US Inflation Cools, China Tariff Truce, and UK Jobs Data: PALvatar Market Recap, May 13 2025

Real Vision CEO and co-founder, Raoul Pal, is joined by senior editor, Ash Bennington, to look forward to the future of markets as well as Real Vision. After they evaluate how the market interpreted the Fed’s latest FOMC meeting, Raoul broadens the conversation beyond equities to make sense of the flatness in bond yields and credit spreads. Raoul and Ash then discuss the upcoming two-week exploration on Real Vision, “Has Everything Changed,” as well as discuss how Real Vision’s new platform, “The Exchange,” is allowing Real Vision members to connect with each other and form a “hive mind.” In the intro, Jack reviews market price action and gives a sneak peak of “Has Everything Changed.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

19 Sep 202030min

Senior editor, Ash Bennington, joins managing editor, Ed Harrison, to discuss the latest in markets, macro, and coronavirus. They discuss how the results of the upcoming earnings season will provide a gauge on the health of the economy and solidify its standing as 2020 begins to come to a close. They also speculate on the ongoing persistence and momentum to the upside in equity markets, short-dated options trading amongst retail investors, and the sudden proliferation of special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs). Ash and Ed then debrief yesterday’s FOMC meeting, lay out the impact the Fed’s actions will have on the bond market, and consider whether the Fed really is out of ammo at this point. In the intro, Peter Cooper shares the latest jobless claims data and enumerates on the flaws of solely relying on this data to understand the health of the labor market. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

17 Sep 202031min

Senior editor, Ash Bennington, invites managing editor, Roger Hirst, to take a deep dive into options to gain clarity on what this market’s greatest, current mover is. Roger argues that, contrary to conventional thought, currently the institutional “whales” are less influential than the retail investors, who are driving the options markets and have made themselves out to be the “megalodon.” He breaks down how retail investors are contributing to momentum through options, how “air pockets” in equity markets and contract expiries are linked, and how rising volatility will continue to increase “air pocket” risks. Roger then elaborates on why he believes these aren’t structural risks as of yet, but rather that insolvency risks are more near-term by observing how zombification of large-cap companies is on the rise due to misallocated capital and QE infinity. Ash and Roger then finish off their conversation by exploring the renewed risks to a clean Brexit. Real Vision reporter Haley Draznin analyzes at the correlation between retail sales out this morning and the performance in the market. She also looks at the surge in IPOs this week, including Snowflake’s debut today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

16 Sep 202038min

Senior editor, Ash Bennington, welcomes back Tony Greer, editor of the Morning Navigator, to discuss the latest in markets. Tony breaks down what he’s seeing in the tech shakeout and explains how he’s approaching the recent correction in equity markets. He walks through the indicators he watched and how that guides his investment decisions. Ash and Tony then discuss the ongoing suppression of oil demand, especially as fears of lagging demand will persist for years rise, and how Tony is maintaining his long natural resources position. Tony then offers his final thoughts on what he’s looking out for as the week goes on. Real Vision reporter Haley Draznin examines the rise of retail investors and why institutional investors are turning to platforms like Reddit and Twitter to track retail in efforts to gain an edge in the market and gain a better understanding of why they are flocking to stocks like Nikola. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

15 Sep 202033min

Real Vision senior editor Ash Bennington hosts managing editor Ed Harrison to discuss the animal spirits that are driving this market. After reviewing historical financial panics, Ed and Ash take another look at whether options mania is exerting influence on equity price action. They explore the “Softbank narrative” through the lens of volatility investor and arbitrageur Benn Eifert, and examine how speculators are buying options from market makers who are forced to delta-hedge their position, as they don’t want to take a directional position. Lastly, Ed and Ash look forward and see if there is “another shoe to drop” as fall approaches. In the intro, Jack Farley and Ash Bennington discuss the OPEC’s latest monthly oil market report. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

15 Sep 202031min

Bill Fleckenstein, president of Fleckenstein Capital, sits down with Rick Rule, president and CEO of Sprott U.S. Holdings Inc., to talk about the macro drivers of the recent precious metals bull market and what to look for when investing in miners. Using their decades of experience in the industry, Rule and Fleckenstein explain why regardless of a specific price target and because precious metals investments as a percentage of the total market for savings and investments is far below the average over the past 50 years, reversion to the mean has precious metals exposed investments poised to march higher. Rule provides his explanation as to why Warren Buffet, who has called gold a pet rock in the past, has recently allocated a portion of Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio in Barrick Gold Corporation. Fleckenstein argues that there is a problem with using traditional NAV-based analysis and provides viewers with strategies to find hidden value when analyzing miners and to avoid the pitfalls that many investors fall victim to when investing in the space.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

13 Sep 202053min

For much of the population, analysis and projections of COVID-19 cases, mortality, and the associated policy response have brought forward the importance of statistical analysis and modeling techniques that many have never learned and, at best, probably haven't used since long past college years. This has resulted in heated debate, politicization, and huge differences in policy decisions and attitudes across jurisdictions. In this Interview, Christina Ramirez, professor of biostatistics at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, sits down with Michael Green of Logica Capital Advisors to help viewers understand the constantly evolving story that the data is telling. Together, they examine the quality of the available data sets, how the consequences of lockdowns have born themselves out in other data like reports of child abuse, and how data indicates that as our knowledge and experience has grown, so too has our ability to combat the pandemic. Viewers can find more info about Christina Ramirez's work and access her updated data sets and charts here: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

12 Sep 20201h 5min

Real Vision CEO Raoul Pal is joined by senior editor Ash Bennington to reflect on the latest financial newsflow as well as Real Vision's new projects. After briefly discussing oil’s recent price action of oil, Raoul and Ash break down how the Fed's action is affecting different segments of the credit market, and they also weigh in on Jeffrey Gundlach's recent comments that default rates on high-yield credit could double. Raoul then explains why the importance of demographics means that inflation is not always purely a monetary phenomenon. Raoul and Ash then discuss Real Vision Creative Studios, the forthcoming Real Vision crypto channel, as well as "The Exchange," Real Vision’s brand new platform for members to share knowledge with each other. In the intro, Ash speaks to editor Jack Farley about Nikola, Softbank, as well as a week of ample credit issuance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

11 Sep 202051min