The Derivative (RCM Alternatives)

It's not every day you get to talk about investing and food in the same conversation, and this week, refinancing, restructuring, and investing in niche businesses is on the menu with Adam Tkaczuk(@Adam_Tkaczuk). Adam is a tax consultant, project CFO, and private equity investor. He raises debt, equity, and government subsidies for projects and helps business owners reduce the tax liability on the sale of their business.

In this episode, Adam and Jeff get into "The Greatest Show on Earth" and discuss investing in distressed companies, just what deep value means, food processing and Philly cheesesteaks (we'll take a Whiz with onions, please), private vs. public equity (is the juice worth the squeeze), the true heroes of finance, tax strategies for business owners and so much more! Plus, we're playing two truths and a lie with Adam where he throws in a coffee roasting twist — SEND IT!

Chapters:

00:00-01:47 = Intro

01:48-03:45 = Choose your Fighter: Calgary Stampede or Tour De France

03:46-20:49 = Flipping distressed companies, Food processing & Philly Cheesesteaks

20:50-37:48 = Private vs. Public Equity, site selection, subsidy programs & is the juice worth the squeeze?

37:49-45:59 = Family-owned small businesses are the heroes, why not just be a plumber?

46:00-59:37 = Tax strategies for business owners, selling a business & breakdown of an opportunity zone

59:38-01:07:42 = Two Truth's & a lie? A Coffee roast profile

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From the episode:

Check out Adam's newest white paper 8 Ways to Minimize Taxes When Selling a Business

Follow along with Adam on Twitter @Adam_Tkaczuk and for more information visit ventouxholdings.com

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

It’s hard to get too far into the words Trend Following without running into the name Michael Covel. If you’ve ever looked into the strategy type, his name is there. From speeches to his many books, the aptly named Trend Following Radio and his trend following twitter thread, Michael has been digging into the philosophy and people in and around trend following for nearly 24 years. And as our guest on today’s pod, we cover a large span of topics including: living in Vietnam, first COVID flight, market wizard to turtle traders, the Jerry Parker inspiration, great stories from legends like David Harding, Tom Basso, Ed Seykota, Mike Shannon; history of turtle trading, Michael’s array of trend books, Trend Following Radio, all-start guests, the different (unfair) standard for managed futures and trend following, trend following battles, what’s what of trend following, long vs short term trend following, the Chinese and Vietnamese markets, and becoming an investment personality.

Chapters:

00:00-2:39 = Intro

02:40-10:56 = A life Abroad

10:57-26:19 = Move to Trend Following & Successful Author

26:20-46:39 = Legendary Stories

46:40-01:02:01 = Drawdowns & Figuring out the Philosophy

01:02:02-01:08:33 = What’s the Asia Investor Mentality?

01:08:34-01:12:49 = How New Managers can Navigate the Social Media World

01:12:50-01:26:20 = Favorites

From the episode: The Whipsaw Song – Ed Seykota

Get updates on Michael and his work by listening to Trend Following Radio, following him on Twitter and checking out his website. 

Order his books: Trend Following, The Complete Turtle Trader, Trend Commandments, and The Little Book of Trading. 

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

We're back with a new episode of The Derivative, and this time we're talking all things trend-following, Miami, and volatility with Kevin Davitt from Nasdaq.

This episode starts by clarifying some questions about trend-following strategies and sharing some quick thoughts on volatility in 2022. It was a unique year for trend following, with different sectors showing up at different times and overlapping, making for a much smoother experience than we've seen in the past.

We also discuss the importance of embracing uncertainty, being proactive, and investing in relationships, as well as the common misconceptions around trend following and managed futures.

If you're interested in learning more about trend following, managing volatility, and building relationships in the industry, be sure to give this episode a listen!

Chapters:

00:00-01:47 = Intro

01:48-13:32 = Clearing up questions about Trend Following strategies & Quick thoughts on Volatility in 2022

13:33-43:55 = Embrace Uncertainty, Be Proactive & Invest in Relationships with Kevin Davitt

Stay tuned for the panel discussion in Part II of this episode next week!

Follow along with Kevin on Twitter @kpdavitt13 and check out his recent articles writing for Nasdaq, and for more information on Nasdaq visit nasdaq.com

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Will the real Portnoy please stand up? This week's guest may not be rating pizzas worldwide in one bite, but he is an expert at simplifying the complex world of money — we're sitting down with the one and only Brian Portnoy, Ph.D., CFA. Brian(@brianportnoy) is the founder of Shaping Wealth, a coaching and content platform inspiring financial well-being globally. He also has multiple bestselling books on the psychology of money, most notably The Geometry of Wealth (which has been published in 8 different languages.)

For this interesting chat, Jeff and Brian dive into YOLOers needing to take some form of agency, where Crypto falls in the 7 dimensions of money life, behavioral conversations (rich vs. wealthy), Financial literacy, the happiness equation, investment expectations, and so much more! Plus, we get exclusive insight into how Brian is "Shaping Wealth" — SEND IT!

Chapters:

00:00-01:49 = Intro

01:50-08:00 = The Real Portnoy

08:01-20:06 = Taking some form of Agency & Does Crypto fall into the 7 Dimensions of money life?

20:07-36:36 = Behavioral conversations, Rich vs Wealthy: the Geometry of Wealth & Achieving funded contentment

36:37-46:59 = Youth financial literacy & Behavioral bias with institutional investors

47:00-01:02:10 = The happiness equation, Investment expectations & Offense vs Defense investing

01:02:11-01:08:43 = Behavioral framework

Follow along with Brian on Twitter @brianportnoy and for more information on Shaping Wealth, please visit shapingwealth.com

Check out Brian's book, The Geometry of Wealth

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Is trend following too big? Can managed futures do it without the bond tailwind they’ve had for 30 years? Does globalization take away diversification? We’re debunking these trend following myths/truths (?) in today’s podcast – and today’s guest is ideal to take us through the ins-and-outs of these trend following theories. We’re joined by Kathryn Kaminski, PHD, CAIA, and Chief Research Strategist & Portfolio Manager at AlphaSimplex who has written the literal book and research papers on these theories and more. We’re also talking with Kathryn about AlphaSimplex, COVID puppies, the Nashville predators, diversifying across trends,  Dr. Andrew Lo, research papers & books, pure risk premium, crisis alpha, trend following “doesn’t work” theories, alternative data, being an MIT professor, homemade Swedish meatballs, risk/volatility targeting, and being an alternatives person in a stock town.

00:00-01:43 – Intro

01:44-13:18 = An Impressive Background with a touch of Sweden

13:19-35:03 = Alpha Simplex, Trend Models, & Crisis Alpha

35:04-53:19 = Debunking Trend Following’s Dead & Inflation Environments

53:20- 01:09:51 = Risk Targeting & 2020: A year in review

01:09:52-01:13:29 = Favorites

Follow along with Katy on LinkedInand check out the AlphaSimplex website.

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

We’re back this week bringing you the second half of our Miami event - sharing the open discussion and panel portion that focused on volatility as an asset class. The panel was quite the collective of talent, with Luke Rahbari, CEO of Equity Armor Investments, Zed Francis, CIO and co-founder of Convexitas, Rodrigo Gordillo, president of Resolve Asset Management and Jason Buck, CIO and co-founder of Mutiny Funds.

In this packed VOL episode these four stir up an interesting discussion on volatility as an asset class, why we should care about volatility, and why it's necessary to have protection in your portfolios. How volatility comes in waves, and we need to be ready to react to its movements. Defining volatility vs risk, rebalancing your portfolio, offense + defense, low volatility, long volatility, these are just a few topics that are being dissected in this episode and it’s a conversation you don’t want to miss!

Chapters:

00:00-01:43 = Intro

01:44-29:23= Volatility as an asset class, Why should we care, offense + defense, the world & diversification

29:24-43:02 = Defining Volatility vs risk, the importance of rebalancing your portfolio, & how volatility performed in 2022

43:03-01:02:08 = Role of players in the market, Options, Liquidity & Overlaying strategies for low Volatility

01:02:09-01:21:47= Key Q&A’s on Volatility

Follow along with our panelists on Twitter @RodGordilloP, @jasoncbuck, @convexitas, & @luke_rahbari

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

As investors and traders, we all strive for success in the markets. But what sets the best apart from the rest? According to Kapil Rastogi, the President and co-founder of PlusPlus Capital Management, it's all about having the right culture. Ranking among the best in the industry in RCM’s semi-annual rankings report for best risk control certainly doesn’t hurt either.  

In this episode of The Derivative, Kapil shares his insights on a range of topics, including his personal journey to becoming an investor and trader, how compensation structure and successful backtesting can be at odds, and his unique approach to a behavioral approach to trading. He also delves into the importance of culture versus strategy, why most investors are asking the wrong questions, and how to identify a firm with the right culture. With a focus on the two components of success, strategy, and culture, Kapil highlights the significance of hiring the right people and fostering a positive culture.

Kapil and Jeff also discuss the concept of skew and how it affects risk, the importance of minimizing drawdown, and how the recent bond volatility has played out in the markets. Through his experience and expertise, Kapil offers valuable insights into what it takes to succeed in the world of risk control. Tune in to learn more about the conscientious culture behind risk control — SEND IT!

Chapters:

00:00-02:14 = Intro

02:15-11:47 = Getting started with Neiderhoffer & backtesting blunders

11:48-30:49 = Meticulous Backtesting, complex behavior models & why A.I. can’t replace intuition

30:50-47:40 = Culture vs Strategy: The five types of Culture

47:41-01:04:21 = Risk control, minimizing drawdown & a simple definition of skew

01:04:22-01:19:58 = A calculated response to the SVB events

01:19:59-01:18:41 = Sports vs Hedge funds: staying above your high water mark

Check out Kapil on LinkedIn and visit pluspluscapital.com for more information on PlusPlus Capital Management

Don't forget to subscribe to ⁠The Derivative⁠, follow us on Twitter at ⁠@rcmAlts⁠ and our host Jeff at ⁠@AttainCap2⁠, or ⁠LinkedIn⁠ , and ⁠Facebook⁠, and ⁠sign-up for our blog digest⁠.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit ⁠www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Viva Las EQ Derivatives... This week Jeff journeys back to the Windy City from Sin City, where he is joined by a special guest, Mutiny's very own Jason Buck @JasonMutiny. In this episode, they give essential insight into this unique conference for options traders, hedge funds, and insurers. They break down everything you need to know about the event and key takeaways like what was being said, what wasn't said, and what caught their attention.

Jason and Jeff dive into topics like; the vibes at EQD, Russian Energy, Commodity supercycles, Multi-Assets including Hedges/Risk Premia, Backtesting, Puts & Dips, the unknown (unknowns), the smartest guys in Vol, and so much more. But the fun doesn't end there...we're putting a part-2 to this discussion on Jason's Mutiny Investing Podcast! So go check it out on your favorite podcast platform, Apple, Spotify, whatever you got...SEND IT!

Chapters:

00:00-01:50 = Intro

01:51-16:08 = Vegas Vibes, Russian Energy, "Greenflation", term structure, Carry, & Commodity super cycles

16:09-27:36 = Multi-Asset Hedges, Risk Premia, Back testing, Puts & Dips

27:37-48:04 = The Unknown Unknowns: Skew is crashing, global risks, sell-offs, inflation, & the smartest guys in long Vol

48:05-58:19 = Liquidity & the S&P Index, Dispersion, & the end game for Supply of Derivative tools

Follow along with Jason on Twitter @JasonMutiny and @MutinyFunds and for information on Mutiny Funds visit mutinyfund.com

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

So – what’s happening in the wide world of volatility? The market moved to new all time highs and the VIX actually went UP. The market then mini-crashed lower and VIX barely budged?  WTF indeed? Is it Robinhood traders?  It is market makers?  Is it sustainable?  To break it down we’re doing another of our WTF episodes, and are joined by two VOL pros, Matt Thompson – Managing Partner at Thompson Capital Management, and Pat Hennessy – Head Trader at IPS Strategic Capital to talk about volatility, VIX, and options trading inside the market dislocation.

Chapters:

00:00-01:36 = Intro

01:37-31:46 = The VIX in the past month

31:47-46:11 = The Elevating of the VIX & The reasons behind the curve

46:12-54:47 = Strategy Impacts

54:48-1:00:05 = Where do we go from here?

Follow along with Matt(@dynamicvol) and Pat(@pat_hennessy) on Twitter, and check out their websites for more info on their strategies at Thompson Capital Managementand IPS Strategic Capital.

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

This week on the Derivative we're doing it a little differently sharing our platforms with RCM's Agriculture podcast, The Hedged Edge. The Hedged Edge is back online with a guest who could be it's podcast's most important guest of all time. At a time when inflation is running rampant through the world economy, drought conditions are drying up our rivers, and the global supply of grain is scarce. We are tasked with the question, "what the hell is going on in logistics, and is there any relief in sight?"    

To help address these questions and more, Jeff Eizenberg is joined today by a man that needs no introduction to most in the physical commodity sector – Woodson Dunavant with the Dunavant Logistics company based in Memphis, TN.

Quick Links from the episode:

For more information visit Dunavant.com, follow @Dunavant_LTL on Twitter, and check out their LinkedIn & Facebook.

Direct questions for Woodson: woodson.dunavant@dunavant.com

Subscribe to The Hedged Edge on your preferred platform, and follow them on Twitter @ag_rcm, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

This episode’s guest, Salem Abraham, is a bit of a legend in the trend following/managed futures space, with his 30+ years of knowledge and experience making for some of the best stories in the industry (and one of our most entertaining guests to date).

In today’s episode we learn more about tiny Canadian, Texas; how you have to noodles and red sauce if in a contest to make the best spaghetti, the turtle traders, the tourist boat capsizing in front of the nude beach, talking how low oil can go, being buddies with Boone Pickens, honeybees, sending the first ever computer-generated orders electronically to the CME, trend following (of course), apple salads not equaling fruit salads, bonds at zero, and pecan & apple orchards.

Abraham Trading Company is a research-driven investment management company managed by Salem Abraham that now runs the Fortress Fund for endowments and institutional investors. Since 1988, Abraham Trading Company has managed alternative asset portfolios on behalf of families, individuals, foundations, endowments, and institutions.

Check out Abraham Trading’s website, and follow along with Salem himself on LinkedIn.

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Dive into the fascinating world of trend following with Jeff Malec and one of the GOATs:  Harold de Boer, a pioneering systematic trader who transformed his life path from a Dutch dairy farm into the sophisticated global investment firm Transtrend. In this episode, Harold shares insights into the evolution of trend following, discussing how understanding market trends is similar to understanding herd behavior, navigating complex market correlations, and maintaining resilience during challenging periods. Learn about the nuanced approach to trading across hundreds of markets, the importance of diversification, and why trend following remains a dynamic and adaptive investment strategy. With humor, historical perspective, and deep expertise, Harold reveals the art and science behind successful systematic trading. - Don’t miss a particular riveting segment at the end of this discussion on US cinema at its best - SEND IT!Chapters:

00:00-00:50 = Intro

00:51-03:23= Lessons from the Pasture

03:24-15:09= Rotterdam and the Netherlands: A Brief Introduction

15:10-37:13= Market Diversification and the Evolution of Trend Following

37:14-49:00=Navigating Market Complexity: Filters, Risks, and Trend Following Innovation

49:01-01:03:59= Resilience and Adaptation: Surviving Trend Following Drawdowns

01:04:00-01:10:59= Cinematic Insights: A Coen brother’s tribute

From the episode:

The Coffee Trader (Book)

Fat tails and tall heads blog post: https://www.rcmalternatives.com/2013/02/fat-tails-and-tall-heads/

Advanced Hedge Fund Replication with the Top Down – riding diverse ETF modeling flows with DBi’s Andrew Beer

Trading Movies blog post

Follow along with Harold and Transtrend on LinkedIn and be sure to check out their website for more information at transtrend.com/en

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Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer⁠

If you’ve been on the internet, watched TV, or talked to anyone outside of yourself in the past week and a half you can’t have missed it. GameStop stock ($GME) went from trading at a low of $3/share to +$400/share thanks to a masterful subreddit trolling from retail traders. And it’s not stopping at just GameStop, shares from Blackberry ($BB), AMC ($AMC), Express ($EXP) and Nokia ($NOK) are quickly following suit – and its leaking over into S&P futures and options. So how does this happen, why is it busting the billionaires, and how does it end? We’re joined by The Derivative veterans Cem Karsan and Kris Sidial to get the low down on all this and more in our newest WTF ^%$# installment, coving all things r/wsb, GME, gamma hedging, short squeezing, rates, AI, and even inequality.

*BONUS SECTION: After the “official wrap up” we continued to riff a little, so make sure to stick around at the end for some additional Cem, Kris, and Jeff convo.*

Get more information on the funds at Ambrus Group here and at Aegea Capital here.

Chapters:

00:00-01:46 = Intro

01:47-15:54 = GAMMA, Risk, Flows & Squeezes

15:55-29:03 =Leverage cuts both ways

29:04-36:15 = How Does This End? More Sex?

36:16-53:24 = BIGGER, FASTER, BETTER

53:25-01:05:19 = Passive, Inequality, and Rates

01:05:20-01:21:28 = Final Thoughts

Follow Kris (@Ksidiii) and Cem (@jam_croissant) on Twitter to keep up with all of this and much, much more.

Check out our other WTF^%$# episodes here: No President Yet, So Market Rallies Huge What ^%$#?, Market Up/Vol Up, Market Down/Vol Down…WTF Episode, $TVIX gets Terminated – What^%$#, Crude Oil goes Negative… What^%$#.

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

We sat down with three different legs of the hedge fund stool who (feeling the currently hedge fund investment landscape is a bit broker) are partnering on bringing some disruption to the hedge fund space with a new platform/fund of funds approach to analyze and allocate to different strategies.  This three-way conversation touches on the perception that hedge funds suck in light of their stock market underperformance, and what investors can do about it. We’ve got Managing Member at Linnis, Max Nissman, Noviscient’s CIO, Scott Treloar, and Managing Director at AXIOMA, Olivier d’Assier. Are hedge funds outdated? Do they still provide the value that their known for? Are we being too hard and we shouldn’t “fix what isn’t broken”? Can AI help identify the poor performers. Take a listen.

Follow along with our guests:

• Max Nissman on LinkedIn and the Linnis website.
• Scott Treloar on Twitter, LinkedIn, and the Noviscient website.
• Olivier d’Assier on LinkedIn

Chapters:

00:00-01:50 = Intro

01:51-14:41 = Origins

14:48-29:21 = Hedge Fund Space

29:28-52:56 = Secret Sauce & A.I.

53:04-58:02 = Favorites

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Artificial Intelligence is a hot topic in every walk of life, and perhaps no more so than in the world of hedge funds and alternative investments. Howard Siow, Founding Principal and CEO at Taaffeite Capital, joins The Derivative to discuss how AI is used in the hedge fund world, and how everyone wants AI to predict every move in the market, but that’s not actually what AI does well. Howard talks how AI can be used as an incremental change agent, chicken farming, being a venture capitalist, the effect of human biases, the dirty little secret holding AI back, trying to solve complex problems, being an engineer, launching Taaffeite, opportunities in China, and growing up down under in Australia.

Chapters:

00:00-02:47=Intro

02:48-10:51=AI = Getting the small things right

10:52-22:25=The most complex system we have?

22:26-26:49=Launching Taaffeite

26:50-47:15=The Strategy

47:16-01:10:04=Is AI getting closer to solving the market problem?

01:10:05-01:16:08=Humble Adjustments

01:16:09-01:22:47=Favorites

Learn more about Taaffeite Capital and their strategies here: http://taaffeitecm.com/

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative. Follow our host Jeff Malec on Twitter and RCM on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

How many families have two brothers who’ve been in the hedge fund game for 30+ years, much less on polar opposites of the long vol/short vol spectrum. We’re talking with the volatility loving, positive skew seeking brother in our episode today, Roy Niederhoffer. Roy is the founder and President of the eponymous R. G. Niederhoffer Capital Management, which has been coding, trading, analyzing, and investing in futures markets since before most of us had a future. We’re talking with Roy about 100-screen backdrops, delivering what’s best for the whole portfolio, not just the fund manager, crisis performance, predicting risk, short-term is the best “-term”, the start of RGN, jazz music, human bias (all the way to 100s of millions of years ago), superstars vs teamwork, the potentially huge difference between getting interest rate trend right and actually making money doing that, playing the lottery in reverse,  bitcoin/crypto performance in crisis, and building business around identifying similarities across asset classes.

Chapters:

00:00-02:27= Intro

02:28-17:39=A Musical Dilettante’s path to Hedge Funds

17:40-29:19= Having a Short Vol Brother

29:20-49:20= The Flagship Strategy / My Job’s to Help the Whole Portfolio

49:21-58:11= Yield Curves, Bond Carry and Trend Following

58:12-01:11:28= Talking Sharpe Ratio’s, a Possible Rate Driven Crisis & Markets Moving Forward

01:11:29-01:17:21= Favorites

Follow along with Roy and RGN on their website.

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Have you ever wondered how successful traders make their fortunes in the markets? In this episode of The Derivative Podcast, we explore the world of trend following with a master in the field, Andrew Strasman. Here first-hand about his journey as a trend follower, from his early days in the trading pit to his experience in the real estate market and the birth of high-frequency trading.

Throughout the discussion, Jeff and Andrew talk about the importance of risk management, position sizing, and having a stop order in place. We'll also dive into the problem of shorting cryptocurrencies and trying to predict market winners.

Uncover the significance of monitoring trades from inception to conclusion and implementing stop orders, and delve into the no-nonsense approach towards the financial crisis of 2008, the global impact of central bank digital currency, the utilization of CTA indices, the methods by which conventional trend followers generated alpha, and a plethora of other captivating topics — SEND IT!

Chapters:

00:00-01:29=Intro

01:30-12:52= The turtle Quiz & Skiing creekside

12.53-36:47= First taste of Trend Following, Board of Trade shenanigans, early days of high-frequency trading

36.48-54:00= A French Trading company, DRW days & You vs. Yourself

54:01-01:19:53= Earning your stripes, 40in20out: importance of stop-orders & your pure dollar at risk

01:19:54-01:30:58= Totem: the spark between boldness & humility / Central Bank high jinx

01:30:59-01:46:26= Vol targeting: Last year’s darling is this year’s heel & Side-stepping Trend Following

Check out Andrew's websites for more information at totemasset.com & 40in20out.com & follow along with Andrew on LinkedIn for all the latest news.

Don't forget to subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠The Derivative⁠⁠⁠, follow us on Twitter at ⁠⁠⁠@rcmAlts⁠⁠⁠ and our host Jeff at ⁠⁠⁠@AttainCap2⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ , and ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠sign-up for our blog digest⁠⁠⁠.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit ⁠⁠⁠www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

For our first episode of 2025 we wanted to take a different approach...  Enjoy our full-blown parody of Nate Bargatze's 'Washington's Dream' –  complete with satire of several key issues in private equity and private market valuations. Warning: May contain traces of reality and excessive financial humor.

In this episode, Jeff Malec sits down with Rick Silva, the co-founder of Metaurus Advisors, a boutique asset manager. Rick walks us through Metaurus Advisors' innovative approach to understanding and trading the equity risk premium using dividend futures markets.

Rick Silva provides insights into the firm's background in derivative markets and their goal of bringing fixed income securitization techniques to the equity space. He explains the concept of parallel tranche securitization applied to the S&P 500 using dividend futures, which offers visibility into how the market prices equity cash flows and the equity risk premium.

Rick and Jeff discuss the strategies Metaurus has developed to harvest risk premiums in the front-end of the dividend curve across different markets, as well as the introduction of new futures contracts based on sequential tranche securitization of a 100-stock index. The episode also addresses the challenges and opportunities in the dividend futures market, including differences across regions, and for a little fun, we fall down a political rabbit hole - SEND IT!

Chapters:

00:00-01:02=Intro

01:03-09:57= Bringing Fixed Income Securitization Techniques to the Equity Markets

09:58-21:53= Harvesting Equity Risk Premiums through Dividend Futures Strategies

21:54-35:36=Introducing Sequential Tranche Securitization in Equity Futures Contracts

35:37-44:06=Dividend Futures Markets Across Regions and Regulatory Challenges

44:07-54:07=Implied growth rate & data analysis
54:08-59:22=Rabbit Holes: Political Impacts


Metaurus Advisors

Don't forget to subscribe to⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Derivative⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, follow us on Twitter at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rcmAlts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and our host Jeff at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@AttainCap2⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sign-up for our blog digest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer⁠

This week, we're painting the picture of what life on Chicago's option trading floors was like at the CBOE...but there's a catch — we put it all on the table and needed two episodes! Today's guest came into asset management in a round-about way – trading his own money for decades before venturing into the world of other people's money…We're talking to the one and only Noel Smith @NoelConvex , Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer of Convex Asset Management.

In this two-parter, we're talking everything from the Pets.com and the Sears option pits to singing Janis Joplin's Mercedes song to a down and out trader, to steak dinners at Gibson's and a yacht on Lake Michigan. Along the way, Noel managed to fund the founding of electronic market maker Getco and create a prop firm spanning dozens of pits with 50 traders under him. How does market making in options really work, is gamma-driven delta hedging in option flow as important as FinTwit makes it out to be, and where did the floor trading edge go? It's all here.

Chapters:

00:00-01:53 = Intro

01:54-09:05 = Lake Tahoe, Taxes & Thrill Seeking Sports

09:06-28:41 = In the old days, the computer was your brain

28:42-38:24 = Prop trading firms & the rise into High frequency trading

38:25-48-05 = Third Millennium, and Edge in the Quality of Information

48:06-58:14 = How GETCO came to be… Nearly Blowing Out

Follow along with Noel Smith on Twitter @NoelConvex and for more information on Convex visit their website: https://www.convexam.com/

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Cover the kid’s ears… because we’re going back to our WTF format to ask what the actual Fingazi is going over in the UK with the bank of England raising rates, then buying a bunch of Gilts to save their pensions. The headlines say it’s some new-fangled LDI concept which led these pensions into trouble. But our guest this week, Zed Francis of Convexitas, says not so fast… the LDI actually is fine – and it was the reach for yield and adding some longer duration via derivatives which likely caused most of the problems.

Zed used to work at Legal & General – which sounds like a UK pub to us, but had a solutions group which created some of these LDI frameworks, so Zed’s in contact with some of the guys on the front lines during this shake-out. US pensions also use an LDI framework…is it coming for them too? What are the main differences between US and UK? Is duration the same as volatility in these cases? Are these pensions sort of short gamma? And of course, while we had him, why is some stuff (gamma) working in the Vol space when a lot of popular VIX/Vega based models aren’t.  SEND IT!

Chapters:

00:00-02:37 = Intro

02:38-17:20 = Pension Differences US vs UK

17:21-34:15 = Where does the risk show up, Duration & waterfall events

34:16-43:57 = Leverage: Keeping the drawer closed

43:58-55:42 = Where do Derivatives come in & how to plug the hole

55:43-01:02:02 = Struggles in Vol Strategies

01:02:03-01:11:09 = How Vol has changed

Follow along with Convexitas on Twitter @convexitas and for more information visit their website at convexitas.com

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

This packed panel discussion featuring Tim Pickering (Auspice), Brent Belote (Cayler Capital), Gerardo Tarricone (Arion) and Derek Stroke (Equanimity Advisors) focused on commodities as diversifiers and opportunities in commodity trading and investing. Our panelists discussed topics like the reliability of commodities in portfolios, ESG factors, the potential for a commodity supercycle, and educating the next generation of commodity investors. They debated drivers of long-term commodity prices and the impact of trends like energy transition. Panelists also highlighted volatility in energy markets, shifts toward separate managed accounts, inflation expectations, and strategies for including commodities in diversified portfolios. This session illuminated both risks and rewards for navigating evolving commodity markets, leaving attendees energized to pursue these opportunities through dedicated managers and stay tuned for what's in store in the world of trading and beyond. – you need to check this one out! SEND IT!

Chapters:

00:00-01:32= Intro 01:33-13:25= Commodities as diversifiers with industry experts, EV’s/ greenflation & energy trading opportunities

13:26-20:53= Trading commodities for alpha & diversification

20:54-30:37= Commodity supercycles & its potential impact on prices & Volatility and China demand

30:38-44:02= Inflation, central bank policies, and educating the next generation

44:03-54:30= Questions from the audience: “Drill baby Drill”, weaponizing commodities & India’s middle class

54:31-01:00:22= Final thoughts on the future outlook for commodities

Panelist Performance Stats: Click here

You can follow along with all our panelists on LinkedIn @ Brent Belote, Tim Pickering, Gerardo Tarricone & Derek Stroke

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Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer⁠

Jeff loves it when he sits across from someone who, like him, has been in the niche-managed futures part of the investment world for their entire career. There’s not all that many of them, and today's guest, Michael Harris(@mikeharris410) fits the bill. Michael's unique backstory began within the Sales and Product Development group at Morgan Stanley Managed Futures in 1997, continued as European trader and eventual President of managed futures behemoth Campbell & Co., overlapped with time on the board of the Managed Funds Association, and continues today where he currently resides as Quest Partner's President.

Michael and Jeff talk about quantitatively positioning for long skew via short-term trading strategies and what set Quest apart to make him choose them to build on his impressive career. They also discuss a variety of topics like; the transition from the trading floor to the executive floor, what it was like in the good old days of managed futures, advice for funds that want to join the billion-dollar club, the macro risks in the world today, and so much more. Plus, we put Michael in the hot seat where he gives us his take on Crypto and digital assets — SEND IT!

Chapters:

02:50-07:57 = Work/Life balance

07:58-28:31 = Exploring the CTA macro space, Dean Witter's MF dept, John Henry's Model & Algorithmic progression

28:32-34:33 = Campbell & Co, Growing your Billion dollar fund

34:34-47:38 = Portfolio protection, trend following, adding positive skew & short-term strategies

47:39-01:02:12 = Reacting faster & embracing trend with short-term models

01:02:13-01:10:21 = the MFA: Providing education & understanding

01:10:22-01:21:29 = Hottest take: Crypto & digital assets

From the episode:

Sign up for the Quest indicator book

Quest's whitepapers & research

Previous Derivative episode with Quest Partner's Nigol Koulajian

RCM’s Trend Following Guide

Follow Michael on Twitter @mikeharris410 and for more information on Quest Partners visit questpartnersllc.com 

This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past of potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such they are not suitable for all investors.

For those lucky few who’ve sold a business, inherited wealth, or otherwise find themselves in the enviable position of staying wealthy, not getting wealthy – the investment game can be more about playing defense than going on offense. But how do you go about that, who do you partner with to figure out complex tax and estate issues. This week, Jeff is sitting down with Homer Smith(@HomerSmith_KWP), the founder of Konvergent Wealth Management, to dig into just how investment advisors like him go about solving the complex financial challenges end investors face.

Homer and Jeff dive into a variety of topics, including how allocating to managers differs from being an asset manager, how to add DEFENCE to build an all-weather portfolio, the benefits of return stacking (Be sure to check out this WP on Return Stacking), how to navigate and scale an investment firm, and take a closer look into the future of wealth service. Plus, we're playing two truths and a lie with Homer; tune in to see if he really is Matt Damon's stunt double — SEND IT!

Chapters:

00:00-01:13 = Intro

01:14-11:51 = Flipping the Script: How Picking the Managers differs from Being the Manager

11:52-28:34 = Adding DEFENCE to make an all-weather portfolio

28:35-37:23 = Return Stacking, Leverage & Wealth destruction in the Tech Wreck

37:24-58:56 = The RIA: Then vs Now, helping navigate life, scaling your firm & the Future of Wealth Services

58:57-01:05:06 = Two Truths and a Lie: Matt Damon's Stunt double?

Follow along with Homer on Twitter @HomerSmith_KWP and also Konvergent Wealth @KonvergentWP and for more information check out Konvergentwealth.com

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

How fast is the fast moving world of AI moving after the launch of Chat GPT and crazy pace of new apps and tools. It turns out…. Really Fast!  There’s AI tools that can write blog posts, create images, act like a hedge fund lawyer, review a disclosure document, and more. All of it brings up many questions. Are we living in a world where these AI machines take over our jobs? Can we expect better market research, analytics, trading signals, and alpha?  Can humans and AI coexist in the finance industry? On this episode of The Derivative, Jeff Malec sits down with Adam Butler of Resolve Asset Mgmt and Taylor Pearson from Mutiny Funds to discuss all that’s happened and is happening in the AI space lately.  

From machine learning to natural language processing, the conversation covers various topics related to AI's role in finance, including its impact on job opportunities, ethical considerations, and the potential for innovation. Pearson and Butler also share their insights into how AI can help improve everything from day to day tasks to investment strategies. Take a listen to learn more about AI's influence on the finance industry and whether it's a friend or foe to finance professionals on this episode of The Derivative - SEND IT!

Chapters: 00:00-02:00= Intro

2:01-15:15= A low adoption to ChatGPT, RHLF Tuned sophisticated models & A.I. emerging from our input

15:16-27:50= Theory of Mind: Replicants? Content advancements that are changing the world

27:51-40:29= Exploring the tools of ChatGPT, is A.I. getting too much of our info? We’ve just scratched the surface

40:30-54:02= Is ChatGPT use stretching morality? A better understanding of how to correctly use ChatGPT in moderation

54:03-01:05:51= Has ChatGPT helped with machine learning? Creating conditions for A.I. to thrive / Opening Pandora’s box

01:05:52-01:18:04= The Multi-Polar trap, proof of personhood & who owns the training data?

01:18:05-01:25:33= How ChatGPT affects the hedge fund world? Is Big Tech holding back? & the human component

01:25:34-01:30:50= Last thoughts – Good, bad? Who will run this tech? Living in the Dystopia we deserve

Follow along with Adam Butler @GestaltU and Taylor Pearson @TaylorPearsonMe on Twitter and also make sure to check out their websites Resolve Asset Management & Mutiny Funds for more information!

Don't forget to subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Derivative⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, follow us on Twitter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rcmAlts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and our host Jeff at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@AttainCap2⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sign-up for our blog digest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

We're taking flight and zooming over to the big bend for a cheerio chat with Charlie McGarraugh, an ex-midwesterner turned londonite. Charlie is the Chief Strategy Officer at Blockchain.com and has an impressive resume as a former mortgage-backed securities trader, head of metals at Goldman, founder of an algo sports betting company, and more.

In this episode, Charlie dives into living across the pond (in the metals and commodities space), starting the world's LARGEST Bitcoin wallet (and selling it to blockchain.com), what's going on in the Crypto space and what's to come, and rebuilding and retooling a robust trend following CTA like Altis. This episode is hotter than your favorite Fish'N'Chips — SEND IT!

Chapters:

00:00-02:07 = Intro

02:08-16:26 = Is Goldman a Vampire Squid?  Living across the pond in the metals & commodities space

16:27-28:50 = Starting the world's largest Bitcoin wallet, selling to and joining Blockchain.com

28:51-46:22 = Crypto Carnage? What's going on in the Crypto space and what's to come

46:23-01:03:50 = Atlis: Rebuilding & Retooling a robust trend following CTA

01:03:51-01:08:08 = Hottest Take: Ether on the highs

----

Follow along with Charlie on Twitter @CMcgarraugh and for more information check out blockchain.com 

Watch & Listen to Part II of What happens in Vegas... Gets dished on this pod. Overheard at a Derivatives Conference on the Mutiny Funds podcast and if you haven't yet, check out Part 1

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Join us in this, our last episode of the year, where we’re talking Crypto and Bitcoin ETFs with Jason Urban, Global Co-Head of Trading at Galaxy Digital – which is perhaps better known as the folks behind the world’s largest Bitcoin Fund, the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust and its ownership of 650k+ bitcoin!  Today we step into a bit of Jason’s past when he founded and ran the equity index derivative business at a Chicago prop firm DRW and his time at Goldman Sachs where he ran its equity vol business. We talk about all the moving parts of pure flow trading, skew/cheap, skew/rich, the right side of the trade, when to get out;  and his first exposure to Crypto Currencies. Jason talks Grayscale, billionaire founder Michael Novogratz & all things Galaxy Digital, from touching all aspects of the crypto universe, from mining to trading to venture funding; being on the Institutional only side of the market, whether or not DeFi is a Disrupter or tool, the FOMO aspect, staking, and maintaining the ledger, the mining ecosystem and the decentralized way of doing things while trying to solve problems in this Crypto space. If all that doesn’t get you going about Crypto currencies, we still find room to discuss just what the Options space looks like in crypto (the implied vol is how much??), Bilateral trading, and of course - the Grayscale Trust going from premium to discount – and the potential for all the new Bitcoin ETFs coming out. Enjoy!

Chapters:

00:00-02:19 =Intro

02:20-19:04 = Goldman, DRW, and Trading House Money

19:05-31:21 = Galaxy Digital, Are you a Disrupter?, and What’s Novo Like?

31:22-44:18 =The Day-to-Day in the Global Crypto Space, the FOMO Aspect, Staking, & Solving the Problem

44:19-51:20 = Options & Bilateral Trading

51:21-01:04:47 =Create or Redeem: The Grayscale Trust and New Bitcoin ETFs

01:04:48-01:09:03 =Favorites

Follow along with Galaxy Digital on Twitter @GalaxyDigitalHQ and visit their website for more information at https://www.galaxydigital.io/

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

And visit our sponsor, the CME Group at www.cmegroup.com to learn more about futures and options.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

How do you create a new futures contract?  You need an exchange. And you need something that changes in price, like a commodity market – or a financial index. This week we're diving deep into crafting an index with T3 Index's founder and CEO, Simon Ho. Simon is no stranger to the vol space, and he has worked in the options industry for over 20 years in trading, product innovation, and risk management roles.

In this episode, Simon and Jeff touch base on the various unique index products at T3, like YLD Vol, ETH Vol, and the VIX competitor SPIKES.  They talk through just how SPIKES differs from the VIX, the unusual behavior currently playing out in stock index volatility, the futures, options and ETFs based on SPIKES, and so much more. Plus, Simon gives his hottest takes. Will you be tuning in? SEND IT!

Chapters:

00:00-02:05 = Intro

02:06-11:05 = A robust background to crafting a robust index

11:06-15:53 = Helping hedge funds generate alpha & Tail risk events

15:54-25:38 = It's Coke - Here's Pepsi: Improving on VIX with SPIKES

25:39-35:37 = The unusual behavior of the current state of volatility

35:38-43:41 = T3 Index, MIAX & skew indexes

43:42-55:03 = SPIKES stress test, the creation of the VOL index & Hottest take

Show Notes:

Follow along with Simon on Twitter @t3index and for more information on T3 Index visit t3index.com and check out MIAX at miaxoptions.com

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Is electricity a commodity?  If not, why not? If so, how do you get exposure with the demand for electricity set to possibly outstrip the world's forthcoming technological advancements.  Join us on a high energy episode of The Derivative by RCM Alternatives for an in-depth exploration of "Electrifying America" with Timothy Kramer, a seasoned energy and power trader and CEO of CNIC Funds – the group behind the AMPD electricity ETF.  In this stimulating conversation, Kramer sheds light on the difficulties of accessing the power market, why electricity should be part of any inflation-protecting commodity investments, and what the overall landscape looks like for America's electrification journey, unveiling three key pillars: importance, inflation, and imbalance.

From the coming era of all-electric vehicles to the challenges facing renewable energy, Kramer navigates the complexities and opportunities. He also delves into the creation of innovative indices and the dynamic interplay between power and commodities — SEND IT!

Chapters:

00:00-01:53 = Intro

01:54-03:53 = Texas is How Big?

03:54-17:38= The Electrification of America, Power’s Supply/Demand

17:39-23:48= ESG push back & removing carbon = Carbon Neutral

23:49-36:47= Creating an Index- AMPD: Deregulation, power generation & retail providers

36:48-44:12= The power players in the power market

44:13-54:23= Carbon offset vetting and commodity exposure

54:24-01:00:42 = Is Bitcoin mining a legit use on power grids?

From the episode:

The Electrification of America

https://www.cnicfunds.com/

The Kaoboy of convertible Arb with Michael Kao Derivative episode

Super storms, mathematical modeling, and hurricane hunting with Dr. Jeff Masters Derivative episode

Follow along with Timothy on LinkedIn and check out all the links above for more information!

Don't forget to subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Derivative⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, follow us on Twitter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rcmAlts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and our host Jeff at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@AttainCap2⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sign-up for our blog digest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

This episode of the podcast piles on the knowledge about "return stacking" - the investment approach that lets you layer alternative assets and strategies on top of your traditional portfolio, like a perfect investment sandwich. 

Jeff Malec has stacked the deck with FOUR financial heavyweights - Mike Philbrick, Rodrigo Gordillo, Adam Butler, and Corey Hoffstein - each showcasing a "return stacking" ETF. We’ve brought together this team of experts to give you the blueprint for this innovative investment method.

So, what’s the deal with return stacking? Think of it as the ultimate portfolio hack—layering alternative asset classes and strategies on top of your traditional stock and bond holdings. No need to shuffle things around or ditch your core positions—just stack those extra return streams like the ultimate investing sandwich.

We’ll dig into the risk/return profiles and how these stacked strategies can take your portfolio to new heights. But wait, there’s more! To keep things light, we’re making our guests put their friendships on the line in a spirited round of "Choose Your Fighter"—because who doesn’t love a little friendly fire?

Stack up, tune in, and SEND IT!

Chapters:

00:00–01:11 = Intro

01:12- 20:00 = Return Stacking: Upgrading Portfolios Without Disrupting Core Holdings

20:01- 41:47 = Stacking Stocks and Managed Futures for Diversification

41:48- 01:03:10 = Capturing Futures Yield Through Return Stacking
01:03:11- 01:31:00 = Stacking Bonds and Merger Arbitrage for Enhanced ReturnsAll things Return Stacking: Stacks on Stacks

Return Stacking: From Theory to Practice - A 2024 Perspective - Blog post

Researching the Risks of return stacking with Corey Hoffstein & Rodrigo Gordillo – The Derivative episode - Podcast
What is Return Stacking? - Blog post

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Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer⁠

2020 was ruled by global macro events – are we looking at the same fate in 2021? Our guest today can talk not only global macro, but also volatility, bond yields, correlation, oil, metals and more. To ring in the new year we’re joined by Diego Parrilla, Managing Partner at Quadriga Asset Managers and Author of "The Energy World is Flat" and "The Anti-Bubbles.” Diego isn’t just a global macro manager, and in today’s episode we’ll be talking about Spain, quoting complex options, the switch from gas to renewable energy, Beckenbauer bonds, the double digital, inflation on inflation, what’s happening at Quadriga, soccer, becoming an author, sometimes it’s better to be vanilla, privatized inflation, and what’re we going to do with gold?

Chapters:

00:00-02:24=Intro

02:25-17:48=Spain & Soccer

17:49-32:33=The Energy World is Flat

32:34-01:04:17=Inflation-on-Inflation vs Privatized Inflation

01:04:18-01:36:56=What’s Happening at Quadriga

01:36:57-01:39:15=Favorites

Follow along with Diego on Twitter & LinkedIn and check out Quadriga on their website.

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

In this episode exploring the many facets of long volatility and tail risk exposure, we pick the brains of the founders of the Mutiny investment program, which invests in half a dozen VIX and volatility trading programs in a multi-manager, multi-strategy approach. Our topics include why the whole world is short vol, If squirrels and deer are the natural buyers of forest fire insurance, why Jason hates sports, debit card investing, the interesting idea of an entrepreneurial put option, and what in the world a Brazilian SuperBowl champion is. Enjoy!

Black Pearl’s Mutiny investment program is an ensemble approach focused on providing investors tail risk protection across three different buckets of volatility exposure: Volatility Arbitrage, Straddles/Strangles, and Short Term Down Capture.  With each bucket containing its own ensemble of multiple investment managers focused on providing convex returns during a market sell off, with an eye towards limiting the bleed.

Jason Buck: Email; Taylor Pearson LinkedIn, Twitter, Book: The End of Jobs, & his blog. Mutiny Website & Podcast.

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

With a Top Gun-like bio of working with billionaires and big hedge funds, Michael Green is one of the top prospects in the alternative investment game. BUT, all we hear him talking about these days is his passive thesis, to the point where he jokes – that may end up on his tombstone one day.  We’ve heard all that elsewhere, so wanted to get into more – like what he has going on at Logica, if he loves straddles as much as Wayne Himelsein, how he views the current volatility landscape, his killer SVXY trade, The Princess Bride, adding fragility into the market, the tail wagging the dog, Coit Tower, Twitter business partners, opportunity cost vs covering the bleed, Zoom due diligence, and Gamma scalping.

Chapters:

00:00-1:34 = Intro

01:35-38:01 = An Epic Beginning

38:02-58:54 = Talking Strategy

58:55-1:30:50 = Passive Investing, the Fed & What’s going on right now

1:30:51-1:35:54 = Favorites

Follow along with Michael on Twitter and LinkedIn

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

In this first episode of 2025, we’re plunging right into the fascinating world of sovereign wealth funds with Peter Madsen, the CIO of Utah's School and Institutional Trust Funds Office (SITFO). Peter shares his unique perspective on managing a multi-billion dollar portfolio designed to support public education in the state for generations to come. From his personal background in skiing and outdoor adventures in the Wasatch mountains to the challenges of navigating Utah's rapid growth and development, Peter provides a captivating glimpse into the day-to-day realities of overseeing this complex institutional investor. Listeners will learn about the intricate governance structure of SITFO, the innovative approach to asset allocation and risk management, and the delicate balance of delivering competitive returns while preserving the fund's long-term corpus. Peter also tackles common investment myths, sharing insights on the potential for diversified portfolios to outperform high-equity allocations over the long run. This episode offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of a state-level sovereign wealth fund, highlighting the importance of prudent stewardship and a steadfast commitment to serving the public good. Whether you're an institutional investor, a student of finance, or simply someone fascinated by the intersection of public policy and investment management, this episode is sure to captivate and inform. SEND IT!

Chapters:

00:00-01:40=Intro

01:41-11:23= Backcountry Skiing with Utahans and the winding path to Institutional investing

11:24-20:07=  Russian Historian to CIO of governing the states sovereign wealth fund

20:08-33:23= Landman – Constructing a diversified portfolio for perpetuity

33:24-37:37= The Trustees

37:38-47:29= Rethinking the 60/40 approach, avoiding duration and SITFO’s GRID system

47:30-58:19= Weathering market storms and balancing upside participation and downside protection

58:20-01:06:13= Carving the evolving landscape of sovereign wealth funds, strong enough returns & outperforming benchmarks

01:06:14-01:12:13= Myth busting: Bonds can outperform equities

Follow along with Peter on LinkedIn and visit SITFO's website for more information!

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Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer⁠

Are the Fed’s hikes starting to dampen inflation? Oil, grains, and metals have all fallen from their highs. But the rarely spoken of Cotton market was one of the first to crack…falling from 1.58/lb to 0.95/lb in just a few short days. We're digging into this sharp drop and just why and how Cotton is involved in seemingly everything with RCM's very own cotton king, LOGIC Advisors Ron Lawson.

In this episode, Ron is giving us the low down on how and why he believes it’s not Dr. Copper which acts as the global economic barometer, but how Cotton is the real Canary and leading indicator on global demand. In between those talks, we’re covering all things Cotton including crop insurance, irrigated vs dry land, the scam that was Pima and Egyptian Cotton, the process of cotton – which countries have it, which want it, ginning it, spinning it, dyeing it, global commodity merchant co’s pushing it around, and even micro-plastics, climate change, and how Cotton always flows to the cheapest labor source. Finally,  we're walking in some high Cotton putting Ron in the hot seat. Will we ever get the growth back? Tune in to get these critical hot takes — SEND IT!

Chapters:

00:00-02:00 = Intro

02:01-07:10 = Welcome to Ernie's Tin Bar

07:11-26:16 = Cotton market Selloff, the lack of demand, and Crop Insurance Payouts

26:17-42:20 = Who has the cotton? Where is it going? The Touch, the Feel, the Process of Cotton

42:21-55:34 = Merchants, Ginners, and Spinners: The players in the cotton game

55:35-01:11:45 = Pima & Egyptian Cotton, Technologies & Standards

01:11:46-01:16:38 = UC Davis - Is all Wine starting to taste the same?

01:16:39-01:24:32 = Hottest Take: We'll get the Growth Back

Check out and sign up for LOGIC newsletters here and for more information visit their website at logicadvisors.com

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Why Systematic? Why CTA? Why Now? These are common questions on the minds of many professionals in the Managed Futures field. On this episode of the Derivative podcast, host Jeff Malec takes on a unique role as a featured guest on a panel recently hosted by RCM Alternatives in Chicago alongside Cohen & Company and Mercer.

While Jeff is usually the one leading the discussions, this time, he gets the opportunity to be a participant alongside other industry experts. Together, they delve deep into the inner workings of various trading models. The main focus of the discussion is to understand how these models function, distinguish between pod-shops and multi-strat data infrastructure, and explore the role of A.I. in the industry.

Additionally, they discuss the differences between systematic macro and trend-following approaches.

  Joining Jeff on the panel are Joe Kelly from Campbell, Brian Proctor from EMC, and Rodrigo Gordillo from Resolve. The conversation is both insightful and engaging, shedding light on the world of Managed Futures Hedge Funds — SEND IT! Chapters:

00:00-01:42=Intro

01:43-15:41=Approaching CTAs – Why now for systematic macro? Inflation, stacking (yes + this)

15:42-25:57=Current state of rising interest rates & trend following diversification

25:58-40:25=Machine learning: Parameter sets, Data, managing risk, A.I., & no emotions

40:26-48:49=Discretion: When, Why, or do we use it?

48:50-01:11:06=Questions? Let's open it up to the audience

Follow along on Twitter with Rodrigo Gordillo @RodGordilloP, Mercer @mercer, & Cohen & Company @CohenCPA for more information!

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Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Our guest this episode has quickly become one of the must follows on FinTwit with his mixture of motivational messaging and market savvy. Kris Sidial is the Co-CIO of The Ambrus Group, a volatility arbitrage fund that focuses on statistical outliers in the U.S equity derivatives space. But he’s no kid, despite his bio touting his 28yr oldness, having worked on exotic options desk, prop firms, and now his own hedge fund. Kris and Jeff dive into growing up on the other side of the tracks, market microstructure, whether you can outwork others in the quant space, the belly of the vol trade, gamma hedging, GME, NYC, LIU, Penn, flow, father’s day without a dad, liquidity cascades, options books (the positions), and options books (the actual reading type books). Don’t miss this great chat with one of the good guys in this space.

Chapters:

00:00-02:49=Intro

02:50-16:24=Rough Route to Wall Street

16:25-23:03=Break-through

23:04-33:12=The Exotics Desk

33:13-45:38=Starting Ambrus

45:39-52:40=Covering the Bleed & Capped vs Uncapped

52:41-01:03:04=Finding Value in Volatility/Buying the Wings

01:03:05-01:11:39=A Shift in Dealer Hedging & Loving the Game

01:11:40-01:17:54=Favorites

Follow Kris (@Ksidiii) on Twitter and get more information on the funds at Ambrus Group here.   

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

And visit our sponsor, the CME Group at www.cmegroup.com to learn more about futures and options.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

In today’s episode we’re pushing the boundaries of traditional alternative investments and getting into oil trading, trend following, and taking risks (both in business & with your strategy) with Lead Portfolio Manager and CIO at Auspice Capital Advisors, Tim Pickering. From trading shell oil to striking out on his own – Tim’s expansive experience in the alts world is about as big as the Canadian Wilderness he hails from. Today we’re talking with Tim about Lewis and Clark, Tim’s background in oil, willingness to fail, commodity market benefits, Canadian oil production, what a product suite entails, providing alpha and diversification as a trend follower, Canadian beer, striking out on your own, discovering new (profitable) ventures, Calgary rodeos, oils negative àrally movements, strategy evolution, Chicago or Miami, and Lake Louise.

Chapters:

00:00-01:27 = Intro

01:28-25:47 = TD, Shell, Enron to Two Men & a Dog

25:49-53:36 = Trend Following, Commodity Volatility & Aspects of Momentum

53:37-1:18:49 = Focusing in on Auspice

1:18:50-1:23:02 = Favorites

Follow along with Tim on Twitter and LinkedIn and make sure to check out Auspice Capital Advisors.

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

We’re bringing out the cake & ice cream for this pod because it’s The Derivative’s 1 year anniversary! If you’ve been with us since the beginning – you may fondly remember our inaugural episode The Human Behind The Hedge Fund with Wayne Himelsein.

So, in today’s episode, we brought back Wayne, President and Chief Investment Officer at Logica Capital Advisers, and as a special anniversary bonus – his business partner Michael Green, Chief Strategist at Logica.  We’re talking with Mike and Wayne about running a hedge fund and helping clients through the trials and tribulations of 2020, the “two star” problem, Twitter fitting into the business model, straddling volatile calls, inception of the Iron Man (Wayne) and Captain America (Mike)partnership, dynamic of the macro overlay logic, value vs momentum, staying power of the Wall Street Bets model, COVID due diligence, and failure not being part of the Logica vocabulary.

Chapters:

00:00-02:25 = Intro

02:26-22:44 = One Year Anniversary!

22:45-39:35 = Value vs Momentum – when the system needs to breathe / Noise Traders

39:36-50:45 = The Tony Stark/ Captain America Dynamic 

50:46-58:58 = The Two-Star Problem

58:59-01:09:05 = Hard-Hitting Tweets

01:09:06-01:21:04 = Favorites

Follow along with Mike (@profplum99)and Wayne (@WayneHimelsein) on Twitter and check out the Logica Capital Advisers website.

Check out our past episode with Wayne here; and our past episode with Mike here. 

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

We’re excited to have one of the pioneers of options trading on this episode, Jerry Haworth -  Founder and CIO of renowned option and tail risk firm 36 South. In this wide-ranging talk, we dive into Jerry’s roots in Zimbabwe, trading South African bonds, structuring derivatives, the point in his jazz career where talent and drive diverge, how 36 south got started, canoe marathons, why long term options rule, non-recourse leverage, Victoria Falls, swaptions, asymmetry, Chicago Blues bars, liquidity cascades, slow-moving south sea bubbles, leptokurtic curves, changing correlations and, of course - Teams of Options. Enjoy!

Chapters:

00:00-02:19=Intro

02:20-18:31=Zimbabwe to Auckland to London

18:32-44:10=Positive, Neutral Carry & Teams of Options

44:11-56:16=Long-Term Options & Non Recourse Leverage

56:17-01:04:29=What’s changed in 30yrs of Option Trading

01:04:30-01:08:46=Favorites

Learn more about 36 South at 36south.com 

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter, and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2 or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

And visit our sponsor, the CME Group at www.cmegroup.com to learn more about futures and options.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

We're taking a trip across the pond to London in this episode and diving into the carbon markets and emissions trading with Michael Azlen, CEO and founder of Carbon Cap Fund and Management. Whether you care about making money off trending carbon emission prices, or saving the planet,  or both… Mike has become a leading voice for educating and explaining the role carbon emission credits and the emerging carbon futures markets play.

In this episode, Mike breaks down the complex carbon concepts and answers some critical questions, like how do you trade carbon credits? What is an emissions trading system? Why is Europe the big player in this game? And he even gives us his hottest take in the market right now — we'll give you a slight hint, it involves climate change.

Highlights from this week's episode include:

• The evolution of the U.S. and European Carbon Market
• Identifying and clarifying the difference between the voluntary carbon market and the compliance or regulated carbon markets (where Carbon Cap invests)
• How to think about a market that is structurally designed to increase in price
• Understanding how this market functions as a policy tool
• A closer look into Europe's carbon border adjustment mechanism
• And, how a hedge fund can make money and save the planet simultaneously —  you'll want to tune in for these details and more!

Chapters

00:00-02:00 = Intro

02:01-12:38 = Wait? You can trade Emissions? What are Carbon Markets?

12:39-30:40 = Excess units vs Purchase units, Lowering Emissions, & Counter Party Risks

30:41-50:50 = Carbon Cap Mgmt and the Carbon Cap Fund

50:51-01:08:40 = Can we really Capture It? Climate Change, Natural Cycles & C02 levels

01:08:41-01:14:11 = Hottest Take

More from this Episode:

View World Carbon Fund - Generating Absolute Returns from Global Carbon Markets

Visit Carbon Cap Management's website 

Follow along with Michael Azlen on Twitter

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

And visit our sponsor, the CME Group at www.cmegroup.com to learn more about futures and options.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Jeff is “stacking” two guests in this episode, welcoming 1. Corey Hoffstein, CIO and co-founder of Newfound Research, host of Flirting with Models Podcast, and co-conspirator on the Pirates of Finance YouTube channel; and 2. Rodrigo Gordillo, President and Portfolio Manager of Resolve Asset Management and host of the Resolve Riffs Friday live stream. They’re talking about their new research paper: “Return Stacking: Strategies for Overcoming a Low Return Environment,” which takes a novel approach to solving a few problems. Such as: How do you endure the ‘line item risk’ of an alternatives allocation? How do you participate in the upside of an increasingly overvalued stock market? What value do bonds bring as a diversifier at the zero bound? The answer boils down to some new capital-efficient ETFs and mutual funds, which stack asset classes and returns on top of one another at greater than 100% exposure. How does that work exactly? What are the pros and cons? What types of products can investors look at? Listen in to find out more. 

Chapters: 

00:00-02:36=Intro 

02:37-10:30=It’s the Cayman Islands…not Caymans 

10:31-29:55=Return Stacking: The Paper, the Problem & the Solution 

29:56-38:33= Leverage and Capital Efficiency 

38:34-01:04:14= Managed Futures, Macro, and Convexity as Diversifiers 

01:04:15-01:12:09= Are you just Stacking Fees? 

01:12:10-01:26:16= I’m Scared to Buy at All-Time Highs (and to Own Bonds) 

01:26:17-01:30:24=Favorites 

From the episode: 

Download the whitepaper here: https://info.rcmalternatives.com/return-stacking 

Podcast: Noodling on Ensembles, Trend, & Convexity with Newfound’s Corey Hoffstein: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/noodling-on-ensembles-trend-convexity-newfounds-corey/id1497570451?i=1000478501833 

Podcast: Asset Allocation, AI, and the Alpha Process with Resolve Asset Management: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/asset-allocation-ai-alpha-process-resolve-asset-management/id1497570451?i=1000467460922 

Flirting with models podcast: https://blog.thinknewfound.com/podcast/ ReSolve's Riffs: https://investresolve.com/single/resolve-riffs/ The picture from space that shows why commodities are non-correlated: https://www.rcmalternatives.com/2013/10/the-picture-from-space-that-shows-why-commodities-are-non-correlated-to-the-stock-market/ Follow along with Corey & Rodrigo on Twitter @choffstein https://twitter.com/choffstein and @RodGordilloP https://twitter.com/RodGordilloP?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative (https://www.rcmalternatives.com/the-derivative-podcast/), and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts (https://twitter.com/rcmAlts), and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2 (https://twitter.com/AttainCap2), or LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/rcm-asset-management/), and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/RCMAlternatives/), and sign-up for our blog digest (https://info.rcmalternatives.com/get-our-blog-alternatives). And visit our sponsor, the CME Group at www.cmegroup.com to learn more about futures and options. Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Today’s episode on The Derivative,  Jeff Malec sits down with James Maund, a veteran of the financial industry with experience spanning Goldman Sachs, the NYSE floor, and his current role at KraneShares. Maund provides a unique insider's perspective on the rapid growth and innovation within the ETF space while outlining KraneShares main investment pillars – China Tech, Carbon emissions/cap-and-trade, and options-based overlay strategies designed to generate income and downside protection. Maund shares his views on the challenges and opportunities facing both established ETF providers and new entrants, as well as the importance of education and alignment with investor expectations. The conversation delves into the role of market makers, the impact of regulatory changes, and the potential risks and benefits of increased options and derivatives usage in the ETF industry. Maund also offers a glimpse into KraneShares' plans for the future, highlighting areas of focus such as alternative investments and the continued growth of the carbon markets. Whether you're an ETF enthusiast or simply interested in the evolving landscape of investment products, this episode provides a comprehensive and insightful look at the dynamic world of exchange-traded funds.

Chapters:

00:00-02:02=Intro 2:03-9:15= Loyalties to the East coast, Goldman Sachs and the NY Stock exchange

9:16-20:38= KWEB – The China Tech ETF, Carbon Emissions and downside protection

20:39-34:53= The Pillars of Krane Shares: Liquid futures, writing calls and important tickers

34:54-48:34= The Evolution of the ETF, ETF options, starting an ETF and the challenges that come with it

48:35-58:02= Further developments, Unique ETFs and new ETF restrictions

From the episode:

The Derivative podcast episode with Nancy Davis Follow along with James on LinkedIn and visit KraneShares.com for more information.

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Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer⁠

We jump back into some VIX and Volatility discussion with this week’s episode but also get to talk about trend following’s rise and fall (and rise again?) over the past decade. We’ve got Scot Billington, the co-founder and managing partner of Covenant Capital Mgmt., talking through his unique journey from futures broker to floor trader of OEX options, to trend following hedge fund manager, to VIX trader and volatility focused funds. We talk with Scot about his indoor, Kentucky basketball themed half court basketball gym above his garage in the Chicago suburbs, what it was like being a floor trader back in the hay day of the CBOE options pits, having a side gig when trying to start a hedge fund, when customers cry uncle in a drawdown, turning the switch from trend to vol, why the VIX is different than options, how one can be both long vol and short vol at the same time, why Goldman Sachs doesn’t care about your VIX trading, why the short vol blowups annoy him, and why it isn’t all that crazy to look at adding short vol to the mix. Enjoy!

Chapters:

00:00-02:35=Intro

02:36-26:12 =JC Bradford, Options Sheets & the Trading Floor

26:13-44:16 = Trend Following Was GREAT, then it became Commoditized

44:17-01:08:47 = Turning the switch from Trend Following to VIX

01:08:48-01:24:35 =Selling Premium Retail, Buying Reinsurance Wholesale

01:24:36-01:30:03 =Favorites

From the episode:

LJM – THE AUTOPSY

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2,  or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

And visit our sponsor, the CME Group at www.cmegroup.com to learn more about futures and options.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Many investors look at commercial real estate as a high-risk, confusing, and sometimes scary way to invest. Our guests today show us why this isn’t the case. From commercial real estate, to mortgage-backed securities, pandemic affects, and hedging risk, Matt Lasky of Equity LLC and Darren Kottle of Caddo Capital Management are on today to go through it all. Take a listen to learn more about private investments, hedging real estate with trading models, mortgage-backed securities, favorite investing books, levels of leverage, basic income effects on real estate, real estate debt, yield solo, deflationary periods, Maple & Ash, hedging fixed income, negative rates but not negative mortgages?, the future of large retail real estate, eating in the East Bay, and pandemic effects on future of real estate & mortgages.

Bookmarks:

00:00-02:37 = Intro

02:31-27:23 = The current state of Real Estate and Lasting Effects of the Pandemic

27:24-40:40 = Is Another Stimulus underway? Inflation vs Deflation

40:41-48:23 = Malls: Quality of the Dirt

48:24-01:02:04 = The Ultimate Real Estate Hedge = Having Volatility Model

01:02:05-01:08:04 = Favorites

Follow along with Matt on LinkedIn, Twitter, and the Equity LLC website.

Follow along with Darren on LinkedIn or click here to learn more about Caddo Capital Management’s ACXIX fund.

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

What is it about engineers and seeing the world through a quant lens?  We’ve talked to plenty of quants who have an engineering mindset; but this episode’s guest is an actual engineer – doing his mechanical engineering work by day and dishing on portfolio construction at night via his excellent Breaking the Market blog and @breakingthemark twitter handle. Whether it is diving deep, real deep on arithmetic versus geometric returns, comparing performance measurements to Tiger Woods major’s performances, or calling Trend hot air, Matt Hollerbach puts his thought processes for all to see on the web. He does it to not only document his journey to quantlightenment, but also to get called out by pros who are increasingly finding a familiar voice in his writings, and teach those coming into the space. Jeff and Matt talk golf, the DC area, being anonymous versus having a name, LMGTFY, mechanical engineering, rebalancing, Gold, rebalancing, expecting a miss in your portfolio construction, Bryson DeChambeau, why its never as easy as it seems to write a great blog post, a library of quant research, Renaissance, Claude Shannon, rebalancing, and more. Enjoy!

Chapters:

00:00-02:05=Intro

02:06-11:26=Tweeting while Engineering

11:27-22:48=Meeting End Goals & Golf Specs

22:49-34:45=Breaking the Market

34:46-50:23=Arithmetic vs Geometric  / Trend is Hot Air

50:24-58:43=Rebalancing, it’s All About Rebalancing

58:44-01:15:52=The Strategy

01:15:53-01:24:35=Favorites

Follow along with Matt on Twitter @breakingthemark and visit the blog at breakingthemarket.com. Check out his Pronghorn strategy at https://pronghornanalytics.com/

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter @rcmAlts, and our host Jeff at @attainCap2, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

And visit our sponsor, the CME Group at www.cmegroup.com to learn more about futures and options.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business or tax advice. All opinions expressed by the podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

This week we're adding a different twist to our typical episode, and we're diving into WHY Commodities can be accretive in your portfolio with Tim Pickering (@AuspiceTim). Tim is the Founder, President, and CIO of Auspice Capital Advisors and leads the strategic decision-making and the vision for Auspice's diverse suite of award-winning rules-based quantitative investment strategies.

In this week's episode, Tim illustrates why the current environment could be very bullish commodities long-term, active tactical strategies, and dives into Trend following, non-correlation, CTAs ability to act as a return-enhancer, inflation protection, and much more!

Chapters:

00:00-01:52 = Intro

01:53-09:48 = Born from Canadian Commodity Country

09:49-20:08= Shell Oil and Tactical Active Strategies

20:09-29:19 = The Auspice Edge vs Buy and Hold Commodities

29:20-40:28 = The other 25%, an Agnostic approach & the Adaptive Volatility process

40:29-57:03 = Crisis Alpha Opportunities, Inflation hedges & Institutional products

Follow along with Tim Pickering on Twitter @AuspiceTim and Auspice @AuspiceCapital. And for more information on Auspice check out their website and research!

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

In this episode, we dive deep into the current state of AI… getting to its transformative impact on the alternative investments landscape. Our guest, Mohammad Rasouli, is a renowned researcher at Stanford University and the founder and CEO of AIx2, a leading AI solutions provider for private equity, venture capital, and hedge funds.

Mohammad shares his extensive expertise on how AI is revolutionizing the way alternative investment firms operate, from streamlining due diligence and deal sourcing to enhancing portfolio monitoring and reporting. We delve into the key challenges and best practices in AI adoption, as well as the potential implications for the future of finance jobs and the broader economy.

Whether you're a seasoned alternative investment professional or simply curious about the intersection of AI and finance, this episode packs an artificial punch. So get use to “sit back and relax” because the rapidly evolving landscape of intelligent investing will be doing more than ever - SEND IT!

Chapters:

00:00-01:14=Intro

01:15-11:31 = AI: Helping to reduce market friction & the shelf life of a constant changing landscape

11:32-23:46 = Predictive vs. Generative AI /  Transforming finance

23:47-31:58 = Fear for the ultimate AI, AGI, & overcoming challenges

31:59-46:00 = Job conqueror or tool: Understanding the fundamentals of AI and adopting them  

46:01-50:10 = Regulations & Competition - what could go wrong? 

50:11-59:28 = Computes and data are the drivers of AI

Follow along with Mohammad on LinkedIn and visit AIx2.ai for more information!

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Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer⁠

We’re breaking the law...the laws of trading, that is! On this episode of the Derivative, we're joined by Agustin Lebron, who started his career as an engineer and turned prop trader (you'd be surprised how common of a story and skill set that is) before writing his book The Laws of Trading: A Trader's Guide to Better Decision-Making for Everyone Today, Agustin is the co-founder and manager of Esselin Research, where he helps growing tech companies make better decisions using his trading knowledge.

Jeff and Agustin dive into his laws of trading, the book, and also chat on topics like; recognizing and nabbing players in small tech companies, applying the laws in a prop firm investing in crypto scenario, how and why trend following seems to break the law around having an edge, and so much more! Plus, tune in if you want to get Agustin's take on FinTwit’s stop order debate —SEND IT!

Chapters:

00:00-01:19 = Intro

01:20-12:33 = Why are engineers drawn to trading and markets?

12:34-23:49 = What is Toxic flow? And what is the edge for all these big players

23:50-37:12 = Recognizing & nabbing A players in small tech companies & Applying the Laws in Crypto

37:13-46:56 = Crypto Prop firm scenario part II: Execution, cost, automation & adaptation

46:57-50:58 = Is there any edge in Trend following?

50:59-58:25 = Hottest take: Stop orders & Leveraged ETFs

Follow along with Agustin on Twitter @AgustinLebron3 and for more information visit his website lawsoftrading.com and check out his book The Laws of Trading here.

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

When it comes to investing, there are countless strategies to choose from, each with its own set of pros and cons. One strategy that has stood the test of time is trend following, a technique that involves analyzing market trends and making trades based on those trends. Despite its proven track record, some investors remain skeptical about trend following, perhaps because they don't fully understand how it works or they've been burned in the past by unsuccessful trades.

In this episode of The Derivative, Marty Bergin, CEO of DUNN Capital Management, discusses trend following's success and the impact of interest rates on other markets. He stresses the importance of diversifying portfolios by seeking uncorrelated markets and accepting losses as a crucial part of trend following. The episode also delves into Bergin's company's adaptive risk profile and different methods traders can use to adjust their risk profiles, providing valuable insights and predictions for the future.

You won't want to miss these critical insights into trend following and predictions for the future. So what are you waiting for? SEND IT!

Chapters:

00:00-01:51 = Intro

01:52-16:24 = RV Disaster Recovery, the History of DUNN, Bill Dunn & the System

16:25-30:23 = A long track record, an Adaptive risk profile, influences by interest rates & capturing the upside

30:24-36:47 = Good & Bad years: what’s the driver? & Vol targeting

36:48-50:33 = Investors & the impact on trend following

50:34-57:55 = Replication of products & new technology

57:56-01:03:51 = What’s the Future for Trend?

For more information on Marty Bergin & DUNN Capital visit DUNNcapital.com 

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

From actual capital allocator to branding his book and podcast “Capital Allocator,” Ted Seides has one of the biggest banks of knowledge in the capital allocation game. He’s a well-known author of two books, host of the podcast Capital Allocators, and in his “free time” invests his own money in some of the best and brightest hedge funds around. In today’s episode, we’re talking with Ted about Capital Allocators (the podcast & the book), the transition of talking to managers for an allocation -> to talking to allocators about managers on the pod, the Yale endowment and incredible opportunity to learn from Dave Swenson, bias in capital allocation, rebalancing without emotion, illiquidity premiums, base rates, allocator’s reaction to competition, blackbox of quants, portfolio construction, “Netflix” allocator selection, and Ted’s favorite guests & favorite quotes.

Chapters:

00:00-01:42=Intro

01:43-28:16=Learning from David Swensen

28:17-48:55=Is Private Equity Too Big?

48:56-57:47=Base Rates, AI advancements & Fees

57:48-01:09:20=The Show or Allocators Podcast

01:09:21-01:22:23=Part of the Equation

01:22:23-01:28:39=Favorites (The Buffet Bet)

Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides, listen to Ted’s podcast on your preferred platform here, and purchase his books here.

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

In this episode we chat with an ETF creator, financial book author, and host of the popular Meb Faber Show podcast. We're talking with Meb Faber about Colorado sports teams, trend following, skiing vs surfing, farmland investments, interesting pod guests, how most asset managers are out of business already but don’t know it, how Meb invests his own money, IN-N-OUT orders, and naming ETFs as the last thread of creativity in investing.

Meb Faber is a co-founder and the Chief Investment Officer of Cambria Investment Management, where he creates the investment process behind their ETFs and separate accounts. Meb is the host of a popular podcast and has authored numerous white papers and actual hold in your hand books. He is a frequent speaker and writer on investment strategies and has been featured in Barron’s, The New York Times, and The New Yorker. Mr. Faber graduated from the University of Virginia with a double major in Engineering Science and Biology.

Follow Meb on Twitter and LinkedIn, check out his website & the Cambria Investments website, download his free books, and take a listen to his podcast.

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

In through the nose – out through the mouth. In through the nose – out through the mouth.

You’ve now joined a headspace where we think you’re prepped to focus in and become one with today’s guest. He’s a well known CTA, expert researcher, meditation and yoga practitioner, and Founder & CIO of $1.8 Billion in AUM = Quest Partners. Today’s guest is none other than Nigol Koulajian, he’s been in the business since the early 1990’s and has grown to become one of the leading voices in alternative investments. Today, we’re talking with Nigol about Covid New York, Nigol’s quest to becoming a CTA, what it’s like managing more than a Billion dollars of people’s hard earned money, assessing price & risk in a portfolio, gaming Sharpe ratios, applying meditation to Quest’s quests, how easy it is to replicate hedge fund and CTA performance, Nigol’s favorite whitepapers, gaining convexity relative to skew, 30,000 ft view of Quest’s programs, “playing the players, not the game,” prioritizing meditation and mindset, and The Quest Indicator Book.

Chapters:

00:00-02:03=Intro

02:04-16:51=The Quest to Becoming a CTA

16:52-28:22=Meditation Mindset: Priming the Mind

28:23-51:42=The Power of Positive Skew Models

51:43-01:07:07=Gaming the Sharpe & Playing the Players

01:07:08-01:28:20=The Quest Book

01:28:21-01:31:47=Favorites

Follow along with Quest on LinkedIn and on their website, and keep up to date with Nigol here.

From the episode:

• Access Quest’s whitepapers and research here
• Sign up for monthly access to the Quest Book here

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts, and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

And visit our sponsor, the CME Group at www.cmegroup.com to learn more about futures and options.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Talking this week with Poker Pro Chris Sparks on everything from game strategy to deciphering A.I. capabilities and catching bots. With Founder, CEO, and Performance Coach of The Forcing Function we’re taking it back to the beginning where we dive in with Chris about an interesting online alias “GoMuckYourself”, grabbing seats at poker tables in Vegas, exploring his latest paper “Play to Win: Meta – Skills in High Stakes Poker” and using behavioral science and system thinking to lead a new generation in the game and the investing world with Peak Performance Architecture.

Chapters:

02:36-19:10 = Gambling for a Living

19:11-28:27 = Data is Power

28:28-50:37 = Playing to Win

50:38-59:00 = Sizing Bets & Catching Bots

59:01-01:13:34 = Peak Performance Architecture

01:13:35-01:20:20 = Playing the Investment World

01:20:21-01:32:34 = Favorites

Read Chris’ Play to Win: Meta-Skills in High-Stakes Poker and his honorable mention to check out  Fortune’s Formula: The Untold Story of the Scientific  Betting System that Beat the Casinos and Wall Street

Follow along with Chris (@SparksRemarks) on Twitter, and check out the forcingfunction.com website.

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! The luck of the Irish is on our side as we celebrate today's episode with Dubliner Alan Dunne, CEO and Founder of Archive Capital, a boutique multi-asset and investment research firm focused on global macro and managed futures strategies. Alan has worked in the financial markets and investment management industry for over 25 years at hedge funds and large investment banks as a CIO, hedge fund allocator, macro strategist, and technical analyst.

During our exciting chat with Alan, we focus on the crazy volatility in commodity markets, how macro traders have evolved over the years, and why crisis periods can be good for a trend managers' track record. Plus, Alan plays "Where Would You Invest 10K, 100K, and 100 MM?" So, grab a green beer, keep calm, and shamrock on because we're jumping right into the pot of gold this week!

Chapters:

00:00-01:16= Intro

01:17-17:29= Crazy Volatility spikes & Approaching Trend Following

17:30-26:01= Systematic Macro & Embracing Quant Strategies

26:02-40:37= Abbey Capital: Dispersion in the Trend Space & David Harding

40:38-54:47= CTA Due Diligence

54:48-01:05:53= Archive Capital: The Liquid Space / Podcasting

01:05:54-01:13:15= What would you invest in?

Follow along with Alan on Twitter @alanjdunne and for more on Alan and Archive Capital, visit Archive Capital | Dublin | Asset Allocation 

Check out our new Trend Following Guide here!

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

This week's guest may be new to Twitter (@nancy__davis), but she's certainly not new to the wide world of volatility in all its wonderous “fruit” forms, including of course rates and fixed income volatility. In this Derivative episode, Jeff sits down with one of the "100 Most Influential Women in U.S. Finance," Nancy Davis. Nancy, who started her career at Goldman Sachs, is the founder of Quadratic Capital, portfolio manager for the IVOL and BNDD ETFs, and a frequent finance commentator on Bloomberg and CNBC.

In this engaging chat, Nancy is talking TIPS (inflation, duration exposure, plus real yields, and yield curve control), debit card vs credit card investing, why most bond investors are short mortgage calls, the purpose of IVOL, the day-to-day of running an ETF (the Vanguard of Convexity), a mother's love for options, what it takes to make it as a female in finance, why having a P&L is the key to meritocracy, and much more. Plus, we're playing two truths and a lie where we find out if she has a strong poker face or if that's just a reference to her doppelganger — SEND IT!

Chapters:

00:00-01:29 = Intro

01:30-20:26 = Everything TIPS: a single inflation index, duration exposure, real yields & yield curve control

20:27-30:56 = Debit Card Investing: Risk Management budgets & Orders of Operation

30:57-47:31 = The Purpose of IVOL, Mortgage rates & Bond portfolios, & Rate Risk vs Spread risk

47:32-55:13 = Running an ETF: The Vanguard of Convexity

55:14-01:04:58 = Goldman’s not a Squid, A mothers love for Options & What it takes to make it

01:04:59-01:12:17 = Two Truths & a Lie: Gaga edition

Follow Nancy on Twitter @nancy__davis and for more information on Quadratic Capital visit quadraticllc.com

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Timmberrrrr...welcome to the world of lumber! We’re laying the lumber in this episode talking through an exciting world some know as timber; others as fiber or wood, and the futures world as Lumber. Whatever you call it, it is impacting today's market with its wild swings, and in this episode, we're getting down to the nitty-gritty with two wood wizards, Stinson Dean of Deacon Lumber and Kyle Little of Sherwood Lumber — who both have interesting stories behind their names. One for having a challenging time with two first names and the other whose company was named after Sherwood Forest of Robin Hood lore (we'll get more into that in the episode)!

We're chopping it up with Stinson and Kyle and asking those must-know lumber questions that may leave you stumped (have we used enough wood puns yet?) like; why lumber is such a big deal? Why do lumber prices speak to everyone, from your family members to Bloomberg? What's fundamentally wrong with a market that it can roundtrip 300% to 400% in a little over a year (TWICE)? Is this market broken? Can the world handle these high prices, is it a supply chain issue, global warming, inflation? Work from home? And more!

Highlights from this episode include:

• How lumber tends to be one of the leading indicators of what's going to happen in many different markets
• Why lumber prices spiked so dramatically during the pandemic
• Logistics and what the lumber journey looks like from the forest to the Home Depot
• Why lumber has been volatile for a long time, and where the next 100yrs of supply can come from?
• Why there isn’t any wood in sci fi movies
• And, we discuss how Kyle and Stinson are competitors, vendors, customers all wrapped up into one, plus more!

Chapters:

01:50-16:20 = Why is Lumber such a Big Deal?  High prices, Volatility, and the Raw Commodity

16:21-35:23 = Roundtripping 400%...Is the Lumber market broken?

35:24-58:17 = Fewer Offers & Fewer Bids in the Cash Wood Market

58:16-01:10:40 = Lumber as the Remote Work/Climate Change/Supply Chain/Inflation Proxy

01:10:41-01:20:40 = There’s no wood in sci fi movies. What’s the Future for Lumber?

01:20:41-01:27:24 = Hottest Take: Inflation is Good, Wood is Good

Follow along with Stinson on Twitter @LumberTrading and Kyle Little on Twitter @lumberlittle

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Summer’s nearly over and class is definitely back in session for this episode, as we're about to get schooled on options and trying to separate the scams from the science. This week we're delivering the long-awaited episode with Dr. Benn Eifert, a Derivative appointed Jedi of Volatility from QVR Advisors, and Dr. David Rhoiney, who overcame being homeless to become a robotic surgeon who is learning the financial ropes and sharing his journey on Twitter from Surgifi.

David has questions: what do you do with all the Greeks, can’t you tell a trend is starting by analyzing options volume, what about skew?  And Benn has the answers in this entertaining 70-minute lively back and forth. They touch on being an independent thinker like David to come to your own investing conclusions, whether the options courses out there are knowingly selling lies, or more innocently peddling luck and lottery tickets. Why Black Scholes doesn’t really do anything except normalize prices…meaning there’s no secret math that lets you ‘figure out’ options. How trend following only works 25% of the time, Nancy Pelosi’s high fee LEAPS trades, Nassim Taleb’s tail hedges, why it counter-intuitively makes sense to add a losing asset to your portfolio, and so much more! Plus, we discuss should retail investors walk away from options and how not to get caught up in the index funds cult — SEND IT!

Chapters:

00:00-01:54 = Intro

01:55-21:52 = Greeks, Bid/Ask, a Tech Stack… where do you even get started?

21:53-39:36 = Implied Volatility doesn’t tell you anything about what to do

39:37-58:36 = Someone selling you a trade based on skew = run the other way

58:37-01:12:15 = Pelosi’s LEAPS? Taleb’s Tail Hedges? Why add a losing asset? 

01:12:16-01:17:22 = Hottest takes: just walk away from Options, steak is overrated, and the Devil’s nipples

From the episode:

Benn Eifert's Tweet on adding Tail Risk

Surgifi's newsletter

Follow along with Benn Eifert on Twitter @bennpeifert and David Rhoiney on Twitter @FiSurgi. For more information on QVR Advisors check out their website www.qvradvisors.com and for more on Surgifi visit surgifi.com

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

In the constantly changing and often unpredictable industry that is wealth management, is it possible to systematize an asset allocation approach? Might you even apply trend following to the problem? On this episode of The Derivative, Jon Robinson, the CEO and co-founder of Blueprint Investment Partners, draws upon his unique experience on both sides of the trend-following fence: proprietor and customer. He reflects on his early days working on the New York Stock Exchange floor and delves into the intricate process of shifting from traditional research methods to systematic investment.

Join us as we explore the subtleties of trend following, its evolution over time (Jon’s evolution over time), and the strategies that Jon and his team at Blueprint Investment Partners employ. Our conversation sheds light on the fundamental principles of maintaining strong advisor-client relationships, the changing landscape of portfolio management, and what the future of the investment advisor space might look like. Tune in for an engaging discussion on the effectiveness of trend following not as an investment in its own right, but as a filter on other investments— SEND IT!

Chapters:

00:00-01:46=Intro

01:47-05:20= Greensboro HQ

05:21-17:21= The wild west of futures, entrepreneuring & trend following models

17:22-36:27= Piecing together the Blueprint with a trend following edge / simplifying the implications / Enter in.. Chesapeake

36:28-48:28= Managing the spectrum & private hedge funds

48:29-58:02= The future of the advisory space & behavior adoption

58:03-01:08:24= RIA Or Private Client? Helping an investor

From the episode:

Trending following plus nothing with Jerry Parker: The Derivative Trend following turtle tails (and tales) with Jerry Parker: The DerivativeTrend Following guide  

Follow along with Jon on LinkedIn and his team on Twitter @Blueprint_IP and for more information visit their website blueprintip.com.

Don't forget to subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Derivative⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, follow us on Twitter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rcmAlts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and our host Jeff at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@AttainCap2⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sign-up for our blog digest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer⁠

The world of sports and finance have continually meshed together – and the Covid-19 pandemic has fast tracked that even further. Between the growth of analytics, to financiers making their way into the pro sports arena, I think we’re past a future where these two worlds will ever depart. Today’s guest is the culmination of these two worlds in one with the background (and family name) to prove it. Joe Pompliano, founder of Huddle Up – a daily newsletter breaking down the business and money behind sports – has joined us on The Derivative to talk about just that. We’re talking with Joe about his new venture – MVP ETF, team income sharing agreements, valuations ballooning, the billion-dollar athletes, analytics importance in sports & valuation, expansion teams, the entire Pompliano family, paying college athletes, hedge funds making their way into sports, growth of the eSports brand, and the beginning and expansion of the Huddle Up newsletter.

Chapters:

00:00-02:21=Intro 

02:22-12:36=A Fast Start with a Big Idea 

12:37-21:19=The MVP ETF & Sports as Investment  

21:20-41:54=Engaging the Fans, Expansion Losses, & Sports Revenue Impact from COVID 

41:55-59:44= Athletes to Break a Billion & are they Worth the Payout? 

59:45-01:18:47=Top Threads & Investing in Athletes 

01:18:48-01:26:23=Favorites

Follow along with Joe on Twitter and subscribe to his newsletter, Huddle Up, here.

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Who in the right mind would choose to make a living day trading stock index futures? It must be one of the most competitive, most challenging arenas out there with HFT and 10s of billions of dollars in quant strategies chasing alpha. In this week's episode, we're chatting up the founder and CEO of short-term systematic shop Deepfield Capital from Switzerland, who ply their wares on stock index markets from Asia to Europe, the U.S.

Bastian also discusses why there is a difference between market movement during the day and overnight sessions, the status of ES liquidity these days, whether less liquidity will bring new opportunities, the science (and art) of strategy research, why VIX futures are tough to trade, and more! Plus, as a bonus, we find out why Bastian dressed in a full head-to-toe Chewbacca costume for a wedding.

Chapters:

00:00-01:25 = Intro

01:26-14:20 = A Swiss View on Swiss Neutrality

14:21-29:11 = Is Day trading Stock Indices the hardest game around?

29:12-51:56 = Why is there such a Difference between Market Movement in day and overnight sessions?

51:57-59:42 = Where is ES Liquidity these days? Does less Liquidity bring More Opportunity?

59:43-01:19:00 = The Science (and the Art) of Strategy Research

01:19:01-01:27:45- Why VIX Futures are Really Hard to Trade

01:27:46-01:33:34 = Two Truths & a Lie

Follow along with Bastian on Twitter @LongVol_DFC and for any questions email him at info@deepfieldcapital.com

About Bastian Bolesta

Bastian Bolesta is a founding partner and Chief Executive Officer of Deep Field Capital AG (DFC), a Switzerland-based, independent, purely systematic asset manager, developing and trading niche intraday and short-term systematic programs in global futures and equity markets. DFC's expertise in developing short-term quantitative programs is built on +20 years of independent, proprietary trading. As CEO and member of the Investment & Research Committee, Bastian drives Deep Field's business development and investment process for its systematic investment strategies on the proprietary trading and asset management side.

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

VIX and volatility guru (who also sidelines as CBOE & CNBC contributor and an RIA and CFO) Joe Tigay is on our pod to share some nuggets of VIX and vol expertise with our listeners. In addition to vix & vol, we’re also talking about Michigan sports teams, the early days in the pit, Equity Armor’s four strateiges, SPX vs S&P, the risk behind options, Pequod’s pizza, trading volatility through EAVOL, negative return expectations, gamma scalping, panic selling, Moneyball, and poker to trading parallels.

About Equity Armor Investments: Equity Armor Investments is a wealth management firm offering advisory services to both retail and institutional investors. Their goal is to provide superior risk-adjusted returns through effective and efficient risk management. EAI seeks to provide investors and institutions with low volatility consistent advisory solutions. Our products and strategies seek to reduce many of the convexity issues plaguing investors.

Follow along with Joe Tigay LinkedIn and Twitter, and check out the four strategies highlighted in this podcast by visiting the Equity Armor website.

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Get ready to savor an episode of The Derivative that's anything but run-of-the-(corn) mill, featuring a guest who's serving up some fresh and unconventional perspectives. That's right, we're delving into the heart of the snack world where the notion of sturdy, thick chips and delicate, thin chips is more than meets the eye. Prepare to have the simplicity of your favorite tortilla chip upended, revealing the captivating intricacies that fuel everyone’s favorite salsa, guac, and queso vehicle, the tortilla chip.

Zack Gazzaniga, is the visionary behind Zack's Mighty Tortillas, a company rewriting the rulebook on what it means to be a tortilla chip. His entrepreneurial journey takes us from the humble beginnings of a small natural food startup to helping build a 60-SKU condiment brand at Sir Kensington's. Throughout this episode, he generously shares his insights on expanding product lines, managing complex supply chains, and navigating deals with corporate giants. But that’s the boring business stuff… stay for the talk on seed hunting in Italy, making tortillas, then chips – how many growing cycles our US soil has left, the many nuances in GMO vs non-GMO labeling, and the informative history of Corn you didn’t know you needed. This episode is a must-listen for fellow entrepreneurs and tortilla chip lovers – SEND IT!

Chapters:

00:00-01:39= Intro

 01:40-11:50= Buongiorno! Let’s talk: Origins, Sir Kensington’s, flavor, & the guacable chip

11:51-25:19= Economic building blocks, Investing in food, CAP-X deals, & intense integration

25:20-36:29= A brief history of corn: Quest for the golden kernel

36:30-50:24= The tortilla chip: From field to bag & Going organic – why it makes sense

50:25-01:01:41= Ethanol? Water? Growing and production concerns / Short-corn & gene editing

01:01:42-01:06:03= Where do we get them? & the Takis people...

From the episode:

Beautiful Corn: America’s Original grain from seed to plate (Book)

Don't call it private equity, seeking value (and tax alpha) in small business with Adam Tkaczuk Follow along with Zack's Mighty on LinkedIn and Facebook! For more information on Zack's Mighty tortilla's chips and where to find them visit zacksmighty.com

Don't forget to subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Derivative⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, follow us on Twitter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rcmAlts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and our host Jeff at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@AttainCap2⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sign-up for our blog digest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer⁠

What do you do when you’ve already done everything there is to do in trend. Managed billion of dollars: check. One of first to run a trend following mutual fund: check. Trend following on individual equities: check. You push the envelope again, and convince the folks that create ETFs that you actually can pack your fully diversified equities plus futures portfolio into an ETF wrapper.  On this episode of The Derivative, we sit down with the legendary Jerry Parker, a former Turtle Trader who’s newest effort is an ETF product called ‘Trend Following Plus Nothing’.  

Jerry and Jeff explore a wide range of topics, including whether multi-billion CTAs sold their (trend) souls to get there, just why nobody really tries to trend follow on individual equity names. Seeing a green light when they tell you it can’t be done. Jerry also opens up about finding the perfect balance of personal risk and mental fortitude to achieve success in trend following while sharing some personal anecdotes, including his love for pet birds. 

Discover the power of trading components instead of an index of components, the impact of Fed limits on trend, and the intricacies of volatility targeting (hint: Jerry doesn’t believe in it). We'll also delve into the art of portfolio construction, the virtue of trend following impatience, the true essence of trend following as an inflationary hedge, and so much more — SEND IT.

Chapters:

00:00-02:00=Intro

02:01-04:50= No birds allowed on Long Island, NY

04:51-16:38= The journey creating the new ETF needed diversification

16:39-30:02= Replication – what’s your limit? Hard=Simple/Simple=Hard

30:03-41:45= Market Makers, Outlier Moves, and what’s deserving of your portfolio

41:46-48:50=Embracing the Trend Following philosophy

48:51-01:00:02= The narrow road taken

01:00:03-01:03:29= Trend following+nothing

From the episode: The Swiss(Franc) isn’t all that neutral – blog post

Trend Following Turtle Tails (and Tales) with Jerry Parker - podcast Check out our Trend Following whitepaper!

Follow along with Jerry on Twitter @rjparkerjr09 and visit ChesapeakeCapital.com for more information!

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Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Now we’re cooking! We’re turning up the heat and bringing an abundance of flavor in this episode with a special guest who discusses venture capital, working capital, adds in a dash of e-sports and computer games, and sprinkles in being a rocket scientist. Dr. Chris Dark does it all, retiring at the age of 39, he continues to invest his family office across all asset classes, focusing on crypto, long-term out of consensus strategic plays, and allocating to external managers with specialist strategies. This leaves us with just one question, what can’t Dr. Dark do!?

In this full force of a discussion, we're talking what it’s like to be a co-founder and executive at five companies (eSports, video games, trade finance, blockchain, venture capital), investment philosophies, Bitcoin, market structure & environmental impacts, and what it was like meeting a less famous Elon Musk and introducing the idea of space elevators. Plus, we play a little game of “What Would You Invest In?”

Highlights from this week’s episode include:

• Why most venture firms don’t make it and how they’re missing one unique component- investing in things they like
• Why Bitcoin is such an important asset when volatility often increases as the price goes up
• How to disrupt banks, then do it again
• Understanding we’re in an interesting time with inflation,  even though it's undeniable that technology is a deflationary force
• Lessons from a serial entrepreneur, and more!
• Where Chris would invest $1k, $100k, and $1mm

Chapters:

00:00-02:23 = Intro

02:24-14:29 = The Superconductors & eSports Super CV

14:30-28:57 = A Working Capital Marketplace & Venture Capital as an asset class

28:58-38:15 = Luck or Skill? & Avoiding the Entrepreneurial Trap

38:16-01:12:09 = Investment philosophies, Bitcoin, Market structure & Environmental Impacts

01:12:10-01:21:07 = Lithium, Uranium, Meeting Elon, and AI as Snake Oil

01:21:08-01:30:49 = What would you invest in?

Additional Resources:

• Check out Dr. Dark After Dark here.
• Follow Chris on Twitter here.

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

We’re back! Today’s podcast features The Derivative show stoppers Rodrigo Gordillo and Adam Butler of Resolve Asset Management discussing the carry trade and its applications in investment strategies. They begin by explaining what the carry trade is and discussing common misconceptions around it. They then dive into different types of carry that can be found in various asset classes like bonds, commodities, currencies, and equities. The guests discuss how carry strategies can be implemented, either on their own or as part of a larger multi-strategy portfolio. They also compare carry to trend following strategies and debate the pros and cons of each approach. The podcast explores how a diversified carry factor can provide returns with reduced risk when combined with other strategies. Rodrigo and Adam explain how carry fits into their risk parity framework and can be used to tilt allocations. They also discuss integrating carry and trend signals to lower trading costs. Gear up to receive that spoonful of sugar that indeed will make the medicine go down with tons of insight and access to some great content as an investment factor and perspectives on its role in multi-asset portfolios.

Chapters:

00:00-01:31= Intro

01:32-10:31= What’s a carry trade?

10:32-20:34= Types of carry in different asset classes & Implementing strategies

20:35-33:11= Carry vs Trend & portfolio applications of carry

33:12-49:05= Combining carry & trend: How does it fit together?

49:06-01:04:54= Why Carry? The future of carry strategies

From the episode:

The Rise of Carry(Book)

The Carry Trade post

Get Stacked Podcast

ReSolve Riffs Podcast

Setting the Risk Parity Record Straight - The Derivative episode

Researching the Risks of return stacking with Corey Hoffstein & Rodrigo Gordillo - The Derivative episode

Asset Allocation, AI, and the Alpha process with Resolve - The Derivative episode

Follow along with ReSolve Asset Management on Twitter/X @InvestReSolve Adam Butler @GestaltU & Rodrigo Gordillo @RodGordilloP, LinkedIn and check out their research page for more information

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Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer⁠

2020 has been a year for the books – be it the fastest every market sell-off or a just as amazing tech rally from the lows. Whether you’re looking at it from a social/emotional/fiscal lens, it probably didn’t pan out the way you imagined based on your New Years Resolution. And in today’s podcast, we’re focusing out with the long lens to take a look back at the year that was 2020 to investigate what strategy types got it right, which got it very wrong, and more. We’ve brought on two of our favorite people in the space to add some vol/macro viewpoints to the conversation, Jason Buck, CIO at Mutiny Fund and Adam Butler, CIO at ReSolve Asset Management. To get rolling on part 1 of this 2-part series, we’re covering the early part of 2020 including: Early convexity through Jan/Feb, Cheap protection in the beginning of the year, How Corona blew up the markets in March, The craziest stats during the third week of March, Risk parity, Trend following & volatility strategy performances, The unbelievable rally that followed the crash, and The societal question of big corporations dictating the market.

**Don’t miss out on Part II coming out on Thursday, December 31. Subscribe to us on Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, and/or YouTube to be the first to listen next week!**

Chapters:

00:00-02:07 = Intro

02:08-21:27 = 2020: Pre-Pandemic

21:28-47:19 = The Third Week of March

47:20-53:40 = Let’s Talk Trend, Risk Parity, and Volatility

53:41-01:21:06 = The Rally

Follow along with Adam on Twitter and LinkedIn, and with ReSolve on their website and their ReSolve’s Riffs series and the Gestalt University podcast.

Follow along with Jason on Twitter and LinkedIn and with Mutiny Fund on their website and the Mutiny Fund podcast.

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

In this episode, we sit down again with one of the OGs of VIX futures trading & options, Brett Nelson, CEO of Certeza Asset Management, and discuss their new mutual fund — Convex Core and how it relates to their Macro Vega hedge fund strategy. Join us to hear how the mutual fund aims to participate when the market is up, exploit opportunities when things get bumpy, and then protect heavily when the market is down. Brett explains why Convex Core isn't just an overlay strategy and how utilizing changes in Vega & Gamma can help protect you in a rough market. We talk about the Geometric Loss Problem, Certeza's three regimes of Volatility, their equity component, dialing through options, looking for the mathematical structure in the market, the rebalancing premium, and the importance of educating Advisors/Investors on volatility as an asset class. Finally, we ask Brett's opinions on some well-known relative value or Volatility arbitrage trades, asking when they work and when they don’t. And rounding things out is a discussion on the two new VIX ETF products coming out, and Brett’s thoughts on Delta Hedging Market Makers, just how critical "flow" is,  and what the next disruption event could look like.

Chapters:

00:00-02:46= Intro

02:47-06:04= Covid = A Missed VIXportunity

06:05-025:02= A Flawed Mentality & The 3 Regimes of Volatility

25:03-38:09= Masquerading As an Equity Strat & the Rebalancing Premium

38:10-48:21 = What Works? What Doesn’t in Vol Arb trading

48:21-54:39= VIX ETFs: Good, Bad, or Ugly?

54:40-01:11:55= Delta Hedging Market Makers: A Game within Games

Check out our previous episode with Brett here: Seeking (VIX) Certainty with Certeza's Brett Nelson

Follow along with Brett on Twitter @CertezaAM 

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2,  or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

And visit our sponsor, the CME Group at www.cmegroup.com to learn more about futures and options.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

We’re talking with the purveyors of one of the best performing mutual funds thus far in 2022, the dynamically shifting asset allocator, RDMIX (past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results). It hasn’t all been rainbows and lollipops, however, for the ReSolve Asset Management Global team of Rodrigo Gordillo and Mike Philbrick, and they explain why and when a core of Risk Parity should work, and exactly what is and isn’t a Risk Parity approach (hint: it’s not just levered stocks and bonds).

In this episode, we're tackling topics like; does anyone actually use 60/40, The RDMIX 50/50 portfolio (50% Risk Parity/50% Alpha Strategies), ensembles of alpha sources, diversification of betas, and asset allocation in general, commodity trend following, return stacking and dispersion, and more. Plus, we're getting personal with Rodrigo and Mike (we even include Adam), and it's up to our host Jeff to decipher what is true and what is not.

Chapters:

00:00-02:03 = Intro

02:04-20:19 = Does anyone actually use 60 /40?,  "TIPS", and inflation

20:20-30:25 = No, bonds aren’t the end of Risk Parity, Risk Parity isn’t just Stocks/Bonds

30:26-46:01 = RDMIX’s 50/50 portfolio = 50% in Risk Parity/50% in Alpha Strategies

46:02-01:00:53 = Ensembles, Diversification & Asset Allocation in RDMIX

01:00:54-01:16:13 = Commodity Trend Following, Return Stacking & Dispersion

01:16:14-01:24:54 = Three Truthful/not true, well... Manager "stories" from ReSolve

From the Episode:

Return Stacking Whitepaper  |   Lunch & Learn webinar with ReSolve Asset Management  |  ReSolve's Riffs Podcast

Previous Podcasts: Researching the Risks of Return Stacking  |  Talking Asset Allocation, AI, and the Alpha process with Resolve 

Follow along with Rodrigo Gordillo @RodGordilloP & Mike Philbrick @MikePhilbrick99 on Twitter and visit investresolve.com for more info

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Similar to how we quickly grabbed some experts to discuss Crude Oil going negative, we grabbed some VIX experts as soon as the news hit this week that Credit Suisse was pulling the plug on one of the biggest VIX tracking exchange traded products. What will this do to VIX futures volume, liquidity, and the curve. What does this mean for traders and firms using these VIX products to tweak their exposure. Our guests today are two of our favorite VIX twitter follows Jim Carroll and Patrick Hennessy. In this episode, we’re talking about the differences between ETPs, ETFs, and ETNs, what Credit Suisse was probably thinking (Hint: RISK), how VIX futures will react, and who are the players that might fill this void.

Follow along with:

Jim Carroll on Twitter

Pat Hennessy on Twitter

Don’t forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

How do all these smart people end up in the crypto space? Versus the hedge fund world or traditional finance, or doctor/lawyer, etc.  And how do investors separate the signal from the noise amongst all the meme stock pumps, Web 3 scams, and crypto deep dives? And is Winter coming, to borrow the Game of Thrones line…

We're sitting down with GenZ'er and FinTwit staple Caitlin Cook of the @deadcaitbounce handle, where she's diving into what it’s really like working in Crypto during the current drawdown and what drives her to pump out great content on twitter and her podcasts.

Caitlin and Jeff also discuss various topics ranging from women in finance and chicks of Fin Twit, bridging the gap in Crypto education (check out her new podcast, The DeadCaitBounce Experience), GenZer's providing professional content, and so much more! Plus, we wrap up the episode with Caitin's 3 BIG C's; Chicago, Cocktails, and Catchphrases — SEND IT!

Chapters:

00:00-01:53 = Intro

01:54-09:33 = Soccer Goals to Finance Careers via Twitter

09:34-29:28 = Chicks of Fintwit, Crypto Education, building bridges & are we now seeing a Crypto winter?

29:29-41:56 = Women in Finance & Bridging the gap in Crypto education with The DeadCaitBounce Experience

41:57-48:10 = GenZ's providing professional content while making it human on Twitter

48:11-56:47= Chicago, Cocktails & #Getoutside

56:48-01:00:39 = Hottest take

From the episode:

The DeadCaitBounce Experience: https://dcbe.podbean.com/

Follow along with Caitlin on Twitter @DeadCaitBounce and @DCBExperience

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

In this episode, we explore the world of options trading with Martin Vestergaard and Michael Cameron from Carmika Partners. The conversation begins with an in-depth analysis of the volatility spike that occurred in early August, as Vestergaard and Cameron share their insights on the market dynamics and the impact on their trading strategies. The discussion then delves into the growing influence of daily options and the challenges of navigating a highly electronic and technical market. Vestergaard and Cameron provide valuable perspectives on the importance of understanding current market conditions and adapting trading approaches accordingly. Listeners will get an inside look into Carmika’s quantitative approach to options trading, with a focus on modeling implied volatility and skew across the options curve. We also discuss their industry backgrounds, where volatility trading may be heading next, and more. Whether you're an experienced options trader or looking to expand your knowledge, this episode offers a wealth of practical information and thought-provoking perspectives on the complexities in today's options landscape. SEND IT!

Chapters:

00:00-01:38 = Intro

01:39-24:15 = August 24’ Vol spike recap

24:16-38:40 = a Quantitative Approach to Options trading

38:41-50:10= Complexities in Options landscape in 2022

50:11-01:05:43= Experience & Expertise – Backgrounds & Approach

01:05:44-01:13:38= Evolving Options

01:13:39-01:28:37= Navigating Volatility & Skew

01:28:38-01:33:31= Lessons Learned

Follow along with Carmika Partners on LinkedIn with Martin Vestergaard & Michael Cameron and check out their website at carmikapartners.com for more information!

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Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer⁠

*We apologize for potential audio issues with this episode – please see the transcript HERE or go to the episode blog on rcmalts.com to download.*

NOPE - we’re not just going to be talking to our typical vol guest. NOPE – we’re not going over the usual trend following or strategy. NOPE we definitely (did) find today’s guest off of VolTwit. @nope_it’s_lily is Head Researcher at Salience Capital and the creator of NOPE (Net Options Pricing Effect), a proprietary metric used to measure the notional impact of options hedging on underlying liquidity. In addition to NOPE, we’re also talking with Lily about The Bay, PHDs, birth of NOPE from the market crash, Robinhood, GEX and squeezemetrics, bioinformatics and COVID-19, gamma, Salience Capital, and the future use cases for NOPE.

Chapters:

00:00-02:04=Intro

02:05-11:45=Grad School & the Vaccine Pirate

11:46-27:28=Launching NOPE & The NOPE measurement

27:29-41:09=NOPE Products / Salience Capital

41:10-49:02=Liquidity in the Markets

49:03-53:25=What's next?

53:26-01:02:21=Favorites

Follow along with Lily on Twitter and on her blog.

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

In this episode of the Derivative podcast, our host Jeff Malec sits down with Tim McGregor and Tom Hession from Riverbend Capital Advisors to dive deep into the world of municipal bonds. The discussion covers the unique inefficiencies and complexities of the $4 trillion muni bond market, which features over 75,000 different issuers across the country. Tim and Tom explain how this fragmented landscape creates opportunities for active management and value capture, even in a low-risk asset class. Throughout, we explore the importance of customized portfolio construction, credit analysis, and structure optimization to generate tax-advantaged income for individual investors. We also touch on the impact of federal policy, interest rates, and political dynamics on the muni market. With over 50 years of combined experience in municipal bonds, the Riverbend team provides valuable insights for anyone looking to understand this often-overlooked corner of the fixed income universe. Listen in, as we venture into uncharted waters with Muni bonds! SEND IT!

Chapters:

01:33-14:25= Navigating the Fragmented and Inefficient Muni Bond Market

14:26-29:15= Complexities in structure, credit & policy

29:16-36:28= Muni Bonds in a changing market: Opportunities & Challenges

36:29-52:37= Election/Fed cuts? The importance of tailoring your clients portfolio

52:38-01:01:00= Experiences with Muni Bonds, covid-sell offs and tax advantages

Follow along with Riverbend Capital on Twitter @Riverbend_Cap, Tom & Tim on LinkedIn, and check out their website Riverbendcapitaladvisors.com for more information!

Don't forget to subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Derivative⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, follow us on Twitter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rcmAlts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and our host Jeff at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@AttainCap2⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sign-up for our blog digest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer⁠

Votes are being counted, CNN and Fox are on 24-hour reporting cycles, and Tweets/FB Posts/Texts are still being sent out at lightening speeds. What happens if a winner isn’t announced for 2 or more days? What happens if President Trump remains in power? What happens if former Vice President Joe Biden takes over as POTUS? In today’s U.S. Election – What^%$# Episode we’re joined by Matt LaViolette, Founder & Principle at Breakout Funds, and Kris Sidial, Vice President at Ambrus Group talking about avoiding blue waves, election shell shock events, and volatility rallies.

Chapters: 

00:00-01:40 = Intro

01:41-21:23 = Backgrounds, Avoiding Blue Waves & Possible Shell-Shock Effects

21:24-35:38 = Are We in a World When Vol Rallies? Reflation? and Thoughts on Energy

35:39-49:09 = The Fed, Are They Out of Bullets? + Final Thoughts & Shocks

Follow along with Kris Sidial on Twitter, LinkedIn, and The Ambrus Group website.

Follow along with Matt LaViolette on his previous The Derivative episode, Twitter, LinkedIn, and the Breakout Funds website.

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Grab your favorite trucker hat/baseball cap, and settle in for this episode where Jeff picks Meb Faber’s brain on everything from skiing to picking an investment advisor because they can get you on at Riviera Country Club.  We’ve got Meb Faber back on the show to nominally talk about trend following – but as often happens with Meb – we get into a bunch from global equity exposure, to market cap weighting, to Japan's dot-com bubble, de-globalization, investing in U.S. stocks, and the value of trend in a low-inflation environment.

Meb and Jeff explore Meb’s first exposure to trend following (yes, it has a ski story attached) and discuss the optimal portfolio allocation to trend, and the problem with replicating private equity. They touch on passive investing, how to choose a trend-following fund, and the current state of the market. Plus listeners can gain insights into the ETF and RIA space, and speaking of space – hear about start-up investing in farmland and space — SEND IT.

Chapters:

00:00-02:00 = Intro

02:01-12:50 = Skiing in Japan to global market cap weighting & Japan’s real estate bubble

12:51-27:46 = De-Globalization, Why everyone’s overinvested in U.S. stocks, Value/Trend and inflationary environments

27:47-47:30 = First exposure to Trend Following, what’s the optimal portfolio & the problem with a private equity replication strategy

47:31-59:58 = Passive investing, how do you choose a trend following fund & current state of the market

01:00:19-01:06:13 = What’s going on in the ETF & RIA space – where is it headed?

01:06:14-01:12:47 = Start-up investing – Farmland & Space

01:12:48-01:17:49 = Mebs’ Top Ski Spots

From the Episode:

The Case for Global Investing | Meb Faber asks: Why aren't more investors allocated to trend following?  |  Journey to 100x

Guide to Trend Following whitepaper

Follow along with Meb on Twitter @MebFaber and check out mebfaber.com, and his podcast The Meb Faber show.

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

When you hear news about artificial intelligence (AI), it might be easy to assume it has nothing to do with you. But if you use face recognition on your phone? Check. Google auto-fills your search bar? Check. And increasingly – the asset manager you may have managing your money is using some combination of machine learning and AI. Today’s guests were early adopters of that tech and applying it to trading algorithms. Jagdeesh Prakasam, Chief Executive Officer and Robert Rotella, Founder & Chairman of Rotella Capital Management have been in the game for a combined 50+ years. Today we’ll be getting into all the mechanics behind AI and Machine Learning as well as Robert’s beginning at Commodities Corp, mass customizing machine learning, how a lot can go right and a lot can go wrong in AI evolution, weak learners, early machine learning models, human bias in machine models, machine learning natural limits, systematic trend following, the balance of math and art in AI, Rotella’s models, and trying to stay on the leading edge of technology.

Chapters:

00:00-02:39 = Intro

02:39-32:28 = Two Chemical Engineers Walk into the Trading World

32:29-48:16 = Rotella as a Whole

48:17-01:08:20 = Digging into the Models & Flight to Safety

01:08:21-01:18:10 = Q-Deck

01:18:11-01:35:15 = Machine Learning & A.I.

01:35:16-01:39:48 = Favorites

Check out the COVID 19 charts mentioned in the podcast and follow along with Rotella Capital Management here.

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

We’re joined by option guru and author of ‘The Second Leg Down’ in this episode to talk through the real-time test of market crashes and volatility dynamics we’ve witnessed since February. Is our guest’s theory on volatility sequencing proving its worth in this environment of bigger VIX spikes, oil going negative, and retail trader flow? Hari Krishnan has all the insight on how to survive during volatile periods. Our conversation with Hari also includes: hobby jogging marathoning, basic income options trading checks, gamma driving prices, San Sebastian, selling unlimited retail, the gamma phenomenon, window dressing/skew/& monetization inside Hari’s strategies, Hari Krishnan cult movement, the new effects of VIX spikes, a broken fly, chaos theory,  panic options trading, if we actually saw a second leg, option selling accessibility for everyone, the temptation of selling options, hedge funds bailing on office real estate, fractals, and market crisis in stages rather than single events.

Chapters:

00:00-02:01 = Intro

02:02-17:24 = Background

17:25-36:34 = The Rotation of Hedges

36:35-54:13 = Real-time Thesis Test & Broken Fly’s

54:14-1:07:44 = Is This the Golden Age of Options?

1:07:45-1:12:45 = Favorites

Follow along with Hari on the SCT Capital Management website & LinkedIn, and read his book Second Leg Down.

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

We’re back in the trend space this week, diving into the pros and cons of classic trend following, as well as exploring new methods of trend, including building new “markets” with calendar spread data and trying to reduce the infamous trend open trade give backs with some option trades. Not to mention some talk on how investors have gone soft in their desire for low vol.  

Jeff sits down with Moritz Seibert, the CEO of Takahē Capital, to talk about the rise of conditional payouts and payments, the peak of exotic structures in 2007 and 2008, and how to build a robust, diversified portfolio that can weather any storm (hint: trend following). Jeff and Moritz debate the importance of a systematic manager having an opinion on markets, whether a small market like OJ can actually make a different in a large, diversified portfolio of markets, and why the best trade entries are often times the painful ones. SEND IT!

Chapters:

00:00-01:45=Intro

1:46-4:58= No snow for Europeans

4:59-20:31= Exotic risks, trading options & quantitative strategies

20:32-31:22= Adding liquidity & getting maximum exposure to outlier markets

31:23-50:55= Launching Takahe Capital: Resilience, diversifying your portfolio & finding spreads in trend markets

50:56-01:00:03= Factors causing spread moves, buying the high & the inconvenient trade

01:00:04-01:12:25= This is what trading is & the value of Trend following

01:12:26-01:17:01= Skiing Arosa

Follow along with Moritz on Twitter @moritzseibert & Takahe Capital @TakaheCapital and check out his website takahecapital, and his free newsletter twoquants for more information!

Don't forget to subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Derivative⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, follow us on Twitter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rcmAlts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and our host Jeff at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@AttainCap2⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sign-up for our blog digest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

If a replicant in the 1980s sci-fi classic Blade Runner was a genetically engineered, bio-enhanced person with para-physical capabilities, "composed entirely of organic substance," created for slave labor – what does that make Corey Hoffstein and his takes on replicating?  On this episode of The Derivative, we're joined by the model flirting, possible replicant, Corey Hoffstein, who takes us through the intricacies of replication strategies, comparing different approaches and digging deep into the pros and cons of indices vs strategies vs replication. Learn about the challenges faced by replicators in the hedge fund industry, the importance of benchmarks, and the complexities of dispersion in managed futures. 

Corey and Jeff provide insights into the factors that drive trend-following performance in different markets, explore the potential of alternative markets for managers, and delve into the replication of Warren Buffett's strategy, decoding its secrets. Plus, Corey discusses risk weighting, the role of market makers in the ETF ecosystem, and the integration of AI in various domains. This conversation goes beyond robots writing catchy descriptions. Get ready to become a replicant — SEND IT!

Chapters:

00:00-02:04= Intro

02:05-04:13= Babies are easy

04:14-22:20= Efforts in Replication & Leveraged equity

22:21-33:14= When did CTAs, MFs, and Trend Following, become synonymous? Explaining Dispersion

33:15-41:52= Two ways to replicate a strategy, first up: Top Down

41:53-56:07= Replicating a Strategy: Bottom Up

56:08-01:04:29= The immaculate rebalance & not everything needs to be in an ETF

01:04:30-01:10:09= Chat GPT – Good, bad, or ugly?

01:10:10-01:19:21= Word association

Follow along with Corey on Twitter @choffstein and for more information on Newfound Research visit thinknewfound.com. Also make sure to check out Corey's podcasts Flirting with Models & Pirates of Finance!

Don't forget to subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Derivative⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, follow us on Twitter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rcmAlts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and our host Jeff at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@AttainCap2⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sign-up for our blog digest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

In this episode, we’re joined by a powerhouse group of volatility experts consisting of Kevin Davitt, Wayne Himelsein, Jason Buck, and Bastian Bolesta – moderated by our very own Jeff Malec discussing Navigating Market Volatility. Providing more than just witty banter, you’ll be listening to us talk about how crazy volatility was during March/April, why the VIX is more than just for tail risk, is it too late for long volatility protection, why straddles & strangles, what everyone gets wrong about options, and the volatility landscape looking ahead.

Follow along with our guests:

· Kevin Davitt on Twitter and LinkedIn

· Bastian Bolesta on LinkedIn and the Deep Field Capital website

· Jason Buck on Mutiny Fund Twitter and the Mutiny Fund website

· Wayne Himelsein on Twitter, LinkedIn, and the Logica Captial Advisers website.

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

You're driving down the winding roads of Napa Valley, visiting the countless wineries, taking in the beautiful scenery, and enjoying the various pairings of meats, cheeses, and palate cleansers... But that’s not all that pairs well with wine. This week Anthony Zhang, an ambitious entrepreneur who created Vinovest, gives us the inside scoop on how wine is so much more than just those ‘soft’ descriptors, and can actually be considered an asset class. Even if Jeff asks… really? Is it really scalable and doable for large investors?

It's no coincidence we're dropping this week's pod the day after National Wine Day. Grab yourself a glass of vino as Anthony aerates topics like; starting a company from a dorm room, getting paid to skip college, how wine gains value, why wine doesn't need a token for Crypto, coping with paraplegia, and his outlook ahead. Plus, he gives us an exclusive insight into finding a gem within the wine list. This episode will make you want to sip, savor, and repeat — enjoy!

Chapters:

00:00-01:58 = Intro

01:59-17:46 = Side hustle turned startup, a Thiel Fellow & the Entrepreneur's Trap

17:47-30:16 = Vinovest: Wine as an Asset Class

30:17-41:12 = Supply Dilemmas, Moving the crop, Do/Don't Embrace Technology & How wine gets value

41:13-51:03 = Crypto? Why Wine doesn't need a Token

51:04-56:49 = Beating Paraplegia and how to interact with the handicapped

56:50-01:10:55 = What would you invest in: Assets vs Wine / Finding the gem in the wine list

Follow Along with Anthony on Twitter @anthony_j_zhang and Vinovest @vinovest1 and check out vinovest.co for more information.

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

This episode dives deep into the math and people behind what most people take for granted or don’t even know they need to improve their trading – execution algorithms. We cover Orlando as a favorite vacation spot (What&^%),  what/who is a quant, working with students at Notre Dame, UCLA, and Illinois, how even a slow trader can benefit from fast execution, algos named Prowlers, Snipers, Leggers, and….R2-D2 as a vacuum cleaner.

RCM-X is a trading technology and risk management services company, and as you might guess from  the name, a subsidiary of RCM Alternatives. We sit down and chat with their top two people - Joe Signorelli, RCM-X Managing partner, and David Don, COO/Head of Algorithmic Trading – and dive into the background of RCM-X, what execution algorithms really are, how they're implemented in modern day trading firms, and why they're important for more firms than you might think. We also discuss the RCM-X University program, which is a cool way this innovative group is bridging the gap between academia and professional trading firms to help build a solid base of future talent of the industry through top college programs.

How to follow along with RCM-X:

• RCM-X website, Twitter, & LinkedIn
• Joe Signorelli LinkedIn & Contact
• David Don LinkedIn & Contact

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: Due to industry regulations hosts and participants will not discuss any company funds on this podcast. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives or any of their affiliates. This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon for investment decisions. Visitors should not act upon the content or information found here without first seeking appropriate advice from an accountant, financial planner, lawyer or other professional. For more information, visit rcmalternatives.com.

Wayne Himelsein is a hedge fund manager, President, and Chief Investment Officer at Logica Capital Advisers. Beyond that Wayne is a 25-year veteran in the trading space, and we're talking about hedge funds, his quantitative investment strategies, and even his own non-profit, Informed-by-Nature. 

On this episode we're covering the oddity of a volatility trader living somewhere where there is no volatility (in the weather), reading the world’s longest book, hoping this is the big one when your car is in midair, J-Curve the rapper, and overpaying by 1000% for out of the money options.

Make sure to follow Wayne on Twitter and LinkedIn, and check out the Logica Capital Advisers and Informed-By-Nature. 

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn, and sign-up for our blog digest. 

Disclaimer: Due to industry regulations hosts and participants will not discuss any company funds on this podcast. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives or any of their affiliates. This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon for investment decisions. Visitors should not act upon the content or information found here without first seeking appropriate advice from an accountant, financial planner, lawyer or other professional. For more information, visit rcmalternatives.com.

We’re back! Hitting first up with the question of where the current state of Commercial Real Estate is at since COVID. Is the market coming back? Were the hits too hard with everyone out of the office? We’re looking at all the aftermath with Matt Lasky of Equity Velocity Funds, where the pain points are, who kept afloat, and how the market has changed since the vacancy or ‘phantom occupancy’ of Commercial buildings. In this episode, we talk with Matt about the commercial real estate bubble bursting, inflation & debt cliff, leverage factors, new lending standards, the difference between debt and equity & the challenges of bringing on new supply in real estate.

Were there any success stories in all of this mess? Find out as we dive in with Matt as he gives us a closer look at just what is going on in the current state of Commercial real estate. SEND IT!

Chapters:

00:00-02:40=Intro

02:41-10:32= Commercial real estate services/wellness, growth markets & did Red States during COVID save businesses?

10:33-24:21= Big Trouble? Real estate Armageddon viewpoint: Where’s the pain? Cost of Cap, Loss of Value & Phantom occupancy

24:22-39:37= Equities getting hammered, Leverage factors, short-term living spaces & the move to SOFR

39:38-50:26= Dead funds “loan to own”, Private Credit, Yield alternatives & bringing new supply to real estate

50:27-01:06:18= Leaders in real estate, Conversions, Diversification with Managed futures & Healthcare locations

01:06:19-01:11:07= Real Estate Market Outlook

Follow along with Matt on Twitter ⁠@MattLasky & check out equity.net for more information!

Don't forget to subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Derivative⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, follow us on Twitter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rcmAlts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and our host Jeff at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@AttainCap2⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sign-up for our blog digest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

A little over four years since 2018’s Volmageddon, and 2 years after TVIX got terminated – two new VIX ETF’s were recently launched – the 1x short VIX exposure SVIX and 2x long VIX exposure UVIX by VelocityShares. What’s different about them, how do they protect against another Feb of 2018 event. We’re going straight to the source(s) to answer those questions and more; chatting up three musketeers of VIX expertise: Stuart Barton CIO of VolatilityShares, Jim Carroll of the @Vixologist Twitter handle, and Six Figure Investing blog writer Vance Harwood. They join us to talk through just what is innovative about this new approach, and why such innovation was necessary.

This all-star trio talks us through the plumbing behind these new VIX products (including their new index construction/design, rebalancing methodology, and VIX vs.VIX futures), why all levered ETFs suffer from Volatility drag, why futures based ETFs suffer from Contango, and what can be done about those two issues, knowing the difference between ETPs, ETNs & ETFs, what’s in store for volatility the rest of the year, and everything else having to do with VIX futures. Plus, we get an interesting insight into their hottest takes!

Chapters:

00:00-01:28 = Intro

01:29-21:08 = The newly launched UVIX and SVIX – a new (better?) way to Rebalance Daily

21:09-33:21 = The Negative effects of Volatility drag & Leveraged ETFs

33:21-46:17 = The alphabet soup that is ETPs, ETNs & ETFs

46:18-01:01:59 = Benefitting from Volatility drag & the Gamma phenomenon

01:02:00-01:05:16 = Future of Volatility?

01:05:16-01:12:52 = Hottest Takes

From the Episode:

Check out The Derivate podcast episode: $TVIX gets Terminated – What^%$#   

Toroso Advisors  |  Six Figure investing Blog  |  Volatility Shares  

Follow along with the guys on Twitter: Jim Carroll @vixologist Vance Harwood @6_Figure_Invest and Stuart Barton @VolatilityStu

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Chickity China the Chinese chicken futures. Between strict regulations, gated access, mainland-based employees, and more seemingly difficult roadblocks, the Chinese Futures Market can feel untouchable. But with abundant growth possibilities and highly volatile (= good for trading) markets, some firms are leading the charge in accessing this growing marketplace. In this episode, we talk with Fred Schutzman and Stephen Klein about their Chinese-launched Abingdon fund and dive deeper into liquid Chinese futures markets, NY sports alliances,  moving strategies into Chinese markets, testing systematic models, the best pizza places in THE city, Fiberboard futures, black metals, tricking dogs into volunteering, and the process of taking strategies live in a new marketplace.

On top of their individual U.S. ventures, the team on the Abingdon fund has over 50 years of combined experience in managing portfolios, and for the China-specific ventures, they focus on a classical systematic multi model strategy with directional trades in futures grounded by technical analysis.

Notes: 

• Technical Analysis of the Financial Markets: A Comprehensive Guide to Trading Methods and Applications
• Stephen Klein LinkedIn
• Donate to Village Care here
• Donate to Gilda's Club here
• 
  

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Futures traders take clicking a price to generate an order on their PCs for granted these days, much less the instant delivery of every tick, order book data, and trade fills. How’s it all work?  How did it all used to work?

In this episode we talk with Guy Scott of Trading Technologies about the early days of screen trading to the evolution of modern electronic trading, to what it takes to power the trading of hedge funds, trade desks, big banks, and the little guys, We’re covering professional volleyball, the early days of screen trading, trading volumes, the original order book view on trading screens, the evolution of electronic exchanges, Scottish rugby, optimal screen layouts, managing human error, the English countryside, international expansion, surveillance technology (the good kind!), and the future of Trading Technologies (the company) and trading technologies (the tech).

Follow along with Guy Scott on LinkedIn, follow Trading Technologies on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, and check out their website for more info.

Show note highlights: Karch Kiraly & Marble Racing

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Dive into this fun chat with the equally irreverent and intelligent Bill Brewster, the self-made value investor in the style of Warren Buffet who dishes on twitter @BillBrewsterSCG hosts the Business Brew podcast in his spare time. We go into Chicago vs Florida real estate and taxes, commercial banking, TastyTrade and options, just how big of a Buffet fan you have to be to name your son Warren, Marvel vs Star Wars, the ultimate recurring revenue game that is cable companies, the brilliance of Disney+, how exactly can some random guy compete with huge investment firms, the dangerously gamified Robinhood, lessons learned from the pros, Cam Newton, not caring about drawdowns, owning poor franchises, the value trap, long term options, the Twitter machine, second order vs no order thinking, and of course, maybe just being some lucky retail idiot.

Enjoy

Chapters:

00:00-01:52=Intro

01:53-13:38=Options, TastyTrade, Law School and Value Investing

13:39-26-40=Wait til companies get cheap, then buy them

26:41-38:04=Some Lucky Retail Idiot & Disney+

38:05-47:56=“The Buff Dog” would still Wax All of Us

47:57-01:06:28=The Business Brew Podcast & Platform concerns

01:06:29-01:16:35=Favorites

From the episode:

The Business Brew podcast, Arnold Vanderburgh Episode, Adam Robinson Episode

Ice Man/Maverick blog post

Follow along with Bill on twitter @BillBrewsterSCG and visit his podcast page The Business Brew

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2,  or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

And visit our sponsor, the CME Group at www.cmegroup.com to learn more about futures and options.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

In this episode we're diving deep into VIX futures and using that instrument to gain convexity in a portfolio, we chat with Swiss hedge fund manager Alex Orus of Principalium who have a three pronged approach to trading volatility as an asset class. Our topics include  Swiss country music, personifying your trading models, the volatility of volatility, Roger Federer, negative interest rates hurting Europe’s youth, Jeff’s pop-up helmet invention, the good old days (2010) in the VIX, and why convexity matters. Take a Listen!

Principalium Capital AG’s Volatility Strategy operates across three facets of the volatility trade:  1. collecting the roll yield premium present in the VIX futures curve, 2. Positioning the portfolio for spikes in volatility during a market crash, and 3. Capturing the mean reverting properties of volatility. The strategy systematically adjusts exposure to these different concepts dynamically, by combining 25 different individual models on different time frames applied to each of the three facets.

Follow Alex on Linkedin

Follow Principalium Capital AG on Linkedinand check out their website

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

This fun conversation talks with two guys who have chosen a life of monitoring the markets on a near real-time basis, covering serious strategy components, as well as whether a Bulls game or trading Asian markets overnight is more fun for a trader in their 20s, trading Trump tweets, what ‘you can’t lose money’ actually means, Indiana Hoosier basketball, going from global war to blooming peace in 45 minutes,  and being a dinosaur

Breakout Funds is one of the more unique strategies that we collaborate with as they focus on being a bit more discretionary, more short-term, and approach the market with more convexity than your average manager - sometimes leading to interrupted vacation time. Aaron Larkin, CEO & Co-Founder, and Matt Laviolette, Founder, CIO, & Principal of Breakout Funds join us on this episode to discuss their backgrounds and how their unique approach works.

Follow along with the Breakout Fund team through LinkedIn with Aaron Larkin & Matt Laviolette and the Breakout Fund website. 

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Picture this...Downtown Chicago...December 2019 B.C. (Before COVID)...The RCM crew is venturing out to a small studio ready to record the first episode of The Derivative, with no video or clue what we were doing! Who would have thought we would be crossing the 100th episode mark just two short years later!?

And, we couldn't celebrate this special milestone without a one-of-kind guest. Chris Cole, founder and CIO of Artemis Capital Management, is taking it up 100%, as he tells us about his very own journey within the industry. From his days of convincing people that they need some long vol – to too many people trying to own long vol and bidding up the cost of that protection — and everything else in between.

But the fun doesn't stop there! We're talking Chris's unique research pieces over the years, digging into his pet dragon (portfolio), George Lucas Star Wars as a long vol metaphor, and his could have been should have been Pulitzer material paper on Dennis Rodman — because who doesn't love the '90s Bulls?! Plus, we're bringing back a favorite fan closer from seasons 1 and 2. Stay tuned, sit back, and enjoy the show!

Chapters:

00:00-02:05 = Intro

02:06-16:38 = The Wide World of Vol, Sticky Strike Regime & Inflation

16:39-45:12 = Unholy Trinity of Risk, Hyper-active Central Banks & Power Law Distributions

45:13-01:08:21 = The 100 yr Dragon Portfolio, Corporate Debt & Gold vs Crypto

01:08:22-01:22:51 = George Lucas' Optionality & Long Vol Rodman

01:22:52-01:31:43 = Hottest Take: Debt Crisis 

From the episode:

WHAT WOULD YOU PUT IN A 100-YEAR PORTFOLIO?

Follow along with Chris on Twitter @vol_christopher and visit artemiscm.com for more information on Chris and Artemis Capital Management.

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

We’re leaving the fire of hedge funds and jumping headfirst into the frying pan of……performance mindset? Yep, from pro athletes to pro traders, everyone needs a performance mindset, and  today’s guest founded his firm to help get those who need to perform, ready to perform.

Russ Rausch (former Trading Technologies/Emil Van Essen exec) refocused his passion from the trading arena into training automatic thought and emotional patterns to improve; performance, resilience, and engagement to anyone from the Atlanta Falcons to Chicago prop firms. In today’s broadcast we’re digging in with Russ about Kansas life, how hedge funds influenced Vision Pursue, changing your thought pattern, working with big names from finance to the NFL, Balboa Island, highs and lows of the hedge fund business, expecting the expected, “coming across” neuroscience, background of Vision Pursue, controlling their controllable, the life experience test, paddle boarding, separate – embrace – evaluate, fish tanks, and how Vision Pursue can help you perform better.

Chapters:

00:00-1:20 = Intro

01:21-14:44 = Background

14:45-30:59 = Transitioning & the Development of Vision Pursue

31:00-49:06 = Clientele & The Three Pillars

49:06-1:03:30 = The Takeaways from VP Training

1:03:31-1:08:32 = Favorites

Follow along with Russ on LinkedIn and with Vision Pursue on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Or – book Russ for your next keynote speaker or town hall here.

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Oil prices spiking. Wheat at new highs. A bid in Bitcoin. Russia’s invasion on its neighbor, Ukraine, got the world's attention and moved all sorts of markets. While our human side rallies around the Ukrainian people, our financial minds turn to wondering what is going on and what impact this chaos will bring on? To get a clearer global picture, Luke Gormen, a research pro focused on the macro picture and CEO of Forest for the Trees (FFTT, LLC), joins us for a unique discussion of what he is seeing and the outlook for oil wheat, ruble, gold, treasuries, and more!

We're getting into the trenches with Luke and talking what Putin’s grand gambit may be, including the danger to the U.S. dollar, new methods of financial warfare, who becomes the reserve currency in the end (the big $64,000 question), MMT, Gold, Oil, and Bitcoin. Stay tuned and discover where the delineation between the narrative and facts takes us!

Chapters:

00:00-01:43 = Intro

01:44-09:12 = Putin's Gambit –   an Attack on the US Dollar?

09:13-25:26 = Financial Warfare, Peak Cheap Oil, MMT, Gold & Bitcoin

25:27-38:13 = Macro Research, Creative Freedom & Fiscal Spending

38:14-52:51 = The Mr. X Interviews, Sectors vs Asset Classes & Narrative vs Fact

52:52-01:05:47 = What Would You invest in? & Bitcoin Positions

Follow along with Luke on Twitter @LukeGromen and visit fftt-llc.com for more information on The Forest for the Trees.

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Join us for the second half of our panel discussions during this year's Hedge Fund week in Miami as we explore increasing accessibility of alternative investments through new ETF products and strategies. We’ve got Rodrigo Gordillo taking reigns from the quantitative perspective, Jerry Parker talking trend following, Bob Elliot on replication and Jay Pestrichelli,  options guru, guiding us through hedge fund strategies, discussing their day-to-day responsibilities and tasks, highlighting differences in their approaches despite operating under the broad financial services umbrella.

We dive into challenges around educating investors on sophisticated strategies as well as recent regulatory changes that allow new product structures that are making alternative approaches more accessible to a wider range of investors. Topics discussed include quant fund management processes, trend following across 400 markets including single stocks, and harnessing options decay in a new ETF. Challenges of communicating performance during periods of potential underperformance are being addressed such as election year impacts and whether strategies position based on outcomes, capacity constraints of highest Sharpe strategies and limitations of full replication, along with democratizing diversification strategies through return stacking ETFs.

Sit back and gain knowledge on the expanding opportunities and accessibility in the alternatives space, with room for continued advances as innovation progresses, SEND IT!

Chapters:

00:00-01:48=Intro 

01:49-14:42= Intros & the Day-to-Day work ethic

14:43-28:45= Hedge fund replication, ETFs for retail investors & financial accessibility

28:46-45:22= Democratizing diversification through ETFs, market trends & election year impact

45:23-55:53= Hedge funds generating alpha, investments strategies & ETF operations

55:54-01:08:01= Managing expectations, Innovations & the future of investing

From the episode:

Miami Hedge Fund week 2024 Part 1: Commodities

Follow along with this panel on Twitter & LinkedIn: @rjparkerjr09 , @RodGordilloP, @BobEUnlimited, & @ZEGAFinancial

And remember to check out their company profiles on LinkedIn:

Jerry Parker

Rodrigo Gordillo

Bob Elliott

Jay Pestrichelli

It's not every day you get to sit down with a Volatility veteran with over 30 years of experience…..Well, maybe it’s a bit more common here on the Derivative than elsewhere, but we’ve got a special treat with Ari Bergmann(@AriBergmann) joining Jeff on this week's Derivative episode. Listen in as they dive into where to find convexity, why that’s not the same thing as buying lottery tickets, how there’s a difference between a low price and a value, and the processes needed to maintain portfolios of convex instruments. Ari is the Founder and Managing Principal/CIO at Penso Advisors, where he leads the firm's investment committee and manages various Penso funds and clients' mandates.

Ari and Jeff are sorting through all of the Volatility mumbo jumbo and taking a closer look at the practical limits of cheap convexity, where imbalances come from in residuals and structured notes; how the ignorance of the possibility of a second leg down formed and still exists, trading complex options vs. vanilla options, the importance of monetization, and so much more! Plus, Ari is giving his hottest take on gold and why it's crucial to keep your personal life private — SEND IT!

Chapters:

00:00-01:53 = Intro

01:54-14:38 = Confusion de Confusiones & the start of Penso

14:39-24:48 = Approaching the limits of cheap convexity, residuals & structured notes

24:49-34:45 = Ignorance and Opportunities for a Second leg down

34:46-42:51 = Dual digital, complex options vs vanilla options & the importance of Monetization

42:52-52:19 = Always rebalance your portfolio

52:20-56:32 = Hottest take: Gold is good & Keep your personal life private

From the Episode:

Check out and read Confusion de Confusiones

Follow along with Ari on Twitter @AriBergmann and for more information on Ari and his team at Penso Advisors visit their website at www.penso.com 

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Brent Belote, founder and CIO of Cayler Capital, joins the podcast to discuss the growth of his now 5 year systematic oil trading strategy. He provides insights into analyzing supply and demand fundamentals and using quantitative models to capitalize on events in the physical oil market. Brent also shares lessons from starting his own fund and managing risk at a smaller scale. Hear about trends in the energy sector, including the impact of geopolitics, refining capacity, and green-flation (just how close are we?). Brent offers his outlook on oil prices and explores other areas of knowledge and experience in the energy sector. This one is an engaging conversation you won’t want to miss, so kick back and explore with us as we navigate through commodity markets and the experience of building a successful investment firm. SEND IT!

Chapters: 

01:31-02:59= Skiing and family growth

03:00-10:32= Advances in the strategy, event driven success & Oils gone flat

10:33-27:47= Building a business, podshop thoughts & multi-strat models

27:48-36:02= Oil in ’23 – warmer temps means spiking refining numbers

36:03-43:42= Greenflation – are we ready, are we even close?

43:33-47:33= Biden administration issues and the Red Sea

From the episode: 

Commodities Miami panel featuring Brent

Previous episodes of The Derivative with Brent:

Crude Oil goes Negative… WHAT^%$#

A Crude Oil Cornucopia: Covid, Crack, CSOS & Contango with Brent Belote

Follow along with Brent on Twitter @brentbelote, on LinkedIn and check out Caylercapital.com for more information!

Don't forget to subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Derivative⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, follow us on Twitter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rcmAlts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and our host Jeff at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@AttainCap2⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sign-up for our blog digest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer⁠

This week, we're adding another stamp to our Derivative passport and traveling to Zurich, Switzerland, as we talk to the Head of Systematic Solutions and Portfolio Construction at Sygnum Bank's Asset Management, Artur Sepp @ArturSepp — who specializes in crypto-assets and decentralized finance. Artur has led quantitative research at systematic trend-following hedge fund Quantica Capital, focusing on data-driven investment strategies and asset allocation in global managed futures.

In this episode, we dig into his background to discover what it's like being a quant (not as much like TNG character Data as Jeff would like…) and discuss; coding, mathematical modeling, and why statistics matter (testing simple, yet complicated models), the framework of trend following (be sure to download our trend-following guide here), pros and cons of risk premia strategies, quants trying to figure out the short data sets in Crypto and more! Plus, find out where Artur would invest 1K, 1 MM, and 100MM in Crypto.

Chapters:

00:00-01:44 = Intro

01:45-10:47 = Coding, Math, Data, Stats - Testing simple, yet complicated models

10:38-38:12 = Framework of Trend following: The Carry, When factors are identified & Why Trend following could fall flat

38:13-42:37 =  Pros & Cons of Risk Premia strategies

42:38-53:38 = Dynamic Trends in Option volumes & Is the VIX dangerous?

53:39-01:13:25 = Quants on Crypto

01:13:26-01:23:44 = What would you invest in?

----

From the Episode:

Check out our podcast with Roy Niederhoffer - Making Market Music

Follow Artur on Twitter at @ArturSepp and check out his Blog on Quantitative Investment Strategies

Don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter at @rcmAlts and our host Jeff at @AttainCap2, or LinkedIn , and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

Today’s pod is all about word play playing into alternative investment. How does Jam Croissant relate to Cem Karsan? What about Vanna Charm and options definitions? Or the forever popular “there’s no such thing as a free lunch” evolving to “nothing is ever risk free”? To get together the definitions, explanations, and educated facts on all these nuances, we have FinTwit VIP & Founder and Senior Managing Partner of Aegea Capital Management, Cem Karsan. On top of alternative investment word witticism we’re also talking with Cem about how to actually pronounce Cem Karsan starting out as a market maker, Hagia Sophia, vanna informing trend following, buying options, twitter debates, Cem’s favorite jam & croissant, active to passive moves, the election pushing October, November, and December higher, how nothing is ever risk free, winner takes all mentality for market makers, market down/vol down market up/vol up, volatility retail call buying growth versus value, and all of the Greek/options definitions.

Follow along with Cem on Twitter (@jam_croissant) and LinkedIn and check out Aegea Capital Management’swebsite.

Chapters:

00:00-01:50 = Intro

01:51-14:04 =  A Globetrotting Background and the road to Aegea

14:05-30:06 = Market Makers Business Models

30:07-41:22 = Delta, Gamma, Vega, Vanna, Charm

41:23-52:55 = Playing the Players, Loving the Game

52:56-1:00:22 = Talking Aegea Capital & Getting an Edge

1:00:23-1:16:25 = Momentum vs Value, ProfPlum vs Jam

1:16:26-1:27:04 = Vol Surface & the Election

1:27:05-1:32:24 = Favorites

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, business, or tax advice. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of RCM Alternatives, their affiliates, or companies featured. Due to industry regulations, participants on this podcast are instructed not to make specific trade recommendations, nor reference past or potential profits. And listeners are reminded that managed futures, commodity trading, and other alternative investments are complex and carry a risk of substantial losses. As such, they are not suitable for all investors. For more information, visit www.rcmalternatives.com/disclaimer

With storms named Gamma and Delta making their way to US shores – we really couldn’t have timed this release better from a hurricane-content-meets-alts-investment podcast; it’s the: perfect storm (buh-dum-ch). Today’s guest is creator of Weather Underground and the Cat 6 blog, a person who has flown through an actual hurricane, and a whiz at modeling weather data in a way that us non-meteorologists can understand – Dr. Jeff Masters. In today’s podcast we’re talking with Jeff about hedging commodities based on storms, water futures contracts, the Cat 6 blog, historical context of extreme weather events, the transformation of weather modeling, heat output dissipating from WFH, fat tails based on 1-in-100-year events, economic fragility around climate change, hurricane Hugo, weather data inputs that matter, starting weather underground, Jeff’s upcoming book Eye of the Superstorm, hedge fund world catastrophe bonds, Jeff’s most dangerous storm experience, and the impact of COVID on weather modeling.

Follow along with Jeff and subscribe to his content at Yale Climate Connections.

And last but not least, don't forget to subscribe to The Derivative, and follow us on Twitter, or LinkedIn, and Facebook, and sign-up for our blog digest.

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Chapters:

00:00-01:29 = Intro

01:30-20:35 = Background, “The Final Flight”, & Weather Underground

20:36-32:19 = Building Weather Models

32:20-57:35 = Storm Financial Impacts, Catastrophic Bonds & Fat Tails ( It’s a complex system)

57:36-1:04:10 = Water Shortages & What We Need to Do

1:04:11-1:14:02 = Favorites