Rumble in Washington (Ep. 170)

After a strong start to the year and renewed highs across global markets, Ryan Detrick, Chief Market Strategist, and Sonu Varghese, VP, Global Macro Strategist at Carson Group, step into the growing tension between Washington and the Federal Reserve, and what it could mean for markets, confidence, and policy credibility. They react to Jamie Dimon’s latest comments on economic resilience, unpack the unusual legal pressure facing Fed Chair Jerome Powell, and explain why markets appear far more focused on earnings and growth than political noise.

Key Takeaways:

• Markets are prioritizing fundamentals: Earnings growth, productivity gains, and consumer resilience are outweighing the political headlines
  
  
  
• Fed independence is being tested: The legal and political pressure on the Fed raises long-term questions, but the markets remain focused on outcomes, not noise
  
  
  
• Metals are sending a signal: The strength in gold, silver, and industrial metals reflects both global demand and policy uncertainty
  
  
  
• Labor markets are cooling, not breaking: Hiring is slower, but the layoffs remain low and prime-age employment stays historically strong
  
  
  
• Breadth continues to improve: The leadership is expanding beyond mega-cap tech, reinforcing the durability of the current bull market

Jump to:

0:00 — Economic Resilience, Consumers, And Bank Signals

6:00 — Powell, Politics, And Central Bank Independence

12:15 — Gold, Metals, And Washington Crosscurrents

19:00 — Credit Cards, Housing Policy, And Affordability Risks

28:20 — Market Breadth, Diversification, And January Signals

31:10 — Labor Market Cooling, Youth Hiring, And Revisions

41:00 — Productivity, Margins, And Revenue Per Worker

Connect with Ryan:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryandetrick/

• X: https://x.com/RyanDetrick

Connect with Sonu:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonu-varghese-phd/

• X: https://x.com/sonusvarghese?lang=en

Questions about the show? We’d love to hear from you! factsvsfeelings@carsongroup.com