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James Fishback discusses his experience at Greenlight Capital, highlighting a legal battle with his former employer over his title as head of macro and his contributions to the firm's macro returns.
Fishback shares his journey at Greenlight from starting as an analyst, ultimately being promoted to a trader and then to the head of macro. He emphasizes his responsibilities and contributions during his time at the firm.
Fishback recounts efforts to resolve disputes with Greenlight post-departure, including cease and desist letters, legal proceedings, and challenges in establishing his role and responsibilities at the company.
Fishback underscores the importance of transparency and truth in his interactions, especially concerning defamation allegations. He scrutinizes statements made about his work and position, engaging in legal proceedings to uphold his credibility.
James Fishback discusses his decision to leave Greenlight Capital due to feeling undervalued and seeking a more independent and rewarding opportunity. He highlights the importance of being fairly compensated and owning the upside of his contributions, leading to his resignation in August. Fishback emphasizes his preference for independence and ownership in his ventures, such as launching his hedge fund, Zoria Capital, ensuring he has control and recognition for his work.
Fishback shares insights into his investment philosophy, focusing on assigning probabilities rather than making predictions. While he leans towards being more bullish on stocks, specifically established companies leveraging artificial intelligence like Microsoft, he also discusses engaging in bond market opportunities from a macro trading perspective. This approach allows him to build a portfolio adaptable to various market scenarios, ensuring resilience and growth potential across different investment options.
Delving into strategic investment strategies, Fishback highlights his involvement in option structures and market shifts. He emphasizes the importance of utilizing options to minimize risk and capitalize on market opportunities. By considering long-term call options alongside a broader market outlook, particularly focusing on AI-integrated stocks and potential impact of fiscal policies, Fishback navigates investments through nuanced approaches and adaptive strategies.
Fishback's focus on AI advancements and real yield opportunities reflects his proactive stance on market trends. He underscores the significance of established companies benefiting from generative AI, such as Microsoft, Google, and Amazon. By recognizing the potential growth and stability in these sectors, Fishback expresses optimism towards AI-integrated stocks over traditional investments. His investment philosophy aligns with AI-driven innovations and strategic stock selections for long-term growth and value creation.
In a changing market landscape, Fishback's resilience and optimism shine through as he navigates various investment avenues. Balancing risk and reward, he strategically positions himself in AI-backed stocks, leveraging options for flexible market exposure. With a focus on building a resilient portfolio adaptable to market shifts, Fishback's investment approach emphasizes long-term value creation through strategic asset allocation and a nuanced understanding of market dynamics.
Forward Guidance is sponsored by VanEck. Learn more about the VanEck Morningstar Wide MOAT ETF (MOAT) at https://vaneck.com/MOATFG.
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Views expressed by James Fishback in this interview are solely his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Jack Farley, Forward Guidance, Blockworks, or any other associated parties.
Although the title “head of macro” plays a central role in this ongoing legal dispute, James Fishback notes in this interview that his complaint also concerns his role in Greenlight’s macro returns during his employment. Recorded the evening of May 22, 2024.
James Fishback vs. Greenlight Capital: https://assets.bwbx.io/documents/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/rGPZD1CfIoZE/v0
Greenlight Capital vs. James Fishback:
https://assets.bwbx.io/documents/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/r61keEZ5nJ1k/v0
Follow James Fishback on Twitter https://x.com/j_fishback
Follow VanEck on Twitter https://twitter.com/vaneck_us
Follow Jack Farley on Twitter https://twitter.com/JackFarley96
Follow Forward Guidance on Twitter https://twitter.com/ForwardGuidance
Follow Blockworks on Twitter https://twitter.com/Blockworks_
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Timestamps:
(00:00) Introduction
(06:08) Job Offer And Title
(12:31) When Did James First Consider Himself To Be The Head of Macro?
(20:21) Greenlight's Two Loans To Fishback (Totaling $337,346.12 Before Accrued Interest, Totaling $345,698.65 After Accrued Interest)
(23:48) Van Eck Ad
(24:28) How To Define "Running Macro Investing"
(31:04) Written Evidence Of Greenlight Employees Referring To James As The "Head Of Macro"
(50:15) James Considers David Einhorn's "Tweet Heard Round The World" an "Insult" And "A Lie"
(56:52) Fishback: "I've Always Had The Itch To Be Entrepreneurial"
(58:04) James' Resignation From Greenlight In Early August 2023
(01:02:23) Fishback: A Billionaire Demanding That A Public University Take Down Content From A Student Organization Is A "Flagrant Violation Of The First Amendment"
(01:03:23) Political Differences Between James Fishback And David Einhorn
(01:10:17) James Fishback's Market Views: The Fed's "Lemonhead Problem"
(01:14:07) Fishback: Fixed-Rate Liabilities And Floating-Rate Assets Means Fed's Interest Rate Hikes Have Actually Been Net Stimulative
(01:19:17) Higher For Longer
(01:27:05) Why James Thinks Donald Trump Will Win The 2024 Presidential Election
(01:35:08) James' Bullish View On USD / JPY (Taking Advantage of Forward Curve)
(01:42:12) Fishback's View Of U.S. Stock Market, AI, And Microsoft
(01:46:37) Options & Path Dependency
(01:48:29) View On Long-Term Bonds (Duration)
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Disclaimer: Nothing discussed on Forward Guidance should be considered as investment advice. Please always do your own research & speak to a financial advisor before thinking about, thinking about putting your money into these crazy markets.
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