avoiding boredom trades12:00 How lead-lag correlation trading lost its edge16:35 Matching a trade's stop loss to its time horizon21:00 What trading data reveals about win rates and expected value25:00 The house money effect and the danger of overearning29:00 Why rational traders beat smarter traders33:00 Strong opinions weakly held and Bayesian updating37:00 Curating a balanced diet of bullish and bearish information41:00 Using creativity and outside disciplines to find market edge45:11 Avoiding risk of ruin and the lessons of Jesse Livermore50:29 The Serenity Prayer and focusing on what traders can control55:00 Choosing family and health over markets59:00 Why your first thought may not be your ownLearn more about the Excess Returns podcast network:https://excessreturns.coNo information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms, or their clients.

On this episode of our new market wrap show Last Call, we examine the hidden rotation beneath calm stock market indexes, including sharp AI and semiconductor volatility, small-cap strength, forced fund liquidations, higher rates and changing Federal Reserve guidance. Jack Forehand and Matt Zeigler are joined by Jim Paulsen, Ben Hunt, Brent Kochuba, Cameron Dawson and Dave Nadig to discuss stock market correction risk, the economics of the AI data center buildout, options flows, market leverage, regulation and what could drive volatility next.Follow Last Call on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Last Call on Apple Podcasts⁠Topics coveredWhy market indexes can hide sharp rotation, dispersion and volatility in semiconductors and high-beta technology stocksJim Paulsen's Policy Pain framework linking oil, Treasury yields, dollar strength and lagged effects on stocks, bonds and economic growthWhy technology stocks could enter a bear market while old-economy sectors, small caps and value stocks hold upBen Hunt's World War AI thesis comparing the AI infrastructure buildout with inflation-adjusted World War II spendingHow hyperscalers, equity issuance, private credit and government financing could crowd out consumers and businessesWhy data centers could consume nearly one quarter of U.S. electricity and lead to higher prices, rationing and government interventionWhat the Situational Awareness fund liquidation and Citadel portfolio transaction reveal about forced market flowsHow options correlations and narrow market breadth can separate a technical rebound from a fundamental AI bottomRisks from speculative retail investments, weakened regulators, leverage and cyclical semiconductor profit marginsWhy reduced Fed forward guidance could create surprise policy decisions and greater algorithmic market volatilityTimestamps00:00 Market rotation and AI volatility beneath the indexes04:07 Jim Paulsen on Policy Pain and market vulnerability09:23 Why tightening hurts stocks before helping bonds14:23 Tech bear market risk and a possible leadership shift18:23 Ben Hunt on World War AI, private credit and systemic risk26:00 Data center electricity demand and the energy constraint31:29 Brent Kochuba on the Situational Awareness liquidation36:00 The forced buying behind the AI stock rebound40:00 Why the liquidation bounce may not signal an AI bottom44:00 How forced flows distort fundamental market narratives48:00 Retail investing pitches, liquidity and cycle FOMO52:00 Deregulation by destaffing at the SEC and CFTC56:00 Semiconductor operating leverage and fragile S&P 500 margins01:00:07 Jack's grievance with the YouTube algorithm01:04:29 What happens when the Fed stops giving forward guidance01:08:34 How markets could react to a surprise Fed decisionLearn more about the Excess Returns podcast network:⁠https://excessreturns.co⁠No information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.

We are excited to announce the launch of a new podcast, Why Am I Reading This Now? with Ben Hunt. Stories and narratives are increasingly shaping markets, and Ben and his team at Perscient have developed a unique system for measuring how those narratives emerge, spread and change.In each episode, Ben and Matt Zeigler will examine the major issues facing investors through this narrative lens, helping listeners better understand the stories driving markets and what they could mean for the economy, policy and investment outcomes.We have included this first episode in the Excess Returns feed. To continue receiving new episodes, subscribe to the Why Am I Reading This Now? podcast on all major podcast platforms using the links below.Subscribe on SpotifySubscribe on AppleTopics coveredWhy AI CapEx and data center construction have become critical drivers of US economic growthHow hyperscalers are shifting from cash flow financing to debt, equity issuance and private creditWhy a slowdown in AI infrastructure spending could threaten markets, the economy and the financial systemHow trillions of dollars in AI investment may crowd out consumer credit, business investment and government borrowingWhy data centers could consume a dramatically larger share of US electricity productionHow energy shortages could lead to higher utility costs, rationing and price controlsWhy the Iran war and higher oil prices may create a lasting increase in global energy costsHow Perscient tracks the return of bearish AI narratives and growing political opposition to data centersWhy both political parties may support government ownership, loan guarantees, bailouts and economic stimulusHow competition with China could become the narrative used to justify greater government control of the AI industryTimestamps00:00 Introducing Why Am I Reading This Now? with Ben Hunt04:00 How debt, equity issuance and private credit are financing AI CapEx08:06 Data center electricity demand and the energy crowding-out problem13:21 Why an AI bailout may become politically inevitable17:30 Oil shifts from a temporary shortage to a structural supply reduction22:00 The bearish AI narrative returns as political opposition grows26:00 Government ownership, price controls and the AI competition with China

Rupert Mitchell of Blind Squirrel Macro joins Matt Zeigler to explain how surging AI capital spending, mega-cap share issuance and expensive U.S. technology stocks could reshape global equity leadership. They discuss the case for equal-weight stocks, energy equities, gold, UK small caps, Uzbekistan and Turkey, along with the risk that a surprise Federal Reserve hike could trigger a broader unwind in leveraged markets.Rupert Mitchell on Xhttps://x.com/SquirrelMacroBlind Squirrel Macrohttps://www.blindsquirrelmacro.comTopics coveredWhy the S&P 500 versus the rest of the world remains Rupert's chart of truthHow the Bushy portfolio uses international equities, gold, commodities and hedges as an alternative to a traditional 60/40 portfolioWhy positive stock-bond correlation has weakened the diversification case for long-duration bondsHow AI data center spending, mega IPOs and new share issuance could reverse the buyback-driven de-equitization of U.S. marketsWhy Rupert is long the equal-weight S&P 500 and short the Nasdaq 100 as market leadership broadensHow China's growing power in oil markets may create a price collar that supports energy producers, refiners, midstream companies and offshore servicesWhat a surprise Federal Reserve hike or death shot could mean for technology stocks, private credit, private equity and leveraged risk assetsWhy deeply discounted UK small and mid-cap stocks may benefit from buybacks, takeovers, pension capital and investment trust activismThe opportunity in Uzbekistan's privatization program and the role of Templeton in improving governanceWhy Turkey's inflation-tested companies, strategic geography and cheap valuations may offer an attractive emerging-market setupTimestamps00:00 Intro04:00 Bushy portfolio changes across energy, commodities and precious metals08:54 How AI capital spending and equity issuance threaten the buyback era13:00 Equal-weight valuations and the long RSP, short QQQ trade17:02 China's oil price collar and the energy equity re-rating22:18 The Fed death shot and the danger of an unpriced hike30:06 Peak populism and the historic valuation gap in UK equities34:10 M&A, pension capital and UK investment trusts38:50 Uzbekistan's privatization opportunity43:39 Turkish equities, inflation and geopolitical leverage49:13 Why stress-tested businesses may offer better value53:39 Blind Squirrel Macro and Benny and the SquirrelLearn more about the Excess Returns podcast network:https://excessreturns.coNo information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.

On the latest 100 Year Thinkers, Robert Hagstrom joins Matt Zeigler and Bogumil Baranowski to revisit the 25th anniversary edition of The Warren Buffett Portfolio and explain why volatility is not the same as investment risk.They discuss concentrated portfolios, active share, business valuation, behavioral finance, complex adaptive systems, and Warren Buffett's warning that the market's casino can overwhelm its cathedral.The Warren Buffett Portfolio – 25th Anniversary Editionhttps://amzn.to/3TVXoruRobert Hagstrom on Xhttps://x.com/RobertGHagstromEquity Compasshttps://www.equitycompass.com/Topics coveredWhy Markowitz's definition of risk as variance shaped modern portfolio theoryWhy Buffett views permanent capital loss, not volatility, as the real investing riskWhat Hagstrom's study of 3,000 portfolios revealed about concentration and market outperformanceThe difference between know-something investors and investors better served by indexingHow benchmark awareness creates closet indexers and weakens active managementWhat loss aversion and prospect theory explain about investor behaviorWhy Darwin, William James, and complex adaptive systems offer better models for marketsBuffett's cathedral and casino metaphor for business ownership versus speculationThe El Farol problem, Jim Simons, and why successful market models stop workingWhy options trading, leveraged ETFs, and record single-stock dispersion may be strengthening the casinoHow to evaluate portfolios using cash flow, return on invested capital, and look-through earningsWhy permanent capital and System 2 thinking are essential for focused investingTimestamps00:00 Intro04:00 Why Markowitz defined risk as variance11:47 What 3,000 portfolios revealed about concentration17:17 Know-something versus know-nothing investors22:23 Kahneman, loss aversion, and modern portfolio theory26:58 Darwin, pragmatism, and adaptive markets32:28 Buffett's cathedral and casino metaphor37:37 The El Farol problem and why markets resist prediction42:08 Why investors crave market forecasts46:16 Why investing is most intelligent when businesslike51:38 Record stock dispersion, options, and leveraged ETFs56:00 Measuring portfolio progress through business economics01:00:43 Why permanent capital enables focus investing01:04:43 How markets survive widespread investor mistakesLearn more about the Excess Returns podcast network:https://excessreturns.coNo information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms, or their clients.

Wes Gray joins us to explain how factor investors should think about high market valuations, S&P 500 concentration, value investing, small caps, artificial intelligence and the behavioral challenge of staying invested for the long term. He also breaks down Section 351 ETF exchanges, including how appreciated portfolios can move into an ETF without an immediate taxable sale, why direct-indexing portfolios are a major use case and how the ETF wrapper is reshaping asset management.Wes Gray on Xhttps://x.com/alphaarchitectAlpha Architecthttps://alphaarchitect.comETF Architecthttps://etfarchitect.comLong-Only Value Investing: Does Size Matter?https://alphaarchitect.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/AA-JBISFactorInvesting22LongOnlyValueInvesting.pdfEven God Would Get Fired as an Active Investorhttps://alphaarchitect.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Even_God_Would_Get_Fired_as_an_Active_Investor.pdfTopics coveredWhy high valuations may lower long-term expected returns without providing a reliable market-timing signalHow S&P 500 concentration creates a major large-cap, quality and growth factor betWhy earnings and operating income may be better value metrics than book-to-market in an intangible economyWhy valuation may matter more than company size for long-only value investorsHow unprofitable companies and low-quality stocks can distort small-cap value indexesWhether AI has changed the historical relationship between growth and value investingHow AI may eliminate short-term trading edges while leaving long-horizon opportunities intactWhy even an investor with perfect foresight could suffer severe drawdowns and get firedHow passive investing flows may affect market prices and factor returnsHow Section 351 exchanges can solve problems created by appreciated SMAs, tax-loss harvesting and direct indexingThe 25/50 diversification rules, cost-basis transfer and tax-deferral mechanics of ETF conversionsWhy assets continue moving from mutual funds, hedge funds and separate accounts into ETFsWhy enduring underperformance may be necessary to earn higher long-term returnsTimestamps00:00 Alpha Architect, ETF Architect and building an ETF platform04:00 Can factor investors time a market bubble?08:03 Intangible assets and the problems with book-to-market13:42 The quality problem inside small-cap value indexes18:18 Has technology changed the growth-versus-value equation?23:25 Can AI create lasting investment alpha?27:42 Are investors behaving better today?34:39 How Section 351 ETF exchanges work39:48 The diversification rules for tax-deferred ETF conversions44:34 How cost basis and deferred taxes carry into the ETF49:07 Mutual fund, hedge fund and SMA conversions54:13 Why investors should embrace underperformanceLearn more about the Excess Returns podcast network:https://excessreturns.coNo information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.

Aahan Menon, founder of Prometheus Research, joins Jack Forehand to explain what systematic macro data says about economic growth, inflation, Federal Reserve policy, oil prices, AI investment and the outlook for stocks and bonds. They examine why nominal GDP remains stable, why traditional recession indicators have failed, how consumer dissaving is boosting corporate profits, and why today's unusually balanced regime probabilities make this a difficult time for large macro bets.Aahan Menon on Xhttps://x.com/AahanPrometheusPrometheus Researchhttps://www.prometheus-macro.comTopics coveredWhy geopolitical volatility and disrupted market trends make concentrated macro bets unusually difficultWhat Prometheus Research's daily GDP nowcast says about stable nominal growthWhy AI capital spending matters but consumer spending still drives the US economyHow household dissaving and the wealth effect are supporting corporate profitsWhy the economy and Federal Reserve policy may be increasingly sensitive to stock pricesHow oil prices are driving inflation volatility and changing expectations for interest ratesWhy demand-driven inflation is more persistent than supply-driven inflationHow technology investment has weakened traditional recession and business-cycle indicatorsThe value and limitations of timing Federal Reserve policy with systematic macro dataWhat macro regime probabilities, valuations and expected returns suggest for stocks, bonds and diversificationTimestamps00:02 Why this is a difficult time for big macro bets05:02 A daily GDP nowcast shows stable nominal growth09:21 Consumer dissaving and the future economic risk13:23 The wealth effect linking stocks, spending and profits17:52 Oil prices and extreme inflation volatility22:23 Separating persistent demand inflation from supply shocks27:27 Why traditional recession indicators stopped working32:55 How technology is changing the business cycle37:42 Why timing Federal Reserve cycles matters for bond returns42:28 The limitations of alternative data and short histories47:33 Macro regime forecasts and expected returns51:54 Why the macro backdrop still supports equities56:19 Why investors can finally get paid to diversifyLearn more about the Excess Returns podcast network:https://excessreturns.coNo information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.

Azeem Azhar joins Kai Wu to break down the real economics of the AI boom, including the $110 billion demand base, where profits may accrue across chips, hosting, foundation models and applications, and whether spending can translate into enterprise productivity. They discuss AI infrastructure bottlenecks, open-source competition, vertical integration, organizational redesign, software moats, human judgment and the signals investors can use to identify companies turning AI adoption into durable competitive advantage.The State of the AI Economyhttps://intelligence.exponentialview.co/assets/ev-state-of-ai-economy-2026.pdfWhy AI Isn't Showing Up on Your Bottom Linehttps://www.exponentialview.co/p/why-ai-isnt-showing-up-on-your-bottom-lineAzeem Azhar on Xhttps://x.com/azeemExponential Viewhttps://www.exponentialview.co/Topics CoveredThe size and growth rate of real generative AI demandHow the AI stack divides between chips, hosting, foundation models and applicationsWhy memory and energized data centers may be the key AI infrastructure bottlenecksOpen-source models, proprietary pricing and enterprise assuranceVertical integration and foundation model labs moving into applicationsHow AI value could flow to consumers rather than infrastructure providersWhy AI productivity requires workflow and organizational redesignWhat investors can learn from earnings calls, hiring and enterprise spendingForward-deployed engineers, consulting firms and vendor lock-inWhich intangible business moats strengthen or weaken as intelligence becomes abundantTimestamps00:00 The economics and sustainability of the AI boom06:34 Mapping the four layers of the AI stack10:43 Vertical integration and cross-stack competition15:31 Why memory is becoming an AI infrastructure bottleneck20:01 Open-source models versus proprietary AI24:36 Why foundation model labs are moving up and down the stack28:51 Could AI profits become consumer surplus?33:00 Why more copilots cannot create an AI-native company37:17 Job postings and the intangible investments behind AI adoption44:16 Can forward-deployed engineers transform legacy companies?49:15 Which business moats strengthen or weaken in the AI economy?54:20 Do foundation models really have network effects?59:00 Why judgment, verification and human provenance become more valuable01:04:56 The exponential gap in data centers and education01:10:06 How Azeem uses AI to deepen research and generate ideasLearn more about the Excess Returns podcast network:https://excessreturns.coNo information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.

On the Latest First Principles, Andy Constan explains what the options market is signaling about the AI and semiconductor boom, why he believes earnings expectations have outrun the size of the economy, and where the next risks may emerge. We discuss speculative call buying, single-stock volatility, AI capital spending, consumer dissaving, the Fed put, Kevin Warsh's monetary policy framework, and the looming reset of US tariffs.Topics covered:* Why parabolic moves in AI infrastructure and semiconductor stocks may reflect a speculative bubble* What rising single-stock volatility and unusually low market correlations reveal beneath a calm index* Why out-of-the-money calls became more expensive than puts and what that says about investor positioning* How investors can hedge concentrated stock gains by selling calls and buying protective puts* Why the AI bubble may be hiding in earnings expectations rather than traditional valuation multiples* Andy's economic pie framework and why projected corporate profits may exceed the GDP available to support them* How AI competition, open-source models, job displacement and subsidized token usage affect the return on AI investment* Why capital spending and consumer dissaving are supporting economic growth, and where those drivers could weaken* Whether the Federal Reserve could eventually buy equity ETFs and the inflationary consequences of a permanent Fed put* How lower short-term rates and a smaller Fed balance sheet could rebalance Main Street and Wall Street* Why expiring Section 122 tariffs could create a near-term shift in inflation, growth and the federal deficitTimestamps:00:02 Why the options market is flashing a warning on AI stocks04:02 Extreme stock dispersion beneath a calm market08:49 The signals of a speculative call-buying frenzy13:00 How to hedge a stock position without calling the top18:36 Why earnings expectations may be the real AI bubble23:00 The economic pie cannot support every company's forecasts27:00 AI job displacement and the widening gap between winners and losers31:59 How capital spending and consumer dissaving are sustaining growth36:00 When the return on AI investment starts to matter40:26 Could the Fed buy stocks in the next financial crisis?44:53 How Kevin Warsh might respond when markets and employment collapse48:58 Lower rates, a smaller balance sheet and wealth inequality52:59 The tariff deadline investors may be overlookingLearn more about the Excess Returns podcast network:https://excessreturns.coNo information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.

Jack Schwager joins Excess Returns to discuss Market Wizards: The Next Generation and the extraordinary young traders profiled in the newest installment of the Market Wizards series.He explains how traders turned small accounts into fortunes, survived devastating losses, built exceptional risk-adjusted records and adapted from day trading to longer-term strategies, while revealing the psychology, risk management and commitment behind elite trading performance.Jack Schwager on Xhttps://x.com/jackschwagerMarket Wizards: The Next Generationhttps://amzn.to/4psEOmHTopics coveredHow video games, prop trading firms and modern technology shaped a new generation of tradersHow Jack Schwager finds candidates and verifies extraordinary trading track recordsWhy return-to-risk measures can reveal more than the Sharpe ratioLukas Froelich's astonishing 2020 performance and the limits of compounding and scalabilitySimon Rousseau's journey from a $40,000 borrowed account to nearly $500 millionHow breaking risk rules led to massive losses even after extraordinary successKristjan Kullamägi's path from security guard to more than $100 million after repeated account blowupsPhil Goedeker's success with short selling, option selling and unusually strong risk controlRick Bandazian Jr.'s merger arbitrage edge and more than a decade without a losing monthWhy financial markets may remain uniquely difficult for artificial intelligence to solveLance Breitstein's apprenticeship, deliberate practice and shift from day trading to longer-term positionsWhat traders and long-term investors can learn about talent, discipline, persistence and human natureTimestamps00:00 Intro to Market Wizards: The Next Generation04:33 How Jack finds exceptional traders and how the trading ecosystem changed09:15 Auditing Lukas Froelich's extraordinary 2020 returns14:03 Simon Rousseau: turning $40,000 into nearly $500 million18:42 The $50 million Carvana loss and the danger of breaking trading rules22:54 Kristjan Kullamägi: from security guard to more than $100 million28:36 Phil Goedeker and the risk of negative asymmetry strategies32:41 Hedging option risk during the Liberation Day market selloff37:34 Trading personality and Rick Bandazian Jr.'s no-loss record41:36 Can artificial intelligence ever become a Market Wizard?45:42 Lance Breitstein: choosing mentorship over a higher salary49:42 What long-term investors can learn from elite traders53:52 Innate talent, human nature and all-consuming commitment57:58 What the next generation of trading may look likeLearn more about the Excess Returns podcast network:https://excessreturns.coNo information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.

Eric Pachman of Data 4 The People joins Matt Zeigler to explain why headline employment and inflation data may be giving investors an incomplete picture of the U.S. economy. They examine falling labor force participation, Medicaid-funded healthcare jobs, wage quality, oil and diesel shortages, consumer financial stress and how AI can make public data more useful.Eric Pachman on Xhttps://x.com/EricPachmanData 4 The Peoplehttps://www.data4thepeople.com/Main topics coveredWhy the establishment survey and household survey can tell very different labor market storiesWhy unemployment may miss weakening labor force participation and disappearing working-age AmericansThe decline in participation among older workers and menHow healthcare and Medicaid-funded care have become the engine of U.S. job growthWhy Medicaid cuts could create a major employment and consumer spending riskWhat occupational wage data reveals about the quality of new jobs and home healthcare payThe differences between CPI, PCE and core inflation and why the standard measures can be misleadingHow crude oil grades, refinery design and 3-2-1 crack spreads shape energy pricesWhy falling diesel inventories could spread inflation through transportation, food and retailWhat the single-income stress test reveals about household fragility, poverty and multiple-job holdersHow Data 4 The People is using AI to build public-interest data research toolsTimestamps00:00 Intro04:41 Why the unemployment rate can miss a labor crisis11:24 Healthcare jobs, aging America and the Medicaid care economy18:44 The Wage Ledger and the hidden quality of U.S. job growth24:18 Why inflation is moving higher30:48 Why every equity investor needs to understand oil36:00 Crack spreads and the refinery mismatch problem44:05 Why diesel is the inflation risk that matters most48:34 The single-income stress test and consumer fragility54:42 Data 4 The People's nonprofit mission59:00 Building an AI research assistant for public data01:03:37 Where to follow Eric and Data 4 The PeopleLearn more about the Excess Returns podcast network:https://excessreturns.coNo information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.

Jim Paulsen joins us to explain why weakening economic momentum, tightening financial conditions and extreme AI enthusiasm could set the stage for a 10% to 20% stock market correction. We discuss labor market weakness, the growing divide between technology and the broader economy, fading tech leadership, market complacency, bond yields and the demographic forces that could keep US growth and inflation lower for years.Jim also explains why he does not expect a recession or the end of the long-term bull market, but believes investors may need to reduce their concentration in AI and technology stocks as leadership quietly shifts toward the broader market.Jim Paulsen on Xhttps://x.com/jimwpaulsenPaulsen Perspectiveshttps://paulsenperspectives.substack.com/Main topics covered• Why Jim expects a 10% to 20% market correction without a recession• What zero job creation, declining full-time employment and rising unemployment reveal about the labor market• Why housing starts, real disposable income and GDP forecasts point to weaker economic growth• How higher Treasury yields, oil prices, a stronger dollar and slower money growth have tightened financial conditions• Why the economic damage from an oil shock often appears after oil prices peak• The widening earnings and economic divide between AI investment and the rest of the economy• What investor positioning, shrinking liquidity and low defensive exposure reveal about market complacency• Why strong earnings momentum does not eliminate the risk of a market decline• Evidence that technology, communication services and the Magnificent Seven are losing market leadership• Why old economy sectors may outperform technology during the next stage of the bull market• How weak labor force growth could push economic growth, inflation and Treasury yields lower• Why demographics, immigration and productivity will shape the long-term US economic outlookTimestamps00:00 Why Jim Paulsen expects a 10% to 20% market correction04:32 The labor market weakness investors may be overlooking08:42 Housing, disposable income and GDP growth are deteriorating13:03 How tighter financial conditions could slow the economy17:09 Why oil shocks and the yield curve threaten earnings growth21:41 Investor complacency and the disconnect between markets and Main Street25:54 How today's AI boom differs from the dot-com bubble30:20 Defensive stocks reach an extreme last seen near major market tops34:36 Record earnings expectations, momentum and extreme valuations39:00 Technology, communication services and the Magnificent Seven lose momentum43:00 The hidden market rotation from new era to old era stocks47:01 Why Jim expects Treasury yields to fall below 3%51:43 The demographic forces suppressing growth and inflation55:45 America's long-term growth challenge and what could change it

Katie Stockton of Fairlead Strategies joins Excess Returns to break down the current technical setup for the S&P 500, Nasdaq 100, mega-cap tech, market breadth, sector rotation, international stocks and gold. We discuss why short-term momentum has weakened, what would confirm a more serious breakdown, how investors can use technical analysis for risk management, and where breakouts are appearing outside the AI and semiconductor trade.Katie Stockton on Xhttps://x.com/StocktonKatieFairlead Strategieshttps://www.fairleadstrategies.com/Fairlead Fundshttps://www.fairleadfunds.com/Main topics coveredWhy the S&P 500 is still in a long-term uptrend but showing short-term momentum lossHow Katie defines overbought and oversold using the stochastic oscillatorWhy the March monthly MACD sell signal became an unusual whipsawWhat the QQQs and Nasdaq 100 are saying about technology leadershipHow investors can use stop losses, hedges and moving averages to manage riskWhy the market has held up despite underperformance in the Magnificent SevenThe difference between market breadth and market leadershipWhy sector rotation is improving in healthcare, industrials, utilities, insurers and biotechHow sentiment indicators like the VIX and Fear and Greed Index fit into market timingHow the Fairlead Tactical Sector ETF uses trend following, sector rotation, Treasuries and goldWhat the charts are saying about emerging markets, developed international stocks and the U.S.Why gold has moved from a strong bull market into a more tactical trading environmentTimestamps00:00 Intro00:58 Why the S&P 500 is losing short-term momentum05:04 How overbought conditions can reset without a major decline08:39 Why whipsaws make confirmation so important12:02 What the QQQs are saying about technology leadership16:51 How to manage risk with stop losses and hedges20:07 Why the market held up despite Mag Seven weakness23:49 How market breadth differs from market leadership28:14 What sentiment indicators are saying about investor positioning32:58 Why the market is in a technical void36:00 Sector rotation beyond technology and semiconductors40:54 How the Fairlead Tactical Sector ETF manages drawdowns46:05 What international stock charts are saying versus the U.S.50:13 Why markets have been resilient despite geopolitical risk52:05 What the chart of gold is telling investors now

Matt Zenz of Longview Research Partners joins Excess Returns to explain how evidence-based investing can help investors navigate AI excitement, market concentration, high valuations, IPO hype, factor investing and fixed income tax drag. We discuss why bubbles are hard to identify in real time, why diversification still matters, how valuation spreads shape expected returns, what AI capex does and does not tell us, and how investors can think about taxable bonds more efficiently.Longview Research Partnershttps://longviewresearchpartners.com/Main topics coveredWhy evidence-based investing matters during bubble-like marketsThe emotional reality of holding risk assets through painful periodsHow to think about market concentration without jumping straight to bubble callsWhy global diversification changes the mega-cap dominance storyWhat high market valuations mean for financial planning and expected returnsWhy wide valuation spreads may create a better setup for value stocksWhat factor research says about AI capex and corporate investmentHow Longview builds a diversified factor strategy around discount ratesWhy implementation, trading flexibility and scale matter in factor investingThe small cap premium debate, IPOs, fallen angels and survivorship biasWhy AI may increase data mining risk in quantitative investingHow fixed income tax drag can quietly reduce after-tax returnsTimestamps00:00 Why painful markets create future return premiums04:00 Market concentration, AI winners and the value of diversification09:40 How high valuations should influence financial planning13:12 Why wide valuation spreads matter for value investors14:01 What factor research says about AI capex16:20 How Longview's EBI strategy looks for higher discount rates18:58 Why Longview starts with the market and then tilts21:45 Comparing 1999, 2008 and today through expected returns24:33 Intangible assets, price-to-book and the limits of accounting adjustments28:32 SpaceX, IPOs and how indexes handle new mega-cap companies33:21 Why implementation and trading flexibility can affect returns36:17 Passive flows, price elasticity and market price discovery39:35 The small cap premium, IPOs and fallen angels42:21 Are today's small caps lower quality than history?46:01 Why AI may not uncover the next great factor premium48:04 Why fixed income may be the most inefficient part of taxable portfolios51:29 How LVIG tries to convert bond income into deferred capital appreciation52:50 The after-tax return opportunity from tax deferral54:58 Which investors may benefit most from tax-efficient fixed income56:26 Where to learn more about Matt Zenz and Longview

Jeff Klingelhofer of Aristotle Pacific joins Excess Returns to break down the fragile circular relationship between AI capital spending, the stock market, the high-end consumer and the broader economy. We discuss fixed income markets, Fed policy, inflation, private credit, the national debt, business cycle risk and how investors should think about bonds after the end of the zero-rate era.Aristotle Pacifichttps://www.aristotlepacific.com/Main topics coveredWhy AI CapEx has become one of the biggest drivers of the US economy and stock marketHow the high-end consumer, asset prices and AI spending have created a circular market setupWhy today's fixed income market is very different from the zero-rate eraHow bonds can serve as income, ballast and portfolio protection in the current environmentWhy the Fed may care more about inflation expectations than markets expectThe Fed's overlooked third mandate and what moderate long-term interest rates meanHow Kevin Warsh could change the Fed's approach to forward guidance, inflation and the balance sheetWhy the business cycle is not dead, even if Fed intervention has lengthened itWhat investors should understand about the national debt, higher rates and inflationWhy private credit is useful but not automatically better than public creditHow flexible fixed income investing can find opportunities across credit, securitized markets and capital structuresWhy sentiment, not just fundamentals, drives market pricesTimestamps00:00 AI CapEx, the stock market and the fragile economic loop04:03 Why fixed income markets look different after zero rates08:45 Does the Fed still have investors' backs?13:43 Are AI companies using dangerous forms of financing?18:54 Why starting yields change the stock bond hedge23:42 The Fed's overlooked third mandate29:03 Why inflation expectation stability may drive Fed policy33:11 How Kevin Warsh may change the Fed regime38:46 What a smaller Fed balance sheet could mean for asset prices43:24 The national debt, higher rates and inflation50:25 Why fixed income should be managed across silos55:08 The one lesson for the average investor

Meb Faber, co-founder and CIO of Cambria Investment Management, joins Excess Returns to discuss his new book, Investing in America: The Rise of a 250 Year Bull Market.We explore why the United States became one of the greatest long-term compounding stories in market history, what investors can learn from 250 years of booms and busts, and why Meb can be optimistic about America while still cautious on today's expensive market-cap-weighted S&P 500.Investing in America: The Rise of a 250 Year Bull Markethttps://amzn.to/4f1H5AwMeb Faber on Xhttps://x.com/MebFaberMain topics coveredWhy America can be viewed as the ultimate venture capital success storyHow joint stock companies, risk-taking and ownership helped shape the U.S. economyWhy studying 250 years of market history changes how investors think about volatilityThe long-term case for stocks and why the time horizon matters so muchWhy bear markets are a natural part of capitalism and long-term compoundingHow U.S. market dominance happened and why it was not preordainedWhy expensive valuations, low dividend yields and new supply may matter todayThe role of dividends, buybacks, shareholder yield and reinvestment in long-term returnsWhy diversification across global stocks, bonds and real assets can help investors stay investedWhat gold, REITs and foreign stocks teach us about starting points and narrativesWhy early investing, child investment accounts and compounding can change investor behaviorHow creative destruction reshapes sectors, companies and the market leaders of each eraWhy Meb remains optimistic about America while still cautious on parts of the U.S. marketTimestamps00:00 Why America was not guaranteed to become the market winner01:15 Meb Faber on writing Investing in America02:25 America as the ultimate venture capital success story06:22 How a culture of ownership helped the U.S. stock market compound09:19 Why studying 250 years of market history matters12:00 Why ownership is the core investing lesson15:14 Bear markets, recessions and the danger of recent history18:16 Why U.S. stocks beat the rest of the world by so much22:20 Lessons from financial history that surprised Meb27:05 Why stocks can lose for long periods and bonds can win30:00 Why investors need to get used to being in a drawdown33:24 Dividends, buybacks and the importance of reinvestment37:27 Why gold and REITs beat the S&P 500 after 200040:55 How balanced portfolios survive different market regimes43:03 The power of starting early and letting compounding work48:16 Why global diversification matters outside the U.S.50:40 Creative destruction, sector change and market leadership55:20 Why Meb is still optimistic about investing in America59:33 Where to find the book, Cambria and Meb online

In this episode of Last Call, we look back at June 2026 and break down the biggest market stories shaping investors' outlook for the second half of the year. Matt Zeigler and Jack Forehand are joined by Andy Constan, Ben Hunt, Brent Kochuba and Eric Pachman to discuss the SpaceX IPO, AI and semiconductor cyclicality, Fed credibility, options flows, labor market quality, crack spreads and inflation risk.Follow Last Call on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Last Call on Apple Podcasts⁠Main topics coveredWhy the SpaceX IPO became the biggest market story of the monthHow index flows, ETF buying and hedge fund positioning shaped SpaceX tradingAndy Constan on why future earnings growth may be oversubscribed across AI stocksWhy AI spending is benefiting semiconductors, memory and chip equipment companiesThe Fab Five companies behind semiconductor capacity and why they matterBen Hunt on Fed credibility, market narratives, gold, the dollar and trustBrent Kochuba on options flows, correlation risk and volatility spasms in tech stocksWhy short-term options volume may signal excess speculation in QQQ and AI stocksHow SpaceX options trading changed after the first wave of retail excitementEric Pachman on why headline job growth may hide weakness in wages and job qualityWhy crack spreads, refining constraints and oil logistics may matter more for inflation than crude prices aloneWhat investors should watch next in AI, semiconductors, memory, innovation and market cyclesTimestamps00:00 Intro01:02 Matt and Jack introduce Last Call and the June market review03:05 Why SpaceX dominated the month and how the IPO traded after opening07:33 Andy Constan on Fab Five Freddy eating the semis10:35 Why future earnings growth may be oversubscribed across the stock market13:35 How AI compute spending flows through chips, fabs and semiconductor equipment17:45 Are parts of the semiconductor market showing signs of an earnings bubble?20:12 Ben Hunt on the Fed credibility chart that surprised him23:50 Why Fed credibility, Sell America, gold and the dollar are connected29:48 Brent Kochuba on options flows behind AI stocks, semis and SpaceX33:36 Why semiconductor volatility may be warning of a short-term reset38:46 What SpaceX options trading says after the initial surge42:12 Eric Pachman on jobs, wages and what the Fed may be missing48:24 Why crack spreads matter for oil, refining, gas prices and inflation55:28 What to watch next in AI, semiconductors, memory demand and market cycles59:01 Why efficiency, competition and cyclical thinking matter for AI investors01:03:02 Matt and Jack close the episodeNo information on this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed in the podcast may be holdings of the firms of the hosts or their clients.

Warren Pies of 3Fourteen Research joins Excess Returns to break down the AI bull market, the macro risks investors should watch, and why the data still supports continued strength in semiconductors and equities. We discuss GPU demand, token usage, open source AI, Fed policy, housing weakness, oil, earnings growth, market valuations and the biggest risks to the current cycle.Warren Pies on Xhttps://x.com/WarrenPies3Fourteen Researchhttps://www.3fourteenresearch.com/Calibanhttps://www.3fourteenresearch.com/calibanMain topics coveredWhich bearish AI arguments actually matter for investorsWhy regulatory risk may be the biggest long-term AI concernHow data center spending is crowding out housing investmentWhy the Fed may struggle to cool AI-driven investment without hurting the labor marketWhat GPU availability says about real-time AI compute demandWhy open source AI is not yet replacing frontier modelsHow token pricing and OpenRouter data help measure AI usageWhy semiconductor stocks may still be in the middle of a major cycleHow semis are being valued differently than traditional cyclicalsWhy Fed policy, earnings growth and market multiples are key to the second half of 2026What oil positioning and refined product inventories say about macro riskWhy 3Fourteen remains constructive on equities despite rising overheating riskTimestamps00:00 Intro01:04 Which bearish AI arguments have teeth?04:00 Why AI regulation is the biggest long-term risk07:03 Technology spending versus housing investment11:03 How AI CapEx is showing up in inflation data13:04 Why the labor market is more fragile than headline jobs data suggests16:24 Why GPU availability is a cleaner signal than CapEx announcements21:00 What token pricing and OpenRouter data reveal about AI demand27:36 How 3Fourteen benchmarks frontier models against open source AI30:00 Why the semiconductor selloff looked like a buyable dip34:02 Are semiconductors still cyclical businesses?38:08 Why Fed tightening could be the thing that ends the bull market42:15 What the oil shock means now45:47 Refined product inventories, crack spreads and energy stocks47:18 Are earnings estimates becoming too optimistic?50:49 Why the debasement regime still supports equities54:05 Where to find Warren Pies and 3Fourteen Research

Ritavan joins Excess Returns to explain The System Gambit, a new framework for understanding competitive advantage, business strategy, AI disruption and long-term compounding. We discuss why traditional moat checklists can miss the real source of value, how companies can build systems competitors cannot copy, and what investors should look for when AI changes the game.The System Gambithttps://amzn.to/4b0J32IMain topics coveredWhy the traditional moat checklist can fail investorsThe three requirements for a true System GambitHow investors can evaluate business strategy from the outsideWhy code is not always the moat in the age of AIWhat history can teach investors about asymmetry and leverageWhy AI adoption is not the same as AI value creationThe difference between moving fast and understanding the gameLessons from Nokia, ASML, Amazon and WalmartHow intangible investment and J curves can hide long-term valueWhy the best companies build compounding systems competitors cannot copyHow investors can identify companies changing the game rather than optimizing the old oneTimestamps00:00 Opening preview and introduction04:00 The three ingredients of a System Gambit08:49 Why code is not the moat in AI software13:00 Skanderbeg and changing the rules of the game17:00 Good moats, good narratives and asymmetric advantage22:31 Microscope vs telescope as a lesson for AI28:35 AI winners, losers and high dispersion markets32:08 Signal quality, bottlenecks and why AI adoption is not enough36:00 Nokia, agility and the failure to build a causal model40:15 Why understanding the game beats speed44:00 Intangible investment, the J curve and ASML's hidden edge49:54 The contrarian AI thesis behind The System Gambit54:00 How to recognize a real System Gambit58:27 Amazon, Walmart and multi-paradigm compounding1:03:00 Prime, FBA and platform leverage1:07:00 Walmart's answer to Amazon1:11:06 Closing thoughts and where to find Ritavan

On this episode of the 100 Year Thinkers, Chris Mayer and Matt Zeigler discuss long-term investing, 100-baggers, AI stocks, SpaceX valuation, founder-led companies, and why the best investments often come with brutal drawdowns. We also cover his new book The Investor's Odyssey, the danger of letting labels like AI do too much work, how to think about TAM and capital allocation, and why patience may be the biggest edge for investors trying to own great businesses for decades.⁠Subscribe to the 100 Year Thinkers on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the 100 Year Thinkers on Apple⁠The Investor's Odyssey: Resisting the Sirens and Playing the Long Game⁠https://amzn.to/44BMXeJ⁠Main topics coveredWhy SpaceX, AI and trillion-dollar IPOs are testing investor disciplineHow Chris Mayer thinks about valuation after watching Google become a huge winnerWhy great businesses can still be terrible investments at the wrong priceThe danger of letting labels like AI, quality and TAM replace real analysisWhy many AI features may not create real customer valueWhat the dot-com bubble can teach investors about AI adoption and shakeoutsWhy investors do not need to be early if a company is truly exceptionalHow to separate AI anecdotes from real financial impactWhy capital allocation and return on invested capital matter more as companies scaleHow to evaluate founder control, governance, incentives and trustWhy the best long-term stocks can still fall 50 percent or more along the wayWhat rational exuberance might look like for long-term investorsTimestamps00:00 Intro: Chris Mayer on AI, SpaceX and long-term investing04:00 SpaceX valuation vs Google and the risk of paying too much08:01 Why labels like AI and quality can do too much work12:05 The AI pause, the dot-com analogy and where real value may emerge16:06 Why investors do not need to be early when a business is real21:00 Becoming a great company versus already being mature25:10 Thinking about TAM, market share and realistic growth expectations29:43 Corporate governance, free float and shareholder rights34:27 How to judge founder trust, incentives and compensation38:57 Employee ownership, culture and building enduring companies43:02 Investor frustration in a lopsided AI-driven market47:02 Why even a perfect stock picker would face brutal drawdowns52:17 The rise of trillion-dollar IPOs and the question of rational exuberance56:29 The Investor's Odyssey and playing the long game

Ben Inker of GMO joins Excess Returns to break down whether the AI boom is an investment bubble, how it compares to 2000, 2007 and 2021, and why today's risk may be more about earnings than valuations. We also discuss AI capital spending, market supply from IPOs, GMO's seven-year asset class forecasts, international stocks, benchmark-free allocation and what private equity investors may be missing.7 YEAR ASSET CLASS FORECASThttps://www.gmo.com/americas/research-library/gmo-7-year-asset-class-forecast-may-2026_gmo7yearassetclassforecast/WHAT BARBARIANS LIKE TO TAKE PRIVATEhttps://www.gmo.com/americas/research-library/part-1-what-barbarians-like-to-take-private_gmoquarterlyletter/THE CASE FOR LIQUID ALTERNATIVEShttps://www.gmo.com/americas/research-library/the-case-for-liquid-alternatives-in-todays-environment_insights/Main topics coveredWhy GMO sees the AI boom as a bubble investors may be able to navigateThe difference between easy bubbles and hard bubbles in portfolio constructionLessons from the internet bubble, the global financial crisis and the 2021 duration bubbleWhy today's market may be an earnings bubble, not just a valuation bubbleHow AI data center spending affects corporate profits before depreciation shows upWhy transformational technologies do not always reward the companies building themThe risk of circular financing, debt-funded AI spending and increasingly creative deal structuresHow IPOs, share issuance and market supply can pressure stock returnsGMO's seven-year asset class forecasts and why international stocks look more attractive than U.S. stocksWhy private equity portfolios may contain large hidden bets on small, lower-quality companiesTimestamps00:00 AI, earnings bubbles and market supply00:58 Why Ben Inker thinks the AI bubble may be easier to navigate02:43 What makes a bubble easy or hard for investors08:12 Comparing risk and return in 2000, 2007, 2021 and today14:42 Why optimizers and real clients see risk differently17:02 What GMO learned from managing through past bubbles19:08 How today compares to the 2000 internet bubble20:00 Why this may be an earnings bubble23:34 Semiconductors, memory makers and the capital cycle25:00 How AI CapEx compares to railroads, electricity and fiber optics29:33 Debt, circular financing and strange AI deals34:32 Why massive stock issuance could challenge the market40:00 How GMO builds seven-year asset class return forecasts41:40 Why interest rates change fair value for stocks and bonds45:32 Why international, value and small-cap stocks look more attractive49:06 The case for a benchmark-free portfolio55:21 What 700 leveraged buyouts reveal about private equity01:02:00 How public portfolios can offset private equity risks01:03:37 Why investors need to understand what they are paid for01:08:27 Closing thoughts

Ian Smith, portfolio manager at William Blair, joins Excess Returns to break down emerging markets, global diversification, and why EM may offer a very different opportunity set than US stocks. We discuss AI capex, the role of Korea, Taiwan, China and India, the impact of the dollar, quality investing, valuation, and how active investors can think about opportunity in a world shaped by AI disruption and geopolitical change.William Blair Investment Managementhttps://im.williamblair.com/The Problem With Qualityhttps://im.williamblair.com/insights/articles/the-problem-with-qualityTopics covered:Why emerging markets are not one single tradeHow AI capex is reshaping EM indexes and performanceWhy Korea, Taiwan and China are central to the AI supply chainThe role of the US dollar in emerging market returnsWhy EM index concentration is higher than many investors realizeWhat past innovation cycles can teach us about the AI buildoutHow AI is changing the definition of quality investingWhy China's manufacturing strength creates both opportunity and riskThe long-term case for India despite high valuationsHow William Blair evaluates quality, trajectory and underappreciationWhy valuation in emerging markets requires more than simple multiplesThe one investing lesson Ian Smith would teach the average investorTimestamps:00:00 Intro04:10 Why emerging markets are not one market08:37 Why EM is underrepresented in global indexes13:16 How the dollar impacts emerging market returns18:37 AI capex, picks and shovels, and EM supply chains24:17 How William Blair is using AI in the investment process28:30 Why quality and growth have decoupled in emerging markets33:19 Why AI disruption creates opportunity for active managers37:30 China's overcapacity, competition and global manufacturing edge42:00 India's long-term growth drivers and valuation challenge47:00 Finding underappreciated quality in EM stocks52:01 Deglobalization, China and the future of global trade56:09 The one lesson Ian Smith would teach investors

Tobias Carlisle joins Excess Returns to discuss why today's market may be setting up a major opportunity in value stocks, small caps and micro caps. We cover stretched market valuations, AI capex, SpaceX and other massive IPOs, the risk of speculative growth assumptions, and how Tobias builds systematic deep value portfolios in ZIG and DEEP.Tobias Carlisle on Xhttps://x.com/GreenbackdAcquirers Fundshttps://acquirersfunds.com/Topics covered:Why elevated market valuations point to lower forward returns, not necessarily an immediate exit from stocksThe case for small value, micro-cap value and mid-cap value after a long large-cap growth cycleWhy equal-weight indexes and small caps may be signaling a market leadership shiftWhether AI capex will create lasting profits or mostly benefit consumersThe parallels and differences between AI, the dot-com boom, railroads and fiber optic buildoutsHow AI spending is being financed and why the stock market may be demanding more compute investmentWhat the SpaceX IPO, OpenAI and Anthropic could mean for market supply and investor psychologyWhy base rates are being challenged by the growth of major technology platformsHow disruption can create value traps and why traditional valuation metrics can struggle in disrupted industriesThe energy demand implications of AI data centers and why nuclear and natural gas could matterHow Tobias combines valuation, quality, financial statements and portfolio construction in ZIG and DEEPWhy quarterly rebalancing may be a practical balance between timing luck, momentum and trading costsTimestamps:00:00 Why AI value may accrue to consumers04:00 What extreme market valuations say about future returns08:22 Small caps, equal weight and the Mag Seven reversal14:15 AI capex and lessons from past technology booms19:47 Who gets the profits from AI?23:00 Cash flow, debt and the AI spending race28:06 SpaceX, giant IPOs and market supply31:00 OpenAI, Anthropic and Mauboussin's base rates35:17 Is buying the S&P 500 more speculative than investors realize?36:57 Value investing during disruptive technology cycles41:07 War, energy prices and the broadening trade45:32 Semiconductor valuations and aggressive growth assumptions47:30 How Tobias builds the ZIG and DEEP portfolios54:17 ETF rebalancing, timing luck and systematic value investing

Professor Aswath Damodaran joins Kai Wu on The Intangible Economy to break down how to value SpaceX, AI companies, intangible assets, and the future of value investing.We discuss why big markets do not automatically create big value, how AI CapEx is changing the character of major technology companies, and why the best investment stories still have to connect to the numbers.Subscribe on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on AppleTopics covered:Valuing SpaceX after its IPO and why price matters even for great companiesHow Starlink, space launch, and xAI fit into SpaceX's valuation storyWhy total addressable market can mislead investors in AI and other disruptive industriesThe problem with AI unit economics, data centers, power, water, and reinvestment needsWhy growth can destroy value when margins and returns on capital are weakHow intangible assets, R&D, future growth, and narratives should show up in valuationThe Big Market Delusion and how overconfidence drives boom and bust cyclesWhy AI CapEx is different from the dot-com boom and could create broader risksHow AI is changing the character of the Magnificent Seven and semiconductor companiesWhy value investing became rigid, ritualistic, and righteous, and how it can evolveTimestamps:00:00 Why great companies can still be bad investments01:03 Introducing Aswath Damodaran and The Intangible Economy01:49 SpaceX IPO, Starlink, xAI, and the challenge of valuing uncertainty05:31 Why Starlink became the core of SpaceX's current revenue10:31 How Damodaran valued SpaceX across launch, connectivity, and AI14:07 Why AI's huge market may still have difficult unit economics17:10 The tension between SpaceX competing in AI and renting data centers to competitors20:00 Why valuation should use distributions instead of false precision22:39 How stories and numbers work together in valuation26:45 Why investors confuse promises, potential, and businesses30:49 The Big Market Delusion and overconfidence in AI investing33:02 Why the AI CapEx boom is different from the dot-com bubble35:17 How AI infrastructure is changing the Magnificent Seven38:36 Nvidia, Micron, semiconductors, and the risk of peak cycle earnings41:00 Why the biggest AI market stories could be scary for society43:37 AI disruption, labor markets, and the speed of technological change46:30 Measuring which jobs and companies are most exposed to AI automation49:00 Why AI cost structure may look more like Spotify than software51:13 The unresolved business model questions for LLMs and AI agents52:29 Why traditional value investing lost its edge56:03 Passive investing, book value, and the blame game in value investing58:13 Why rigid value investing is vulnerable to AI disruption01:00:58 How value investing can adapt to intangible assets and uncertainty01:02:21 Why any company can be a good investment at the right price01:04:57 Why investing mistakes and track records are harder to judge than they look

In the third episode of First Principles with Andy Constan, Andy breaks down the changing structure of markets as the IPO window reopens, AI CapEx accelerates, and corporate buybacks shift toward new equity supply. We discuss what the SpaceX IPO says about capital markets, whether AI spending can create disinflationary growth, why the consumer is still holding up, and what could challenge the current market bubble.Follow First Principles on SpotifyFollow First Principles of Apple PodcastsTopics covered:Why IPOs are central to the purpose of public marketsHow Andy evaluates whether the SpaceX IPO workedWhy issuers may want IPOs to trade higher after pricingThe shift from stock buybacks to new equity issuanceWhy AI CapEx is changing the supply and demand for sharesHow hyperscaler spending is being funded through cash, bonds, and stockThe economic test for whether AI investment pays offDisinflationary productivity growth versus labor displacementWhy the current economy is still supported by consumptionThe role of wealth effects and consumer dissavingWhy falling oil prices may not eliminate inflation pressureWhat Andy is watching in Fed policy, tariffs, AI CapEx, and equity issuanceHow Kevin Warsh could approach rates, QT, and the Fed balance sheetTimestamps:00:00 Intro and key themes04:18 How Andy reads the SpaceX IPO08:27 Why underwriters and regulators want IPOs to work13:00 Why issuers may want IPOs to trade higher17:05 From stock buybacks to new equity supply21:06 The 600 to 700 billion dollar shift in share supply26:42 The economic test for AI tokens32:09 Can AI create disinflationary productivity growth?38:10 Is AI CapEx holding up the economy?41:00 Wealth effects, dissaving, and the consumer45:52 Oil prices, war, and inflation49:07 Jalen Brunson, incentives, and long-term value52:00 Fed policy, tariffs, and what matters this summer55:36 Kevin Warsh, QT, and the Fed balance sheet58:42 Closing thoughtsNo information on this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed in the podcast may be holdings of the firms of the hosts or their clients.

In this episode of The OPEX Effect, Jack Forehand and Brent Kochuba break down the market structure impact of the SpaceX IPO, options expiration, dealer gamma, volatility, and the next major setup for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq. They discuss why SpaceX may trade more on flows than fundamentals, how call buying could create a gamma squeeze, and why June OPEX, VIX expiration, FOMC, oil, Iran headlines, and index inclusion could all collide at once.Subscribe to the OPEX Effect on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the OPEX Effect on Apple PodcastsTopics covered:Why SpaceX is a flows game at the start of tradingHow the SpaceX IPO could affect liquidity across mega cap tech stocksWhy fundamentals may not matter when index flows and forced buying dominateThe role of Nasdaq, Russell, and S&P 500 index decisions in SpaceX tradingHow options could create a gamma squeeze in SpaceXWhy dealer hedging flows can push stocks higher or lowerWhat June options expiration could mean for the S&P 500Why VIX expiration and FOMC create a key market windowHow Core1M signaled the recent volatility spasmWhy expensive calls, not put buying, drove the recent market stressThe key S&P 500 levels Brent is watching into OPEXHow oil, rates, inflation, and Fed policy could affect market volatilityWhy Nasdaq options pricing is diverging from the S&P 500How SpaceX index inclusion could widen the gap between Nasdaq and the S&PWhat would make Brent add protection or look for another short-term market correctionTimestamps:00:00 Opening clips and the SpaceX flow setup05:27 Elon Musk net worth after the SpaceX IPO07:13 SpaceX, liquidity, Mag Seven selling, and index demand12:48 Why SpaceX may trade on flows before fundamentals17:59 What options trading could change for SpaceX22:05 How call buying can create a gamma squeeze28:24 Why June OPEX matters more than a normal expiration33:55 VIX expiration, FOMC, and market path dependency37:20 The Core1M signal and the recent volatility spasm41:22 The S&P 500 gamma map and key risk levels46:25 Why expensive calls drove the market stress50:14 Oil, rates, inflation, and the Fed setup57:03 The JPMorgan collar and the 6900 to 7000 support zone58:32 Nasdaq versus S&P 500 after the SpaceX IPO01:03:14 Brent's summary, SpaceX gamma squeeze risk, and the next market setup

Mike Green joins Excess Returns to explain why passive investing, index construction, SpaceX, AI IPOs and mega-cap concentration may be changing how the stock market actually works. We discuss how passive flows can affect prices, why AI earnings may be more circular than investors think, what could break the current market narrative, and why the economy feels much weaker for many households than the headline data suggests.Michael Green Twitterhttps://x.com/profplum99Simplify Asset Managementhttps://www.simplify.us/Topics covered:Why the SpaceX IPO has turned passive investing into a mainstream market structure debateHow index committees and passive flows can influence individual stocksWhy low float, Nasdaq demand and passive buying could create unusual IPO dynamicsHow new AI-related equity issuance could change the supply-demand balance in the stock marketThe research behind passive flows, market impact and cap-weight concentrationWhy Mike thinks passive buying explains more of mega-cap outperformance than AI fundamentalsThe circular financing risk in AI, including Nvidia, CoreWeave, Google and AnthropicWhy buy-the-dip flows, ETFs, CTAs and vol control funds matter for market directionHow headline economic data can miss household stress, second jobs and lost purchasing powerWhat Mike is watching to see whether the AI trade and market narrative are starting to breakWhy AI may be hugely valuable to consumers before it creates major business productivity gainsHow companies may eventually redesign business models around AI rather than simply automate tasksWhy SpaceX wealth creation could seed the next generation of competitorsHow inflation, gasoline prices, low savings and a K-shaped economy are affecting consumersTimestamps:00:00 Passive indices, AI profits and why this market feels different04:07 Why SpaceX changed the passive investing debate08:01 The research behind passive flows and market impact12:16 Why Mike thinks passive flows explain mega-cap strength16:18 ETF flows, buy-the-dip behavior and bubble dynamics20:28 Why economic data can miss household stress25:13 Bubble warnings, CAPE and what investors may be ignoring29:17 AI as a consumer advice engine versus a productivity revolution33:29 How businesses may redesign themselves around AI37:51 Why IPO wealth may create the next generation of competitors42:06 Mike Green's upcoming book on passive investing and market structure

AI could become the next general purpose technology, reshaping economic growth, inflation, interest rates and portfolio construction. Vanguard Global Chief Economist Joe Davis joins Excess Returns to explain why AI, demographics, fiscal deficits and globalization may define the next decade for investors, and why the biggest market winners may eventually come from outside the technology sector.Coming into View: How AI and Other Megatrends Will Shape Your Investmentshttps://amzn.to/4v8L7OfVanguard Megatrends Research Hubhttps://explore.vanguard.com/megatrends.htmlTopics Covered:AI as a potential general purpose technologyWhy long-term megatrends can affect short-term market returnsThe four forces shaping the next decade: technology, demographics, deficits and globalizationWhy Vanguard believes AI could lift U.S. growth above consensusHow AI could offset aging demographics and rising debtWhy great technology cycles often include major stock market drawdownsThe difference between AI automation, augmentation and new industry creationWhy the next AI winners may be in healthcare, financial services and other service industriesThe risk that AI disappoints and fiscal deficits dominate the outlookHow tariffs, oil prices and AI investment interact in the macro outlookWhat AI could mean for 60/40 portfolios, value stocks, fixed income and international marketsJoe Davis' lesson for average investors: the power of compoundingTimestamps:00:00 Why every great technology eventually faces a market drawdown04:28 The four megatrends shaping the economy08:56 How megatrends explain short-term S&P 500 moves13:22 Why AI may be in the 1996 or 1997 stage18:29 Where the next AI winners could emerge21:44 AI, fiscal deficits and the danger of kicking the can26:17 Why 2% growth and 2% inflation may be unlikely30:31 How to tell if AI augmentation is really working33:19 AI, globalization and which countries could benefit38:14 Why investors need a multi-factor macro scorecard41:23 What AI means for the 60/40 portfolio44:12 Joe Davis on investing, compounding and Vanguard's megatrends research

On the latest Click Beta, Matt Zeigler, Dave Nadig and Cameron Dawson discuss what could happen when SpaceX goes public and why this IPO may be as much a market structure problem as a valuation problem.They break down the potential impact of a $1.75 trillion IPO, 100 times sales, a small free float, forced index buying, passive fund flows, options trading, bubble dynamics and what advisors should tell clients who want SpaceX exposure.Subscribe to Click Beta on Spotify⁠⁠Subscribe to Click Beta on Apple PodcastsDave Nadighttps://x.com/davenadigCameron Dawsonhttps://x.com/CameronDawsonTopics Covered:Why the SpaceX IPO could create a chaotic first 30 days of tradingHow 100 times sales, no earnings and a $1.75 trillion valuation change the discussionWhy pre-IPO access, lockups, fees and vehicle structure matter for investorsHow Palantir and Tesla frame the debate over extreme growth stock valuationsWhy SpaceX could create unusual supply and demand pressure in the public marketHow options trading, Nasdaq 100 inclusion and accelerated index rules could affect price discoveryWhy free float matters and how a 4 percent float could become a 12 percent index adjustmentHow much passive demand might chase SpaceX shares after the IPOWhat the bubble triangle says about technology, speculation, money and creditWhy real earnings do not disprove a technology-driven bubbleHow liquidity, private credit gates, IPO supply and buybacks could shape the next phase of the marketWhy advisors need to help clients think through sizing, exit plans and safe accessPeak season travel, TikTok monoculture, Ocean City, Coheed and Cambria, and the lost art of CDs and mixtapesTimestamps:00:00 Why the first 30 days could be chaotic04:00 Why everyone is talking about the SpaceX IPO09:23 The market structure problem behind SpaceX13:00 Options trading, small indexes and forced buying17:18 How much passive demand could chase SpaceX21:27 Why real earnings do not disprove a bubble25:43 Liquidity, IPO supply and why bubbles can keep going29:13 What advisors tell clients who want SpaceX33:17 Fake SPVs, scams and safe access37:39 Ocean City, peak season and Jersey Shore memories41:39 Coheed and Cambria opening for Shinedown45:44 Summer concerts, Bikini Kill, Weezer and The Shins46:25 Cleaning out old cars and rediscovering CDs50:10 Old iPods, underwater MP3 players and forgotten playlists53:20 Mixtapes, liner notes and physical music culture55:08 Where to find Dave Nadig and Cameron Dawson

Jim Paulsen returns to Excess Returns to discuss why he is increasingly concerned about a meaningful stock market pullback, even though he does not expect a bear market. We cover the extreme divide between AI-driven “new era” stocks and the rest of the market, what oil and inflation could mean for the Fed, why tech earnings and market leadership have become so concentrated, and what investors should watch as the economy potentially shifts from inflation fears to growth fears.Subscribe to the Jim Paulsen Show on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the Jim Paulsen Show on Apple PodcastsJim Paulsen on Xhttps://x.com/jimwpaulsenPaulsen Perspectiveshttps://paulsenperspectives.substack.com/Topics CoveredWhy Jim thinks the economy could weaken into the summer and fallThe risk of a sharp stock market pullback without a full bear marketHow inflation, oil prices and geopolitical conflict are affecting the marketWhy the Fed may face a difficult decision under Kevin WarshThe extreme divide between new era tech stocks and old era stocksWhy AI and innovation need to benefit the broader economy to be sustainableHow tech earnings have become concentrated in only two S&P 500 sectorsWhy small-cap tech and unprofitable tech leadership may be a warning signWhat past oil price peaks suggest about stock market correctionsWhy investor focus may shift from inflation risk to growth riskHow this bull market has been driven by a series of booms in Mag 7, Bitcoin, gold, oil and AITimestamps00:00 Why AI has to benefit more than the tech sector05:18 Inflation, oil prices and the impact of geopolitical conflict10:54 New era stocks versus old era stocks15:43 Corporate cash, AI spending and pressure on tech investment20:17 Policy tightening and why economic momentum may slow25:31 Why AI must spread beyond the companies building it31:42 Why this tech boom is different from the 1990s36:51 Why market breadth keeps fading back into large-cap growth42:06 Small-cap tech and unprofitable tech start leading46:15 Why the damage from oil shocks often comes after oil peaks50:15 How the market could shift from inflation fear to growth fear54:40 The bull market of booms in Mag 7, Bitcoin, gold, oil and AI59:46 Jim's main takeaway for investors nowFollow the Excess Returns podcasts:https://excessreturnspod.com/Contact us:excessreturnspod@gmail.com/No information on this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed in the podcast may be holdings of the firms of the hosts or their clients.