What Goes Up

Treasury yields started to spike soon after the Federal Reserve signaled it’s edging closer to winding down its pandemic-era bond buying. But can stocks do well in that type of environment? Brian Nick, chief investment strategist at Nuveen, talks about that and what the surge in yields is signaling about the well-being of the economy. Plus, he shares his current strategy and discusses areas of the market he finds attractive.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, went from non-existent to taking over the world in record fashion. But what is their utility besides being collectibles? Brian Mosoff, chief executive officer at Ether Capital, talks about how something can "meme" its way into becoming valuable and why NFTs are gaining traction in an environment where everyone's searching for scarcity. Plus, he shares his views on how cryptocurrencies can play a part in a portfolio and how the space could be regulated.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stocks tied to the economic reopening had a banner 2020 before their performance petered out a few months ago. But Andrew Slimmon, a senior portfolio manager at Morgan Stanley Investment Management who oversees around $7.5 billion, is making big bets on reopening plays, banks and other value stocks. He talks about his strategy and goes into why the market's not had a significant pullback this year. Plus, he discusses the one catalyst he thinks could throw the rally off course. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

El Salvador is not a nation that comes up in global-macro investing discussions very often, but its embrace of Bitcoin as legal tender marks an interesting milestone in the evolution of the cryptocurrency’s role in financial markets. Ben Emons, strategist at Medley Global Advisors, joined this week’s “What Goes Up” podcast to discuss El Salvador’s embrace of Bitcoin and correlations it’s exhibiting with other parts of the market. He also discusses the European Central Bank’s decision to reduce asset purchases, and he shares some current stock-market strategies.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some economic reports are coming in weaker than expected as the back-to-normal recovery drags on. To many investors, it means the Federal Reserve will keep the punch bowl fuller for longer. Kim Forrest, founder and chief investment officer at Bokeh Capital Partners, discusses about why bad news can be seen as good news again in this environment and why she prefers tech stocks for the long run.Mentioned in this podcast:U.S. Companies Add Fewer Jobs Than Forecast, ADP Data ShowMegacaps Hit All-Time High in Defensive Stock Tilt: Markets WrapSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Extraordinary loose monetary policy has led to what Interactive Brokers Chief Strategist Steve Sosnick calls a “flight to crap,” or investor interest in the most-speculative corners of financial markets. He discusses how the likely reduction in bond purchases by the Federal Reserve could affect those investments. He also shares his thoughts on how algorithmic trading strategies interact with meme stocks and delves into other market topics.Mentioned in this podcast:Powell Says Taper Could Start in 2021, With No Rush on Rate HikeU.S. Stocks Rise on Powell’s Dovish Taper Tone: Markets WrapWhat’s a Taper, and Why Is the Fed So Focused on One?Wall Street During the Pandemic: The Impossible Is Now CommonplaceSupport.com Surges 400% in Meme Army’s New Short-Squeeze AttackSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The rebound in the stock market from the pandemic-induced recession has been breathtaking, with the S&P 500 doubling from its low point in March 2020. Has the proverbial “easy money” all been made? Emily Roland, co-chief investment strategist at John Hancock Investment Management, discusses what to expect in the second year of the bull market. She also talks about the outlook for interest rates and inflation and a host of other current market topics. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many traders expected this summer to be a volatile one for U.S. markets, but so far it’s been quiet as can be. What happened? Chris Gaffney, head of world markets at TIAA Bank, joins the “What Goes Up” podcast to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Mack, a portfolio manager at Harding Loevner, discusses his firm’s investment process and how his fund's hunt for “under-the-radar growth” stocks led him to some regional banks. He also discusses the defensive aspects of tech stocks in the age of Covid, and developments in the semiconductor industry, among other topics.Mentioned in this podcast:No Market Breadth, No Problem as Faangs Lift S&P 500 Higher​​​​​​​See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The attention of global investors returned to China this week as a crackdown on for-profit education companies triggered a massive selloff in the nation’s equity market. Jason Hsu, founder and chief investment officer of Rayliant Global Advisors, discusses how investors should navigate through the nation’s regulatory risks, and how the dominance of retail traders gives China’s market a “casino feel.”  Mentioned in this podcast:China Bans For-Profit School Tutoring in Sweeping OverhaulWe Don’t Need No (For Profit) Education. ESG, China-StyleSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.