Podcasts about central banks

public institution that manages a state's currency, money supply, and interest rates

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X22 Report
Obama/Clinton Prepare For Chaos,J6 & Rigged Election Being Exposed, Storm Approaching – Ep. 3829

X22 Report

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2026 100:03


Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> Click On Picture To See Larger Picture CA is a disaster, Newsom ran it into the ground follow the great reset and the green new scam. Now people and business are escaping. Walmart is leaving. Energy is the key to a strong manufacturing economy. Poland ramps up on gold. Gold has now overtaken the treasuries, everything is changing. The [DS] is panicking, they don’t have the people behind them like in 2020. Now they are left with their paid agitators. Obama, Clinton and Hollywood are preparing for chaos for the midterms. They have already put out the call. At the same time Trump is exposing Russia hoax, the rigging of the election and the J6 insurrection that the [DS] had against Trump. The D’s are in trouble Trump is putting pressure on the RINOs in the Senate to push the Save Act. Once this is done, it is game over. The D’s will push everything. Message was sent that the plan is in motion. Economy  (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:18510697282300316,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8599-9832"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); https://twitter.com/EnergyAbsurdity/status/2016553623270883769?s=20   non-viable alternatives to fossil fuels over the last 30 years: #Wind, #Solar, and #EVs. Despite all those TRILLIONS wasted, fossil fuels now account for an even HIGHER PERCENTAGE – 83% – of primary energy than they did 30 years ago. We must stop throwing away our children’s and grandchildren’s futures on false alternatives that simply do not and cannot work. https://twitter.com/visegrad24/status/2016793453007339819?s=20    be paying the LOWEST INTEREST RATE OF ANY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. Most of these countries are low interest rate paying cash machines, thought of as elegant, solid, and prime, only because the U.S.A. allows them to be. The Tariffs being charged to them, while bringing in $BILLIONS to us, still allows most of them to have a significant trade surplus, though much smaller, with our beautiful, formerly abused Country. In other words, I have been very nice, kind, and gentle to countries all over the World. With a mere flip of the pen, $BILLIONS more would come into the U.S.A., and these countries would have to go back to making money the old fashioned way, not on the back of America. I hope they all appreciate, although many don't, what our great Country has done for them. The Fed should substantially lower interest rates, NOW! Tariffs have made America strong and powerful again, far stronger and more powerful than any other Nation. Commensurate with this strength, both financial and otherwise, WE SHOULD BE PAYING LOWER INTEREST RATES THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP https://twitter.com/JoeLang51440671/status/2016559031574311138?s=20 https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/2016890828925313192?s=20  TRIPLED since Q4 2019, driven by aggressive purchases by central banks and rising prices. Over this period, central banks have added ~4,500 tonnes of gold, including unreported purchases. At the same time, foreign Treasury holdings have remained unchanged. Gold is redefining the global monetary system. Central banks maintain FX reserves—typically a mix of currencies, bonds, and assets like gold—to stabilize their currencies, manage liquidity, and hedge against economic shocks. U.S. Treasuries have long been the go-to asset because they’re considered ultra-safe, highly liquid, and backed by the world’s dominant reserve currency (the U.S. dollar, which still accounts for about 57% of global reserves). Gold, on the other hand, is a “neutral” asset: it’s not tied to any single government’s policies, can’t be printed at will, and serves as a hedge against inflation, currency debasement, and geopolitical risks.This crossover isn’t just a blip—it’s a structural change driven by several factors: Key Driver Explanation Impact Geopolitical Tensions and Sanctions Events like the Russia-Ukraine war (leading to frozen Russian assets) and U.S. actions (e.g., tariffs, interventions in Venezuela) have eroded trust in dollar-denominated assets. Countries fear their reserves could be seized or devalued overnight. theguardian.com Accelerates “de-dollarization” efforts, especially among BRICS nations (e.g., China, Russia, India), which now buy gold at 3–5 times pre-2022 levels, averaging 60 tons per month. finance.yahoo.com Gold’s share in reserves has doubled to over 25% in the past decade. newsmax.com Rising Gold Prices and Diversification Gold’s price surge (up 70% in 2025 alone) mechanically boosts its reserve value, but central banks are actively adding to holdings rather than selling Treasuries outright. mining.com This reflects a pivot away from U.S. debt amid concerns over America’s $35+ trillion national debt, persistent inflation, and fiscal policies under the Trump administration. fundssociety.com Gold is now the second-largest reserve asset after the dollar (overtaking the euro in 2024), signaling a re-regionalization of global finance where gold absorbs outflows from U.S. bonds. lfde.com The gold and U.S. debt markets are similarly sized (~$25–30 trillion each), making this shift feasible without massive disruptions. Central Bank Strategy Emerging market central banks (e.g., People’s Bank of China, Central Bank of Russia) are prioritizing gold for stability in a multipolar world, while developed banks hold steady. americanhartfordgold.com Net purchases hit 1,000+ tonnes in 2025, with forecasts for similar levels in 2026. gold.org Could push gold prices higher—analysts at Goldman Sachs see $5,400/oz by end-2026, while extreme scenarios (full USD reserve loss) speculate $39,000–$184,000/oz if gold backs global money supply. vaneck.com This isn’t about ditching the dollar entirely but reducing over-reliance.   If trends continue, it could lead to sustained gold demand, higher prices, and a more fragmented international financial landscape. Political/Rights  DOGE Geopolitical https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/2016915491194057147?s=20  https://twitter.com/MarioBojic/status/2016846881079300384?s=20 https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2016915405327962562?s=20   of China, Russia and Iran.    EU adds Iran’s Revolutionary Guards to terrorist list The European Union has added Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to its terrorist list in response to Tehran’s deadly crackdown on protesters in recent weeks. The bloc’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas said EU foreign ministers took the “decisive step” because “repression cannot go unanswered”. She said ahead of the decision that the move would put the IRGC – a major military, economic and political force in Iran – on the same level as jihadist groups like al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group. Source: bbc.com   War/Peace https://twitter.com/ianellisjones/status/2015933550822883607?s=20 https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/2016654714071285944?s=20 Anti-air warfare (AAW): Defending against aircraft, missiles, and drones using its Aegis Combat System, which integrates radar, sensors, and weapons for tracking and engaging threats. Anti-submarine warfare (ASW): Detecting and neutralizing submarines with sonar systems, torpedoes, and embarked MH-60R Seahawk helicopters. Anti-surface warfare (ASuW): Engaging enemy ships or land targets with guns, missiles, and other weapons. Strike warfare: Launching long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles for precision strikes on ground targets. Ballistic missile defense (BMD): Intercepting ballistic missiles in flight, depending on configuration. Additional support roles: Maritime security, search and rescue, and intelligence gathering. https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/2016914233233981950?s=20  right after reports of massive Israeli/US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, this is Moscow quietly confirming the hits while trying to de-escalate. Bushehr is Iran's only operating nuclear power reactor (Russian-built, ironically). If it got damaged or threatened, we’d be looking at Chernobyl-level fallout risks. Putin playing both sides: backing Tehran rhetorically but signaling “don’t go too far” to Washington/Jerusalem.   https://twitter.com/ElectionWiz/status/2016697707256025533?s=20 https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/2016934089165853048?s=20      Medical/False Flags [DS] Agenda IT BEGINS: Zohran Mamdani Announces Plans to ‘Tax the Wealthy' to Compensate for NYC Budget Deficit (VIDEO) Well that was fast. Zohran Mamdani has been mayor of New York City for less than a month and he is already talking about raising taxes on the ‘wealthy' to make up the city's budget deficit, which he claims is on par with the Great Recession. Get ready to see a lot of Uhauls leaving the city. CNBC reports: New York Mayor Mamdani says city must hike taxes on wealthy to fill $12 billion deficit New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday said the city's wealthiest must pay more in taxes to help fill the staggering budget deficit of more than $12 billion that he was left by his predecessor. “This is at a scale that's actually greater than what we saw here in New York City during the Great Recession,” Mamdani said of that budget hole during an interview with CNBC “Squawk Box” co-anchor Andrew Ross Sorkin at City Hall.   Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/ElectionWiz/status/2016689992932749554?s=20 https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/2016622314306109944?s=20 https://twitter.com/amuse/status/2016825781926662360?s=20   https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/2016863073173114959?s=20   https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/2016855148723593379?s=20 https://twitter.com/christopherrufo/status/2016702846822207663?s=20 https://twitter.com/EricTeetsel/status/2016681981887623280?s=20 https://twitter.com/MattWalshBlog/status/2016688511017947273?s=20 benevolent and humble servant of the oppressed. Then when it turns out — as it literally always does — that he was actually a violent unhinged degenerate weirdo, they will immediately pivot and insist that his character and personal life don’t matter actually. We were told Alex Pretti had no criminal record but we now have video of him spitting on and attacking ICE agents Was he charged for this? https://twitter.com/StevenCheung47/status/2016702063334334904?s=20   https://twitter.com/StevenCheung47/status/2016714718430310577?s=20 https://twitter.com/StevenCheung47/status/2016712434606559516?s=20 https://twitter.com/StevenCheung47/status/2016708027559141441?s=20 https://twitter.com/StevenCheung47/status/2016704306401976345?s=20 https://twitter.com/FrontlinesTPUSA/status/2016734414537990436?s=20 https://twitter.com/Mollyploofkins/status/2016377949121884259?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2016377949121884259%7Ctwgr%5Eb6afd1fffe8094942ed0a2c48dbd21175293b47b%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2026%2F01%2Fwatch-has-been-actress-molly-ringwald-claims-trump%2F   https://twitter.com/CollinRugg/status/2016691592619516200?s=20   “But the rest of us would survive… This is the time for a revolution.” Brandon Johnson Says He's Coordinating With Other Democrat Mayors To Thwart ICE Democratic Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson admitted Wednesday he was “in regular communication” with other mayors leading so-called “sanctuary cities” in efforts to impede enforcement of federal immigration laws. “To respond to the operation in Chicago, I leaned heavily on other cities' responses, like Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass shared her experience governing while the city was in Trump's crosshairs,” Johnson said. “We've been in regular communication both at the executive level and the staff level with cities like Minneapolis and Portland, Oakland, Boston, and Denver and Baltimore to learn from each other's experiences and develop strategies to protect our constituents.” Source: dailycaller.com   https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2016645995606552671?s=20 https://twitter.com/bitchuneedsoap/status/2016520711951564977?s=20   https://twitter.com/StephenM/status/2016662505930584574?s=20   President Trump's Plan BREAKING: ICE and CBP to DRAW-DOWN Number of Forces in Minnesota After Tom Homan Strikes Deal with State Officials – Here Are the Details (VIDEO) https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2016865706126545214?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2016865706126545214%7Ctwgr%5Ef45391945d583495415892fba4a2de7da17713e7%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2026%2F01%2Fbreaking-ice-cbp-draw-down-number-forces-minnesota%2F   just 3 days! Tom Homan means business. https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2016867645958529115?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2016867645958529115%7Ctwgr%5Ef45391945d583495415892fba4a2de7da17713e7%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2026%2F01%2Fbreaking-ice-cbp-draw-down-number-forces-minnesota%2F   Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/ElectionWiz/status/2016868888491761913?s=20  https://twitter.com/KurtSchlichter/status/2016584955472838709 https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2016737774288654360?s=20 https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/2016938140326645996?s=20   https://twitter.com/Rasmussen_Poll/status/2016868004798124447?s=20   https://twitter.com/FlipCrypt/status/2016359757557141542?s=20  court” “How do you set the stage” The raid showed pictures of files, one was in a bathroom, and another a stage. Funny because Hilary deleted 600k emails, from a server, kept in her bathroom. What would it look like if we “had it all” How do you set the stage? How do you inject evidence into a Grand Jury conspiracy case for Russiagate? I think a lot of the comms right now, and the actions around the country show preparation for this Grand Jury to conclude. It could take weeks, or even months. But my bet is those boxes set on the stage are Russiagate and beyond. The boxes in the bathroom are Hiliary’s emails, and currently, a grand jury is having a look at it all. https://twitter.com/FultonCo_GA_GOP/status/2016671877297488352?s=20 County Board of Elections literally denied these requests. The Georgia State Election Board has been trying for 4 years to get the records.  Including issuing a subpoena for the ballots and other records.  And ALL of those efforts have failed.  Until today. I applaud Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel for finally searching for and retrieving the records from the 2020 election that the U.S. Attorney General under federal law is entitled to receive and review.  It is my hope that the FBI is in the process of getting every box of 2020 election materials in that warehouse to be able to piece together, once and for all, the truth about 2020. I am dedicated to making sure to the best of my ability that elections in Fulton County are accurate.  Let's hope this starts a new chapter in Fulton County for transparency and accountability.” Julie Adams Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections Republican Party Appointee  Why did trump start in a red state.    https://twitter.com/keithedwards/status/2016671823870513436?s=20 Materials Sought in Fulton County FBI Warrant Revealed – A Difficult Road Lies Ahead for Fulton County Officials FBI Agents seized over 700 boxes worth of documents and brought them north to Virginia in two tractor trailers  https://twitter.com/realLizUSA/status/2016701882576560547?s=20   utilized during the 2020 General Election in Fulton County All ballot images produced during the original ballot count beginning on November 3, 2020, THE RECOUNT, and any other ballot images All voter rolls from the 2020 General Election in Fulton County from absentee, early voting, in person, and any other voter roll that indicates voters: to whom an absentee ballot was issued, from whom an absentee ballot was received, or who participated in advanced voting or election day voting Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/KanekoaTheGreat/status/2016665638778143047?s=20   years ago. Fulton County refused. Excerpts from witness affidavits include: Susan Voyles, 20-year election official: “Pristine” ballots “difference in the texture of the paper” with “a different feel” and “no markings” and approximately “98% for Joe Biden.” Georgia Democrat observer: “Hundreds of ballots with no folds or creases. Perfect black bubbles. All for Biden.” Another Georgia Democrat: “All had perfect black bubbles and were all Biden. I heard ‘Biden' over 500 times in a row.” @VoterGa has been fighting in court for six years just to inspect these ballots. Why was Fulton County so determined to keep them hidden?? https://twitter.com/realLizUSA/status/2016706788351971434?s=20     https://twitter.com/drawandstrike/status/2016705043144003652?s=20   AND INCLUDING THE JACK SMITH SPECIAL COUNSEL’S OFFICE. And the first thing that happens when you end up in election related litigation is you are given a PRESERVATION ORDER FROM THE COURT. So NO, Fulton County officials did not destroy these ballots, or tapes or any other federal election records THAT THEY ALREADY ADMITTED TO HAVING IN OFFCIAL COURT RULINGS BEGINNING 5 YEARS AGO.  https://twitter.com/DC_Draino/status/2016902941836198297?s=20 https://twitter.com/PatriotXV11/status/2016713624061116652?s=20 https://twitter.com/DAGToddBlanche/status/2016663357089001566?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2016663357089001566%7Ctwgr%5E18c7aab2309ab32958cb900c1fa5f6df8f16003a%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2026%2F01%2Fbreaking-president-trump-announces-first-ever-assistant-attorney%2F     https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2016594714569441286?s=20 https://twitter.com/profstonge/status/2016901410441289982?s=20 https://twitter.com/DoWCTO/status/2016577329393242364?s=20 3800 Q !!Hs1Jq13jV6 ID: e6ce6c No.7943347 Jan 28 2020 14:46:22 (EST) DurhamBoat.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durham_boat Anons found the subtle hint dropped in the beginning. Think Durham start. Think ‘Q’ start. You have more than you know. Q 1 Anonymous ID: BQ7V3bcW No.147012719 Oct 28 2017 15:44:28 (EST) Anonymous ID: gb953qGI No.147005381 Oct 28 2017 14:33:50 (EST) >>146981635 Hillary Clinton will be arrested between 7:45 AM – 8:30 AM EST on Monday – the morning on Oct 30, 2017. >>147005381 HRC extradition already in motion effective yesterday with several countries in case of cross border run. Passport approved to be flagged effective 10/30 @ 12:01am. Expect massive riots organized in defiance and others fleeing the US to occur. US M's will conduct the operation while NG activated. Proof check: Locate a NG member and ask if activated for duty 10/30 across most major cities. (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");

Making Sense
The Real Bubble No One Wants To Talk About (Mike Green)

Making Sense

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2026 51:36


Has the rally in silver gone so far now that the metal's price action is actually behaving like a meme stock? Or is there something more fundamental and deeply disturbing behind what precious metals are doing? Maybe we should consider how it isn't a loss of faith in the dollar as so many people wrongly claim which is propelling both gold and silver right now, what if it is the growing mistrust in how the entire world works and fits together. Or used to. Eurodollar University's Money & Macro Analysis---------------------------------------------------------If you're a serious investor and want to capitalize on what the monetary system is signaling right now, plus deep discussions about what truly is the greatest threat we all face, join me and Brent, plus Hugh Hendry, George Gammon, Steve Van Metre, and Mike Green at Eurodollar University's very first Live Event, President's Day Weekend, February 2026. Small groups, intimate discussions. To reserve your spot just go here https://eurodollar-university.com/event-home-page---------------------------------------------------------Part 1: My Life Is a LieHow a Broken Benchmark Quietly Broke Americahttps://www.yesigiveafig.com/p/part-1-my-life-is-a-lieAgency Costs of Overvalued Equityhttps://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=480421https://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

New Books Network
All You Need to Know about Russian Politics Today

New Books Network

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2026 49:10


Host Licia Cianetti talks to two Russian experts, Vladislav Gorin and Alexandra Prokopenko, about the state of Russian domestic politics today. As Russia's war of invasion in Ukraine rages on and Russians live under an ever more repressive authoritarian regime, we discuss how we got here: what made the invasion of Ukraine possible, what is keeping Putin in power, how both the regime's relationship with both the elites and the people has evolved over Putin's 26 years in power, and what a future Russia without Putin might look like. A transcript of the conversation is available here. Guests: Vladislav Gorin is a journalist at the Russian independent media company Meduza, which is based in Riga (Latvia) and has been designated as an “undesirable organisation” by the Russian government. Vladislav hosts a great podcast (in Russian) called Что случилось (What happened). You can find the English language reporting from Meduza here. As it is illegal and unsafe for people in Russia to contribute to Meduza and even share links from independent media sources, Meduza currently survives on donations from people outside of Russia. You can find their donations campaign here. Alexandra Prokopenko is a fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, and before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine she has worked as a journalist reporting from the Kremlin, as an adviser to the Central Bank of Russia, and at the Higher School of Economics (HSE) in Moscow. Her book From Sovereigns to Servants. How the War Against Ukraine Reshaped Russia's Elite will be out in English in summer 2026 (it is available to preorder) and it was already published in Russian (here). Presenter: Licia Cianetti is Associate Professor at the University of Birmingham and Founding Deputy Director of CEDAR. The People, Power, Politics podcast brings you the latest insights into the factors that are shaping and re-shaping our political world. It is brought to you by the Centre for Elections, Democracy, Accountability and Representation (CEDAR) based at the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

New Books in Russian and Eurasian Studies
All You Need to Know about Russian Politics Today

New Books in Russian and Eurasian Studies

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2026 49:10


Host Licia Cianetti talks to two Russian experts, Vladislav Gorin and Alexandra Prokopenko, about the state of Russian domestic politics today. As Russia's war of invasion in Ukraine rages on and Russians live under an ever more repressive authoritarian regime, we discuss how we got here: what made the invasion of Ukraine possible, what is keeping Putin in power, how both the regime's relationship with both the elites and the people has evolved over Putin's 26 years in power, and what a future Russia without Putin might look like. A transcript of the conversation is available here. Guests: Vladislav Gorin is a journalist at the Russian independent media company Meduza, which is based in Riga (Latvia) and has been designated as an “undesirable organisation” by the Russian government. Vladislav hosts a great podcast (in Russian) called Что случилось (What happened). You can find the English language reporting from Meduza here. As it is illegal and unsafe for people in Russia to contribute to Meduza and even share links from independent media sources, Meduza currently survives on donations from people outside of Russia. You can find their donations campaign here. Alexandra Prokopenko is a fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, and before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine she has worked as a journalist reporting from the Kremlin, as an adviser to the Central Bank of Russia, and at the Higher School of Economics (HSE) in Moscow. Her book From Sovereigns to Servants. How the War Against Ukraine Reshaped Russia's Elite will be out in English in summer 2026 (it is available to preorder) and it was already published in Russian (here). Presenter: Licia Cianetti is Associate Professor at the University of Birmingham and Founding Deputy Director of CEDAR. The People, Power, Politics podcast brings you the latest insights into the factors that are shaping and re-shaping our political world. It is brought to you by the Centre for Elections, Democracy, Accountability and Representation (CEDAR) based at the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/russian-studies

Making Sense
BREAKING: Amazon Just Triggered a National Warning

Making Sense

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2026 23:22


After cutting 14,000 jobs back in October and denying there were more of them coming, Amazon confirmed yesterday there will be another 16,000 layoffs and made comments suggesting the company won't be done even after then. These job cuts will only add to the worsening anxiety among American workers, who reminded everyone of those deep concerns in the latest plunge in consumer confidence. According to the most optimistic measure for it, from the Conference Board, confidence crashed to its lowest level in over a decade.  Eurodollar University's Money & Macro Analysis---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------What if your gold could actually pay you every month… in MORE gold?That's exactly what Monetary Metals does. You still own your gold, fully insured in your name, but instead of sitting idle, it earns real yield paid in physical gold. No selling. No trading. Just more gold every month.Check it out here: https://monetary-metals.com/snider---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------CNBC Amazon laying off about 16,000 corporate workers in latest anti-bureaucracy pushhttps://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/28/amazon-layoffs-anti-bureaucracy-ai.htmlInternal messages reveal which teams, jobs affected in Amazon layoffshttps://www.businessinsider.com/internal-messages-teams-jobs-affected-amazon-layoffs-2026-1CB US Consumer Confidence Fell Sharply in Januaryhttps://www.conference-board.org/topics/consumer-confidence/https://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

Making Sense
BREAKING: BlackRock's Credit Fund Just Blew Up (What You Must Know)

Making Sense

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2026 20:27


One of BlackRock's private credit funds has just resurrected the cockroach concerns over debt woes in the space. By announcing that it will have to write down 19% of its net asset value, the fund also discloses more areas of cockroach concerns beyond those we had already become aware of. While at the same time, further reminding everyone how everything that people were worried about before they need to keep worrying about and then some. Eurodollar University's Money & Macro Analysis------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------EDU LIVE PRESIDENT'S DAY FEBRUARY 2026If you're a serious investor and want to capitalize on what the monetary system is signaling right now, plus deep discussions about what truly is the greatest threat we all face, join me and Brent, plus Hugh Hendry, George Gammon, Steve Van Metre, and Mike Green at Eurodollar University's very first Live Event, President's Day Weekend February 2026. Small groups, intimate discussions. To reserve your spot just go here but you better hurry, there aren't many spots left:https://eurodollar-university.com/event-home-page------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------BlackRock TCP SEC Filing 8Khttps://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0001370755/000114036126002240/ef20063739_8k.htmBlackRock Private Debt Fund Tumbles After Writing Down Loanshttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-26/blackrock-private-debt-fund-tumbles-after-writing-down-loansFlawed Valuations Threaten $1.7 Trillion Private Credit Boomhttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-28/how-private-credit-market-boom-is-hiding-potential-valuation-problemsBlackRock to Auction Amazon Seller Once Valued at $1 Billionhttps://pe-insights.com/blackrock-to-auction-amazon-seller-once-valued-at-1-billion/https://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

Arcadia Economics
Tether Quietly Bought More Gold Than Some Central Banks

Arcadia Economics

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2026 15:03


Tether Quietly Bought More Gold Than Some Central Banks Crypto giant Tether is quietly becoming one of the largest gold holders in the world—with an estimated 140 tons of physical gold, rivaling central banks and buying up to two tons per week, stored in Swiss vaults. In today's Morning Markets & Metals, Vince Lanci breaks down why this is a seismic shift in global finance, currency competition, and the future of money. We also examine how gold-backed, tokenized money is emerging as a new geopolitical battlefield—where private stablecoin issuers now operate with nation-state ambitions, redefining monetary sovereignty in an era of currency debasement. To find out more, click to watch the video now! - To get access to Vince's research in 'Goldfix Premium' go to: https://vblgoldfix.substack.com/ - Get access to Arcadia's Daily Gold and Silver updates here: https://goldandsilverdaily.substack.com/ - Join our free email list to be notified when a new video comes out: click here: https://arcadiaeconomics.com/email-signup/ - Follow Arcadia Economics on twitter at: https://x.com/ArcadiaEconomic - To get your copy of 'The Big Silver Short' (paperback or audio) go to: https://arcadiaeconomics.com/thebigsilvershort/ - #silver #silverprice #gold And remember to get outside and have some fun every once in a while!:) (URL0VD)Subscribe to Arcadia Economics on Soundwise

Making Sense
“This Is Unprecedented”: China's Military Purge Signals Cold War 2.0

Making Sense

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2026 21:27


An unprecedented shakeup at the very top of the Chinese military has shaken up the rest of the world. Xi Jinping didn't just go after a longtime friend and ally, he has gone after everyone in what increasingly looks like a paranoid, Stalinist shakeup. But why? I've told you many times before about the economic pressure on China that has only intensified more recently. But that's not the only thing. That's where it starts, but where it ends is what is increasingly being confirmed as Cold War 2.0.  Eurodollar University's Money & Macro Analysis---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------What if your gold could actually pay you every month… in MORE gold?That's exactly what Monetary Metals does. You still own your gold, fully insured in your name, but instead of sitting idle, it earns real yield paid in physical gold. No selling. No trading. Just more gold every month.Check it out here: https://monetary-metals.com/snider---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------60 Minutes How China could use U.S. farmland to attack Americahttps://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-china-could-use-us-farmland-to-attack-america-60-minutes/NYT Xi's Purge of China's Military Brings Its Top General Down https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/24/world/asia/china-top-general-xi-military-purge.htmlU.S. Secret Service dismantles imminent telecommunications threat in New York tristate areahttps://www.secretservice.gov/newsroom/releases/2025/09/us-secret-service-dismantles-imminent-telecommunications-threat-new-yorkhttps://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

Making Sense
Ray Dalio Makes Shocking Prediction (Here's What You MUST Know)

Making Sense

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2026 22:20


Billionaire investor Ray Dalio is warning we shouldn't be focused on trade wars, instead the real concern is capital wars. In those, Dalio says there will be a reduced appetite for owning US government debt or any US assets. Maybe even including American stocks. The comments were made in the context of recent geopolitical flashpoints in Venezuela and Greenland. As always, there's a lot of noise surrounding this kind of topic, but what does the evidence say?Eurodollar University's conversation w/Steve Van Metre---------------------------------------------------------If you're a serious investor and want to capitalize on what the monetary system is signaling right now, plus deep discussions about what truly is the greatest threat we all face, join me and Brent, plus Hugh Hendry, George Gammon, Steve Van Metre, and Mike Green at Eurodollar University's very first Live Event, President's Day Weekend, February 2026. Small groups, intimate discussions. To reserve your spot just go here https://eurodollar-university.com/event-home-page---------------------------------------------------------CNBC Ray Daliohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gda9T9gZSe4https://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

Making Sense
How the “Storm of the Century” Could Break the U.S. Economy

Making Sense

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2026 21:14


Thanks to Monarch for partnering with me! Get 50% off your first year by using my link https://monarchmoney.yt.link/xxoutOh or discount code euro50 when signing up for a free trial! Welcome to calm, confident money! #monarchpartnerA huge arctic blast, the weather wedge, has sent natural gas prices soaring in historic fashion. Some futures prices surged by a whopping 75% in just five days leading up to what people are calling the storm of the century. Freezing cold. Snow. Ice sheets. Icemageddon. Winter hazards slated to impact two-thirds of the eastern United States, roughly half the country's population. The combination of low natural gas inventories and that huge sudden for it, the jump in price is to be expected. Eurodollar University's Money & Macro AnalysisHow A Weather Wedge Is Shaping This Weekend's Southern Ice Stormhttps://www.forbes.com/sites/marshallshepherd/2026/01/23/how-a-weather-wedge-is-shaping-weekend-southern-ice-storm/Natural Gas Prices Across the US Surge Ahead of Arctic Blasthttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-23/us-natural-gas-falls-after-record-breaking-three-day-rallyCEOs Wary of a Jittery US Consumer as Global Tensions Intensifyhttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-23/ceos-wary-of-a-jittery-us-consumer-as-global-tensions-intensifyhttps://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

Bankless
ROLLUP: Trump Eyes Greenland | Davos Goes Crypto | NYSE Goes Onchain | Quantum Spooks Bitcoin | Farcaster + Lens Acquired

Bankless

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 23, 2026 62:01


Markets slide this week as Trump floats taking Greenland and tariff threats resurface, pushing investors toward gold. Ryan and David break down what Davos revealed about a shifting world order, why crypto finally had a real seat at the table, and the moments from Brian Armstrong and Larry Fink that framed Crypto versus Central Banks. Plus: the NYSE unveils a tokenized trading platform and whether it validates or co-opts DeFi, Farcaster and Lens are acquired as on-chain social hits a crossroads, and a Jefferies strategist drops Bitcoin over quantum fears. Finally, an update on the Clarity Act delay and the race for the next Fed chair. ---

Making Sense
You Won't Believe What Just Happened in Japan

Making Sense

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 23, 2026 53:49


The Japanese government bond market suffered a major meltdown this week that has shaken up a lot of people as they try to figure out what's going on over there and how it might impact more than just government bonds as a class. One of the key factors that has emerged, however, is just how little selling it took to create these massive price swings. That has enormously profound implications.  Eurodollar University's Money & Macro Analysis------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------EDU LIVE PRESIDENT'S DAY FEBRUARY 2026If you're a serious investor and want to capitalize on what the monetary system is signaling right now, plus deep discussions about what truly is the greatest threat we all face, join me and Brent, plus Hugh Hendry, George Gammon, Steve Van Metre, and Mike Green at Eurodollar University's very first Live Event, President's Day Weekend February 2026. Small groups, intimate discussions. To reserve your spot just go here but you better hurry, there aren't many spots left:https://eurodollar-university.com/event-home-page------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------https://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

On The Brink with Castle Island
Weekly Roundup 01/23/26 (CLARITY stalls, Iran's USDT reserves, Is Web3 Social over?) (EP.697)

On The Brink with Castle Island

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 23, 2026 36:36


Nic and Matt are back for another week of news and deals. In this episode:  There's a big storm coming Matt's playoff picks Farcaster sells to Neynar Is this the nail in the coffin for Web3Social? Where Farcaster went wrong BitGo goes public NYSE is building a tokenized security trading platform Are we looping back around to enterprise blockchains? A MA judge has issued an injunction against Kalshi Jeffries drops Bitcoin from its model portfolio over quantum risk Coinbase launches an advisory board on quantum Trump sues JPM for debanking him Does the Central Bank of Iran really control $500m worth of USDT? What's next for Caroline Ellison?  

The Investing Podcast
Mixed Earnings as BOJ Kicks Off Global Central Bank Meetings | January 23, 2026 – Morning Market Briefing

The Investing Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 23, 2026 17:13


Andrew, Ben, and Tom discuss Intel earnings and BOJ leaving rates unchanged. Join our live YouTube stream Monday through Friday at 8:30 AM EST:http://www.youtube.com/@TheMorningMarketBriefingPlease see disclosures:https://www.narwhal.com/disclosure

The Castle Report
Trump Speaks to the WEF

The Castle Report

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 23, 2026 12:40


Darrell Castle talks about President Trump’s speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos Switzerland presented earlier this week and the important issues surrounding the speech including Greenland, Iran, Gaza, Ukraine, and of course Minneapolis. Transcription / Notes TRUMP SPEAKS TO THE WEF Hello, this is Darrell Castle with today's Castle Report. This is Friday the 23rd day of January in the year of our Lord 2026. I will be talking about President Trump's speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos Switzerland which was given on Wednesday of this week. I will also talk about some of the important issues surrounding that speech including Greenland, Iran, Gaza, Ukraine, and of course Minneapolis. Yes, President Trump traveled to Davos this week accompanied by a large U.S. delegation including Secretary of State Marco Rubio. California Governor Gavin Newscom was in attendance although not part of the US delegation. He was quick to gather a news event to question everything the President said. So, the President spoke for over an hour to the richest, most powerful, most pompous and self-important people in this world. He used the occasion to sign the Board of Peace Charter, officially launching a new international organization tasked with overseeing the peace process between Israel and Hamas to end the war in Gaza. Trump said as he signed, “This Board is the chance to be one of the most consequential bodies ever created, and it's my enormous honor to serve as its chairman.” Founding members of the board were in attendance including Bahrain, Morocco, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Mongolia and the United Arab Emirates. Missing was Bibi Netanyahu because he has an international warrant out for him and he would most likely have been arrested. Could the Board of Peace end up replacing the United Nations? President Trump seems to think so, “I wish the United Nations could do more. I wish we didn't need a Board of Peace. The UN just hasn't been very helpful. I'm a big fan of the UN's potential but it has never lived up to its potential.” Trump, despite his criticism, didn't call for the dissolution of the UN. I suppose he left that duty to me and I have been actively calling for its dissolution since about 1990 when I became associated with the Constitution Party. Many people agree with me but find it very difficult to say so. I supported Ron Paul's presidential campaigns partly because of his end the FED rhetoric and his criticism of international bodies such as the UN. I fear that the Board of Peace will become just another bureaucracy but we will see whether it can really achieve peace in Gaza. The proposal calls for Hamas to lay down its arms which it has publicly refused to do. Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law presented a slide show detailing the architectural plans for the Gaza strip. I hope those plans include the Palestinians still alive but we will see. Perhaps they can find jobs in the fabulous hotels and resorts that are supposed to be built. In the meantime, the IDF has reportedly killed at least 466 Palestinians since the ceasefire started as well as 3 journalists one of whom worked for Bari Weiss the new head of news at CBS. When invited to speak at WEF Denmark announced that it would not be attending because of Trump's position on Greenland. Perhaps the Danes don't quite understand the art of the deal. He renounced any plans to acquire Greenland by force and worked out a deal with NATO to allow US use of Greenland and in return plans for tariffs on EU members were canceled. Trump believes, and it makes sense to me, that the US needs influence there as a hedge against long term adversaries in the Arctic like China and Russia, for example. He assured them that US acquisition of rights in Greenland was not only, not a threat to NATO but would greatly enhance the security of the alliance. He said the new agreement would involve the Danes with the Golden Dome, and mineral rights.  In case you don't know Golden Dome is a new missile defense system being built. Mark Rutte, the head of NATO, said after his meeting with Trump that the discussion about Greenland had changed. Now the discussion is about how the arctic region can be protected and secured. George Friedman is a geopolitical analyst of impeccable reputation and I have been a subscriber to his publication, Geopolitical Futures for many years. In regard to Greenland George said in his recent newsletter that he admitted for the first time he just could not explain or figure out something. He could not explain why Trump would place tariffs on NATO allies in order to acquire interest in Greenland. Now that Trump has lowered the temperature of the discussion the point may be moot but I think he does not have the same regard for the Europeans that many others have. In fact, I think this whole new Strategic Strategies Report that the administration just released is an announcement that the security agreement that has existed since World War ll has run its course and is now over. The US will consider its own hemisphere and its own defense first. In other words, this is all a continuation of the American Revolution which for 250 years has not been able to separate the American people from the European bankers. The bankers got their prize with the formation of the Federal Reserve which was formed to take control of the US financial system and keep the American people in debt slavery forever. The FED prints its own money and loans it to the US so it can be used to pay US interest on the debt that it has, thus 38 trillion debt and one trillion of interest. Take, for example, Mark Carney the Prime Minister of Canada. He is former governor of the Central Bank of England and former governor of the Central Bank of Canada and though in office, still associated with powerful banking and investment firms. That may be rambling a bit but it's still all very true. Trump went on in his speech with his usual carrot and stick approach. “Certain places in Europe are not even recognizable, frankly, anymore, they're not recognizable, and I love Europe, and I want to see Europe do good, but its not heading in the right direction.”  He mentioned his Scottish and German heritage and said the people of the United States care deeply about Europe. He used part of his time to tout what he called restoring the American dream. He mentioned his Executive Order to prevent Wall Street Corporations from buying single family homes thus driving up the cost of rent and making owning a home much more expensive. “Families live in homes, not corporations.” Well, amen to that quote Mr. President, that is exactly right. My approval of that action and the quote is not very libertarian but then I am not a libertarian. The US is not going to subsidize the whole world he told the assembled Davos men and women. Global tariffs were implemented to address the large trade deficits the US was experiencing adding that many countries were taking advantage of the United States. He went on to brag about the economic changes and success that he believes the US is experiencing. So, my conclusion is that he went to Davos to conclude a Greenland deal and to sign the Board of Peace agreement but mostly to explain himself to these people. Wars still rage in Ukraine, Gaza, and Iran. The one in Iran seems to be heating up again with the Ayatollah publicly admitting to over 5000 protesters killed. Many reporters from inside Iran report more than 10,000. The Ayatollah has taken a very hard line calling the uprising sedition and blaming the United States and Israel for it and threatening full scale war. Trump has ordered his military leaders to give him strike options that could be done so something is most likely coming. US strategic bombers have been seen over the Persian Gulf region. I said I would say a few words about Minneapolis so here they are. That city seems to be the tip of the iceberg that is the massive fraud being committed against the US government but mainly against the working, taxpaying Americans. If you work and a portion of your labor and money you need to feed your family is taken from you by the IRS apparently a good deal of that is used to feed the terrorists in Somalia and to line the pockets of politicians across America. The politicians look the other way and run interference for the fraudsters and they are then rewarded with millions of fraudulently acquired dollars. It seems that California, Illinois, Massachusetts, and others may even be bigger than Minnesota. You are certainly aware that ICE is in Minnesota trying to round up, arrest and deport illegal criminals but the politicians who have been receiving millions in bribes from the illegals have been protecting them and attacking ICE agents. I suppose they believe that if they scream loud enough we the people will join the criminals, but then who will pay the taxes. This disorder went so far as to involve an attack or at least a forced disruption of Sunday Services at a Baptist church called Cities Church in St. Paul. Yes former news reporter Don Lemon led the mob into the church and disrupted people who were worshiping God on a Sunday morning. Lemon gave a lot of sanctimonious words about how protest is protected by the 1st amendment. He is really attacking Christianity and trying to eliminate the right of Christians to worship freely which is sacrosanct in the 1st amendment. It seems that in Minnesota they really love and value sanctuary except when it involves places that actually are sanctuaries. Contrast my city of Memphis with Minneapolis and notice the difference. Memphis has now had two good mayors in a row and the difference is astounding. The mayor didn't want federal authority here but he said if it's coming let's cooperate and use it to benefit the city. The guard came to help with the street patrols so the MPD could do police work. ICE was here arresting illegal criminals as they found them. Two statistics illustrate the whole thing and the difference. Car left down 70% and murders down 44% and people can walk their own streets at least better than before criminals were allowed to take over our cities. Finally, folks, wither you hate Donald Trump or love him pray for peace. Our children will appreciate it. At least that's the way I see it, Until next time folks, This is Darrell Castle, Thanks for listening.

Thoughts on the Market
Mapping Global Central Bank Paths

Thoughts on the Market

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2026 12:36


Our Global Chief Economist Seth Carpenter joins our chief regional economists to discuss the outlook for interest rates in the U.S., Japan and Europe.Read more insights from Morgan Stanley.----- Transcript -----Seth Carpenter: Welcome to Thoughts on the Market. I'm Seth Carpenter, Morgan Stanley's Global Chief Economist and Head of Macro Research. And today we're kicking off our quarterly economic roundtable for the year. We're going to try to think about everything that matters in economics around the world. And today we're going to focus a little bit more on central banking. And when we get to tomorrow, we'll focus on the nuts and bolts of the real side of the economy. I'm joined by our chief regional economists. Michael Gapen: Hi, Seth. I'm Mike Gapen, Chief U.S. Economist at Morgan Stanley. Chetan Ahya: I'm Chetan Ahya, Chief Asia economist. Jens Eisenschmidt: And I'm Jens Eisenschmidt, Chief Europe economist. Seth Carpenter: It's Thursday, January 22nd at 10 am in New York. Jens Eisenschmidt: And 4 pm in Frankfurt. Chetan Ahya: And 9 pm in Hong Kong. Seth Carpenter: So, Mike Gapen, let me start with you as we head into 2026, what are we thinking about? Are we going into a more stable expansion? Is this just a different phase with the same amount of volatility? What do you think is going to be happening in the U.S. as a baseline outlook? And then if we're going to be wrong, which direction would we be wrong? Michael Gapen: Yeah, Seth, we took the view that we would have more policy certainty. Recent weeks have maybe suggested we're incorrect on that front. But I still believe that when it comes to deregulation, immigration policy and fiscal policy, we have much more clarity there than we did a year ago. So, I think it's another year of modest growth, above trend growth. We're forecasting something around 2.4 percent for 2026. That's about where we finished 2025. I think what's key for markets and the outlook overall will be whether inflation comes down. Firms are still passing through tariffs to the consumer. We think that'll happen at least through the end of the first quarter. It's our view that after that, inflation pressures will start to diminish. If that's the case, then we think the Fed can execute one or two more rate cuts. But we have those coming [in] the second half of the year. So, it looks like growth is strong enough. The labor market has stabilized enough for the Fed to wait and see, to look around, see the effects of their prior rate cuts, and then push policy closer to neutral if inflation comes down. Seth Carpenter: And if we go back to last year to 2025, I will give you the credit first. Morgan Stanley did not shift its forecast for recession in the U.S. the way some of our main competitors did. On the other hand, and this is where I maybe tweak you just a little bit. We underestimated how much growth there would be in the United States. CapEx spending from AI firms was strong. Consumer spending, especially from the top half of the income distribution in the U.S. was strong. Growth overall for the year was over 2 percent, close to 2.5 percent. So, if that's what we just came off of, why isn't it the case that we'd see even stronger growth? Maybe even a re-acceleration of growth in 2026? Michael Gapen: Well, some of that, say, improvement vis-à-vis our forecast, the outperformance. Some of that I think comes mechanically from trade and inventory variability. So, . I'm not sure that that says a lot about an improving trend rate of growth. Where there was other outperformance was, as you noted, from the consumer. Now our models, and I don't mean to get too technical here, but our model suggests that consumption is overshooting its fundamentals. Which I think makes it harder for the economy to accelerate further. And then AI; it's harder for AI spending to say get incrementally stronger than where it is. So, we're getting a little extra boost from fiscal. We've got that coming through. And I just think what it is, is more of the same rather than further acceleration from here. Seth Carpenter: Do you think there's a chance that the Fed in fact does not cut rates like you have in your forecast? Michael Gapen: Yes, I do think... Where we could be wrong is we've made assumptions around the One Big Beautiful Bill and what it will contribute to the economy. But as you know, there's a lot of variability around those estimates. If the bill is more catalytic to animal spirits and business spending than we've assumed, you could get, say, a demand driven animal spirits upside to the economy, which may mean inflation doesn't decelerate all that much. But I do think that that's, say, the main upside risk that we're considering. Markets have been gradually taking out probabilities of Fed cuts as growth has come in stronger. So far, the inflation data has been positive in terms of signaling about disinflation, but I would say the jury's still out on how much that continues. Seth Carpenter: Chetan, When I think about Japan, we know that it's been the developed market central bank that's been going in the opposite direction. They've been hiking when other central banks have been cutting. We got some news recently that probably put some risk into our baseline outlook that we published in our year ahead view about both growth and inflation in Japan. And with it what the Bank of Japan is going to do in terms of its normalization. Can you just walk us through a little bit about our outlook for Japan? Because right now I think that the yen, Japanese rates, they're all part of the ongoing market narrative around the world. Chetan Ahya: Yeah, Seth. So, look, I mean, on a big picture basis, we are constructive on the Japan macro-outlook. We think normal GDP growth remains strong. We are expecting to see the transition for the consumers from them seeing, you know, supply side inflation. Keeping their real wage growth low to a dynamic where we transition to real wage growth accelerating. That supports real consumption growth, and we move away from that supply side driven inflation to demand side driven inflation. So broadly we are constructive, but I think in the backdrop, what we are seeing on currency depreciation is making things a bit more challenging for the BOJ. While we are expecting that demand side pressure to build up and drive inflation, in the trailing data, it is still pretty much currency depreciation and supply side factors like food inflation driving inflation. And so, BOJ has been hesitant. So, while we had the expectation that BOJ will hike in January of 2027, we do see the risk that they may have to take up rate hike earlier to manage the currency not getting out of hand and adding on to the inflation pressures. Seth Carpenter Would I be right in saying that up until now, the yen has swung pretty widely in both directions. But the weakening of the yen until now hasn't been really the key driver of the Bank of Japan's policy reaction. It's been growth picking up, inflation picking up, wanting to get out of negative interest rates first, wanting to get away from the zero lower bounds. Second, the weaker yen in some sense could have actually been seen as a positive up until now because Japan did go through 25 years of essentially stagnant nominal growth. Is this actually that much of a fundamental change in the Bank of Japan's thinking – needing to react to the weakness of the yen? Chetan Ahya: Broadly what you're saying is right, Seth, but there is also a threshold of where the currency can be. And beyond a point, it begins to hurt the households in form of imported inflation pressures. And remember that inflation has been somewhat high, even if it is driven by currency depreciation and supply side factors for some time. And so, BOJ has to be watchful of potential lift in inflation expectations for the households. And at the same time, they are also watching the underlying inflation impact of this currency depreciation – because what we have seen is that over period workers have been demanding for higher wages. And that is also influenced by what happens to headline inflation, which is driven by currency depreciation. So, I would say that, yes, it's been true up until now. But, when currency reaches these very high levels of range, you are going to see BOJ having to act. Seth Carpenter: Jens, let's shift then to Europe. The ECB had been on a cutting cycle. They came to the end of that. President Lagarde said that she thought the disinflationary process had ended. In your year ahead forecast and a bunch of your writing recently, you've said maybe not so fast. There could still be some more disinflationary, at least risk, in the pipeline for Europe. Can you talk a little bit about what's going on in terms of European inflation and what it could mean for the European Central Bank? Because clearly that's going to be first order important for markets.Jens Eisenschmidt: I think that is right. I think we have a crucial inflation print ahead of us that comes out on the 4th of February. So, early February we get some signal, whether our anticipated fall of headline inflation here below the ECB's target is actually materializing. We think the chances for this are pretty good. There's a mix why this is happening. One is energy. Energy disinflation and base effects. But the other thing is services inflation resets always at the beginning of the year. January and February are the crucial month here. We had significant services upward pressure on prices the last years. And so just from base effects, we think we will see less of that. Another picture or another element of that picture is that wage disinflation is proceeding nicely. We have notably a significant weakness in the export-oriented manufacturing sector in Germany, which is a key sector of setting wages for the country. The country is around 30 percent of the euro area GDP. And here we had seen significant wage gains over the last year. So, the disinflationary trend coming from lower wage gains from this country, that will be very important. And an important signal to watch. Again, that's something we don't know. I think soon we have to watch simply monthly prints here. But a significant print for the first quarter comes out in May, and all of that together makes us believe that the ECB will be in a position to see enough data or have seen enough data that confirms the thesis of inflation staying below target for some time to come. So that they can cut in June and September to a terminal rate of 1.5 percent. Seth Carpenter: That is, I would say, out of consensus relative where the market is. When you talk to investors, whether they're in Europe or around the world, what's the big pushback that you get from them when you are explaining your view on how the ECB is going to act? Jens Eisenschmidt: There are two essential pushbacks. So, one is on substance. So, 'No, actually wages will not come down, and the economy will actually start overheating soon because of the big fiscal stimulus.' That, in a nutshell is the pushback on substance. I would say here, as you would say before, not so fast. Because the fiscal stimulus is only in one country. It's 30 percent. But only 30 percent of the euro area.Plus, there is another pushback, which is on the reaction function of the ECB. Here we tend to agree. So far, we have heard from policy makers that they feel rather comfortable with the 2 percent rate level that they're at. But we think that discussion will change. The moment you are below target in an actual inflation print; the burden of proof is the opposite. Now you have to prove: Is the economy really on a track that inflation will get back up to target without further monetary stimulus? We believe that will be the key debate. And again, happy to, sort of, concede that there is for now not a lot of signaling out of the ECB that further rate cuts are coming. But we believe the first inflation print of the year will change that debate significantly. Seth Carpenter: Alright, so that makes a lot of sense. However, looking at the clock, we are probably out of time for today. So, for now, Michael, Chetan, Jens, thank you so much for joining today. And to the listener, thanks for listening. And be sure to tune in tomorrow for part two of our conversation. And I have to say, if you enjoy this show, please leave us a review wherever you listen and share Thoughts on the Market with a friend or a colleague today.

Making Sense
BREAKING: Trump Just Did Something No One Expected

Making Sense

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2026 23:45


The US housing market seemed like it was moving in the right direction recently, some better results people said were lower mortgage rates finally starting to work. But then reality dropped like a hammer today when the nation's largest realtor group reported a massive 9.3% drop in pending home sales for December, biggest monthly decline since 2020. Stunned analysts are trying to figure out why lower rates aren't stimulating housing and what these latest results mean.  Eurodollar University's Money & Macro Analysis---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------What if your gold could actually pay you every month… in MORE gold?That's exactly what Monetary Metals does. You still own your gold, fully insured in your name, but instead of sitting idle, it earns real yield paid in physical gold. No selling. No trading. Just more gold every month.Check it out here: https://monetary-metals.com/snider---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------US Pending-Home Sales Plunge by Most Since Start of Pandemichttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-21/us-pending-home-sales-plunge-by-most-since-start-of-pandemicNAR Pending Home Sales Report Shows 9.3% Decrease in Decemberhttps://www.nar.realtor/newsroom/nar-pending-home-sales-report-shows-9-3-decrease-in-decemberNAR First-Time Home Buyer Share Falls to Historic Low of 21%, Median Age Rises to 40https://www.nar.realtor/newsroom/first-time-home-buyer-share-falls-to-historic-low-of-21-median-age-rises-to-40BlackRock and Housing: Setting the Record Straighthttps://www.blackrock.com/corporate/literature/brochure/blackrock-and-housing-setting-the-record-straight.pdfTrump Signs Order Targeting Institutional Housing Investorshttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-21/trump-signs-order-targeting-institutional-housing-investorshttps://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

CBS Evening News
CBS Evening News, 01/21/26

CBS Evening News

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2026 21:01


Breaking down President Trump's address to world leaders after not backing down from his pursuit of Greenland. Plus, the winter storm that's threatening more than half the country and where it'd headed. And, the appearance of America's Central Bank in show of support for the Federal Reserve Governor. We have the latest on the landmark case. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Making Sense
Macy's Just Issued a Very Grim Warning About Consumer Behavior

Making Sense

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2026 20:20


Macy's is the latest retailer to admit to struggling in the current economic climate, closing several of what it calls fulfillment centers, basically warehouse facilities in Connecticut and Oklahoma and shedding thousands of those jobs. That comes in addition to even more store closings across the country. Why? Because only the wealthy are spending so the company wants to focus as much as possible on that segment. Macy's is not alone.  EDU LIVE PRESIDENT'S DAY FEBRUARY 2026If you're a serious investor and want to capitalize on what the monetary system is signaling right now, plus deep discussions about what truly is the greatest threat we all face, join me, Hugh Hendry, George Gammon, Steve Van Metre, Brent Johnson, Mike Green at Eurodollar University's very first Live Event, President's Day Weekend February 2026. To reserve your spot just go here but you better hurry, there aren't many spots left:https://eurodollar-university.com/event-home-pageEurodollar University's Money & Macro AnalysisDelta Declines on Tepid Forecast as Geopolitics Weigh on Travelhttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-13/delta-places-major-boeing-order-as-earnings-support-travel-boomMacy's plans to close stores in 12 states—see if your city is listedhttps://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/foodnews/macy-s-plans-to-close-stores-in-12-states-see-if-your-city-is-listed/ar-AA1UirgL?cvid=696b13e01f884a7ab6d68a7ead48018f&ocid=BHEA000Macy's to close Oklahoma fulfillment centerhttps://www.supplychaindive.com/news/macys-to-close-tulsa-oklahoma-fulfillment-center-bold-new-chapter/809289/Macy's to lay off nearly 1,000 at Connecticut fulfillment centerhttps://www.retaildive.com/news/macys-layoffs-cheshire-connecticut-fulfillment-center/809837/https://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

Jim Duke Perspective
Is There a Centralized Banking Cabal

Jim Duke Perspective

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2026 48:30 Transcription Available


Many claim the Rothschilds stand at the top of the banking cabal for control over the Central Banks. Others deny the Rothschilds have such control. But certainly their hand is in the pot for influence. We break down the central banks and try to guess what countries are of the centralized bank. The Elite wealthy bankers are up to something.Here is the book Creature from Jekyll Island to check out about the Federal Reserve.Creature from Jekyll Island - G Edward Griffen

Mises Media
Dr. Mark Thornton Warns “Fiat Is in the ICU” and Central Banks Do Not Trust Each Other

Mises Media

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2026


Kitco News anchor Jeremy Szafron sits down with Dr. Mark Thornton to break down why central banks are fleeing Treasuries for physical gold and what the "Skyscraper Curse" signals for a 2026 crash. They discuss the massive 150-ton gold purchase by Poland, a strategic move by a NATO ally that signals a loss of trust in the debt-based system. Mark also exposes a critical, under-reported crisis in the silver market: supply is "inelastic" and "wasted" on war and solar panels, meaning the market cannot physically respond to price spikes. With Japanese bond yields spiking and the Jeddah Tower restarting construction, the signals for a major economic pivot are flashing red.The original interview is available on YouTube.

Making Sense
There's Only One Way Out for China Now…

Making Sense

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2026 21:53


Thanks to Monarch for partnering with me! Get 50% off your first year by using my link https://monarchmoney.yt.link/eB2fzzP or discount code euro50 when signing up for a free trial! Welcome to calm, confident money! #monarchpartnerChinese retail sales just did something they've never done before outside of the lockdowns. At the same time, capital investment continues to legitimately crash, December was third month in a row of steep declines leading to the first yearly negative for it in China's modern history. The only thing, the ONLY thing, keeping the economy from completely falling off a cliff is China selling everything it can everywhere else, especially in Europe. Eurodollar University's Money & Macro AnalysisChina NBS Basic Situation of National Fixed Asset Investment in 2025https://www.stats.gov.cn/sj/zxfb/202601/t20260119_1962326.htmlChina's economy looks more resilient than it feels as a property slump drags onhttps://apnews.com/article/china-economy-property-tariffs-jinping-17e9a32cf105764f457c1111f185dd3fMacron threatens tariffs on China "in the coming months" due to trade surpluseshttps://fr.tradingview.com/news/forexlive%3A3395740c5094b%3A0-macron-threatens-tariffs-on-china-in-the-coming-months-due-to-trade-surpluses/Tariffs of up to 50% go into effect, hitting imports from China, other non-FTA countrieshttps://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/mexico-tariffs-go-into-effect-china/https://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

Wealth Formula by Buck Joffrey
542: Why Investors CANNOT Ignore AI and Blockchain

Wealth Formula by Buck Joffrey

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2026 54:28


The Wealth Formula Podcast is one of the longest-running personal finance podcasts still standing. For more than a decade, I've shown up every single week to talk about investing, markets, and the forces shaping the economy. What's interesting is how much my own thinking has evolved over that time. Early on, I was more rigid. I was—and still am—a real estate guy. But back then, I didn't give much thought to ideas outside that lane. I was dogmatic, and I didn't always challenge my own beliefs. Time has a way of doing that for you. I've now lived through multiple market cycles. I've watched the stock market melt up to valuations that felt absurd—and then keep going. I've seen gold go from flat for a decade to parabolic over a year. I've seen interest rates sit near zero for a decade and then snap higher at the fastest pace in modern history. And I've learned, sometimes the hard way, that diversification is about survival and that every asset class has its day. One lesson I learned that I am thinking a lot about these days is: ignore major technological shifts at your own peril. Back in 2014, I first started hearing people talk seriously about Bitcoin. At the time, I dismissed it. I listened to the critics, was convinced it was a scam, and didn't take the time to truly understand it. That was a mistake—not because everyone should have bought Bitcoin, but because I ignored a structural change happening right in front of me. Bitcoin went from a cypherpunk expression of freedom to the largest ETF owned by BlackRock. Today, the dominant story is artificial intelligence. And whether you love stocks, hate stocks, prefer real estate, or focus exclusively on cash flow, you cannot afford to ignore AI. This isn't a fad. It's a general-purpose technology—on the scale of electricity, the internet, or the industrial revolution itself. That doesn't mean it's easy to invest in. It's hard to look at headline names trading at massive valuations and feel good about buying them today. But investing in AI isn't about chasing a single company. It's about understanding second- and third-order effects: energy demand, data centers, productivity gains, labor displacement, capital flows, and how blockchain and decentralized systems intersect with all of it. What experience has taught me is this: you don't need to be first to invest—but you do need to be early in understanding. If you wait until something feels obvious, most of the opportunity is already gone. This week's episode of the Wealth Formula Podcast is focused squarely on AI and blockchain—what's real, what's noise, and where the long-term implications may lie. Listen to this episode. You'll come away smarter. And years from now, you may look back and realize this was one of those moments where paying attention really mattered. Transcript Disclaimer: This transcript was generated by AI and may not be 100% accurate. If you notice any errors or corrections, please email us at phil@wealthformula.com.  Welcome everybody. This is Buck Joffrey with the Wealth Formula Podcast. Coming to you from Montecito, California. Today we wanna start with a reminder. We are in a new year and we are already doing deals, uh, through the Wealth Formula Accredit Investor Club. You can go and sign up for that for free. Uh, wealth formula.com just hit investor club and you just get on there and, and you’ll get onboarded. And from there, all you gotta do is wait for deal flow and webinars coming to your inbox. And, um, you know, if nothing else, you learn something. So go check it out. Uh, go to. Wealth formula.com and sign up for Investor Club now onto today’s show. Uh, the, it is interesting. I don’t know if you are aware it’s a listener, but we are, wealth Formula is, uh, probably I would say one of the, certainly in the one of the top longest running personal finance podcasts still. Standing. Uh, I’ve been around, well, I think the first episode was on like 2014, so it was a long time, but in earnest, you know, at least for over a decade. And, you know, during that time, I’ve shown up every week, every single week. Don’t Ms. Weeks, but none, none. Isn’t that incredible? I’ve shown up, uh, talked about investing and talked about very way markets are working, forces, shaping the economy, all that kind of stuff. But you know, as you can imagine, as a. As a younger individual versus, um, my crusty self. Now, you know, a lot of my own thinking has evolved over that time, you know, back then. And I, you know, I think this appealed to some people, but, um, you know, I was really dogmatic. I’m a real estate guy, right? And I still am a real estate guy, but back then I wouldn’t give anything else the time of day to even think about, you know, and, and, uh, I, I, you know. I was dogmatic and didn’t always challenge my own belief systems. Um, I’m different now, right? I’ve softened And time is a way of, of changing all of that dogmatic stuff for you. You know, I’ve lived through multiple market cycles. I’ve watched, well, I’ve watched the stock market, which I, which I always maligned, you know, melt up to valuations. Uh, that felt absurd. And then keep going higher. I’ve seen gold, which was kind of ridiculous for the longest time. I watched it for like a decade, just pretty much flat, and then it goes parabolic. Over the last year, I’ve seen interest rates sit near zero for a decade and then snap higher. Uh, not even as time, just launch higher at the fastest space in modern history. And I’ve learned sometimes I guess, the hard way that diversification is about survival and that every class, every asset class has its day. Just like every dog has its day. And um, you know, one other lesson that I learned that I’m thinking a lot about these days is ignore major technological shifts at your own peril. So what am I talking about? Well. It’s kind of a, it is a technological shift, whether you think it about not, but Bitcoin. Okay. Back in 2014, I first started hearing people talk seriously about Bitcoin, and at that time I dismissed it. I was, uh, I was listening to critics beater Schiff that constantly called it a scam, said it was going to zero and so on. I didn’t, I didn’t take the time to truly understand it, to try to understand it the way I understand it now, that makes me a believer in Bitcoin. That, of course was a big mistake, not because, you know, everyone should have bought Bitcoin and, uh, back then, well, they, you know, would’ve been nice if they did, but because fundamentally I ignored something that was a structural change happening right in front of me. And since then, Bitcoin went from a cipher punk expression of freedom to the large CTF owned by BlackRock today. The dominant story is actually artificial intelligence. Now, whether you love stocks, hate stocks, prefer real estate focused exclusively on cab, whatever, you cannot afford to ignore ai. It’s not a fad. It’s a general purpose technology and a technology shift, and the scale of electricity. The internet bigger than the internet, bigger than the industrial revolution. Now, that doesn’t mean it’s easy to invest in. I mean, I’m gonna go invest in AI and make a bunch of money because I mean, what does that even mean? It’s hard to look at headline names, trading at massive valuations like Nvidia and all that right now, and saying, oh, I’m gonna go buy that. Who knows? That’s gonna work out. When I talk about investing in AI isn’t really just investing in stocks or any individual company or data centers or whatever. It’s about understanding. The second and third order effects, energy demand. You know, as I mentioned, data centers, productivity gains, labor displacement, capital flows, and how blockchain and decentralized systems intersect with all of that. It is very, very complicated. Um, but it’s really important to start to try to understand, you know, an experience that stop me is this. You don’t need to be the first to invest, but you do need to be early in understanding. If you wait until something feels obvious, usually the opportunity’s gone by then. And you know, the thing about AI is even if you think it’s obvious now. The reality is that most people haven’t really caught on. Maybe they played with chat GPT, but I don’t think they’re understanding what this whole, you know, this thing is gonna do to our world. Um, anyway, so that is what this week’s episode of Wealth Formula Podcast, uh, is about. It’s about AI and also, um, a little bit about, you know, bitcoin and blockchain and that kind of thing. Um, we’re gonna talk about what’s noise, uh, you know, where the long, what the long-term, uh, implications are all of this stuff. This is a show that, uh, I really enjoy doing really, really good stuff. Um, so make sure you listen in. We’ll have that interview for you right after these messages. Wealth Formula banking is an ingenious concept powered by whole life insurance, but instead of acting just as a safety net. The strategy supercharges your investments. First, you create a personal financial reservoir that grows at a compounding interest rate much higher than any bank savings account. As your money accumulates, you borrow from your own bank to invest in other cash flowing investments. Here’s the key. Even though you borrowed money at a simple interest rate, your insurance company keeps paying you compound interest. On that money, even though you’ve borrowed it, that result, you make money in two places at the same time. That’s why your investments get supercharged. This isn’t a new technique. It’s a refined strategy used by some of the wealthiest families in history, and it uses century old rock solid insurance companies as its backbone. Turbocharge your investments. Visit Wealth formula banking.com. Again, that’s wealth formula banking.com. Welcome back to the show, everyone. Today. My guest on Wealth Formula podcast is Jim Thorne, chief Market strategist at Wellington. L is private wealth with more than 25 years of experience in capital markets. He’s previously served as chief capital market strategist, senior portfolio manager, chief economist, and CIO. Uh, equities at major investment firms and has also taught economics and finance at the university level. Uh, Jim is known for translating complex economic, political, and market dynamics into clear actionable insights to help investors and advisors navigate long-term capital decisions. Uh, Jim, welcome with the program. Thanks for having me Buck. Well, um, Tim, I, I, I, uh, had been following a little bit of, uh, what you discuss on, uh, on X and, um, one of the things that caught my eye is, you know, your, your narrative on, on ai, a lot of people are tend to be still sort of skeptical of AI and what’s going on, uh, with the markets. Um, uh, but at the same time, uh, there’s this. Sense. I think that ignoring AI altogether as an investor is, is, is downright potentially dangerous. So, uh, at the highest level, why is AI something people simply can’t dismiss? Well, we live in an, uh, uh, you know, many other people have coined this term, but we live, we’re living in an exponential age of, of technological innovation. And, you know, AI and I’ll just add into their, uh, blockchain is just the normal evolutionary process that, you know, for me started when I left graduate school and came into the business in the nineties where everybody had this high degree of skepticism of the computer and the, the, the phone, the, the. And the internet. And so, you know, what we do is we go through these cycles and there are periods of time where the stars align. And we have a period of time where we have what I would call an intense period of innovation where I would suggest to you that. People are skeptical. Skeptical, and yet at the same point in time, they very early on in the, in the, in the trade, call it a bubble when it’s not. And so I think it comes from the position of ignorance. One, I think two, fear, and then three. If you think about if you are an active manager, I in a 40 ACT fund, um, you know, and you’re sitting there with, uh, you know, mi. Uh, Nvidia at, you know, eight or 9% of your index. And that’s a big chunk that you’ve gotta put into your fund, uh, just to be market neutral. So there’s a lot of people that hate this rally. There’s a lot of people that are can, going to continue to hate this rally. But the thing I anchor my hat on are a couple of things. Look at if this is no different than the railroad. Canals, any major technological innovation, will it become a bubble? Yes. Just not now. So, so let’s follow up on that, because a lot of people think, or are talking about the, do you know the.com bubble, uh, comparisons, and you’ve argued that that sort of misses the real story. So, so where are we getting it wrong right now? Are those people getting it wrong? In the nineties buck, you’d walk into a bar and there wouldn’t be ESPN on there’d be CNBC on people were getting their jobs to become day traders. Folks didn’t go to the go to university because they were basically getting their white papers financed. You had companies that were trading off of clicks. So I lived that. Anybody who is of a younger generation has no idea what a bubble is, and it’s specious and pedantic for them to use that term when they have no clue about what they’re talking about. But you did mention that it could become a bubble. How do we know when it does become a bubble? Oh, it’ll become a bubble. Well, when, when, when you know, the, what, what I am looking for is, you know, when we, when the good investment opportunities start to dry up, when liquidity starts to dry up. So what I, it’s not about valuation, to me it’s about liquidity. So in 2000, what, and I’m roughly speaking, what went down was you had all these companies that were trading at Strat catastrophic valuation, this stupid valuations, and you walked in one day and they didn’t get financing. And if you read the prospectus or you followed the company, you knew that they were not going to be free cash flow positive for another two or three rounds of financing. All of a sudden you walked in and everybody goes, oh my God, this thing, you know, trading at 250 times sales. And everybody went, yeah, of course. And so what it was is, was when does liquidity dry up? So I’ll give you a date, um, you know, with Trump’s big beautiful bill act. 100% tax deductibility of CapEx and that goes until Jan 1, 20 31. So to me, that’s a very motivating factor for people to, um, invest. The last thing I would say to you in more of a game theoretic context book is, look, if you are a big tech company and you don’t invest in ai. You are ensuring your death. Yahoo, Hela Packard. I can go through the list of companies that cease to invest, so they’re looking. If it was you and I when we were running this company, I would say, dude, we gotta invest because if we don’t have a poll position in this next platform, whatever it is, we’re done. We’re toast. And I think that’s why you’re seeing all these hyperscalers spending as much money as they are. ’cause they get this, they saw it. So, you know, you framed ai not necessarily as a a tech trade, but as a capital expenditure cycle. Can you explain that to people? Well, what we need to do is we need to build out the infrastructure of ai. Then, and that’s the phase that we’re in right now. So it’s more like we’re building out all of the railroads, the railway tracks and the railway stations across the United States back in the 18 hundreds. And then we’re gonna go through that building phase. And then as that building phase goes, some companies, some towns, are going to basically realize and recognize what’s happening and start to basically take ai. Bring it into their business model, into enhanced margins. Right. So right now we’re building it out. I mean, you know, we all focus on the hyperscalers, but the majority of companies, pardon me, governments. Individuals, they haven’t used AI and, and what is interesting about this is back in the nineties, they were talking about how the internet had to evolve to be much more. You know, uh, have critical thinking in, in, in it. And it was more explained when you went to these conferences, as you know, you know, think about this. You’re hearing this in 99, okay? Not today. You go in and you ask Google or dog pile at the same time, or excite, okay? You would say, I wanna go to Florida in the third week of March and I wanna stay here and I wanna spend this amount of money and I wanna rent a car. Plan it for me. And they would come back and they would tell you that it would come back and it would, it would, everything would be there. And you would have your over here and all you would have to do is drop your money and you had your thing planned. So none of this is as, it’s aspirational, but we’ve heard it before. And in technology, what happens is it’s not like it’s new. We’ve been talking to, I did machine learning in in graduate school. Ai, you know, I did neural networks and I’m a terrible Ian. This isn’t, you know, Claude Shannon wrote about this in 1937, right? But it’s about when does it hit, and so it was chat GBT. Can we argue, was that right? As an investor, it’s stop arguing, start investing. Then what you’ve gotta figure out, which is the question you ask, is when does the music stop? I think it goes until the end of the decade. You know, one of the things that, uh, is interesting about this, uh, AI investment, uh, it’s, it’s unfolding in a higher interest rate environment. Why is that detail so important? Understanding its significance? Well, it’s the cost of capital, right? And so this phase that we have right now. It’s funny you say that, right? ’cause our reference point is zero interest rates, right? Yeah, yeah. Right. That’s right. So, you know, you know, so, so think about this, what it happens right now. Now we’re in the phase where you’ve got these hyperscalers that instead of taking all their free cash flow and buying bonds and buying back stock, are increasing CapEx because there’s a great tax deduction on it. So you get a lot of, so we’re in this phase where, for where, where a lot of the money is, you know, was. Was, let me, let me be clear, was a hundred free cashflow. Now we’re getting these guys, these companies like Oracle and what have you, you know, starting to issue debt and look at debt isn’t bad as long as the rate of return on debt is higher than the interest rates. And so, you know, you know, I, I would say historically speaking, for a lot of these high quality names, the interest rates are not, uh, at levels that will stop them from investing. Right. Right. You know, you’ve written that, um, productivity is ultimately the real story behind ai. So why does productivity matter more than the technology headlines themselves? Well, let me just put it this way, right? So we’ve grown, I grew up, I, I joined, I’m up here in Toronto, right? So I’m gonna give it to you in Canadian dollars, right? So I joined, I joined here. You know, I grew up here, went to the states, came back home. Growing this company I joined when we’re about three and a half billion. We’re getting close to 50 billion, and we’re the fastest growing independent platform in the country. I’m a one man band, right? I use three ai. In the old days, I’d have four research assistants. Where’s the margin in that? And so I, that’s how I see it. And let me be clear, it’s, you know, this isn’t we’re, it’s not perfect. But if I wanted to say, instead of you, but hey, write me a 2000 word essay on the counterfactual of what happened with railroads up until 1894 when the, when the bubble popped, give me a f, you know, a a thousand word essay and, and just a general overview. I can get that in less than five minutes. Michael Sailor is writing product on ai, which, which, which you would take, which you would take. He’s in his presentation, say it would take a hundred lawyers. So it’s gonna be more about those. And it’s, it’s no different than Internet of things or, you know, it was, uh, Kasparov that talked about this. Gary Kasparov talking about the melding of, of technology in humans. He would ran, run this chess tournament called freestyle. You could use a computer, you could use, you know, grand Masters. You could use whatever you wanted to compete. And who won? Well, who won it Was that those teams that were generalists that had a little bit of that, the knowledge of the computer and the knowledge of the test. Uh, o of chess, right? That’s what’s gonna happen. So this isn’t we’re, as far as I’m concerned, we’re not, yes, there’s going to be some d some jobs that are going to be replaced, but that is always the case in technology. I’m not a Luddite, okay? I am not Luddite. But the same point in time. I, I would suggest to you that it, it is just a really, for me, it’s a, helps me. Do research no different than when I was an undergrad and they went from cue cards in the, the library at the university to actually having a dummy terminal and I could ask questions in queue. You know, it stalked me from having to go to the basement of the library and going to microfiche. Right. Have helping that way. Now can it, can, will it do other things? I’m sure it is, and I’ll lead that to Elon Musk and the crew. You know, that’s above my pay grade. But for me, I see it as a very helpful way of, you know, allowing me to process and delineate. Much more information a a and not have me waste so much time trying to figure out what got went on in the past or, you know, QMF. Right. You know, summarize me the talk five, you know, academic papers in this area, what are they saying? And then they gimme the papers. Right. It just speeds the process up. Yeah. You know, um, one of the things that I’ve been sort of talking about and thinking about. Is that it’s hard to not see AI as a very, very strong deflationary force. Um, how do you think about that? Yeah. Technology is deflationary, right? Doubt about it. And so I look at it this way, Ray. Um, so I work at the financial services industry, okay. You know, Mr. Diamond of JP Morgan is talking about how they are starting to embrace blockchain and ai. They are going to cut out the back end of that in the, the margins in that, in that company by the end of the cycle are going to be fantastic. People just do not get in. You know, the financial services industry is built on a platform. Of the 1960s, dude. I mean, they’re still running Fortran, cobalt. So you know what I, how I look at this is much more as a margin type story, and there’s going to be a lot of displacement. But at the same point in time, I look at Tesla and automation and ai. And you know, people look at Tesla as a car company. I look at Tesla as an advanced manufacturing company. Elon Musk could basically go into any industry and disrupt it if it wanted to. Right. So that’s how I look at it. And so, you know, the hard part is going to be, you know. Nothing. If we get back to where we were, it’s not going to be perfect, right? Because here’s, here’s where the counter is, here’s where the counter is. Right? If you, if, if you think about, and we’re, I’m gonna take Trump outta the equation and ent outta the equation right now, but if we just went back to the way things were before COVID, we would have strong deflationary forces. Okay. Just with demographics, just with excessive levels of debt. Just with, you know, pushing on a string in terms of, in terms we couldn’t get the growth up, you know, and, you know, and the overregulation of financial institutions. Trump and descent are basically applying what’s called supply side economics, and they’re deregulating. It’s says law, which is John Batiste, that says basically supply creates his own demand and it’s non-inflationary. But really what they’re going to try to do is they’re going to try to run the economy hot and they’re gonna try to pull this way out of the debt. And if you do that and you deregulate the banks. And allow the banks to get back to where they were before the financial crisis. Okay. You know, and, and the Fed takes its interest rates down to neutral, expands the balance sheet. Then I don’t think we’re gonna go back to the zero bound in deflation. I think this thing’s gonna run hot for a long time. And I think it, the real question is, is, is is 2 75 in the United States the neutral rate? I think it is. Uh, but as, as, as Scott be says, and, and, and, and, and let’s be clear, buck, the guy’s a superstar. Okay. Guy is a legend. Just you sit there, just shut up and listen to him. Okay. They keep up, right? Well, so they’re gonna run it hot, but where we are is, in his words, mine, not mine. We’re still in this detox period, you know what I mean? We still got the Biden era. We still got, you know, a over a decade of excessive ca of Central Bank intermediation. That needs to get, you know, go away. So what I say, and what I’ve been writing about is 26 is going to be the year that the baton is passed back to the private sector. Let’s get rates down to 2 75. That’s, I mean, I’m going off the New York Fed model. That says real fed funds, the real, the real neutral rate is 75 to 78 basis points. I think inflation’s at two. That that gets you 2 75. Get the rates there and then get the balance sheet of the Fed to the level so that overnight lending isn’t loose or tight. It’s just normal. And then step back, go away and let Wall Street and the private sector create credit. Create economic growth and let’s get back to the business cycle. And if we do that, we’re gonna have non-inflationary growth. It’s gonna be strong, but we’re not going back to the zero bound and we’re gonna grow our way out of this. And so that’s where I get really excited about. This is a very unique time in history. A very, very, very unique time in history where, and I don’t know how long it’s going to last because of the compression that we have now because of the, you know, we live in such a digital world, but let’s say it’s five years demographic says it’s to 33, 32 to 33. That’s, you know, that’s how long this run is. And, and to me, uh, AI is a massive play. I, I, to me, blockchain is a massive play and to me it’s to those countries and companies that get it is, whereas investors, we wanna think, start thinking about investing. Yeah. You mentioned, um, non non-inflationary growth. Can you drill down on that a little bit just so people understand a little bit where. Usually you think of an economy running super hot, you, you think automatically there’s an, you know, an inflationary growth. So I want you to think in your mind into your list as think in your mind. Go back to economics 1 0 1 with the demand curve. In the supply curve, okay? And there are an equilibrium. And at that equilibrium we have a price at an equilibrium, and we have an output as an equilibrium. Okay? Now what I want you to do is I want you to keep the demand curves stagnant or, or, or anchored. Then I want you to shift the supply curve out. Prices go down, output goes out. We can talk all this esoteric stuff, you know, you know Ronald Reagan and, and Robert Mandel and supply side economics. But it’s really your shift in the supply curve out, and that’s what, and that’s what BeIN’s doing. I mean, this is a w would just sit down and be quiet. He’s talking about, you know, what is deregulation? He’s pushing the supply provider. Oh, hold on. My phone. My, my thing. And what did, since the two thousands, what did, what was the policy? It was kingian, it was all focused on the demand curve. Everything was focused on demand. And so all we’re doing is we’re, we’re getting the keynesians out. I use 2000 ’cause that’s when Ben Bernanke really came in and was very influential. Let me just say he’s a very smart, I learned so much from reading. Smart, smart, smart, smart guy. But his whole thing was Kasan. He came from MIT, his thesis supervisor was Stanley Fisher, right? We’re going back to, you know, Mario Dragons thesis supervisors, Stanley Fisher, all these guys came from MIT, Larry, M-I-T-M-I-T, Yale, and Princeton. Whereas previously it was the University of Chicago. It was Milton Friedman. It was, it was supply side economics. We’re going back, they’re going back to supply side economics and right now we need it. We need balance. But my god, what did we end off with? We ended off with four years of mono modern monetary theory. Deficits matter. That’s insanity. You had mentioned a little bit, uh, you, you’ve talked about blockchain a few times here. Talk about the significance. I mean, it’s sort of, you know, blockchain was a thing that everybody was, everybody was talking about it, you know, three, four years ago, but now it’s all about ai. But you know, now you’ve got, um, but in, but in the background, blockchain has grown, uh, adoption has grown. Uh, tell us what’s going on there, and if you could tie it into the significance of, of where we’re at today. Yeah. Um, uh, Jeff Bezos gave a wonderful speech, I think in two thou, early two thousands, where he basically talked about the fact that, you know, once this innovation is led out of the genie’s, led out of the bottle, whether or not, you know, buck and Jim, like it as an investment, the innovation continues. And so after the internet bubble pop, right? Really smart guys like Jeff Bezos, uh, Zuckerberg, you, you, the whole cast of characters, right? Basically built it out. Okay. And it wasn’t perfect and everybody knew it wasn’t perfect. I mean, that was the whole thing that was so bizarre. But they knew it wasn’t perfect and they knew that they needed to solve some problems. Right. And you know, it was a double spend problem. I mean, the internet that we were dealing with right now was developed in the 1950s and so on and so forth. And so, you know, that always stuck with me. Right. A couple of things stuck with me because I’ve lived through a couple of these cycles. The first one is Buck. When the, when Wall Street coalesces around something just shut up and buy it, right? I mean, I, I spent too much of my life arguing about whether dog pile and Ask Gees was better than Google. Wall Street said Google was the best. Shut up. Invest, right? And so, so look, blockchain solved the double spend problem. Blockchain solved all the problems that the original iteration of the internet could solve, and everybody knew it was coming along okay. So it’s a decentral, it’s decentralized, right? Uh, does, does not need to be reconciled. So no. Not only do you have another iteration of the internet. You have basically introduced into society the biggest innovation in accounting or recordkeeping since double entry. Bookkeeping accounting was introduced in Florence, Italy centuries ago by the Medicis and, and buck. All this is out there like, so this is a profound, right? So think about you’re in an accounting department and you don’t have to reconcile, right? So look. The first use cakes was Bitcoin. And what was the, what was the beautiful thing about it? Well, first off, it grew up by itself. And secondly, it’s got perfect scarcity, right? And so let’s just full stop. And I mean, yes, gold and silver had the run that they should have had decades. So I had been waiting and listening to people, gold bugs, talking about this type of run since the nineties. Okay. Um, but look, you know, and the problem with fi money, right? I mean, this is, this goes back decades. It’s an old argument. The way you solve it is, is Bitcoin. That’s the solution. I mean, forget about it. I mean, if they’re gonna whip it around and do all this stuff, fine. But the other thing that people miss and Sailor hasn’t, and Sailor is brilliant, is look. Bitcoin is pristine collateral in 2008, in September. What caused the, the system to stop was the counter. We could not identify counterparty risk for near cash. It was a settlement problem. Anybody you talk to Buck that says it was, you know, the subprime this and it, yeah, that was crap. I get that. But when the system shut down is you had a $750 million near cash instrument with X, Y, Z, wall Street firm, and you did this for three extra beeps and it was no longer cash. Guess. And guess what? Your institutional money market fund broke the buck. That’s when the system blew sky high. When the money market broke the buck and it was a settlement problem, blockchain and Bitcoin solved that. Sailor knows that, look where Wall Street’s gonna go. They understand now that. Bitcoin is pristine, collateral and capital that is 100% transparent. Let’s lend against it, and that’s what Sadler’s doing. That’s why Wall Street hates the guy so much, right? Think about that. Think of where is he going after he’s going after all the stranded capital on Wall Street. And, and the whole point is he’s sitting there going, I’m too busy for this. And you’ve got all these other people that are gonna live off of other people’s ignorance. Meanwhile, Jing Diamond knows exactly what he’s talking about. We can identify, if I hear one more person on me in, in the meeting say, I don’t know. You know, you know, uh, micro strategies balance sheet is so complicated. Really. Compared to JP Morgans, I mean, you know what his capital is. It says Bitcoin, like, what are you guys talking about? But hey, fucking in this business, people make generational wealth on ignorance of people who think they know what they don’t know. So, you know, just going back to Jamie Diamond, you know, he spent, I don’t know how long. Throwing every insult, uh, he could towards Bitcoin. And now they’ve really kind of, they haven’t backtracked. I think he’s, he’s, you know, his, his, um, I think the way he phrases is the blockchain’s a real thing. He never seems to really say the word Bitcoin, uh, in this regard. Um, banks in general, where do you think they’re headed with this stuff? I mean, I, you know, right now, again, you can kind of see even. Um, I think, you know, some of the big advisory firms suddenly recommending one to, you know, one to 4% of people’s portfolios in Bitcoin. I mean, this is all, I mean, gosh, I, I’ve, you know, been talking about Bitcoin since 2017. This is in unbelievable transformation in less than a decade. Where do you see this going in the next five to 10 years? It’s called the, it’s called, what is it? It’s called, I’m gonna call it the Evolution of Jim. Me, you know, in my business and, and, and, and you know, the thing I have book is I’ve survived and I’ve gone through a lot of cycles. I’ve done a lot, you know, and you ask yourself, you scratch your head a lot and you’re, and you, but you’re continually doing objective research and you’re this, if you, this is why I love this game so much. Right? So let’s just go stop for a second. Let’s get some context. Right. My first summer job, one of my first summer jobs, I worked in the basement of a bank in the in, in downtown Toronto, right up the street from the Toronto Stock Exchange. And my job was to let guys in with beak, briefcases into the cage, into the big vault, to basically bring in certificates. Okay. And, and what? Stock certificates. And so remember, you know, and I remember my grandfather when we, when he died, look at, we couldn’t sell the house because he didn’t believe in the banks. And we were finding certificates all over the house in the walls. Okay? Right. So in the 1960s it was bare based. The whole industry was bare based. And there was the volume in Wall Street started to pick up to the point where they couldn’t handle the volume. There was a paper crisis where almost a third of the companies went down bankrupt because of the cage. The cage. Okay. So basically what happened was, to make a long story short, they came out with, they came, Hey, why don’t we get two computers At one point in time, they said, okay, crisis. Let’s solve it. Well, why don’t we get these two computers and we can solve, or we can sell trades among, amongst each other. Okay. And then we don’t need to have guys riding around Wall Street with bicycles and big briefcases. Okay. And then what we did was, what we did was we sat there and said, well, why don’t we have a centralized clearing, and we’re gonna call it DTC or CDS, depending on what country you’re in. And what we’re gonna do is we’re gonna offer paper, we’re gonna, we’re gonna issue paper rights to the underlying stock that was developed in the early 1970s. That’s the system that we’re on right now. There are a lot of faults with that. Let me give you, when you’ve talked about the GameStop a MC situation, when you have a company that’s basically have more shares outstanding short, sorry, more shares short than outstanding, that shows you that the old system doesn’t work. It’s called ation. The paper writes to the underlying assets, it, it doesn’t match up. There have been guys that make a career outta this and write books about this, right? Dole Pineapple. They had a corporate, a corporate event, right? Hostile takeover. 64,000 for 64 million shares, voted, I think, and there was only 3,200 on. We all know this, so this has to be solved. The way you solve it is you tokenize assets, and this was talked about a decade ago, and they know about it and true tofor, they, and if you’re thinking about it, it’s totally logical, right? But if we allow this innovation to go full stream ahead, we’re wiped out, right? So what did they do? They delayed. They delayed. And as you know, you could talk about, it’s called Operation choke 0.2 0.0. Right. You know, the Fed overreached their bounds, they de banked people. I mean, this is why, why Best it’s going after them. They, yet they stepped over their constitutional mandate. Right. The federal, the Fed Act is not, uh, does not supersede the US Constitution. Elizabeth warned the whole thing. They did it. Okay, so let’s not complain about it. So now Atkins is gonna, we’re gonna have the Clarity Act come out and they’re gonna basically deregulate New York Stock Exchange already there. They’re gonna put everything on the blockchain and when you put everything on the blockchain, trade a settlement. There’s no hypo. Immediate settlement. Immediate, which is a benefit if you can get your act together because it, you know, for Wall Street firms you need less capital, right? So it’s a natural evolutionary process. And then you sit there and go back in history, if you and I were writing it, we’d sit there and go, well, should we be surprised that the incumbents right, the status quo pushed back on innovation? No, there was a guy, there was a prophet, um. At, at Harvard, his name was Clay Christensen, and he wrote this wonderful book called The Innovator’s Dilemma. You know, why does, why don’t companies evolve, or why do they go bankrupt? It’s because they cease to evolve and the status quo doesn’t allow the evolution of the companies to take place. Right? Well, that’s what happened in RA. We’re gonna complain about it. No, it, it is what it is. It’s water under the bridge. And so what I think is happening is, you know, Mr. Diamond is basically saying. He’s pragmatic, he’s a realist. And now he’s saying, we gotta evolve. And hey, by the way, now I’ve gotten to the point where I think I can make a tunnel. Think about that. Yeah. Think about his own stable coins, right? So his own stable coins. And, uh, well think about this. If you trade like internal meetings, right? And I’m hyped this hypothetical, right? I go, fuck, don’t screw this up this time. And you’re gonna go, Jim, what are you talking about? I go. We want a nice bread between bid and ask in these financial price. We don’t wanna go down to pennies. Okay? Can we go back to the old days when we were, you know, trading in quarters and sixteenths and so we can make some skin in the game? I think you’ve got the deregulation of the banking industry where the banks are gonna, they’re fit. It’s gonna be baby steps. But what’s gonna happen is they’re gonna basically say, stop taking all that capital that’s sitting at the Fed, making four or fed funds rate overnights wherever it’s four half, 3 75 right now. And you can now trade it. Go back to prop trading, which is what they did. And they’re gonna start off, they will start off with, its only treasuries. Eventually they’ll be able to expand throughout our lifetime. So the old way you gotta look at it is, you know. We’re bringing the ba, you know, we’re putting the band back together, man. Right. And the banks are gonna deregulate, they’re gonna deregulate the banks, they’re going to innovate, they’re gonna be able to use the capital, their earnings profile going out into the end of the decade. It’s, it’s gonna be monstrous, it’s gonna be, you know, it, it’s, it’s, and, and that’s how I get, you know, when people say, where do you think the s and p goes? You know, I say, you know, 14,000, you know, double from here by the end of the decade. And he goes, well, what about ai? I go, well, they’re gonna, that’s important, but it’s the banks. I think the banks are gonna have a renaissance. Yeah. Yeah. Um, one thing just to get your thoughts on, so when you look at the banks, you talked about sort of the inevitability of tokenization. Um, the stock exchange, uh, we talked about stable coins. I mean, another great way for banks to make money. Uh, essentially where does that, how, how does that help or hurt Bitcoin adoption? Because Bitcoin is a sort of a separate, separate, you’re not, you’re not building on Bitcoin as much as you are, say, Ethereum, Mar Solana or, you know, some of the, some of the blockchain things. So, so is it just that. Is it just a, an adoption issue? Because you live in a, in a different world. You live in a world of blockchain and Bitcoin is, its currency. It’s weird, right? Because I, I’m writing this feed like, so Buck, where are you right now? Where, where, where are you located? I’m in Santa Barbara. You’re in California. So, yeah, so I’m in Toronto, right? Uh, you know, I lived in, worked in the States for, you know, a decade, a couple of decades, and I’m back home and it’s like, man, they don’t get it. Right, and, and, and, and what am I talking about? Well, well, this, this is the, the thing that you’ve gotta understand is this, right. Ethereum was invented by Vladi Butrin in this town, Joe Alozo, who’s the head of one of the largest Ethereum groups. Father is a dentist at Bathurst and Spadina. We’re up here and people are saying, oh, you know, president Trump don’t talk about being a 51st state. We act like a colony, duke. We are a, you know, we forget about calling us one. We are. So, look, it, look, there is no doubt in my mind that Ethereum is going to have a place and, and we’re going to use it. Seems like we’re going to use Ethereum and that’s the smart contract, you know? Um. And that’s fine. Um, you know, but going back in time. But, but remember, there’s not per, there’s not perfect scarcity there. So I like Ethereum, don’t get me wrong, but I look at Bitcoin and I look at the, I look at the scarcity, and I also look at the fact of, you know, what sa, what Sailor, if you sailor did a presentation in the middle of next year and all hell broke loose. What he did, and it’s, you know, and of course I’m hypothesizing. He basically went to New York and said, I am going to create fixed income products and I am going to give yields. On those products, and I’m coming after the stranded capital that sits on Wall Street that you guys have been ripping on for years. In the middle of last year, staler went public and declared war. Okay. Are we surprised that Jim Shane Oaks came out and everybody came out basically guns a blazing. Are we surprised? But what he, what Sailor did and put and slammed on the table is it’s pristine capital, it’s transparent capital. And what are you willing to pay for that? And now you GARP banks trading at. We have no idea what their capital structure really is. Honestly, we have an idea, but it’s very opaque, right? You know, the high quality names are trading at two, two to, you know, two times tangible book. You’ve got fintech’s companies trading at four to five times, right book, and you know, what’s Sailor doing right now? Diluting his stock so he can buy as much Bitcoin as he wants because he sees the next game. He says the hell with what you guys think the next game is going to be. Wall Street’s going to realize that Bitcoin is pristine capital and there’s only 21 million of it. What do you and, and what just happened today? What did Morgan Stanley just file a treasury company. So everything you and I are talking about, they know they’re smart guys, right? They’re real, they’re not. That’s, this is the whole point. They’re really, really, really smart. Okay. They see they’ve gone through the history. They know. Okay, so you’re sitting there, you get around the room, you say, so wait a minute. Wait. Whoa, sailor’s over here. And he’s basically saying he’s gonna give you a a pref that’s basically backed by Bitcoin charging 10%. And he’s going after our corporate clients. I mean, and what’s the pitch Buck? You’ve got a hundred million dollars. Okay, you got a hundred million dollars in the kitty. Okay, buck. What happens is you need $10 million a year for working capital, which is in cash, which means you’ve got $90 million sitting there idle. Hey, buck, I can give you 10% on that. You go to Jamie, he’s giving you two. What are you gonna do? Yeah. I think one of the issues right now is I the, the perceived risk profile of that. Right. Uh, you know. I tend to agree with you about the, uh, pristine nature of Bitcoin s collateral, but just in general, the perception. I don’t know that, that that’s. That’s the case. Well, you gotta go back to the fact that, do you think Bitcoin’s going to zero or not? No, of course not. Yeah. ‘ cause the Bitcoin doesn’t go to zero. There’s no, then, then that are, there’s Bitcoin could go to zero. There’s no, I mean, I don’t think, I mean, non-zero probability, of course, right? I don’t think it is. And if that has been, if it has been selected and now you have Wall Street coalescing it, I haven’t even mentioned the president of the United States or his family. Right. Uh, or the Commerce Secretary and his family, right? Or if you go to New York, wall Street, right, they’re all talking about it, right? So, I, I, you know, to me, I, I, the question about micro strategy, to me it’s not. That it’s a treasury company and it’s got a pile of Bitcoin. What does he do with it? Does he become a bank? Like why does it, this is me. I’m pitching him. Right. Hey, Mike, why don’t you just become a FinTech, say you’re like a FinTech company and you’ll get, and you, you’re gonna instantaneously trade it five to six times book. Why don’t you, why are you, you’re talking like you’re attacking them, but you’re still, you’re still a software company with a, with a big whack of Bitcoin that you are writing pres. Right? So, and, and so that’s, that’s how I look at it. I think the wave is too big. We are going to digitize. And the other thing that we didn’t really touch on with respect to AI and blockchain, and I’m gonna paraphrase the president. Right. Um, Mr. Trump is, look, um, it’s a matter of national security, duke, and when I hear that, I go back to the nineties in the eighties when I was in late eighties when I was an undergrad. Right. And it wasn’t China, it was Japan. And, and you know, what happened was, you know, it, it’s funny, Al Gore did deregulate so that. The internet could become for-profit. We all stood around and said, you know what the hell could, how do we make money on this? That’s, you know, what do we do? And then what did we do? We, we, we threw a ton of money at it and the United States controlled it. And what did we get out of it? We got out, we got, you know, all those companies. Right. The last thing I would say to you, and this is much more of a personal story, is I, when I was younger, I was in New York and it was 2000 and I was at the Grand Hyatt, and it was a tech, it was a tech conference and, uh, Larry Ellison Oracle was there and he gave a, he gave a, he gave a a, a fireside chat. Then, um, we go to a breakout room and, you know, in a break, I don’t know about if you’ve been to one, but you go to a breakout room, it’s a smaller room at the hotel, and you know, sometimes you got 25 people, sometimes you got 50 people, right. And, you know, I went to the, I went to the breakout with Mr. Allison ’cause of Oracle and I went in there and it was absolutely jammed and I was sweating and he just looked at us and he just ripped us. He AP Soly, just, I still have the scars today. I’m talking to you about it. Okay. He called it a bubble. He called it a bubble. He, he was early in calling it a bubble. I never forgot that. And then you sit there and see what he’s doing right now. Where he’s levering up the balance sheet. Now, to me, having survived in this game for such a long period of time, and I call it a game, it’s a game of strategy, whatever, you know, how does that not, you know, I would say to you, we were, your office was next to mine. Fuck. I remember New York, he’s loading the goose loaded in. He go in, he’s borrowing money from his grandmother. He’s, you know, what is going on. And he’s really stinking smart. You know, he’s, he, Larry Allenson just doesn’t do, and people, oh, he’s in, you know, he’s, no, he’s not, he’s, he’s like the mentor of all of these guys. You know what I mean? So there’s a, to me, there’s a discontinuity that these need to believe that we’re still early on because you know, what, if Larry’s, what do we take when Larry or Mr. Ellison is leveraging up to me, it’s profound because I’m anchoring off of my bias to the New York, the New York high at, at the Tech Co. I think it was, I think it was at Bear Stearn. I couldn’t remember Bear Stearns or Lehman. But you know, one of those I carry that experience on with the rest of my life. I do. It’s like, what is Larry thinking? Right? So he’s leveraging up buck. That’s all I know. He’s a priest or guy. Well, that’s probably a good place for us to stop, Jim, uh, chief, uh, market strategist at Wellington Elta Private Wealth. Thank you so much for joining me. Thanks so much and be safe. You make a lot of money but are still worried about retirement. Maybe you didn’t start earning until your thirties. Now you’re trying to catch up. Meanwhile, you’ve got a mortgage, a private school to pay for, and you feel like you’re getting further and further behind. Now, good news, if you need to catch up on retirement, check out a program put out by some of the oldest and most prestigious life insurance companies in the world. It’s called Wealth Accelerator, and it can help you amplify your returns quickly, protect your money from creditors, and provide financial protection to your family if something happens. The concepts here are used by some of the wealthiest families in the world, and there’s no reason why they can’t be used by you. Check it out for yourself by going to wealth formula banking.com. Welcome back to the show everyone. Hope you enjoyed it. Uh, and, uh, as I said before, do not ignore ai. This is something that you need to start using. Have your kids start using it. Uh, make sure that they, you know. They use it every day because this whole world is turning AI and it’s gonna happen. You know, it’s gonna happen in, in a blink of an, uh, blink of an eye. And the world is gonna change and there are gonna be real winners out there. And the winners are gonna be people who knew where there was, was going and kind of used it in their mind’s eye as they looked on navigating how. You know how to allocate their money. Anyway, that is it for me. This week on Wealth Formula Podcast. This is Buck JJoffrey signing off. If you wanna learn more, you can now get free access to our in-depth personal finance course featuring industry leaders like Tom Wheel Wright and Ken McElroy. Visit wealth formula roadmap.com.

Badlands Media
Baseless Conspiracies Ep. 168: Central Banks, Coincidences, and the Illusion of Accountability

Badlands Media

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2026 124:13


In Episode 168 of Baseless Conspiracies, Jon Herold and Zak Paine dive into a wide-ranging discussion that blends humor, skepticism, and pattern recognition. The conversation moves from lighthearted banter into deeper territory, exploring coincidences that seem too frequent to ignore and questioning where coincidence ends and intent begins. The hosts examine themes surrounding accountability, power structures, and whether the justice being presented to the public is real or merely symbolic. This episode touches on central banking, institutional immunity, and the growing sense that certain systems operate beyond the reach of law or consequence. Along the way, Jon and Zak reflect on personal experiences, philosophical questions about consciousness and belief, and the role of religion and morality in how people interpret the world around them. As always, the discussion remains candid and unscripted, inviting listeners to think critically, connect dots for themselves, and decide what truly qualifies as “baseless.”

Making Sense
HOLY SHT! Did You See What JUST Happened to Freddie Mac?!

Making Sense

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2026 20:22


What is going on with Freddie Mac? The Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, which is Freddie's official, has seen its stock utterly pummeled this past week, crashing by 25%. Since Freddie is one of the mortgage giants, this isn't just some run of the mill equity. The story here appears to be tied up in a number of different angles, from GSE QE to its IPO, but the themes we keep coming back to are concerns over its cash and our jobs.Eurodollar University's conversation w/Steve Van Metre---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------What if your gold could actually pay you every month… in MORE gold?That's exactly what Monetary Metals does. You still own your gold, fully insured in your name, but instead of sitting idle, it earns real yield paid in physical gold. No selling. No trading. Just more gold every month.Check it out here: https://monetary-metals.com/snider---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------https://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

Making Sense
The 3 Stages of Every Financial Collapse (We're in Stage 1)

Making Sense

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 18, 2026 24:48


Every financial crisis generally takes place in three steps. And while there aren't bright, clear lines of separation between them, each one does have unique characteristics that allow us to get a sense of where things stand in the process. That's the thing, cycles are processes and as this one might go through all three steps, each one represents an escalation in that process. We're in Stage 1, that's just the start. Stage 2, it's getting serious. Make it all the way to three...well, you never want to see THREE.Eurodollar University's Money & Macro Analysis--------------------------------------------------------------------------EDU's Subscription DDA-all Offer for the Credit CycleGo from getting blindsided by the markets to reading the eurodollar signals weeks before they hit. Try it all risk-free for 14 days.https://web.eurodollar-university.com/eurodollar-vsl-page-a--------------------------------------------------------------------------https://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

Proletarian Radio
Venezuela Acting President Delcy Rodriguez gives a master class on US sanctions policy in 2024

Proletarian Radio

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 18, 2026 11:22


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxaY85MGBJQ "I have never seen the US government arrive in a desert to plant life. They always arrive to destroy." Venezuela's Acting President Delcy Rodríguez gave a master class on US sanctions policy in 2024 She connected it directly to Palestine: "The genocide against Palestine is an extension of the same policy—the destruction of humanity, exterminating peoples so that speculative capital survives." What she said:

Making Sense
WE NEED To Talk About Chinese Banks IMMEDIATELY

Making Sense

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2026 19:59


Today we're going be unpacking the latest from closely watched indicators out of China: bank lending data, household credit, the movement of the yuan, and what a single real estate developer—China Vanke—tells us about debt and payments right now. Bank lending in 2025 fell to the lowest since 2018 largely because household lending utterly collapsed. Yes, it collapsed last year. Eurodollar University's Money & Macro Analysis---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------What if your gold could actually pay you every month… in MORE gold?That's exactly what Monetary Metals does. You still own your gold, fully insured in your name, but instead of sitting idle, it earns real yield paid in physical gold. No selling. No trading. Just more gold every month.Check it out here: https://monetary-metals.com/snider---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------https://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

Making Sense
Global Currencies Doing Something Very Dangerous

Making Sense

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2026 21:10


The Japanese yen keeps tumbling and as it does it is tanking the bond market over there. What we have is the first case of a currency value setting interest rates, with, of course, the Bank of Japan helplessly caught in the middle. That helplessness is reinforced by the fact Japan's currency is being closely paralleled by South Korea's and others across Asia. The tumbling won and yen have led to government calls for stringent action, including from Treasury Secretary Bessent today.Eurodollar University's Money & Macro Analysis---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------EDU LIVE PRESIDENT'S DAY FEBRUARY 2026If you're a serious investor and want to capitalize on what the monetary system is signaling right now, plus deep discussions about what truly is the greatest threat we all face, join me, Hugh Hendry, George Gammon, Steve Van Metre, Brent Johnson, Mike Green at Eurodollar University's very first Live Event, President's Day Weekend February 2026. To reserve your spot just go here but you better hurry, there aren't many spots left:https://eurodollar-university.com/event-home-page---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Statement from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powellhttps://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/powell20260111a.htmBloomberg Tariff Pass-Through Limited So Far, US Data Showhttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2026-01-13/tariff-pass-through-limited-so-far-us-data-show-evening-briefing-americas‘Sell America' Trade Is Revived by Trump's Latest Fed Attackhttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-12/fed-subpoenas-revive-sell-america-trade-on-autonomy-concernsSouth Korea Is Pulling Out All Stops to Try to Prop Up Wonhttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-12-18/south-korea-digs-deeper-into-intervention-toolkit-as-won-slidesBessent Calls Out Drop in South Korea's Won After Remarks on Yenhttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-14/bessent-flags-won-s-weakness-as-excessive-offering-rare-supporthttps://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

Mises Media
The United States v. Jerome Powell

Mises Media

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2026


On this episode of Power and Market, Ryan, Connor, and Tho discuss the reported probe into Fed Chair Jerome Powell. Is this actual accountability for malfeasance, or a petty battle of DC egos? At the end of the day, does the difference matter? And should Powell be encouraged that central banks around the world are standing in solidarity with him? The panel dives into these questions and more.

Bloomberg Talks
ECB's Kazaks Talks Central Bank Pressure

Bloomberg Talks

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2026 10:14 Transcription Available


ECB Governing Council member Martins Kazaks warned that the pressure on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell could lead to an increase in inflation expectations. The Latvian central banker also said he supports the issuance of joint debt for defense spending in Europe. He spoke to Stephen Carroll and Caroline Hepker on Bloomberg Daybreak Europe.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The John Batchelor Show
S8 Ep313: Guest: Joseph Sternberg. President Trump is reportedly using an investigation into Fed Chairman Jerome Powell as a pretext to influence interest rate decisions. Sternberg notes that while central banks like the Bank of England strive for indepen

The John Batchelor Show

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2026 7:12


Guest: Joseph Sternberg. President Trump is reportedly using an investigation into Fed Chairman Jerome Powell as a pretext to influence interest rate decisions. Sternberg notes that while central banks like the Bank of England strive for independence, they are increasingly politicized. Additionally, Western media outlets like the BBC initially faced criticism for slow coverage of Iranian massacres.1808 BANK OF ENGLAND

Making Sense
BREAKING: JP Morgan Just Sent a MASSIVE Warning to Credit Markets

Making Sense

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2026 21:35


JP Morgan missed on its earnings after failing to sell as many bonds as it was expecting for its customers. At the same time, Jamie Dimon, the bank's CEO, he of cockroach fame, was forced to acknowledge how the labor market had softened before then going on to describe Goldilocks anyway. This is something that has come up in a couple of other sources already, not Goldilocks though that is the Fed's official position, too. No, bond issuance is looking weak heading into 2026, another one of those key credit cycle signs.  Eurodollar University's Money & Macro Analysis---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------EDU LIVE PRESIDENT'S DAY FEBRUARY 2026If you're a serious investor and want to capitalize on what the monetary system is signaling right now, plus deep discussions about what truly is the greatest threat we all face, join me, Hugh Hendry, George Gammon, Steve Van Metre, Brent Johnson, Mike Green at Eurodollar University's very first Live Event, President's Day Weekend February 2026. To reserve your spot just go here but you better hurry, there aren't many spots left:https://eurodollar-university.com/event-home-page---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------JPM Q4 2025https://www.jpmorganchase.com/content/dam/jpmc/jpmorgan-chase-and-co/investor-relations/documents/quarterly-earnings/2025/4th-quarter/d868c7ef-1670-465d-ba75-c2b36ddbcc6b.pdfJPM Q4 2024 https://www.jpmorganchase.com/content/dam/jpmc/jpmorgan-chase-and-co/investor-relations/documents/quarterly-earnings/2024/4th-quarter/36b3c0a4-3ecd-422e-8167-0a31372f3438.pdfA Growing Number of Bonds Edge Closer to Junk Statushttps://www.tradealgo.com/news/a-growing-number-of-bonds-edge-closer-to-junk-statushttps://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

The Money Show
SA Governor on Fed Independence as WEF Warns of 2026 Risks; Rainbow RE Starts Rare Earths Pilot

The Money Show

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2026 79:53 Transcription Available


Stephen Grootes speaks to Sanisha Packirisamy about SA Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago’s support for an independent US Federal Reserve amid political pressure and market uncertainty. In other interviews, Spiros Fatouros unpacks the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2026, highlighting key threats facing the global and South African economies, while George Bernett, CEO of Rainbow Rare Earths, discusses the company’s pilot project at Phalaborwa and its significance for critical minerals supply chains. The Money Show is a podcast hosted by well-known journalist and radio presenter, Stephen Grootes. He explores the latest economic trends, business developments, investment opportunities, and personal finance strategies. Each episode features engaging conversations with top newsmakers, industry experts, financial advisors, entrepreneurs, and politicians, offering you thought-provoking insights to navigate the ever-changing financial landscape.    Thank you for listening to a podcast from The Money Show Listen live Primedia+ weekdays from 18:00 and 20:00 (SA Time) to The Money Show with Stephen Grootes broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj and CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show, go to https://buff.ly/7QpH0jY or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/PlhvUVe Subscribe to The Money Show Daily Newsletter and the Weekly Business Wrap here https://buff.ly/v5mfetc The Money Show is brought to you by Absa     Follow us on social media   702 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/ 702 on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk 702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702   CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/Radio702 CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

RTÉ - Morning Ireland
Pushback after Trump administration's probe of Federal Reserve's Powell

RTÉ - Morning Ireland

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2026 5:50


Patrick Honahan, Former Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland, reacts to a letter issued by several leading global bankers, supporting the Chair of the US Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, after criminal proceedings were issued against him.

Making Sense
40% of Canadian Real Estate Funds Just Froze Investors…

Making Sense

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2026 19:25


Almost 40% of Canadian real estate funds have restricted access to investor funds, and that includes potential payouts. It's a sign of how deep the housing bust in Canada has gotten to be, but also applies to the situation that's spreading across global markets where it comes to the shadow bank matter. In fact, the UK's house of lords urged the Bank of England to look into private credit risks “as a matter of urgency.”Eurodollar University's Money & Macro Analysis-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------What is a Eurodollar University membership? It's where understanding the monetary world isn't a mystery, it's a method.If you're serious about your financial education and want clarity in a world of volatility and massive uncertainty, you're in the right place. Mainstream education has left so many massive gaps on the most foundational concepts, making sense of everything is practically impossible otherwise. With our memberships, we'll fill in everything that you've been missing. Join us: https://web.eurodollar-university.com/eurodollar-vsl-page-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Bloomberg Canadians Are Furious After Real Estate Funds Lock Up Their Moneyhttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-12/fed-subpoenas-revive-sell-america-trade-on-autonomy-concernsBloomberg Private Credit Risks Need Urgent Attention, UK Lawmakers Sayhttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-09/lords-report-slams-uk-treasury-for-apathy-to-private-credit-riskhttps://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

Radio Sweden
Swedish Central Bank backs US Fed chief, record cocaine haul, more snow, stick-less hockey team

Radio Sweden

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2026 2:26


A round-up of the main headlines in Sweden on January 13th 2026. You can hear more reports on our homepage www.radiosweden.se, or in the app Sveriges Radio. Presenter/producer: Sujay Dutt

Making Sense
Trump Just Triggered Housing QE (Brace for Impact)

Making Sense

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2026 21:22


Call it GSE QE. The same day it was reported US housing construction fell to the lowest since 2020, the Trump administration announced it was going to direct the housing GSEs, Fannie mae and Freddie Mac, to buy $200 billion in mortgage securities. The idea is that those purchases will reduce mortgage borrowing costs and offer some aid to struggling households who might then consider buying a house previously out of their reach.  Eurodollar University's conversation w/Steve Van Metre---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------What if your gold could actually pay you every month… in MORE gold?That's exactly what Monetary Metals does. You still own your gold, fully insured in your name, but instead of sitting idle, it earns real yield paid in physical gold. No selling. No trading. Just more gold every month.Check it out here: https://monetary-metals.com/snider---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------EDU LIVE PRESIDENT'S DAY FEBRUARY 2026If you're a serious investor and want to capitalize on what the monetary system is signaling right now, plus deep discussions about what truly is the greatest threat we all face, join me, Hugh Hendry, George Gammon, Steve Van Metre, Brent Johnson, Mike Green at Eurodollar University's very first Live Event, President's Day Weekend February 2026. To reserve your spot just go here but you better hurry, there aren't many spots left:https://eurodollar-university.com/event-home-page---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Monetary Policy and the Mortgage Markethttps://www.kansascityfed.org/Jackson%20Hole/documents/10336/schnabl_jh.pdfDid the Federal Reserve's MBS Purchase Program Lower Mortgage Rates?https://www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/feds/2011/201101/201101pap.pdfhttps://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

CBS This Morning - News on the Go
Key Moments from the Golden Globes | Tips for Saving on Travel in 2026

CBS This Morning - News on the Go

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2026 41:14


Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said in a video Sunday that the Justice Department is investigating whether he lied to Congress about the Central Bank's renovation project. He compared the threat of criminal indictment to intimidation and said, "This unprecedented action should be seen in the broader context of the administration's threats and ongoing pressure." Scott MacFarlane reports. At the first major awards show of the season, "One Battle After Another" and "Adolescence" both won four awards. In a surprise win, "Hamnet" upset "Sinners" for best motion picture for a drama. Entertainment Tonight co-hosts Nischelle Turner and Kevin Frasier break down the winners, surprises and big moments from the Golden Globes. Are you looking for cheaper travel and a budget-friendly getaway for 2026? Brian Kelly, founder and CEO of The Points Guy, shares ways to cut costs and discusses travel trends. Bob Weir, a co-founder and guitarist for the iconic rock band the Grateful Dead, has died at 78. Anthony Mason looks back at Weir's life and music career. The NAACP Image Awards celebrate the outstanding achievements and performances of people of color in arts and entertainment. Comedian and actor Deon Cole and NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson exclusively reveal some of the nominees on CBS Mornings for this year's awards. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Financial Exchange Show
Is Central Bank independence a good or bad thing?

The Financial Exchange Show

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2026 38:35 Transcription Available


Chuck Zodda and Mike Armstrong discuss Jerome Powell under investigation over renovations. Is Central Bank independence a good or bad thing? Americans are right to be worried about the labor market. Why do we care so much about jobs data? Magnificent 7's stock market dominance shows signs of cracking. GOP lawmakers back stock trading crackdown.

Making Sense
Consumers Just Pulled the Trigger on Credit Cards (Brace for Impact)

Making Sense

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 11, 2026 20:54


US consumers have basically stopped using their credit cards. According to the Fed's latest data, revolving consumer credit declined again, the third time over the last seven months. And one of those other three was basically zero. There has been a clear change in attitude which means Americans aren't just feeling pessimistic, they're taking action about it. That is why consumer revolving credit is a critical cyclical signal, it draws together all the major components.  Eurodollar University's Money & Macro Analysis---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------What if your gold could actually pay you every month… in MORE gold?That's exactly what Monetary Metals does. You still own your gold, fully insured in your name, but instead of sitting idle, it earns real yield paid in physical gold. No selling. No trading. Just more gold every month.Check it out here: https://monetary-metals.com/snider---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------https://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

Making Sense
Something Is Breaking in Private Credit

Making Sense

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2026 21:23


Blue Owl, a name we've gotten to know for all the wrong reasons, has been forced to come clean after getting sued by pretty much every class action securities lawyer in America, not only into admitting there was a wave of withdrawals but also promising to accommodate them over and above what it normally would. Not only does that further confirm the First stage of the credit cycle reverse, it actually sets up the second stage. In this video, we're going to cover where everything in the credit cycle stands and and more importantly what it all means. Eurodollar University's Money & Macro Analysis------------------------------------------------------------------------------EDU LIVE PRESIDENT'S DAY FEBRUARY 2026If you're a serious investor and want to capitalize on what the monetary system is signaling right now, plus deep discussions about what truly is the greatest threat we all face, join me, Hugh Hendry, George Gammon, Steve Van Metre, Brent Johnson, Mike Green at Eurodollar University's very first Live Event, President's Day Weekend February 2026. To reserve your spot just go here but you better hurry, there aren't many spots left:https://eurodollar-university.com/event-home-page---------------------------------------------------------------------------------Bloomberg Publicly Traded Private-Credit Funds Set for Worst Year Since 2020https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-12-29/publicly-traded-private-credit-funds-set-for-worst-year-since-2020Bloomberg Blue Owl BDC Allows 17% Redemptions as Investors Storm Exithttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-07/blue-owl-bdc-allows-for-17-redemptions-as-investors-storm-exithttps://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

Making Sense
This Chart Explains Why America Is Breaking

Making Sense

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2026 18:17


This is simply insane – new car sales among American households making $75k or less have crashed by 30% since 2019. Car prices soared. Incomes didn't. They can't afford a new car. But it's not just the lowest incomes. Those making between $75k and $150k have bought 7% fewer cars than in 2019. This is a lot more than the K-shaped economy and to call it an affordability crisis seriously understates the problem. Eurodollar University's Money & Macro Analysis------------------------------------------------------------------------------EDU LIVE PRESIDENT'S DAY FEBRUARY 2026If you're a serious investor and want to capitalize on what the monetary system is signaling right now, plus deep discussions about what truly is the greatest threat we all face, join me, Hugh Hendry, George Gammon, Steve Van Metre, Brent Johnson, Mike Green at Eurodollar University's very first Live Event, President's Day Weekend February 2026. To reserve your spot just go here but you better hurry, there aren't many spots left:https://eurodollar-university.com/event-home-page---------------------------------------------------------------------------------Fox Business Fed Governor Stephen Miran says more than 100 basis points in rate cuts justified this yearhttps://www.foxbusiness.com/media/fed-governor-stephen-miran-says-more-than-100-basis-points-cuts-justified-yearBloomberg Slowing Auto Sales Stoke Concern Over Near-Record Car Priceshttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-05/us-auto-sales-poised-to-slip-as-middle-class-buyers-retreathttps://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

Making Sense
HOLY SH*T! Did You See Commodity Prices

Making Sense

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2026 20:51


Commodities are going nuts right now, with copper now parabolic joining silver on the crazy train. Gold is lagging behind both, which is not a good sign for each's ability to stay on the upside. Meanwhile, at the complete other end of the commodity spectrum is oil, not just in terms of prices but key spreads in Middle East markets. One of those just flipped for the first time in years, signaling growing worries about global demand.  Eurodollar University's Money & Macro Analysis---------------------------------------------What is a Eurodollar University membership? It's where understanding the monetary world isn't a mystery, it's a method.If you're serious about your financial education and want clarity in a world of volatility and massive uncertainty, you're in the right place. Mainstream education has left so many massive gaps on the most foundational concepts, making sense of everything is practically impossible otherwise. With our memberships, we'll fill in everything that you've been missing. Join us: https://web.eurodollar-university.com/eurodollar-vsl-pagehttps://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

Making Sense
This Shouldn't Be Possible...

Making Sense

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2026 22:00


Loss of momentum isn't just happening in the US, it is very well synchronized globally with practically the same pattern showing up everywhere. Updates from neighbors Canada and Mexico show a deepening downturn at the end of last year, especially Mexico putting up its deepest contraction since April. Over in Europe, Germany fell back bringing Italy down with it. Plus, global bellwether Switzerland experienced its own “unexpectedly” sharp setback. Eurodollar University's Money & Macro Analysis---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------What if your gold could actually pay you every month… in MORE gold?That's exactly what Monetary Metals does. You still own your gold, fully insured in your name, but instead of sitting idle, it earns real yield paid in physical gold. No selling. No trading. Just more gold every month.Check it out here: https://monetary-metals.com/snider---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SPG Canada Manuhttps://www.pmi.spglobal.com/Public/Home/PressRelease/78c6ddcb80cf4ef0b14fc9dc3c091c86SPG Mexico Manuhttps://www.pmi.spglobal.com/Public/Home/PressRelease/47f22c8de61b4d54965a25c3d3c417caSPG Germany Manuhttps://www.pmi.spglobal.com/Public/Home/PressRelease/bd3c462f68704c5ea1613f2fce2879fdSPG Italy Manuhttps://www.pmi.spglobal.com/Public/Home/PressRelease/be3b992b4ebb4b4db3030abaff5e0bc5Bloomberg Swiss Manufacturing Contracted More Than Anticipated in Decemberhttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-05/swiss-manufacturing-contracted-more-than-anticipated-in-decemberhttps://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

Bankless
How the Stablecoin Milkshake will Redollarize the World | Brent Johnson

Bankless

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 55:58


Brent Johnson returns to Bankless to update the Dollar Milkshake Theory and explain why the de-dollarization narrative misses the bigger trend. He argues markets may want out of the dollar, but the Eurodollar system keeps pulling demand back in, and “dollar down” headlines do not break the framework. Brent also covers how debt stress can spill into political instability, why stablecoins and the GENIUS Act could accelerate re-dollarization, and what this means for monetary sovereignty. We close with China's counter-strategy and how Brent thinks about positioning from here. ---

Making Sense
The TRILLION Dollar AI Debt Bubble Is Bursting

Making Sense

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 20:05


The number of legendary investors calling this an AI bubble continues to climb, with Howard Marks, co-founder of Wall Street giant Oaktree flatly stating if AI isn't conforming to the historical bubble pattern, it will be a first. But there are some key differences within that pattern that just aren't being fully appreciated. Starting with how this AI bubble isn't actually about the stock market. Eurodollar University's conversation w/Steve Van Metre------------------------------------------------------------------------------EDU LIVE PRESIDENT'S DAY FEBRUARY 2026If you're a serious investor and want to capitalize on what the monetary system is signaling right now, plus deep discussions about what truly is the greatest threat we all face, join me, Hugh Hendry, George Gammon, Steve Van Metre, Brent Johnson, Mike Green at Eurodollar University's very first Live Event, President's Day Weekend February 2026. To reserve your spot just go here but you better hurry, there aren't many spots left:https://eurodollar-university.com/event-home-page---------------------------------------------------------------------------------https://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

Making Sense
Ok, Now It's Official...The Sh*t Is Hitting The Fan

Making Sense

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2026 21:40


Bull steepening on the Treasury curve, falling energy prices especially gasoline, the final look at the US economy in 2025 shows it losing momentum again as the new year begins. In fact, even mainstream Economists, the most optimistic bunch you'll find, they're growing concerned again, with Moody's chief economist saying, quote, “nothing else can go wrong” because in his words, we're already on the edge of recession. Eurodollar University's Money & Macro Analysis---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------What if your gold could actually pay you every month… in MORE gold?That's exactly what Monetary Metals does. You still own your gold, fully insured in your name, but instead of sitting idle, it earns real yield paid in physical gold. No selling. No trading. Just more gold every month.Check it out here: https://monetary-metals.com/snider---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------S&P Global US Manu PMIhttps://www.pmi.spglobal.com/Public/Home/PressRelease/7ca2ebfa9cce4c768e0cf449ba966293https://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

Making Sense
HOLY SH*T: Europe's Banks Are Acting Like It's 2020 Again

Making Sense

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 3, 2026 20:14


There was an explosion, a record spike – and it's not even close - in lending by European banks to European shadow banks in October and November. This spike in European bank lending wasn't some newfound enthusiasm to take on risks. It was emergency lending, a shadow bank shadow bailout which was every bit the other side of the US$ repo tightness I've been telling you about. This surge in shadow bank borrowing in euros shows how widespread and global funding pressure has already been.  Eurodollar University's Money & Macro Analysis------------------------------------------------------------------------------EDU LIVE PRESIDENT'S DAY FEBRUARY 2026If you're a serious investor and want to capitalize on what the monetary system is signaling right now, plus deep discussions about what truly is the greatest threat we all face, join me, Hugh Hendry, George Gammon, Steve Van Metre, Brent Johnson, Mike Green at Eurodollar University's very first Live Event, President's Day Weekend February 2026. To reserve your spot just go here but you better hurry, there aren't many spots left:https://eurodollar-university.com/event-home-page---------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Banker Explainer: Why the IMF fears contagion from lenders' shadow bank exposurehttps://www.thebanker.com/content/0ec3d3f5-62bc-4aa1-8202-9cccb6ebc2a3Bloomberg Deutsche Bank Leads EU Lenders' Exposure to Shadow Bankshttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-12-11/deutsche-bank-most-exposed-in-europe-to-shadow-banks-ubs-sayshttps://www.eurodollar.universityTwitter: https://twitter.com/JeffSnider_EDU

X22 Report
Midterm Strategy Emerges,Trump Is Taking Down The [DS] Entire Corrupt Temple, Retribution – Ep. 3805

X22 Report

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2025 97:57


Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> Click On Picture To See Larger Picture[CB] around the world are dumping the Fed note, they just aren’t taking on anymore, everything is about to change. Trump’s GDP outshines Biden’s. China is now going to restrict silver, silver is used in electronics, batteries,solar panels etc. Silver prices are going to move. [CB] fraud is now exposed. The Tariff system is the future. The [DS] criminal syndicate is being exposed, it’s not just in DC it is world wide. As people learn how corrupt the system is and most of the taxes and borrowing goes to support the criminal system the people will be with Trump to remove the Fed. Trump is in the process of bringing down the entire corrupt temple on the [DS]. Trump moves closer to peace with Ukraine, 2026 is going to change everything. Economy Status of the US Dollar as Global Reserve Currency: USD Share Drops to Lowest since 1994  Central Banks diversify their holdings into dozens of smaller “non-traditional reserve currencies.”  The share of USD-denominated assets held by other central banks dropped to 56.9% of total foreign exchange reserves in Q3, the lowest since 1994, from 57.1% in Q2 and 58.5% in Q1, according to the IMF's new data on Currency Composition of Official Foreign Exchange Reserves. USD-denominated foreign exchange reserves include US Treasury securities, US mortgage-backed securities (MBS), US agency securities, US corporate bonds, and other USD-denominated assets held by central banks other than the Fed. Excluded are any central bank's assets denominated in its own currency, such as the Fed's Treasury securities or the ECB's euro-denominated securities. It's not that foreign central banks dumped US-dollar-denominated assets, such as Treasury securities. They did not. They added a little to their holdings. But they added more assets denominated in other currencies, particularly a gaggle of smaller currencies whose combined share has surged, while central banks' holdings of USD-denominated assets haven't changed much for a decade, and so the percentage share of those USD assets continued to decline.   Central banks' holdings of foreign exchange reserves in all currencies, and expressed in USD, rose to $13.0 trillion in Q3. Top holdings, expressed in USD: USD assets: $7.41 trillion Euro assets (EUR): $2.65 trillion Yen assets (YEN): $0.76 trillion British pound assets (GBP): $0.58 trillion Canadian dollar assets (CAD): $0.35 trillion Australian dollar assets (AUD): $0.27 trillion Chinese renminbi (RMB) assets: $0.25 trillion Source: wolfstreet.com (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:18510697282300316,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8599-9832"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");  https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/2004750391435755846?s=20 https://twitter.com/ElectionWiz/status/2004928015172821228?s=20 https://twitter.com/ElectionWiz/status/2004946780216328590?s=20  Political/Rights https://twitter.com/Patri0tContr0l/status/2004590513182367845?s=20  https://twitter.com/Geiger_Capital/status/2005107085865103608?s=20 ICE: 70% Arrested Had Criminal Ties Roughly 70% of illegal migrants arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under the second Trump administration reportedly had been convicted of or faced charges for criminal offenses. New data provided to the Washington Examiner shows the Trump administration arrested about 595,000 illegal immigrants between Jan. 20 and Dec. 11, according to the Department of Homeland Security. ICE said 70%, roughly 416,000, had “criminal convictions or pending criminal charges” in the United States, underscoring President Donald Trump’s promise to prioritize the “worst of the worst” in immigration enforcement. ICE officials stressed that even those without U.S. criminal records can still pose major public safety threats, the agency said, noting many are wanted abroad for violent crimes or have ties to gangs, terrorism, or other serious offenses. “This statistic doesn’t account for those wanted for violent crimes in their home country or another country, INTERPOL notices, human rights abusers, gang members, terrorists, etc. The list goes on,” an ICE spokesperson told the Examiner. Source: newsmax.com   New Files Show Epstein Was ‘Too Useful' for Banks to Drop — Trump Was ‘Too Politically Dangerous' to Keep  The newest Epstein disclosures include deposition testimony that illustrates, in unusually concrete detail, how major financial institutions assessed risk, value, and accountability. The transcript does not add new allegations about Epstein. Instead, it explains why he remained bankable long after his 2008 conviction and why his relationship with major banks survived despite generating almost no traditional revenue. That institutional logic is the same logic that later drove JPMorgan to end its ties with Trump Media, and the contrast between the two cases shows how selectively these standards are applied. In the deposition, Paul Morris—a private banker who handled Epstein's accounts at JPMorgan Chase and later Deutsche Bank—described Epstein's financial profile with unusual precision. Epstein's trading was minimal. His accounts produced limited fees. He was not a high-activity client and did not utilize the investment tools that banks rely on to generate consistent revenue. By every conventional benchmark, he was a low-value account. And yet, the relationship continued. The deposition shows why. Epstein was not retained for his financial performance but for his institutional usefulness. Morris acknowledged that Epstein facilitated introductions to ultra-wealthy individuals that the bank viewed as essential prospects. One example was Leon Black, whom Morris identified as a “priority prospect” because of Black's significant net worth and influence in the investment sector. Epstein introduced the bank to real-estate investor Andrew Farkas and discussed a potential connection involving biotech investor Boris Nikolic, who had ties to Bill Gates. These introductions were specific, documented, and initiated by Epstein, not the bank. This is the key element that many public accounts overlook. Epstein was not being managed as a traditional client. He functioned as a relationship broker inside a system where introductions to power carry more internal value than account-level returns. Source: thegatewaypundit.com  DOGE Geopolitical The EU Leaders Shouting About Visa Bans Are the Same EU Leaders Who Sent Political Operatives Into the U.S. to Support Kamala Harris  EU leaders from across the spectrum of their collective assembly, are furious with the administration of President Donald Trump for restricting their entry into the United States by blocking their visa permissions.  However, these same EU leaders are the people who sent operatives into the United States in order to interfere in our 2024 election. The Vice President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, sums up the European position: “The decision by the U.S. to impose travel restrictions on European citizens and officials is unacceptable and an attempt to challenge our sovereignty. Europe will keep defending its values — freedom of expression, fair digital rules, and the right to regulate our own space.” The “attempt to challenge our sovereignty” statement is a particular type of hubris when we consider THIS: GREAT BRITAIN (October 2024) – The British Labour Party is sending approximately 100 current and former staff members to the United States to work for Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign in key swing states. [SOURCE – LINKEDIN] Not only did the U.K attempt to challenge our sovereignty, but they also actively worked to influence the outcome of our national election in 2024. It is worth remembering the British intelligence operation, (Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), commonly known as MI6), was at the center of the Trump-Russia collusion conspiracy in 2016. The first EU political group to be targeted with the visa bans includes French former EU commissioner Thierry Breton, who was one of the architects of the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA). Also: Imran Ahmed, the British CEO of the U.S.-based Center for Countering Digital Hate, Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon of the German non-profit HateAid, and Clare Melford, co-founder of the Global Disinformation Index. https://twitter.com/GeneHamilton/status/2004656229684224393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2004656229684224393%7Ctwgr%5E91706d63d41394916634b106fbd2268d7711e121%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheconservativetreehouse.com%2Fblog%2F2025%2F12%2F27%2Fthe-eu-leaders-shouting-about-visa-bans-are-the-same-eu-leaders-who-sent-political-operatives-into-the-u-s-to-support-kamala-harris%2F https://twitter.com/GeneHamilton/status/2004656234910433405?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2004656234910433405%7Ctwgr%5E91706d63d41394916634b106fbd2268d7711e121%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheconservativetreehouse.com%2Fblog%2F2025%2F12%2F27%2Fthe-eu-leaders-shouting-about-visa-bans-are-the-same-eu-leaders-who-sent-political-operatives-into-the-u-s-to-support-kamala-harris%2F Source: theconservativetreehouse.com https://twitter.com/michaelgwaltz/status/2005058695647166898?s=20 https://twitter.com/visegrad24/status/2005035840934723894?s=20 War/Peace   EIGHT, perhaps the United States has become the REAL United Nations, which has been of very little assistance or help in any of them, including the disaster currently going on between Russia and Ukraine. The United Nations must start getting active and involved in WORLD PEACE!   the United States is capable of doing. Under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper. May God Bless our Military, and MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues.   DONALD J. TRUMP PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Trump Tasks Military With an ‘Oil Quarantine' Against Venezuela, as Economic Pressure Is Chosen for Now Over Military Action Venezuela's oil industry under maximum pressure.   And now that the extended holidays are over, the socialist regime will have to deal with the veritable siege imposed by the US and its unprecedented armada. Venezuela is running out of storage space for its oil production since some ships are being seized and many others turned around and left.  Now, it arises that Donald J. Trump has directed US forces to enforce ‘an oil quarantine' against Venezuela for at least the next two months. These moves lead many to think that the Trump team will focus on economic rather than military means to pressure Caracas into ousting Maduro. Reuters reported:   Read  more: Source: thegatewaypundit.com Trump Blockade Leaves $1 Billion Of Venezuelan Crude Stranded On Tankers  With a two-month “quarantine” placed on Venezuelan oil by the Trump administration in a foreign policy move called “gunboat diplomacy,” new data estimate that roughly $900 million worth of crude is currently loaded on tankers, unable to depart Venezuela due to the U.S. blockade. “Based on our visual analysis from both shore and space, we estimate that there are around 17.5 million barrels of crude oil floating onboard tankers in Venezuela which are unable to depart due to the ongoing US blockade,” independent research Tanker Trackers wrote on X. “That’s around $900M of oil.” https://twitter.com/TankerTrackers/status/2004713684871078162?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2004713684871078162%7Ctwgr%5E016cd45f97095edcd74bb159f40c4e93caf9794d%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.zerohedge.com%2Fcommodities%2Ftrump-blockade-leaves-1-billion-venezuelan-crude-stranded-tankers Source: zerohedge.com Trump to POLITICO: Zelenskyy ‘doesn't have anything until I approve it' Trump's comments come ahead of his Sunday meeting with Zelenskyy, who will bring with him a new 20-point plan to end the war President Donald Trump on Friday cast himself as the ultimate arbiter of any peace deal between Ukraine and Russia, in an exclusive conversation with POLITICO. “He doesn't have anything until I approve it,” Trump said. “So we'll see what he's got.” Source: politico.com https://twitter.com/FoxNews/status/2005352028365848993?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2005352028365848993%7Ctwgr%5E1588e24fb392689513bf7b2f064c646c1bf5f470%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2025%2F12%2Ftrump-says-russia-ukraine-peace-talks-entering-final%2F  Medical/False Flags 19 Blue States Sue Trump Admin to Preserve Right to Perform Child Sex Changes Last week, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he would cut off Medicare and Medicaid funding to any provider that offers so-called gender-affirming treatment to minors. “Under my leadership, and answering President Trump's call to action, the federal government will do everything in its power to stop unsafe, irreversible practices that put our children at risk,” Kennedy said at the time. The Oregon-led lawsuit claims that the decision “exceeds the Secretary's authority and violates the Administrative Procedure Act and the Medicare and Medicaid statutes.” A total of nineteen blue states are suing the Trump administration in a bid to protect the right to perform child sex changes. His office said in a press release: Source: thegatewaypundit.com [DS] Agenda  https://twitter.com/nickshirleyy/status/2004642794862961123?s=20   work way too hard and pay too much in taxes for this to be happening, the fraud must be stopped. https://twitter.com/MAGAVoice/status/2005011311756017964?s=20 https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/2005158623442600391?s=20 https://twitter.com/DataRepublican/status/2005292438114738555?s=20  diabolical. And it’s going to work until we understand that primaries will be more important than generals from here out on. https://twitter.com/C_3C_3/status/2005016429687701811?s=20 https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2005351086115405986?s=20 https://twitter.com/CynicalPublius/status/2005030256382464493?s=20  and your tribe. I spent a lot of my life in the Middle East and Central Asia, working closely with foreign contractors and foreign governments to provide support to American military operations. As a US Army officer with a big checkbook courtesy of Uncle Sam, I can't really count the sheer number of times I was offered bribes to award a contract, or falsify records to do things like create larger (fake) headcounts at places like dining facilities, or to just simply be on the take for future illegal requests. Of course I had enough sense to never comply with such requests. Moreover, they were never explicitly structured as “bribes”; instead it was usually along the lines of “Here I have these Rolexes as gifts for you and your wife to show our friendship.” (Unfortunately, too many US officers and NCOs succumbed to this siren song and ended up breaking rocks in Leavenworth.) The weird thing about this to me was that whenever I turned down such an offering, it was treated as a grave insult. I was the one in the wrong, and not the fraudster trying to bribe me. They considered it rude that I was in their country and refused to accept how things got done. After all, why did I not want to help my tribe by helping their tribe? Let me repeat: in these cultures, FRAUD IS NOT EVEN A CONCEPT. There is only what helps your tribe. Such thought processes are so alien to Americans and much of the West. We are raised on the presumption that our institutions are valid, that the rule of law always prevails, and that integrity is universal. We need these presumptions to have working governments and economies, and without those presumptions—without the mental barrier that causes us not to accept outright fraud—our nation would quickly descend into the economic and social hellscape of countries like…. ummm… you know…. SOMALIA! So when we import people en masse from cultures that accept bribery and fraud as routine, acceptable ways to advance one's tribe, we should not be surprised that things like the $8 BILLION fraud schemes of the Somali population in Minnesota happen so easily. Introducing a fraud-based culture based on tribalism into America is like introducing some sort of lethal virus into a population that has no natural immunity. The virus will spread and grow, unchecked, because it is so alien to the host. Similarly, a culture of fraud is anathema to American thinking, and it must be cut out before it consumes the host. So when you see and hear patriotic Americans decrying what is happening in Minnesota or elsewhere, and when they seek deportation of the offenders, it is not “racism,” it is not “bigotry,” it is not “xenophobia”; instead, it is preserving the American tradition of responsible institutions and national integrity. https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/2005262465190223928?s=20 https://twitter.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2005305530651189719?s=20   exploiting federal programs. Fraud that steals from taxpayers and robs vulnerable children will remain a top FBI priority in Minnesota and nationwide. To date, the FBI dismantled a $250 million fraud scheme that stole federal food aid meant for vulnerable children during COVID. The investigation exposed sham vendors, shell companies, and large-scale money laundering tied to the Feeding Our Future network. The case led to 78 indictments and 57 convictions. Defendants included Abdiwahab Ahmed Mohamud, Ahmed Ali, Hussein Farah, Abdullahe Nur Jesow, Asha Farhan Hassan, Ousman Camara, and Abdirashid Bixi Dool, each charged for roles ranging from wire fraud to money laundering and conspiracy. These criminals didn't just engaged in historic fraud, but tried to subvert justice as well. Abdimajid Mohamed Nur and others were charged for attempting to bribe a juror with $120,000 in cash. Those responsible pleaded guilty and were sentenced, including a 10-year prison term and nearly $48 million in restitution in related cases. The FBI believes this is just the tip of a very large iceberg. We will continue to follow the money and protect children, and this investigation very much remains ongoing. Furthermore, many are also being referred to immigrations officials for possible further denaturalization and deportation proceedings where eligible. https://twitter.com/ScottPresler/status/2004932316926193933?s=20 https://twitter.com/HarmeetKDhillon/status/2004976287270731981?s=20 https://twitter.com/rising_serpent/status/2005080344610177489?s=20  https://twitter.com/amuse/status/2005092720927232198?s=20  “skeptical jurors” in federal cases involving President Trump. Co-founder Alex Dodds said jurors have “enormous power” to judge the administration itself. Critics report the sessions encourage rigging trials against the administration, conduct plainly barred under 8 USC §1503. President Trump's Plan https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2004653262491058216?s=20 accomplished what no one else could. When we arrived, taxpayers were about to be on the hook for nearly $5 billion for a new headquarters that wouldn't open until 2035. We scrapped that plan. Instead, we selected the already-existing Reagan Building, saving billions and allowing the transition to begin immediately with required safety and infrastructure upgrades already underway. Once complete, most of the HQ FBI workforce will move in, and the rest are continuing in our ongoing push to put more manpower in the field, where they will remain. This decision puts resources where they belong: defending the homeland, crushing violent crime, and protecting national security. It delivers better tools for today's FBI workforce at a fraction of the cost. The Hoover Building will be shut down permanently.  They Got Her: FBI Caught Hillary Clinton Talking Donations with Foreign Felon on Tape As Hillary Clinton closed in on the presidential nomination in the spring of 2016, FBI field officers advised colleagues at headquarters to press her on the foreign donations flowing to the Clinton Foundation while she steered American foreign policy and whether she had used the charity as a campaign piggy bank. But the FBI HQ in Washington — a city in which the former secretary of state and first lady wields enormous influence — let the trail go cold. FBI New York Assistant Director in Charge Diego Rodriguez advised agents in Washington to ask Clinton several questions about the foundation, which are reproduced in full in documents released to the Senate Judiciary Committee by the FBI and published on Dec. 15. The questions reveal the concerns about foreign bribery that the Clinton Foundation case — codenamed “Cracked Foundation” — had uncovered. Among the evidence available to investigators, according to their questions: A recorded conversation between Clinton and Indian hotel magnate Sant Singh Chatwal in which Clinton discussed donations to the foundation and her remaining 2008 campaign debt. The new documents confirm that the FBI had at one time been “intercepting individuals associated with the Clinton Foundation.” Source: westernjournal.com  John Brennan's Lawfare Lawyers are Revealing More Than They Intend   former CIA Director John Brennan are sending proactive letters to the Federal District Court for the Southern District of Florida {SEE HERE}.  However, some of the information included in the letters intended to be exculpatory is actually damning against their defense position. You have to go deep in the weeds to see it but if you understand the details of the events, the information being revealed by Brennan's lawyers is the opposite of helpful to his case.  As an example, there is a citation included in a footnote of the December 22, 2025, [fn #20 page 6] letter that links to a March 31, 2022, letter sent to John Durham. Here's page 6 of the 2025 letter. Compare the underlined section to the 2022 letter sent to John Durham. In 2025 Brennan is telling the Florida court the Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) conclusion was confirmed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller in a “very serious review.”  However, in 2022 Brennan told John Durham that Robert Mueller never interviewed him or offered an assessment of the ICA; Mueller just regurgitated it. So, which is it? These contradictions are throughout both of the letters when you compare them side-by-side.  In 2022 former CIA Director John Brennan was trying to escape the Durham review.  In 2025 Brennan is trying to escape a grand jury review. [We are aware that the U.S Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Jason Reding Quiñones, has access to the CTH public library of research into all of these historic events.] There are other citations in the 2022 letter that are certainly worth reviewing because the legally binding statements made by John Brennan at the time have been shown to be false in 2025. Another of the claims in the 2022 letter to John Durham highlights why it was critical for the CIA to assist in the capture and arrest of Julian Assange in 2019. Source: thegatewaypundit.com  Trump: Upcoming Midterms Will Be ‘About Pricing’ The 2026 midterm elections will be “about pricing,” according to President Donald Trump, who said that his administration is restoring the nation’s economy after the condition in which former President Joe Biden left it. “I think it’s going to be about the success of our country,” Trump said in an interview with Politico, the outlet reported Saturday. “They gave us high pricing, and we’re bringing it down. Energy’s way down. Gasoline is way down.” Over the past two weeks, a series of positive economic reports has shown that inflation is decreasing, with the White House highlighting the latest data while addressing cost-of-living concerns nationwide. According to a Politico poll conducted last month, Americans say they are finding that the costs of groceries, utilities, healthcare, housing, and transportation are too expensive. Trump has been fighting to reframe that, however, blaming Democrats under Biden for driving prices up. He said in the interview, conducted Friday, that “electricity is down. It’s way down.” “When the gasoline goes down, and when the oil and gas go down, the electricity comes down naturally,” he said. “But it’s all coming down. It’s all coming down. It’s coming beautifully.” Source: newsmax.com https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2004696380531503505?s=20   the NG will have quick response troops on standby in every state, the FBI building is being moved to a new location, the war between Russia and Ukraine is coming to an end, and all of Trump's pieces will be in place. There seems to be a shift in attitude. I think we are passing into a different phase of the operation. The shadow war will eventually have to come to the surface. 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