Money Life with Chuck Jaffe (Chuck Jaffe)

William Smead, manager of the Smead Value Fund, has been bearish on energy stocks and oil companies for years, but he says in the Market Call that the market has been shifting, which makes energy stocks worth buying. He notes that demographics showing that millennials will double their use of gasoline -- despite the increased acceptance of alternative-energy engines in cars -- and that recent troubles have improved valuations of big oil and energy to where they are worth buying. Likewise, he sees a powerful trend in household formation among millennials that will help home-builders and other consumer businesses. Also on the show, Gerri Walsh of the FINRA Education Foundation talks about investor knowledge levels, Vince Annable discusses the 'Household Endowment Model' for managing money, and David Trainer of New Constructs puts two stocks in the Danger Zone.

Mike Buckius, chief executive officer at Gateway Investment Advisers, says that the concentration at the top of the market and the rate cycle and the Federal Reserve's delays in cutting rates have made it that investors should manage risks, because valuations have gotten frothy and drawdowns "throw investors off of their long-term plans." He says that the market's bounce-back to record highs makes it feel like stocks are due for 'a pause and consolidation,' which is the kind of time when Gateway's index-option strategy -- using options to generate income that protects against downturns -- tends to work best, and he discusses the firm's new ETF which focuses on the quality factor. Plus, Steve Coughran, chief financial officer at MoneyPickle.com, is here for "The Financial Crunch," discussing whether there is ever a time for investors and savers to act panicky, and how you work with an adviser to build emotional discipline and to never let the market get the best of you. In the Market Call, Scott Bennett of Invest With Rules, brings together trend-following, watching the movements of big money and risk management to decide which stocks and ETFs to invest in now.

Tom Lydon, chief executive officer at ETFTrends.com, says that the year ahead will be more challenging for fixed-income investors who have been saddled with low yields for years but who at least could count on safety from their long-term bond holdings. With the outlook for the economy changing and with inflation hitting hard right now and lingering longer than most expected through the recovery from the pandemic, Lydon made the iShares TIPS Bond fund his 'ETF of the Week,' noting that inflation-protected securities are more attractive now than they have been in years and should ease some of the yield and volatility concerns investors will face in 2022. Also on the show, John Cole Scott, chief investment officer at Closed-End Fund Advisors and the executive chairman of the Active Investment Company Alliance, returns to forecast the year ahead in closed-end fund investing, including some funds he says are well-positioned and constructed for 2022. And Chuck had promised that his final interview of the year would be with his friend Michael Falk, and so we rebroadcast his final chat with Michael as a touching reminder that days are long but years are short, challenging us all to make the most of our time. 

Steven Dover, chief market strategist at Franklin Templeton and head of the Franklin Templeton Investment Institute -- says the stock market currently is priced for perfection that is unlikely to happen, noting that there has never been a time when the economy has slowed down but earnings have increased, but with consensus earnings growth estimates running in double digits, something appears to be off-kilter now.  That makes Dover cautious on stocks, though he acknowledges that dividend-paying stocks and slow-and-steady stocks should be solid performers. Also on the show, Amanda Agati, chief investment officer at PNC Asset Management Group, discusses the firm's 40th annual Christmas Price Index, comparing inflation in the broad economy to the price hikes that someone faces if they try to buy all the gifts in "The 12 Days of Christmas." And in the Market Call, Roger Conrad of Conrad’s Utility Investor talks about income-producers in utility and energy companies, REITs and more.

Jamie Hopkins, managing partner for wealth solutions at Carson Group, says that investors who focus mostly on what to buy or own in an investment portfolio are asking the wrong question, because they need to be focused on where they are and where they want to go. Hopkins says it is particularly important to focus inward as we enter 2022 because the year is likely to feature more volatility and less profit potential than 2021 has. Also on the show, Greg McBride of Bankrate.com discusses the site's latest personal financial outlook survey and how savers and investors are setting expectations for the year ahead, Barry Martin of the Shelton Equity Income Fund discusses dividend investing and covered-call strategies, and Chuck answers some audience questions about retirement savings. 

David Hay, co-chief investment officer at Evergreen Gavekal  -- author of the Haymaker newsletter focused on macroeconomic research -- says that 'Pseudo prosperity is still prosperity,' and investors should like whatever they are getting from the economy now because he does not think it will last. Hay says the market "is almost all-in on Goldilocks," which will "make it hard to make money betting on the soft landing." Christopher Zook, president of CAZ Investments -- co-author of Tony Robbins' new book, "The Holy Grail of Investing" -- talks about the themes and the alternative investments that will drive the next decade or more while delivering oversized gains. Plus, in "The Financial Crunch," Cam Miller, chief revenue officer at Money Pickle, talks about how much money someone needs to have before turning to a financial adviser for help. 

Eddy Vataru, portfolio manager for the Osterweis Total Return Fund, says that with the Federal Reserve acknowledging this week that higher rates are coming -- even if it's not for 18 months -- and working to manage inflation, it's clear that the central bank is starting to change its tune on stimulus and quantitative easing to avoid future problems. He notes that up to now, the Fed has been playing with 'the same playbook' it has used in past downturns and crises, but that the current situation involves a faster snap-back and recovery period, and that the Fed's playbook has been amped up by aggressive stimulus, which he says needs to change to avoid future market problems. Also on the show, Howard Dvorkin, chairman of Debt.com, talks about how people can make the most of Amazon Prime Days next week without letting the urge to splurge get the best of them, Daniel Ashcraft of Gateway Investment Advisers talks about using covered-call strategies to get more consistent results during times of heightened volatility, and Lauren Hill, research analyst and portfolio manager at Westwood Investment Management talks large-cap stocks in the Market Call.

Tom McIntyre of McIntyre, Freedman and Flyn says in the Market Call that the wild swings in headlines running from the tumultuous election through the pandemic and the twists and turns of the economy have left investors with few signals to read. He sees the market hibernating while investors try to figure out how to decipher signals, and expects a slow fourth quarter and start to 2021, and he suggests holding more cash than normal while waiting for it to play out. In the Big Interview, Kirk Chisholm of Innovative Advisory Group discusses modern portfolio theory, the 4 percent retirement-spending rule and other basic tenets of personal finance and discusses why those old saws don't serve investors so well any more. Also on the show, David Trainer of New Constructs explains why BOX belongs in the Danger Zone, and Chuck answers a question about funds based on the social (ESG) version of the Standard and Poor's 500 Index.

Lawrence McMillan of McMillan Analysis says the market is oversold but it is falling so hard and fast that there is no solid level of support, and that it could fall further before it starts creating real buy signals. McMillan notes that people may be expecting buying opportunities, but they haven't arrived yet as just one obscure indicator from the many he looks at has created a buy signal, suggesting it's time to start buying again. Also on the show, Kathy Bostjancic, chief economist at Oxford Economics USA, says that the market is pricing in a recession which makes that unlikely that there is any way for the economy to avoid one amid the slowdown of economic activity created by the coronavirus. Also on the show, Kusara Barto of Squaremouth.com talks about how travel insurance is and isn't working for consumers who are thinking they might cancel planned trips, and Noland Langford of Left Brain Investment Research talks stocks in the Market Call.

 David Goerz, chief investment officer at Strategic Frontier Management, sees trouble ahead for a market that is overvalued, with an economy that he believes is headed for trouble unless government spending is reduced and with a bond market that he finds troubling. Goerz expects the Federal Reserve to hike rates once this year, and says there will be four -- but as many as eight -- rate increases next year, with the hope being that many hikes will ultimately return the economy to normal by the end of 2023. Also on the show, Mark Newton of Newton Advisors says the market's technicals suggest a 10 percent correction is in the cards playing out right now, but that the market is likely to rebound from that into the end of the year, plus legendary activist investor Phillip Goldstein talking about the diminishing rights of shareholders in closed-end funds, and Arynton Hardy of Hardy Capital Investments talks ETFs in the Market Call.

Matt Lloyd, chief investment strategist at Advisors Asset Management, says that trying to find clarity in the current economic situation is 'like trying to put in eye drops while you're surfing,' but he says that he doesn't expect to see the much-discussed U- or V-shaped bottom to any troubles, saying instead that there will be a square-root sign shape, meaning volatile drops and recoveries before things flatten out for a while. Also on the show, Natalie Campisi of Bankrate.com discusses buying and selling homes amid coronavirus precautions, Chuck answers a question about whether these times call for 'extra diversification,' and Tucker Walsh of the Polen US Small Company Growth Fund makes his debut in the Market Call.

Kyle Guske, investment analyst at New Constructs, puts Transamerica Capital Growth Fund into the 'Danger Zone,' noting that the fund is buying the most high-risk, dangerous securities in its asset category. The Transamerica fund has been near the top of the charts in four of the last seven calendar years, but it also has been near the very bottom in the other three of those years; Guske said the holdings in the fund are part of the symptoms that lead to the feast-or-famine performance. Also on the show, Matt Schulz of CompareCards.com talks about Valentine's Day spending habits, Nick DiUlio of InsuranceQuotes.com discusses couples' saving money on insurance, David Stein discusses 'Money for the Rest of Us' and Chuck answers a listener question about the ways he is keeping the change this year. 

Jan van Eck, chief executive officer at VanEck, says that government policy 'determines the weather' for markets and policy has been 'insanely supportive' of markets and while that is changing slowly he would suggest that investors have no reason to feel nervous while the Federal Reserve continues to support the market. van Eck talks about three multi-year investable trends, starting with the continued low interest rates and how they encourage people to keep borrowing now, but extending to the transition to renewable energy and then how blockchain technologies will change financial services.  Also on the show, Simon Zhen discusses a recent MyBankTracker.com survey on who Americans learned their financial lessons from, Rosetta Bryson of Simple Trader Pro talks about how the market's technicals show fairly smooth sailing ahead, and Josh Duitz of the Aberdeen Standard Global Infrastructure Income fund talks infrastructure stocks in the Market Call.

Jonathan Clements, editor of HumbleDollar.com, talked about the lessons he has learned from the five market crashes he has lived through, most notably the 30-year crash in Japan that forever changed how he invests so that no matter what the next big downturn looks like, he is prepared to get through it. Also on the show, Ruth Gretz and Peter Lang of HighTower Advisors discuss the importance of correctly setting up beneficiary designations, Mike Foy of J.D. Power discusses his firm's most recent survey of self-directed investors, and James Abate of the Centre Funds talks infrastructure stocks in the Market Call

James St. Aubin, chief investment officer at Sierra Investment Management, says that we are looking at 'unusually uncertain times given what the market is trying to process right now,' specifically how the increased cost of credit and the decreased availability of credit will work its way through the economy. St. Aubin -- who uses a quantitative, tactical approach -- says the market could go in any direction from here, but he notes that there is more downside risk here even though the economy appears to be only facing a mild recession. He says that equity markets look vulnerable now, which should make investors consider risk management to ride things out. In the Market Call segment, David Rolfe, chief investment officer at Wedgewood Partners, talks about picking highly concentrated stock portfolios, plus Chuck answers a listener's question about whether or not to pay down debt -- rather than plow money into savings -- while inflation is running higher than standard dividend yields or interest rates on bank deposits.

Tim Clift, chief investment strategist at Envestnet, says that even the current downturn -- as big as it has been and could grow to -- ultimately will become a blip on an investor's radar, which is why it's important to hold fast to financial plans and not make nervous moves that alter asset allocation, typically at just the wrong time. Empirically, Clift says he has not seen individual investors getting panicky, though he notes that a prolonged slowdown and a market drop could change behaviors for the worse. Also on the show, Tom Lydon of ETFTrends.com makes a new ETF with an unusual strategy his 'ETF of the Week,' Ande Frazier of myWorth talks financial priorities when money gets tight, and Art Amador of the AI Powered Equity ETF talks investments selected using artificial intelligence in the Market Call 

Tom Lydon, editor at ETFTrends.com, made the PIMCO Low Duration Active ETF -- ticker symbol LDUR -- his 'ETF of the Week,' noting that the low-duration exchange-traded fund not only mitigates risk but can increase returns from money-market funds by as much as one full point, a significant difference in a time when money mostly parked on the sidelines isn't delivering much return. Also on the show, Jason Reposa of MyBankTracker.com talks about the financial mistakes savers and investors admit to making around the holidays, Rob Lutts of Cabot Wealth Management talks stocks in the Market Call, and we revisit a recent interview with Frank Holmes of US Global Investors.

Victoria Greene, chief investment officer at G Squared Private Wealth, says that investors should look at where they can be best off given current global economic conditions, and says that will bring investors to large-cap domestic value stocks, and she notes that investors may not want to pursue broad diversification because the strategy tends to struggle during times of stress. "It only works when the market is working," she says, "and right now the market isn't working." She expects a recession in short order, though she believes most investors should stick with their plans rather than making moves in response to market conditions and headlines driven by volatility. Also on the show, Ed Carson, news editor at Investor’s Business Daily, discusses the latest IBD/TIPP Economic Optimism Index, which showed that economic optimism is at its lowest point in over a decade, and the personal financial outlook has never been lower since the index was created in 2001. Mike Hunstad, global head of equity and quantitative strategies for Northern Trust Asset Management, discusses how proposed regulatory changes to ESG investing will help consumers know what they are buying, and why environmental, social and governance oversight -- particularly combined with factors like investing in "quality" -- should lead to superior returns over time, and author Hal Weitzman discusses his book, "What's the Matter with Delaware: How the First State Has Favored the Rich, Powerful and Criminal – and How it Costs Us All."

Ed Moya, senior market analyst at OANDA, sees the stock market as being stuck in its current range for months, possibly testing October lows while it waits to get more clarity on the Federal Reserve's position on ending the rate-hike cycle and starting cuts. Declines and weakness are buying opportunities, Moya says, because 'this market is looking for a big move,' with money on the sidelines looking for a breakout that will happen only once investors are confident with where inflation and rates are heading. In The Big Interview, Barry Martin of the Shelton Equity Income Fund discusses defensive investing and covered-call strategies and how they are working in the current period of volatility without much direction. Also, in The NAVigator segment, Matt Freund, co-chief investment officer/head of fixed-income strategies at Calamos Investments, says he expects interest rates to settle in and remain stable for quite a while before trending down, though he expects heightened volatility in longer-term bonds; and in the Market Call, Brian Huckstep, chief investment officer at Advyzon Investment Management, talks the macro picture and the exchange-traded funds best suited for his current outlook.

Nicholas Brooks, head of economic and investment research at ICG, a global alternative asset manager, says "There's nothing out there that rings major alarm bells" signalling a big recession ahead. But while he expects a soft landing, he is watching what is driving inflation, noting that while headline inflation is down, services inflation remains high and wage growth has stayed strong, factors that are good from a household income point of view but that are concerning in terms of whether inflation might come back and hurt the Federal Reserve's ability to cut rates. Josh Brown, chief executive officer at Ritholtz Wealth Management, discusses his new book, "You Weren’t Supposed to See That," which digs into the genius and the foolishness of what the public gets from financial experts, advisers and the media. Plus, Ken Berman, strategist at Gorilla Trades, talks technicals and says the signs are all pointing to the idea that the current bull market has legs to run through the election and into 2025.

Catherine Stienstra, head of municipal bond investments at Columbia Threadneedle Investments, says that the sharp sell-off that set bonds off to a bad start to the year -- and scared many investors out of the bond space -- has reached a pivot point, so that investors are now looking at "a rare opportunity" to get back in with higher yields and attractive valuations. Also on the show, Tom Lydon, vice chairman at VettaFi, makes a play on the dollar recently hitting a two-decade high against global currencies with his ETF of the Week, Chuck answers a listener's question about how to pay for/finance a big expense, and Rob Spivey, director of research for Valens Securities, talks stocks in the Market Call.

David Trainer, president of New Constructs, says that while Robinhood Markets is down about 80 percent from its 52-week high and that it has room to go a lot lower, having burned through $3.5 billion in cash in the last 12 months, with just more than that amount left in cash on the books. Trainer put the company back into The Danger Zone, saying "We're really not sure what is going to prop this zombie stock up much longer ... '' even as "it is priced as if it is going to go to the moon." Also on the show, Mark Fleming, chief economist at First American Financial Corp., discusses the state of the housing market, noting that homeowners with fixed-rate mortgages aren't feeling the pinch of inflation, while homebuyers are being squeezed hard by it and home-sellers are watching markets change rapidly. Fleming thinks mortgage rates have "mostly found their new normal," noting that current levels of between 5 and 6 percent are in line with historic norms even if they are dramatically higher than consumers have been used to for the last decade or more. Chuck answers a listener's question about what to do with some cash now, and portfolio manager Jeff Muhlenkamp of the Muhlenkamp Fund makes his debut on the show, talking stocks in the Market Call.

Aaron Dunn, co-head of the value equity team at Morgan Stanley Investment Management, says that growth stocks are unlikely to beat value in a higher inflationary environment with higher rates, creating a nice tailwind for value, particularly because he expects inflation and high interest rates to remain sticky. He expects a synchronized rate-easing cycle across the globe, which makes him interested in taking a longer-term look at cyclical areas like energy and industrials. Christine Kieffer, senior director of investor education at FINRA discusses the agency's recent alert warning investors of support-center scams, where investors looking for help from their brokerage or mutual fund company do a search for the firm's help desk and wind up being directed to fake sites where their money and/or data is ripped off. David Trainer of New Constructs puts BILL Holdings back in the Danger Zone, reaffirming the company's status as a zombie stock and a Danger Zone pick, noting that investors should not be fooled by revenue growth that still hasn't generated profits, and Mark Travis, president of Intrepid Capital Management, talks about companies that make beer, shoes and underwear — and sell at reasonable valuations — in the Money Life Market Call.

Meb Faber, co-founder and chief investment officer at Cambria Investments, says that investors aren't just dealing with headline issues of war, inflation and rising interest rates, but he notes that the market has turned to what he called an 'expensive downtrend,' which is historically a time when returns tend to be zero or negative. Faber says he worries that this could be a moment where investors could blink and turn around to say 'Wow, when did all of these stocks go down 75 percent.' He says that the right way for investor to get through these kinds of conditions is through proper diversification, including significant international exposure even though current events make it hard emotionally to invest overseas. In the Talking Technicals segment, Gene Peroni of Peroni Portfolio Advisors says that conservative investors should be waiting for the market to see several strong consecutive days -- or a 1,000-point plus day -- before they consider the recent downturn as potentially turning into a buying opportunity. And in the Market Call, Robert Cantwell of Upholdings and the Compound Kings ETF talks about the importance of finding the right kind of long-term growth, and discusses why that currently has him a bit sour on Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, but sweet on Amazon.com and Meta Platforms (Facebook), which he says are trading at 'a multiple that we have not seen in their publicly traded histories.'

Chuck heads to Orlando for FinCon '22, the annual conference of content creators, financial coaches, educators and more, and he samples some of the expertise speaking with Doug Nordman of MilitaryFinancialIntelligence.com about whether veterans have been treated any differently by the market in this downturn, Monica Scudieri of GrabYourSlice.com, Jason Parker of RetirementBudgetCalculator.com, and Emily Guy Birken, who recently started YourOneGoodThing.com. Plus, Tom Lydon goes nuclear with his "ETF of the Week."

Jeffrey Bierman, chief market technician for TheoTrade and founder of TheQuantGuy.com, says that “much of the dirty work is behind us,” with the market now reaching a point “where the values are the most compelling I have seen in 25 years.” Bierman last appeared on Money Life in December of 2021, and was extremely cautious, expecting the market to hit a low of between 3,600 and 3,800 on the Standard & Poor’s 500 within six months.  Bierman's model projects the S&P to drop to the 3,300-3,400 range, before building a base for recovery. “If interest rates can peak at some point and if money managers can get beyond staring at charts and start looking at value ... they are going to find that this is where millionaires are made, in these kinds of markets,” Bierman says. Also on the show, John Cole Scott, chief investment officer at Closed-End Fund Advisors answers questions from listeners, Catherine Yoshimoto of FTSE Russell discusses the "Russell Reconstitution" that changes the firm's benchmark indexes at the close of business today, and Peter Tuz of Chase Investment Counsel talks growth investing in today's no-growth environment in the Market Call.

Longtime personal finance journalist Jonathan Clements — the editor at Humble Dollar, and former columnist at the Wall Street Journal — discusses how his outlook and feelings about money have mostly been reinforced since he was diagnosed in May with terminal lung cancer, and how he his focusing his time, money and energy now to make the most of his time and help his family make the most of his life savings. Clements says he is not bitter about spending a lifetime amassing retirement money for a retirement he won't get to experience, and discusses how even the best estate planning may be insufficient when it comes to helping the family move forward. Steve Sosnick, chief strategist at Interactive Brokers, says that the yield curve has uninverted with recent rate cuts, but the danger sign it was flashing remains bright because recessions never happened until the curve normalized. He questions whether the economy will be strong enough to justify double-digit earnings expectations for equities, which could lead to lower — and possibly more volatile — returns for stocks. Plus, Kyle Guske, investment analyst at New Constructs revisits three past Danger Zone picks, and kicks them out of the club, noting that conditions have changed to where the companies — while still not attractive enough to be considered buys — have changed enough that they no longer  meet the Danger Zone standard for potential trouble ahead.

David Trainer, president of New Constructs, put the Uber initial public offering in the 'Danger Zone,' calling the new offering a scam and saying that the company's growth projections are fictitious. He noted that Uber's projections would have it capturing 15 percent of all global economic activity,while the company is 'losing absurd amounts of money ... without any path to profitability.' Also on the show, University of Maryland professor Russ Wermers discusses the importance of active managers in maintaining an efficient market, and Jack Bowers of the Fidelity Monitor and Insight newsletter talks funds and ETFs in the Market Call.

Brian Levitt, global market strategist at Invesco, says that he expects 2023 to be when inflation and interest rates start coming down, which will not be comfortable to digest but he says he expects the stock market to get through it and finish the year higher, overcoming a brief mid-year recession -- and possibly giving up some late 2022 gains as a volatile market bottoms out -- to register a 'better than sub-par year.' Also on the show, Joe Wiggins, author of  'The Intelligent Fund Investor: Practical Steps for Better Results in Active and Passive Funds' and, in the Market Call, Noland Langford of Left Brain Wealth Management talks about where he is finding growth and how corporate bonds have a chance to replace fast-growing companies as a safer, more reasonable way to navigate current market conditions, at least until the market can navigate the current rate and inflation environment.

Joseph Brusuelas, chief economist at RCM, says the risks of a sub-par recovery are rising as uncertainty over the outcome of the coronavirus pandemic drags on, and while he still believes that there will be a swoosh-shaped 'elongated and frustratingly slow recovery,' he says even that can't happen until the market knows how the pandemic will be resolved. In the Market Call, Barry James of the James Advantage Funds says investors need to be looking at securities in different time periods -- BC and AD, for 'before coronavirus' and 'after disease' -- and notes that the pandemic has injected a little more subjectivity into stock research right now. Also, Chuck answers a question from the audience, and Tom Lydon of ETFTrends.com makes a new fund based on a market niche that is in the news the 'ETF of the Week.'

It's the third and final day of interviews from the Morningstar Investment Conference in Chicago, and Joel Dickson, global head of advice methodology at Vanguard, carries the dicussion on the classic 60-40 portfolio further -- rivaling Catherine LeGraw from GMO who you heard on Thursday's show -- saying that the classic stock-bonds mix remains the most simple, straightforward, cost-effective solution for investors who can ride out the bumps and bruises along the way. But he's the closer on a show that starts with Super Mario -- Mario Gabelli of the Gabelli Funds -- returning for The NAVigator to discuss his long-time love for closed-end fund investing. Plus, Chuck chats with Wade Pfau, a leading authority on annuities, reverse mortgages and structured income products, Tara York of the alternatives platform Luma Financial Technologies, Morningstar's director of personal finance Christine Benz, ETF product specialist Nick Elward of Natixis Investment Managers, and global deep-value investor Michael Campagna of Moerus Capital.

Harry Dent, the founder of Dent Research, says that the stock market's troubles in 2022 were just a precursor to real trouble, with the next wave in a downward cycle coming early next year, right after the market wakes up to the fact that there is neither a Santa Claus rally or a January effect to get the new year started on good footing. Dent has been calling for a market decline of 85 percent or more in stocks -- moving from their peak to their trough -- and sees the massive decline being the next step, but he notes that the one silver lining is that bond funds are set up to not only be a safe haven but for significant gains. Also, he notes that once the market completes the crash cycle, he expects the next long bull market to begin. Dent's opinions tend to be outliers, and that is proven on this show as D.R. Barton Jr., chief investment strategist at Finiac, says he actually expects a Santa Claus rally this year, and he believes that technical indicators are showing that a market bottom may already be in place. He expects the new year will be more of the old one, volatile, choppy and with a lot of downward pressure just as we've seen in 2022. Plus, the Book Interview features Howard Yaruss, author of 'Understandable Economics: Because Understanding Our Economy Is Easier Than You Think and More Important Than You Know.'

In two different interviews today, experts see a market capable of rallying but not necessarily able to hold off a longer-term bearish trend. Market-timer Heeten Doshi, portfolio manager at  Doshi Capital Management, says that we're seeing "a day trader's market" -- high on volatility, low on direction and conviction from buyers -- that is poised for "a big bounce" or a bear-market rally because it has been oversold recently. Likewise, Avi Gilburt of ElliottWave Trader sees a rally that could start "at any point now," which could bring some back and forth that gets the market back to record-high territory, though he sees a long-term bear market that will last for years arriving in or after 2024. Also on the show, Anuj Nayar discusses a recent study from Lending Club and PYMNTS showing that more Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck, including a lot of people with good salaries and high credit scores, and John Augustine, chief investment officer at Huntington Private Bank discusses stocks in the Market Call.

Jeff Weniger, director of asset allocation at WisdomTree Asset Management, says that investors need to put potential election outcomes into their plans ahead of time, and he notes that the reaction should include how each candidate is likely to respond to the coronavirus pandemic from here. Weniger says, for example, that investors should overweight financial is they expect a Trump victory -- which he does -- and reduce exposure to banks and investment firms if they expect a Biden win. Also on the show, Joe Keefe, president of the Pax World Funds, discusses how social investors should be thinking about their influence in the wake of the wildfires sweeping the West Coast, as well as his expectations for the market through the election, Mark Hamrick of Bankrate.com covers the site's latest survey on Americans' current level of personal financial satisfaction under President Trump, and Daniel Wildermuth of Wildermuth Wealth talks about the benefits of investing like an endowment within a fund structure that forces investors to hold -- and think -- long-term.

Sameer Samana, senior global market strategist at the Wells Fargo Investment Institute, says that the market's recent rally appears to have run out of steam, requiring "a little bit of a breather" before the market makes more real upward progress. He expects a 5 to 10 percent pullback, with Standard & Poor's 500 using the 5,000 level as its new support level and the uptrend only being threatened if the sell-off pushes it below 4,600. Jay Zagorsky, a professor who studies the gaming industry at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business, says some $20 billion will be gambled on March Madness this year, with a record number of participants placing some type of wager thanks to rapid growth in legalized gaming. Matt Schulz, chief credit analyst at LendingTree, discusses his just-released new book, "Ask Questions, Save Money, Make More: How to Take Control of Your Financial Life," and Elliott Gue, editor of the Energy & Income Advisor newsletter is talking income-generating stocks in the Market Call.

Giorgio Caputo, head of multi-asset strategies at J.O. Hambro Capital Management, said that the equity market is acting like the economy is strong and can keep rolling, while the bond market is nervous that trouble is mounting, leaving the Federal Reserve and its rate strategy as what may be the primary determinant of how the market goes for the rest of the year. Also on the show, Deborah Kearns of BankRate.com discusses a survey showing that homeowners often have buyer's remorse about their home, Zach Jonson of Stack Financial Management looks at the market's technicals and sees a bull with room to run for a bit longer, and Manny Weintraub of Integre Asset Management talks stocks in the Market Call.

Ron Sanchez, chief investment officer at Fiduciary Trust Company International, says that stock valuations are running high right now, making it that "the compensation for equity isn't nearly as good as it has been for the better part of a decade," which has made fixed-income investments look like a better bargain. Moreover, while Sanchez is calling for a soft landing economically and believes that the Federal Reserve is done raising interest rates, it is creating opportunities for bond investors now. Jeff Muhlenkamp, portfolio manager at the Muhlenkamp Fund does the Market Call, noting that the fund has put some money to work in the six months since he was last on the show, but explaining why he's not fully invested now and doesn't expect to be for a while, and noting that individual investors might follow his lead. Plus, Russel Kinnel, director of manager research at Morningstar, discusses research showing how money flows into or out of funds after changes are made to the firm's medalist and star ratings, noting that while star ratings continue to have the biggest impact on fund flows, the medalist ratings -- done with the input of analysts instead of based entirely on quantitative measures -- are having a greater impact than in the past.

Brian Singer, co-manager of the William Blair Macro Allocation Fund, says that investors should be looking at making allocation changes now because the economy and market will come out of the pandemic changed, ready for a more broad recovery but also facing increased inflation as an offshoot of the economic stimulus. While not expecting inflation to take root yet, Singer agreed that certain inflation plays -- including energy stocks, the value investment style and more -- are likely to do well; he is less optimistic about the domestic market in general going forward. Also on the show, Freddy Garcia of Left Brain Wealth Management discusses how Enphase Energy has moved from a highly speculative stock that has gained more than 500 percent in the last year to a 'core holding' that he feels comfortable putting in anyone's portfolio, and Richard Howe of the Stock Spin-off Investing newsletter talks stocks in the Market Call.

Niladri Mukherjee, head of portfolio strategy at Merrill Lynch Bank of America Private Bank, thinks that equities will grind higher from current levels, but that progress will be based on a 'different playbook' driven by rising corporate earnings and narrower moves that force investors to dig into the numbers -- to 'get micro' looking at valuation opportunities -- rather than relying on the rising tide of indexes to carry them forward. Also on the show,  Steve Seedhouse, managing director of biotechnology equity research for Raymond James discusses the long-term impacts of Covid on biotech stocks, noting that the virus has become endemic -- it will be with us indefinitely, requiring treatments in the future to cover any and all variants -- and that status changes the prospects for businesses responding to it. He also covers the emerging biotech processes that he believes have significant potential. Also on the show, James Thom, manager of the closed-end India Fund, discusses the country's remarkable growth rate during recovery and the opportunities it presents, and Danny Sullivan, director for risk for Verus Investments, talks about how investors need to consider inflation in terms of the danger it holds to their portfolio rather than as simply a threat to the market.

Liz Ann Sonders, chief investment strategist for Charles Schwab and Co. says that investors should be hoping that the medicine necessary to help a weaker economy reduce the inflationary fever would be best taken sooner than later, leading to 'a much more meaningful deterioration of the economy ... that sets up a Fed pause.' With that in mind, Sonders expects more short-term market pain, setting up a recovery and better opportunities beyond that. David Trainer of New Constructs puts Digital Realty Trust back into the Danger Zone this week, noting that while the stock is already down significantly, it could drop another 75 percent before he thinks the market price will reflect the company's true value. Plus, Vivian Tsai, chairman of the College Savings Foundation discusses programs for gifting future college tuition monies for the holidays, and Bryan Armour, director of passive strategies research at Morningstar, makes his debut in the Market Call talking investments in exchange-traded funds.

Jeffrey Miller, portfolio manager at Incline Investment Advisors, says in the Money Life Market Call that the current economic recovery has been 'overstated,' leaving a division between the stocks that work now and those that will be good to own after the recession. That recession, however, is something that Miller believes we have not emerged from, that it's the same downturn that started before the pandemic hit, triggering the market's fall in February and March. He expects a bounce-back for the market as the economy recovers. Also on the show, Janice Quek of Left Brain Investment research discusses why investors want to add Southeast Asia to their portfolio and covers one emerging-markets stock that she thinks is particularly promising now, Bill Costello of the Westwood Funds talks about energy and utility companies now, and Chuck takes an audience-member's question about the tax-efficiency of exchange-traded funds.

Mike Larson, senior editor at Weiss Ratings and editor of Weiss' Safe Money Report, says in the Market Call that investors right now seem to be stopping to catch their breath after the market's Covid-19 recovery, waiting to see if there is more than just massive government stimulus propping up the market or is there another leg down ahead. Larson has been advocating sectors that do well in a 'ZIRP Forever' -- zero interest rate policy forever  -- environment, meaning yield-oriented investments, precious metals and consumer staples companies. Also on the show, Stephen Kalayjian of Ticker Tocker takes a look at the current technicals, Linda Zhang of SoFi discusses the trend that is seeing so many young and new investors become stock traders during the pandemic, and author Paul Starobin talks about 'A Most Wicked Conspiracy,' his true tale of a nearly forgotten financial swindle from America's gold rush.

Joe Quinlan, head of CIO market strategy for Merrill and Private Bank at Bank of America, expects heightened volatility with the market mostly flat until the point when the market anticipates that the Federal Reserve's tightening cycle is about to end, at which point "markets will swing back toward the green. ... The sooner Jay Powell gets it done, the better for the markets and the better for equities." Looking at the market's technical's, Matt Harris -- chief investment officer for The Hausberg Group -- agrees that volatility "is here to stay" until there is some signal that the market trend is changing. Harris says he will not be surprised if the market crashes through two support levels to retest the June lows, though he expects it will be a decline that occurs slowly and with a lot of volatility/movement in the interim. Also on the show, Josh Duitz of the Abrdn Global Infrastructure Income says that the macro drivers for infrastructure -- globalization, upgrades and repairs, urbanization and increased demand -- coupled with current inflationary pressures have created an environment that is solid for recession-resistant infrastructure stocks. Plus, in the Market Call, John Mowrey, chief investment officer at NFJ Investment Group, discusses global value investing.

Darrell Cronk, chief investment officer for Wells Fargo Wealth and Investment Management, says that investors are wondering whether to add risk exposure to portfolios or remove it given a range of worrisome trends like inflation, interest rates, unemployment and much more, yet he expects the economy and stock market to do better than most observers are forecasting for 2022, because the economy is humming along at a pace that should stave off the concerns for a while longer. Also on teh show, Ted Rossman of CreditCards.com talks about the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's new probe into buy-now/pay-later financing, Bob Powell of Retirement Daily discusses proposed changes to Roth IRA rules and how some of them might make investors want to do conversions before the year ends, and David Trainer of New Constructs opens the cup on Chobani -- the yogurt maker with the upcoming IPO -- and says he thinks the deal has already soured.

Frank Holmes, chief investment officer at US Global Investors, says that airline stocks have been sold down as a result of the coronavirus epidemic, and he expects them to have 'a super surge' -- along with hotels and luxury goods companies --  when the crisis ends, which he thinks is just a quarter away. Holmes also discusses gold, blockchain and more in a wide-ranging Big Interview. Also on the show, Tom Lydon of ETFTrends.com puts the rare bad word in about a specialized fund that he thinks is due for a long stretch of trouble, Brodie Gay of Unison talks real estate appreciation, and Gary Bradshaw of the Hodges Blue Chip Equity Income fund talks brand-name companies in the Market Call. 

Lawrence McMillan of McMillan Analysis and OptionStrategist.com says he is tightening up his stops right now, because the market is showing a few subtle danger signs within mostly positive trends. He worries that the market -- and particularly the Nasdaq, which has struggled while other indicators have flirted with new highs -- could be in for a short, sttep downturn before they can build off of positive news and trends. Also on the show, author Phil Moeller discusses his latest book, 'Get What's Yours for Health Care,' John Cole Scott of Closed-End Fund Advisors and the Active Investment Company Alliance looks at the opportunities now in closed-end funds, and Ken Applegate, lead manager for the Wasatch International Growth and Wasatch International Select funds talks small- and mid-cap stocks in the Market Call.

Adrian Helfert, portfolio manager for the Westwood Income Opportunity Fund, says that while investors might be nervous about the economy and the potential for a downturn, they should go along with the market's trends and not fight the central bankers who have been fueling the rebound action since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. He says investors should look beyond the big names that have been driving the recovery to see what opportunities look best next, and suggested that following the central bankers' should include looking for opportunities in Europe and beyond. Also on the show, Jim Tankersley of the New York Times discusses his new book 'The Riches of This Land' about America's middle class, and Chuck answers several questions from audience members.

Craig Callahan, chief executive officer at ICON Advisers, says that the stock market is close to its fair value right now, but that 'the expensive industries the way we measure value are leading and the bargains are lagging and very sluggish,' a situation that is unsustainable and that will lead to volatile, choppy, sideways markets for the next few months. Callahan says he is holding more cash than normal but he expects to be fully invested by the fall of 2023, when he expects the market to be 5 to 7 percent higher than it is today. Also on the show, Odeta Kushi, deputy chief economist at First American Financial Corp., discusses the 'golden handcuffs' that the rapid increase in mortgage rates have put on many long-time homeowners, locking them into their properties and altering the housing market's prospects in ways typically overlooked by buyers and sellers, Mark Hamrick, senior economic analyst at BankRate.com discusses the site's recent survey showing that a majority of Americans are considering job changes despite of or because of current economic uncertainties, and Chuck answers a listener question on how the government's debt-ceiling problems could affect investors in ultra-safe money-market funds.

Ted Rossman of Bankrate.com said that more than two-thirds of people with credit-card debt are making a financial mistake by trying to maximize credit-card rewards rather than forgoing the bonuses for a card with a lower rate and fewer costs that will help them eliminate debt faster, noting that gaining a few percentage points in cash back or airline miles is not worth the average credit card's 18 percent rate. Also on the show, author Rita McGrath talks about identifying transformative changes in business ahead of the crowd, Noland Langford of Left Brain Capital Management talks stocks in the Market Call, and Chuck answers a question about home-purchase offers you might get in the mail.

John Cole Scott, executive chairman of the Active Investment Company Alliance, says that investors looking for something to buy as they pick through the rubble of the market's recent freefall will find fertile opportunities in closed-end funds, where discounts have widened but yields are up since the market fell away from all-time highs a month ago. Scott offers a few attractive options for today's tough conditions. Also on the show, David Souccar of Vontobel Quality Growth gives an international take on markets, noting that while the moves feel extreme, the responses to them should not be, Kerry Pechter editor of Retirement Income Journal, discusses changes being made to retirement calculators, and Kyle Guske of New Constructs singles out two stocks that he says have entered the Danger Zone.

Ron Sanchez, chief investment officer at Fiduciary Trust Co. International, says there will be three phases to the virus economy, and that we are still in the first, which is marked as a time with extreme uncertainty and anxiety. In phase 2, which he expects to start in two to four weeks, Schwartz expects to lose the extreme-ness of it all, but for the volatility to remain. Abate says he is waiting for more investment opportunities but that right now it's too late to sell and too early to buy. Also on the show, Tom Lydon of ETFTrends.com announces his ETF of the Week, Paula Fleming of the Better Business Bureaus of New England talks about coronavirus scams, and James Abate of the Centre Funds talks stocks in the Market Call.

Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at BankRate.com, says the Federal Reserve has little choice when it meets this week but to follow through on its signals and cut interest rates by one-quarter of a percent, noting that anything larger or smaller than that come Thursday would wind up being destabilizing for the market. The anticipated rate cut, however, may not move all interest rates as expected; McBride noted that mortgage rates actually have surged since the Fed's oversized first cut in September and they may not follow in lock-step with the next move either. Eric Balchunas, senior ETF analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence — co-host of the Trillions podcast — talks about the spate of new, unusual investing ideas that have been turned into ETFs recently — from BattleShares to the oxymoronic single-stock ETFs — and how most of them will go away when the stock market takes its next protracted downturn. David Trainer of New Constructs revisits WarbyParker — which he first put in the Danger Zone as it was launching its initial public offering, but which he says is even more radically overvalued now, and Eden Cooper, founder and managing partner at Drift Capital discusses crowdfunding classic automobiles and the return potential of classic cars.

Adam Grimes of Talon Advisors has a bullish market outlook, noting that extraneous market events like coronavirus don't typically derail longer, larger market themes, and aren't going to overcome the current forces driving the market for the foreseeable future. Also on the show, financial adviser and author Michael Falk discusses how public discussions of entitlements and other big financial topics must change to avoid collapsing, Richard Barrington of MoneyRates.com on how much Americans overpay on credit-card debt, and Christopher Zook of CAZ Investments makes his debut talking stocks in the Market Call.

Michael Power, strategist at NinetyOne, says that investors might be tempted to run away from the market, but there is no real place to hide with high inflation and low yields making it that the traditional safe-havens are losing  purchasing power. Power says that there is a possibility of recession arriving late last year or early in 2024, which makes diversification across asset types and around the globe prudent. Also on the show, Lou Harvey, president at DALBAR Inc., discusses the firm's research on asset-allocation models and about their new Prudent Asset Allocation method, which has adherents lock down the core of their nestegg but be more aggressive with their remaining holdings to produce bigger-but-safer results. Plus Carol Anderson of MQ Research and Education discusses how well financial advisers are building and retaining trust at a time when meetings are infrequent, and Chuck reads a special letter he received from an audince member who is about to have his pursuit of life overtake his pursuit of money.

Hope Manion of Fidelity Investments joined Chuck to discuss the firm's recent research showing that couples will spend, on average, $285,000 on health-care protection in retirement, and discussed how that large burden will only be met by people who understand and plan for the real cost of medical coverage for seniors. Also, Peter Lipsett of DonorsTrust discussed how charitable giving defied expectations in the wake of tax-law changes, Sam McBride of New Constructs out a $16 billion mutual fund on blast in the 'Danger Zone,' and Maury Fertig of Relative Value Partners discussed closed-end funds in the Market Call.

Tom Lydon of ETFTrends.com made the ProShares Pet Care ETF ($PAWZ) his ETF of the Week, noting that the new, specialty niche fund is tapping into a growth industry that should be unaffected by the market and the economy. He did recommend using a trend-following strategy with the fnud. Also on the show, Harvard University professor Mihir Desai discussed how finances work, Paula Fleming of the Better Business Bureau covered travel scams ahead of the summer vacation efforts, and we rebroadcast a recent Market Call interview with Simon Lack of SL Advisors. 

Josef Schuster, founder of IPOX Schuster -- which tracks the market for initial-public offerings -- said that the IPO market in 2019 has held up, with start-up numbers generally being similar to a year ago and then pushed beyond those levels thanks to the debut of Uber. Also on the show, Tom Lydon of ETFTrends.com discusses palladium with his ETF of the Week, John Sweeney of Figure Technologies chats about how much money Americans are overpaying -- more than $100 billion -- by not playing interest rates properly, and value manager Michael Campagna or Moerus Capital talks stocks around the world in the Market Call.

Richard Sapertein, chief investment officer, Treasury Partners, gives a surprising take on how bond investors -- facing negative interest rates on international treasury securities and falling interest rates at home -- should actually extend maturities on the fixed-income instruments they are using, even though that could put them on the short end of the inverted yield curve. Also on the show, Tom Lydon of ETFTrends.com says value is coming back into vogue with his pick for the 'ETF of the Week,' Rich Polimeni of the College Savings Foundation discusses about how parents may know the value of saving for college but still are over-reliant on debt, and Oliver Pursche, chief market strategist at Bruderman Asset Management talks growth at a reasonable price in the Market Call.  

Chuck is at FinCon 2019, the giant meeting of podcasters, bloggers, writers and other content creators from throughout the personal-finance world. His guests today cover a wide range of subjects and programming. You'll hear from Gwen Merz of Fiery Millenials, Stephanie McCullough of Sofia Financial, Dustin Heiner of MasterPassiveIncome.com, Kent Brown of the Daily Money Show, Australian Paul Benson of Financial Autonomy, Kelly McKillip of Couch Cents, Whitney Hansen of The Money Nerds, and Logan Allec of Money Done Right.

Joe Kalish, chief macro strategist at Ned Davis Research, says that the big picture still argues for overweigting stocks relative to bonds and cash so long as the Federal Reserve follows through on making rate cuts and the economy avoids recession. While economic conditions make it look like a soft landing is in place now, Kalish is concerned about the outlook for 2025, noting that his concern level rises the longer the Fed holds off on rate cuts. Kalish says that the central bank can cut rates while still having restrictive policies, and that if it keeps rates tight for too long, cuts would come too late to avoid much rougher times. Also on the show: Bloomberg reporter Saleha Mohsin talks about her new book, "Paper Soldiers: How the Weaponization of the Dollar Changed the World Order" and how long the U.S. can maintain its position as the world's financial superpower; Brent Thurman, chief executive officer at Money Pickle discusses the latest developments in the fiduciary rule governing the behavior of financial advisers and whether it makes a difference to consumers in their day-to-day workings with brokers and financial planners; plus, with the Major League Baseball season just one day away, tax attorney David DeJong of Stein Sperling discusses what you might want to toss back and forth with your tax adviser if you are lucky enough to catch a milestone baseball when you go to the ballpark this year.  

Macro strategist Larry McDonald, creator of The Bear Traps Report, says that the current economic situation is "very 1980s like," a condition that requires different strategies than what most investors have used since the financial crisis of 2008. In a '1980s recession,' a very hot economy keeps inflation ripping and pushes oil prices high, and leaves the bottom 60 percent of the population struggling to keep up, and he says consumers are starting to show that tension now. The conditions should be good, McDonald says, for industrials and the oil and gas industries. Kyle Guske, investment analyst at New Constructs revisits SweetGreen, noting that the recent jump in the price simply has increased the peril facing investors, which is unexpected because the stock was in the Danger Zone before its IPO in 2021 and subsequently became a so-called zombie stock for being on the verge of running out of capital. Plus, Sophia Titley discusses Live and Invest Overseas' index on the world's top 10 retirement destinations for 2024, and Craig Giventer, managing director of portfolio strategies at GYL Financial Synergies, makes his debut talking stocks in the Market Call.

John Bonnanzio, editor at Fidelity Monitor and Insight, says that the economy keeps chugging along, and that the data suggests that the economy can avoid recession and the Federal Reserve can deliver a soft landing. Speaking in the Market Call segment, Bonnanzio says he is making gradual shifts to portfolios, moving away gradually from large-cap stocks and technology companies and moving towards value stocks including the ones that are economically sensitive that he thinks could be poised to rebound if his recession/soft landing call comes to fruition. Tom Lydon, vice chairman at VettaFi makes the iShares MSCI Turkey fund his pick for ETF of the week, noting that its the best-performing non-leveraged ETF out there for 2022, but that's no reason to think you want to jump in now, after the big gain and with so many other emerging markets and other parts of the world also presenting good values now. Plus, Chuck talks about some financial chores you can resolve, plan for or make your goals as you look ahead into the New Year.

Zachary Karabell, president of River Twice Capital, says that short-term bottlenecks and supply-chain issues are not systemic inflation, and  while he foresees inflationary spikes, he does not believe that long-term upward price pressure is about to change the broad economic picture. In a wide-ranging Big Interview, he notes that the global economy could see a series of rolling recoveries, leading to repeated cycles of good news as the world re-opens from the pandemic. Also on the show, Catherine Golladay of Charles Schwab and Co. discusses the latest 401k Participant Survey, in which Americans discuss just how much money they believe they must amass to live out their days comfortably, Chuck answers an audience question on passive investing and, in the Market Call, Bryan Koslow of Clarus Group talks about the exchange-traded funds he favors now.

Ryan Detrick, chief market strategist at Carson Group, says the first-half upside surprise from the stock market and economy has positioned the market for a big second half of the year. Detrick says that when the market posts double-digit gains in the first half of the year, historically it has added another 10 percent in the second half; he's forecasting for this year to continue the trend, with the Standard and Poor's 500 projected to gain 21 to 25 percent for the year, a prediction that's way up from the 12 to 15 percent gains he was calling for '23 when he made his annual forecast at the end of last year. Detrick's bullish view was echoed -- albeit for different and more technical reasons -- by Jeff Bishop, chief executive at RagingBull.com, who says the market is no longer range-bound, having broken out to the upside and with most technical indicators suggesting it could get all the way up to all-time high levels before the year is done. Also on the show, securities attorney  Kenneth Burdon of Skadden Arps says that rules proposed by the Securities and Exchange Commission would dramatically change liquidity requirements on traditional mutual funds, resulting in a boom for interval funds, and Vern Sumnicht of iSectors.com talks ETFs in the Market Call.

Money Life wraps up the 20 interviews of FinCon. A gathering of financial content creators and fin-tech entrepreneurs held in New Orleans last week - with Benjamin Nadelstein of Monetary Metals talking about how to generate yield on your gold holdings, Logan Smyth of the TRADR Market Analytics app on technical analysis, Kalilah Reynolds discussing the ups and downs of the Jamaican Stock Market, Jenni Sisson on how inflation is hitting the foot soldiers of the home front, and Joe Saul-Sehy of the Stacking Benjamins on the good and bad of financial content creation in today's tough economic environment.

Ken Berman, chief investment strategist at Gorilla Trades says that the Standard & Poor's 500 will 'easily hit 5,000 this year,' with the Dow Jones Industrial Average comfortably crossing 40,000, but while he expects those modest gains on the indexes, he says it will be a year when stock-picking is at a premium because so few issues are trading at highs. Berman expects the market to reach those records soon, but worries that they won't hold it, noting that two-thirds of available stocks are trading below their 50-day moving average, which suggests that there is at least heightened volatility ahead. Also on the show, Chuck discusses the savings that resulted from his personal policy of not spending anything under a 10-dollar bill and how much that can add up to if you find similar ways to save over time, Matt Schulz of LendingTree discusses how much money consumers enter the new year owing as a result of holiday spending sprees, and Guy Davis, portfolio manager of The Genuine Investors ETF, discusses during the Market Call the 'genuine investments" he's looking at now.

Joe Kalish, chief global macro strategist at Ned Davis Research, says he won't be surprised if there is a "normal correction" for the stock market once the presidential election is decided, followed by a pick-up into year's end, regardless of the election outcome. Kalish says he is skeptical that the economy can get to a 2 percent inflation level sustainably without going through a recession, but he does not have a recession prediction in his outlook, which argues for no landing over the next year or two. He expects the market to keep growing, albeit not at the pace seen over the last two years. Larry Tentarelli, editor of the Blue Chip Daily Trend Report, says that he is holding to a year-end target for the Standard and Poor's 500 of 6,000 to 6,100 — a gain of about 5 percent from current levels — provided the presidential election is decided in a timely fashion, so that uncertainty doesn't start to setin and cause unexpected problems. Mona Mahajan, senior investment strategist at Edward Jones discusses the firm's research into caregivers and the sandwich generation, which showed that caregiving responsibilities have sapped the confidence of American women about their ability to save for the future. And while the election results likely won't be known for several days, Mark Hamrick, senior economic analyst and Washington bureau chief at BankRate.com talks about the pocketbook issues that Americans are facing and how the election could impact what happens next.

Mark Fleming, chief economist at First American Corp., says that the fact that interest rates are likely stuck at current low levels is likely to reduce any impetus for homeowners to consider moving, which will slow down the economy, even with housing affordability at historically low levels despite an inventory shortage created in part by established homeowners opting to stay put. Also on the show, Tom Lydon of ETFTrends.com makes a retailing fund his 'ETF of the Week,' Ted Rossman of CreditCards.com discusses holiday tipping practices, and Chris Retzler, portfolio manager of the red-hot Needham Small Cap Growth Fund -- currently up more than 50 percent this year -- discusses his portfolio and the broader market in the Market Call.

John Barr, portfolio manager for the Needham Growth and Needham Aggressive Growth funds, says that despite the market's recent rally, there are plenty of smaller growth companies that represent good values with strong growth companies, though he also suggests that some of the large companies -- particularly in economy-driving industries like artificial intelligence and data storage -- have room to run too, which is why he's "not worried" about what the market will dish up this year. Also on the show, Manny Weintraub, principal at Cannell & Spears, discusses "super great stocks that are not going to kill you" in the Market Call, and Chuck reveals the 2023 results for his long-running "change experiment," where he saves everything under a $10 bill that comes his way in cash.

Ryan Detrick, chief market strategist for LPL Financial, says that the current bull market -- coming on the heels of a short, steep recession/bear market at the beginning of the pandemic -- is in its early stages and will roll into 2022 and beyond. He notes that for as long as economic growth and earnings stay strong, buoyed by monetary and fiscal policy tailwinds, 'there's still some time, we think, for this bull market to have some tricks up its sleeves and keep on rolling.' In another Big Interview on today's show, George Milling-Stanley, chief gold strategist at State Street Global Advisors, says that gold has not been a great inflation hedge at a time when investors are worried about the transitory nature of rising prices in large measure because the market doesn't expect inflation to last and has priced that into the metal. That said, Milling-Stanley still made a strong case for the role gold can play in a portfolio now, noting that he thinks this is a time to be loading up. And Tom Lydon, chief executive officer at ETFTrends.com makes a clean-energy index fund his ETF of the Week in light of the recent global summit on climate change.

Dan Fuss, vice chairman at Loomis Sayles, says that while interest rates and inflation are rising, the rate of those increases is slowing, and that part of the classic cycle doesn't ever get resolved quickly. is part of the classic cycle that has historically taken time to work out. The 89-year-old bond investing legend says the Federal Reserve has a tough job on its hands and places the central bank's odds of being successful in executing a soft landing are about 10 percent, though he thinks there's a better chance that it can push through the cycle without a downturn turning into a crash. Also on the show, Chuck answers a listener's question on how many stocks, funds and ETFs is too many for one investor to won, and portfolio manager Steve O'Neill of RiverNorth discusses why 'Tis the season for investors to go bargain hunting and discount shopping for closed-end funds.

Joseph Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM, says that the market "is a bit out over its skis" in terms of when the Federal Reserve will start cutting interest rates and how many cuts will happen in 2024, but that may create volatility and determine whether there is another rally in the current cycle. Brusuelas says the economy is in the middle of a soft landing and keeps looking strong, which should mute or limit just how much slowing happens moving forward. Jeffrey Bierman, founder of The QuantGuy.com and chief market technician at TheoTrade.com, says the market is overextended and due for a "garden variety 10 percent correction," but there is room for investors to hunt and peck for opportunities. Also on the show, Aaron Filbeck of the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association says that it's naive for investors to lump a wide range of mainstream investment options under the label of "alternative." Plus, Justin Carbonneau of Validea.com talks about the expert methodologies that are working the best in current conditions and how to build the ideas of money-management legends into your portfolio.

Ryan Myers, portfolio manager at Causeway Capital Management -- manager of the Causeway International Small Cap fund -- says that current valuations "are on par with some historical extremes where small caps go on to outperform fairly significantly." He likes opportunities in Japan, particularly after market troubles there earlier in August made valuations even more appealing, but he also says there are bargains to be had in European financials and AI-adjacent companies in Taiwan and Korea and elsewhere. Financial adviser Mark Matson discusses his new book, "Experiencing the American Dream: How to Invest Your Time, Energy, and Money to Create an Extraordinary Life," and Ron Lieber, money columnist at The New York Times, digs into merit aid -- the focus of his new course aimed at parents trying to find ways to navigate college funding -- and how students can tap into it.

Doug Roberts, Chief Investment Strategist at Channel Capital Research Institute — the author of "Follow the Fed to Investment Success" — says that under the new Trump Administration it is possible to return to a status where goods inflation is declining while wage growth pushes core inflation up, which could lead Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell to be reluctant to make further rate cuts. While he expects more after Thursday's quarter-point reduction, he thinks the pace of cuts may be slower than many Fed watchers currently anticipate. Jared Hagen, vice president at XA Investments, discusses the unprecedented growth in interval and tender-offer funds that has happened this year and how the number of funds in registration guarantees that the trend will continue through 2025. And Gwen Merz of the Fiery Millennials blog and her husband Tim Joiner — co-hosts of the FIRE Talks podcast — help Chuck answer a question from a listener whose financial life is off to a great start but who is so busy trying to reduce debt that she's struggling to find a comfortable work-life balance.

Frank Holmes, chief executive at US Global Investors, says that key indicators suggest that central banks will keep priming the pump for the global stock market well into 2021 and beyond, and that most current trouble signs will simply turn into short-term dips that represent good buying opportunities as the market and economy emerge from the coronavirus pandemic. Also on the show, Noland Langford from Left Brain investment Research goes to an unlikely place -- the shopping mall -- to find two surprising stocks with the kind of near-term growth potential he likes, and Rob Lutts of Cabot Wealth Management talks stocks in the Market Call.

Ben Ashby, head of investments at Rayliant Global Advisors, says that the U.S. stock market may be better positioned than the rest of the world right now, that's mostly because the outlook for almost all global markets right now is grim. He's anticipating trouble -- and sparse to no growth for the U.S. market and economy -- with little reason for optimism expected until the end of next year. Meanwhile, he described three types of bear markets -- apa Bear, Mama Bear and Baby Bear -- and says he thinks current problems will lead to the middle ground, but notes that a Mama Bear can be deep and difficult. Jack Kleinhenz, chief economist for the national Retail Federation and a member of the National Association for Business Economics Outlook Survey Committee discusses the results of the latest poll of economists, released today, showing that the researchers aren't holding out much optimism for 2023. Plus, Kyle Guske, investment analyst at New Constructs, puts another 'zombie stock' into The Danger Zone and in the Market Call, Andy Braun, portfolio manager for the Pax Large Cap fund, talks about stocks.

Wall Street veteran Bob Doll, chief investment officer at Crossmark Global Investments, has long made annual forecasts for the key financial elements of the year ahead. But coming off the global pandemic and the way it skewed economic numbers, Doll's crystal ball was murkier a year ago, and it was reflected in him hitting on fewer of his predictions. We review what happened with him, and then turn our attention to the coming 12 months, which Doll says are still hard to forecast because of the unpredictability of current trends. That said, those trending uncertainties will make for a tougher year, one in which investors are likely to find that diversification pays off more than in the recent past. Also on the show, Chuck answers a listener's question about a popular fund, ARK Innovation, that has been struggling for the last year.

Arnim Holzer, global macro strategist at Easterly EAB Risk Solutions, says that he is concerned that investors don't understand just how badly their portfolios will perform in 2022 when interest rates start to rise. The way tech stocks and high-momentum sectors of the market are already reacting, Holzer said, should make investors cautious and have them looking at financial stocks and insurance companies, plus utilities, going forward. Also on the show, Ted Rossman talks about the latest Bankrate.com survey covering the shopping issues that more than three-quarters of Americans were facing before the holiday season got into full swing, David Trainer of New Constructs put AMC Entertainment -- one of the original meme stocks -- back into the Danger Zone, questioning whether there is any real value to the company's stock at all, and Robin Wigglesworth, columnist for the Financial Times, discusses his new book on the creation and evolution of the index fund and how it went from being ridiculed and scorned to being the cornerstone of trillions of dollars in investment portfolios in just a few decades.

Lawrence McMillan, president of McMillan Analysis, says that he is seeing signs of a bear market -- which he believes we are in -- in the form of heightened volatility where rallies are in full force one minute and wiped out the next. McMillan says that while the market is showing signs of being oversold, it's not time to act on that yet because only one of the eight primary indicators he tracks is bullish right now, "and it will take a while for them to come around." Also on the show, Bob Powell, the editor of Retirement Daily, talks about how poorly prepared many retirement savers are for dealing with long-term heightened inflation, noting that 'You won't be able to invest your way out of this,' Ted Rossman discusses a Bankrate.com survey on how people are altering summer travel plans based on the economy, and David Brady of Brady Investment Counsel talks about growth investing in the Market Call.

Today's show covers a lot of ground, from Matt Zajechowski of Digital Third Coast talking about a survey on package thefts and giving out tips for foiling box bandits this holiday season, to Ben Hunt of EpsilonTheory.com talking about his big concerns for the markets that have been mostly overlooked by observers and experts, on to international value investing in the Market Call with guest David Marcus from the Evermore Global Value Fund talking about how the market's run to record highs hasn't curtailed his supply of companies that have been bloodied and bruised by business and that look like solid discount plays to him as a result of their troubles.

David Payne, staff economist at Kiplinger.com, said that the economic underpinnings remain solid and strong, but aren't 'amazing,' which should lead to a year of heightened volatility and muted market returns. He noted that the market now seems to expect the Federal Reserve to be done with rate hikes at least until very late int he year. Also on the show, Bill Thrush, Richard Lewis and Ray Baraldi of HighTower Advisors discuss how they help consumers set appropriate expectations, Jason Reposa of MyBankTracker.com talks about what people affected by the government shutdown can do to get some assistance and relief frmo creditors, and Scott Klimo of Saturna Capital and the Amana Funds has the Market Call.

Stephen Yacktman, chief investment officer at the Yacktman Funds, says in the Market Call that while the value investment style has lagged growth in recent years, that does not mean investors haven't been able to generate reasonable relative returns that live up to appropriate expectations. He did note that managers may have to look further afield to find some of those bargains and values, and noted that he is looking abroad more now as pricing abroad is more likely to meet his criteria given that domestic markets are at all-time highs. Also on the show, John Yesford of High Income Opportunities talks return of capital in The NAVigator, author Randy Charles Epping discusses 'The New World Economy,' and Kevin Davey of KJ Trading Systems gives his technical take on the market.

Market forecaster Harry S. Dent Jr. says the next stock market crash -- which he thinks could hit as early as the next six weeks -- will be a 50 percent decline in two to three months, but he says that the decline is a re-set needed to pass a bubble and that the carnage will be over by late in 2022 or 2023. 'The upside is limited, the downside is somewhere between 65 and 80 percent on stocks,' he says in an extended Big Interview. Dent says that Bitcoin has been 'the best leading indicator of the market,' and he notes that if Bitcoin's mid-April peak holds up -- and the crypto is down about 50 percent since then -- then the market would be due to start its significant fall by the end of June. Also on the show, David Trainer of New Constructs discusses a new and different way that some companies are hiding some troubling numbers from investors, and Chuck talks about the various forms of risk and how investors -- even nervous ones -- want exposure to all of them.

Shawn Cruz, manager of trading strategy for TD Ameritrade, said that the market is fighting conflicting trends but noted that any sort of meaningful improvements in the trade war with China would likely help stocks break through to new highs, as he believes the market is trying hard to continue climbing. Also on the show, Mike PeQueen of HighTower Advisors said he believes that solid fundamentals will allow the market to climb the proverbial 'wall of worry' without suffering through a recession until at least 2021. Greg McBride of BankRate.com discusses his site's most recent survey of fees and charges levied by banks, and Francisco Bido of Cognios Large Cap Growth fund makes his debut in the Market Call.

Noting that 'Hope is not an investment strategy,' Peter Chiappinelli, portfolio strategist at GMO, says that his firm de-risked its holdings in May, moving from a buy-hold tack into the market's recovery to more of a long-short strategy that should make money no matter which way the wind blows next. He says that the market is pricing in an all-is-well optimistic recovery, but that savvy investors should prepare for something worse to help get them through uncertain times, and he noted that value should outperform core equity in time, particularly with international stocks, which 'are trading at a discount we have never seen before in the history of our database.' Also on the show, author Steven Bavaria talks about how closed-end funds can be an 'income factory' driving returns, Matt Harris of HighTower Advisors talks technicals and describes why a weak dollar is making gold, miners and emerging markets look good, and David Marcus of Evermore Global Value Fund says in the Market Call that there is a current intersection between the growth and value styles that's unlike anything he has seen in his decades as a fund manager.

Brad McMillan, chief investment officer for Commonwealth Financial Network, says that while market valuations are high right now on a historic basis -- which might make investors cautious -- the sky-high prices for the Magnificent Seven stocks that have been leading the market to record levels have left room for the other stocks in the index to be particularly reasonable. That means the market's overall valuation is more reasonable than headlines suggest, and there is room to grow in other sectors. Likewise, economists are feeling like economic policies are working well enough to avoid big problems like recession this year --  according to the latest Policy Survey from the National Association for Business Economics, released today; Lester Jones of the NABE survey committee discusses how economists still have some worries about fiscal policies and how the Federal Reserve might mess things up. Plus David Trainer of New Constructs revisits a Danger Zone pick that has fallen dramatically but that he thinks will go all the way to zero in due time, and author Jared Dillian talks about his new book "No Worries: How to Live a Stress-Free Financial Life" and how three key financial decisions will determine how easily you can avoid feeling day-to-day financial pressures.

Joe Terranova, chief market strategist at Virtus Investment Partners, says that the market's rebound from early-pandemic lows has investors tempted into concentrated portfolios, pursuing the hot sectors and big winners, but he says the remainder of the year will be about risk, and 'reintroducing diversification by asset class, geography, equity size class and strategy.' Terranova says he is optimistic not just for the future but for the next 10 to 15 years, but he says the markets will demand that investors spread their risks around and manage their return expectations to ride it out to those long-term gains. Also on the show, Freddy Garcia of Left Brain Wealth Management says that investors should be focused on sustainable revenue growth -- rather than whether a stock fits the classic growth or value labels -- to find companies that can move forward regardless of market conditions, and Tom Plumb of the Plumb Balanced Fund and the Plumb Equity Fund talks stocks in the Market Call.

Blair Sheppard, author of 'Ten Years to Midnight: Four Urgent Global Crises and Their Strategic Solutions," discusses current situations that threaten orderly governments, economic systems and more in the United States and around the globe and talks about the steps that can be taken to avoid a dark future. Also on the show, Freddy Garcia of Left Brain Wealth management discusses how the election did -- or didn't -- change the outlook on growth stocks the firm liked before the voting, and suggests a new entry in a sector that's warming up, Greg McBride of Bankrate.com talks about why many Americans are missing out on current mortgage refinancing opportunities, and Bill Stone of Stone Investment Partners gives his take on the market and the economy.

Jeff Kolitch, portfolio manager for the Baron Real Estate and Baron Real Estate Income funds, says that the scary headlines about real estate -- and particularly commercial real estate -- have been an over-reaction and says investors want to be looking at real estate stocks now rather than waiting for "an all-clear signal" on the industry. "The best time to step in is when there's angst out there," Kolitch says, "and we like the set-up and think it's a great time to lean into real estate." Kyle Guske, investment analyst at New Constructs, reaffirms Rivian as a zombie stock that remains overvalued despite coming down by 30 percent in a recent drop-off, and he notes that the stock seems inexorably headed to losing everything. In the Market Call, Jason Browne, president of Alexis Investment Partners -- manager of the Alexis Practical Tactical ETF -- talks exchange-traded funds.

Larry Cordisco, portfolio manager at Osterweis Capital Management, says that investors should look for industry leaders that are depressed by the current economy, because they're in a strong position to weather the market and economic storm created by the coronavirus pandemic.When the current economy weakens -- which Cordisco expects, despite his long-term view that recovery is coming -- the strong players will come out in a few years much better positioned as leaders in their fields. Also on the show, Howard Dvorkin of Debt.com talks about how individuals and families struggling to make ends meet during the pandemic should approach their problems to minimize potential trouble, and author Olivier Sibony discusses his new book on the mistakes people make by letting personal biases skew their decisions.

Mark Newton of Newton Advisors says that he expects the year to play out like 2018, when the stock market peaked in October and then suffered through the end of the year. Newton says that if the Standard and Poor's 500 breaks through 3,380 -- a level it nearly hit on Monday -- investors could be in for a slippery slope through December, a decline exacerbated by struggles among technology stocks and broader pressures facing popular stocks. Also on the show, Brian Estes of Off The Chain Capital talks bitcoin and cryptocurrencies, Sarah Berger of MagnifyMoney.com discusses the regrets investors report feeling over stocks they sold at the beginning of the pandemic, and David McInnis of the East Paces Group discusses how to deal with the volatility he expects to see after election day,

David Jilek, chief investment strategist at Gateway Investment Advisers, said that bonds may not be the best way for investors to reduce risk in the current market, given where we are in the interest-rate cycle. Also on the show, Jeff Kelly, Jimmy Hausberg and Ray Baraldi of HighTower Advisors discuss whether investors should have long-term bonds in their portfolios now, Jill Gonzalez of WalletHub.com talks about the best frequent-flier programs, and David Miller of the Catalyst Mutual Funds has the Market Call.

Craig Callahan, chief executive officer at ICON Advisers, says that while the stock market has returned to record levels, he's not seeing the overpricing that is typical or a market peaking. Instead, stocks have further to run to reach fair value; he does see this bull run acting differently right now, with 'much more straight up -- and less down days -- than a typical bull market.' Callahan says that he expects the rally to continue until interest rates start to rise, which could squeeze valuations. Also on today's show, Brian Dress, director of research for Left Brain Investment Research, discusses Roku -- the firm's stock of the year in 2020 -- which has been working through some near-term troubles that have created a buying opportunity rather than a reason to bail out, and David Harden, chief investment officer at Summit Global Investments, talks low-volatility and factor investing, a love-hate relationship with Morningstar ratings and more in a wide-ranging Market Call.

John Kosar, chief market strategist at Asbury Research, says investors who have been conditioned to buy every stock market decline may want to be patient with current volatility, because the market hasn't busted through support levels. He worries that investors could sell now, only to have support hold up so that investors actually are getting out at the bottom 'and two weeks later they'll be pulling their hair out.' Kosar says the current decline should not be sold until the market moves dives a bit further. Also on the show, Parth Doshi, vice president of closed-end funds at Nuveen, discusses why investors might want to use new interval funds -- rather than traditional closed-end funds -- for their municipal bond holdings, Mark Hamrick of BankRate.com talks about the jobless claims numbers and what the report is signalling for the economy ahead, and James Abate of Centre Asset Management talks stocks in the Market Call.

Legendary stock market observer Roger Ibbotson -- whose landmark research is the basis for most people believing that large-cap stocks deliver 10 percent per year -- has said for years now that investors should not expect the future to stand up to the past. The chairman of Zebra Capital Management says in The Big Interview that low interest rates and other conditions will make it that the market is more likely to deliver about 8 percent on average over the next quarter century, still good but a significant drop off that must be planned for. Also on the show, Matt Schulz talks about a MagnifyMoney.com survey on how much Americans have been selling things out of their home -- and how much they have been making -- during the pandemic, David Trainer revisits GameStop -- which he liked prior to when it became a meme stock -- in the Danger Zone, and Mark Rank talks about his recent book, 'Poorly Understood: What America Gets Wrong About Poverty.'

T. Rowe Price issued its outlook for 2024 on Tuesday and Blerina Uruci, the firm's chief US economist, says that while she expects slower growth, "but I am not seeing a red flag here that indicates a recession is in the cards." She notes that forecasting has become harder in the post-COVID environment, making the margin for error higher, especially with the Federal Reserve still having work to do to bring inflation down, which "will keep uncertainty elevated for 2024." Uruci expects respectable growth, job growth and a low unemployment rate to create "a benign environment" for stocks and bonds. Also on the show, Len Estabrooks, owner of West Bridgewater Coin and Jewelry -- who Chuck and Gail went to when they sold some old jewelry and coins in September -- talks about the nuances of the cash-for-gold business, there's a Book Interview with Patrick Fisher, co-author of “The Compound Code: An Expert Guide to Trading Stocks and Options,” and Ed Slott of IRAhelp.com is back to answer questions from the Money Life audience.

David Jilek, chief investment strategist for Gateway Investment Advisors, says the market is poised for a reasonably good year ahead, but there are many potential trouble spots and risks. He notes that the market is pricing in greater implied volatility ahead for reasons related to the market, the pandemic, the economy, Federal Reserve policy and more more. He also notes that conservative investors are facing a period where their money isn't growing in low-rate fixed-income securities, forcing them to take on more risk to reach their goals. Also on the show, Meredith Stoddard discusses Fidelity's 2020 New Year's Resolution study, Kyle Guske of New Constructs talks in 'The Danger Zone' about why legacy credit ratings -- using traditional metrics and measures of the credit raters -- can create false impressions of corporate strength, and Chuck discusses the lists of the top companies that are being released for 2021 and whether investors should put any stock in these lists of the 'best stocks.'

Mona Mahajan, US investment strategist at Allianz Global Investors,says that while investors sense the disconnect between the market and economy, the stock market has been driven by a few giant businesses that have done well, even as the small-business community has suffered through the pandemic. Mahajan believes investors have a good opportunity now to position themselves for the rally that she thinks will be driven next year by improving economic data. Also on the show, Holly Ward discusses the latest outlook survey from the National Association for Business Economics, author Rob Hatch talks about making simple, straightforward decisions in today's complex world, and David Trainer of New Constructs puts a popular name-brand in the Danger Zone.

Amar Reganti, fixed income strategist at the Hartford Funds, says that the Federal Reserve normally starts cutting rates only when something has gone wrong, but there doesn't seem to be any portion of the U.S. economy that is so over-leveraged that it craters as/when a rate-hike cycle ends. If nothing surfaces, Reganti says this may be the generational anomaly where the central bank actually achieves a soft landing, conditions where the softening economy may go through a recession but without getting really ugly. Michael Kahn, senior market analyst at Lowry Research Corp., says that the market's technicals are all looking good, a sign that investors should keep riding this trend rather than worrying about backing away from it just because the market is in record-high territory. Christine Benz, director of personal finance and retirement planning at Morningstar Inc., discusses her new book, "How to Retire: 20 Lessons for a Happy, Successful, and Wealthy Retirement," and Craig Sarembock, wealth adviser at Bartlett Wealth Management, talks growing stocks trading at reasonable prices in the Market Call.