How can we apply the same emergency measures that Harvard and other universities are using to navigate a financial crisis? Also, how universities invest their endowments and what their performance has been. Topics covered include: Show Notes Letter Sent to Harvard 2025-04-11—Harvard Harvard Response 2025-04-14—Harvard Trump Administration Will Freeze $2 Billion After Harvard Refuses Demands by Vimal Patel—The New York Times Should Harvard Be Tax Exempt? by The Editorial … [Read more...]
523: Why Bond Investing Is Easier Than Ever
Discover how bond market ETFs have transformed investing — making bonds easier, cheaper, and more accessible than ever. We also explore how the bond market’s very composition has evolved. Show Notes The total return strategy in bonds is far from dead by James Bianco—The Financial Times What I Learned in My First Year Managing Fixed-Income by Jim Bianco—Bianco Research Advisors ETFs are eating the bond market by Robin Wigglesworth and Will Schmitt—The Financial … [Read more...]
522: Investing in Emerging Markets with Ali Akay
Ali Akay, CIO of Carrhae Capital, answers why invest in emerging markets. He also shares with Greg Dowling of FEG insights on China, Mexico, South Korea, Argentina, Greece, Turkey, South Korea, and South Africa. Show Notes Emerging Unscathed: Featuring Ali Akay—FEG Insight Bridge Related Episodes 474: Are Emerging Markets Bonds a Once-in-a-Generation Opportunity? 411: Is Emerging and Frontier Markets Investing Still Worth It? – With Asha Mehta … [Read more...]
521: Is the Rest of the World Selling America?
The U.S has traditionally been a safe haven for investing, but that hasn't been the case in 2025. We explore three economic and narrative regimes and consider why we may be witnessing a shift after 12 years of U.S. outperformance. Topics covered include: Episode iframe Show Notes Testimony of Chairman Alan Greenspan Outlook for the federal budget and implications for fiscal policy Before the Committee on the Budget, U.S. Senate January 25, 2001—The Federal Reserve … [Read more...]
520: Where Are We Heading?
In this episode, we explore what it means to invest in a non-ergodic world—where time, not averages, determines outcomes. We unpack concepts like volatility drag, ensemble vs. time averages, and the implications for portfolio strategy, while also reflecting on how AI and zero-click search are reshaping business and investor behavior. Topics covered include: Show Notes Wayback Machine: jdstein.com Probabilities and Payoffs: The Practicalities and Psychology of Expected Value … [Read more...]
519: Is This the End of Globalization and Free Trade?
What will the impact be now that the U.S. has one of the highest tariff rates in the world? Topics covered include: Show Notes The economic consequences of Mr Trump – looking for clarity in the tariffs chaos by Neil Shearing—Capital Economics Tariff rate, most favored nation, simple mean, all products (%)—World Bank Group Donald Trump’s tariffs will fix a broken system by Peter Navarro—The Financial Times DHL Global Connectedness Tracker—DHL Objective Knowledge: An … [Read more...]
518: Is It Too Late to Invest in Gold? With Max Belmont – FEG Insight Bridge
Greg Dowling of FEG interviews Max Belmont, a gold specialist and portfolio manager at First Eagle Investments. Greg and Max discuss the historical, philosophical, and practical reasons for owning gold. Topics covered include: Show Notes The Golden Age with Max Belmont—FEG Insight Bridge Episode Sponsors Asset Camp Related Episodes 431: The Long-term Bullish Case for Gold 316: Paper, Rocks, or Digits—What Makes the Best Money 263: Should You Invest In … [Read more...]
517: Should You Invest 100% of Your Retirement in Closed-End Funds
We compare three approaches to closed-end fund investing: Opportunistic trading, the buy and hold income factory, and a systematic approach of selling closed-end funds after 5% gains. We also explore the pros and cons of closed-end funds relative to open-end mutual funds and ETFs. Show Notes The Closed-End Fund Market, 2023—Investment Company Institute The Income Factory: An Investor’s Guide to Consistent Lifetime Returns by Steven Bavaria—McGraw-Hill Companies Retirement … [Read more...]
516: What Trump Wants Part 2 – How Trade Deficits and Capital Flows Can Harm or Help Countries
How trade deficits are making the U.S. poorer, while in the past they have made the U.S. wealthier. Topics covered include: Show Notes Why U.S. Debt Must Continue to Rise by Michael Pettis—Carnegie Endowment Could Trump devalue the dollar with a "Mar-a-Lago Accord"? by Paul Diggle and Luke Bartholomew—Aberdeen Investments A User’s Guide to Restructuring the Global Trading System by Stephen Miran—Hudson Bay Capital Is Peter Navarro Wrong on Trade? by Michael … [Read more...]
515: Tariffs and the Mar-a-Lago Accord: What Trump Really Wants
How the Trump administration is using tariffs as a negotiating tool to weaken the U.S. dollar and increase the global competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers. Topics covered include: Show Notes Stock Market News, March 10, 2025: Nasdaq Falls 4% After Trump Doesn't Rule Out Recession by Caitlin McCabe and Krystal Hur—The Wall Street Journal Trump Says US Economy Faces ‘Transition,’ Avoids Recession Call by María Paula Mijares Torres—Bloomberg Is the U.S. Heading for a … [Read more...]
