The Trump Put & How ETFs are Shaping Wild Markets with Eric Balchunas

Can one word from a U.S. president really move markets by 8% in two hours? Bloomberg’s Eric Balchunas calls it the "Trump Put"—and that's just for starters.

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Raise Your Average hosts Pierre and Mike welcome back Bloomberg Senior ETF Analyst Eric Balchunas, and co-host of Trillions, for a dynamic conversation that peels back the curtain on ETF flows, investor psychology, and the growing crossover between crypto and traditional finance. Balchunas unpacks the hidden narratives driving today's markets—from the surge in passive flows and rebalancing tailwinds, to the rise of “Vanguardians” and the Degens chasing leveraged plays. He also explores how mutual fund share classes, private credit, and public-private crossovers are changing the ETF landscape. With his signature humor and razor-sharp insight, Balchunas offers a front-row seat to the evolution of asset management.

Key Takeaways:

Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro and Eric Balchunas joins the show 03:00 – $333B ETF inflows and the "Vanguard clip" 05:45 – The divergence between retail flows and institutional positioning 07:00 – The "Trump Put" and the 8% rally on one word 08:30 – Degens, leveraged ETFs, and why people keep buying the dip 10:00 – Persistent love for U.S. stocks despite better international value 12:00 – Gold vs. Bitcoin: who's winning in 2025? 14:00 – Bitcoin's improving volatility profile and “better owners” 16:00 – Why Bitcoin ETFs are changing the game 18:30 – Cognitive dissonance: crypto purists vs. TradFi adoption 21:00 – Passive power, BlackRock conspiracies, and Bogle’s last stand 27:30 – ETF transparency vs. mutual fund mythology 30:00 – Mutual fund ETF share classes: game changer or Trojan horse? 34:00 – Private credit and public-private crossover ETFs 38:30 – Why XOVR’s SpaceX bet caught fire 40:00 – The veil lifts on private equity NAV “magic” 43:00 – Active ETFs: rebirth, reinvention, or just beta repackaged? 50:00 – The final frontier: alts, liquidity, and the ETF trust factor

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