Behind the Markets Podcast

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500

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Aug 2026

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About the show

Jeremy Schwartz, Global Chief Investment Officer at WisdomTree and Jeremy Siegel, professor of finance at Wharton and author of Stocks for the Long Run, host this long-running podcast that dives into the how and why of market performance with leading economists and market strategists to inform you what’s ahead for the economy and your portfolio. Regularly joining the two Jeremys is the Deep Rooted Macro Team that decodes the forces shaping markets and portfolios worldwide. Chris Gannatti, CFA, Global Head of Research, offers an analytical and thematic edge—bridging macro trends with on-the-ground technology and innovation. Whether unpacking the infrastructure powering the AI age or latest biotech breakthroughs, Chris translates complexity into conviction. Jeff Weniger, CFA, Head of Equity Strategy, injects the pulse of behavioral markets and valuation discipline. With sharp macro instincts, Jeff dissects cycles, sentiment, and structural change with trademark clarity and wit. Sam Rines, Macro Strategist for Model Portfolios, ties the threads together—linking policy, politics, and portfolio construction. His pragmatic macro lens captures how geopolitics, industrial policy, and energy dynamics flow into real-world GeoAlpha. Together, the Deep Rooted Macro squad creates a fusion of rigorous research, accessible insights, and genuine debate. Behind the Markets provides a regular masterclass in how the world really works beneath the surface of prices, data, and headlines. Tune in to hear where the Deep Rooted Macro team sees the next big shifts taking root.

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60 recent

August 21, 202651 min

Bessent Twists Markets

Show from 2026-08-21 Professor Jeremy Siegel joins Jeremy Schwartz to discuss Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s efforts to influence the yield curve, the implications for Fed credibility, and the market’s reaction across bonds, crypto, gold, and the dollar. Siegel also previews Jackson Hole, arguing investors need more clarity on Chair Kevin Warsh’s reaction function, while noting that rising commodity prices and continued money-supply growth could strengthen the case for higher rates later in the year. He also weighs geopolitical risks surrounding Iran, China, oil flows, and the Strait of Hormuz. (14:12) After Siegel leaves, Sam Rines and Chris Gannatti join Schwartz for a broader discussion spanning consumers, technology, and global markets. Rines assesses Walmart, Target, Ross Stores, and Redbook data, concluding that consumer spending remains resilient despite mixed retail earnings. The group explores AI-driven drug discovery, Moderna’s cancer-treatment developments, humanoid robotics, drones, and the growing overlap between defense technology and commercial applications. They also examine opportunities in Europe and Japan, renewed momentum in crypto and gold, the impact of a weaker dollar, China’s AI ecosystem, and NVIDIA’s expanding role in financing AI infrastructure. Gannatti closes with developments in quantum computing, including sensing, navigation, cybersecurity, and emerging commercial applications. WisdomTree: https://www.wisdomtree.com/investments

August 14, 202655 min

Prof. Siegel and Jim Bianco Write the Missing FOMC Playbook

Show from 2026-08-14 Host Jeremy Schwartz and Professor Siegel discuss weaker retail sales, inflation trends, strong corporate earnings and the market continuing to reach new highs. The Prof notes that some recent economic data has softened, but higher-frequency indicators are not yet pointing to a major slowdown, while lower oil prices and encouraging inflation details remain supportive for markets. He also focuses on Fed policy, arguing that while avoiding forward guidance is defensible, the Fed still needs to be clearer about its reaction function, the inflation measures it is watching and the conditions that would lead to a rate change, with Jackson Hole potentially providing that clarity. Jim Bianco joins the discussion with the Prof to break the issue into forward guidance, the Fed’s reaction function and the increasingly independent voting behavior of committee members. (21:12) Jeremy continues with Jim Bianco, Sam Rines and Chris Gannatti to discuss their takeaways from Camp Kotok, including the massive scale of AI capital spending, the federal deficit, geopolitical risk and the changing nature of warfare as drones and lower-cost technologies challenge traditional military spending. Sam expands on defense procurement and tariffs, while Chris discusses developments in quantum computing and the roadmaps public companies are laying out toward fault-tolerant systems. Jim then walks through his current bond-market positioning, including a more neutral stance on duration, corporate bonds and mortgages, along with exposure to convertible bonds tied to the AI theme. He also explains why moderately higher rates may be consistent with a strong economy, where rates could begin to pressure equities, and why lower mortgage rates alone may not solve housing affordability. The conversation closes with global markets, Japan, rising rates overseas, currency intervention, the yen and the effect of tariffs on corporate capital flows. About the guest: Jim Bianco is President and Index Manager at Bianco Research Advisors. He is also the President of Bianco Research LLC. Since 1990, Jim’s commentaries have offered a unique perspective on the global economy and financial markets. Unencumbered by the biases of traditional Wall Street research, Jim has built a decades long reputation for objective, incisive commentary that challenges consensus thinking. Jim appears regularly on CNBC, Bloomberg, and Fox Business, and is often featured in the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg News, Grants Interest Rate Observer, and MarketWatch. Jim has a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Marquette University (1984) and an MBA from Fordham University (1989). Learn More about the Bianco Total Return Index: https://www.biancoadvisors.com/ WisdomTree: https://www.wisdomtree.com/investments

August 7, 202656 min

Unprecedented Profits and Neglected Alpha Opportunities

Show from 2026-08-07 Host Chris Gannatti and Professor Siegel discuss the latest employment report, including weaker payroll growth, downward revisions, wage trends and what the data could mean for productivity. The Prof also weighs in on the outlook for Fed policy, oil prices, M2 money supply and unusually strong corporate earnings and profit margins. (19:50) Chris Gannatti is joined by Jon Flynn and Jeff Weniger to discuss commodities, starting with gold and the recent shift in investor flows before looking at copper and the AI data center buildout. The group explores gold’s role as a portfolio diversifier, currency intervention involving the yen, the dollar and interest-rate differentials, along with what the yield curve and economic data could signal for monetary policy. They close by discussing contrarian opportunities, including India and other areas that have seen significant investor outflows. WisdomTree: https://www.wisdomtree.com/investments

July 31, 202651 min

Tackling AI as Fed Fumbles

Show from 2026-07-31 Host Jeremy Schwartz and Professor Siegel discuss the Fed’s decision to hold rates steady and what the Prof viewed as a poorly handled press conference that failed to clearly explain a defensible policy decision. The Prof also covers the sharp rotation from growth to value, strong consumer spending beneath the GDP report, rapid money supply growth and the importance of oil prices to inflation, sentiment and the market outlook. (13:50) Jeremy continues with Sam Rines, Blake Hyman and Michael Fridman to break down the month’s volatility in AI-related stocks, including hedge fund de-risking, leverage unwinds and the impact of risk management on semiconductor and memory names. The group reviews earnings and AI spending from Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, Google and Apple, debating whether hyperscaler capital expenditures are generating sustainable returns and whether enterprise demand confirms that AI is moving from experimentation into commercialization. They also discuss the outlook for memory companies, long-term supply agreements and why the broader AI infrastructure buildout may still be in its third or fourth inning. The conversation closes with Apple’s uncertain AI strategy, potential opportunities for private local models, movements in the Japanese yen, the Bank of Japan’s policy stance, tariff refunds for U.S. companies and the possibility that volatility and further leverage-related selling could continue into August. WisdomTree: https://www.wisdomtree.com/investments

July 24, 202654 min

Consumer Nerds and Capital Pigs

Show from 2026-07-24 Host Jeremy Schwartz and Professor Siegel discuss the pullback in mega-cap technology stocks, the market’s growing concern around massive capital expenditures and the pressure rising bond yields are putting on equity valuations. The Prof also weighs in on oil prices and renewed inflation risks, the importance of distinguishing real yields from nominal yields when evaluating the equity risk premium, the upcoming Fed meeting and the potential market impact of tariffs and tighter financial conditions. (19:29) Jeremy continues with Sam Rines, Chris Gannatti and Jeff Weniger to break down the latest tech earnings and the market’s increasingly skeptical reaction to AI-related spending, with a focus on whether higher CapEx, shareholder dilution and a more asset-heavy business model could change how investors value the largest technology companies. The group compares spending and buyback trends across large technology companies and financials while discussing Intel, Alphabet, Apple, Tesla, Nvidia, AMD and the broader semiconductor complex, along with the rapid growth of firms such as Anthropic and what that could mean for continued AI infrastructure investment. They also examine consumer spending and financial resilience data, the contrast between pessimistic economic surveys and still-healthy consumer activity, and close with a discussion of oil, interest rates, gold and bonds as potential portfolio hedges as markets watch for further geopolitical and inflation developments. WisdomTree: https://www.wisdomtree.com/investments

July 17, 202645 min

Rotation, Not Ruin

Show from 2026-07-17 Host Jeremy Schwartz and Professor Siegel discuss softer-than-expected CPI and PPI readings, the renewed rise in oil and gasoline prices, and the possibility that higher energy costs could reverse some recent inflation progress. The Prof says the latest data reduces the likelihood of an immediate Fed hike, but warns that persistent strength in oil, gasoline and the money supply could make later policy decisions more difficult. He also reviews stronger housing starts, steady GDP expectations and the sharp rotation away from high-flying AI, semiconductor and memory stocks. Professor Siegel argues that the pullback is healthy because investors are reassessing valuations, competition, hyperscaler spending and how much customers will continue paying for computing power. (14:02) Jeremy continues with Sam Rines, Jeff Weniger and Chris Gannatti to examine crack spreads, diesel prices and the economic effects of elevated refining costs. The group discusses volatility in Korean technology shares, widespread margin calls, leveraged retail accounts and the rebalancing pressures facing major pension funds in Korea and Japan. They also review strong bank earnings, resilient consumer spending, improving credit trends and the broadening of earnings growth beyond technology. The conversation closes with hyperscaler capital spending, U.S.-China AI competition, IBM’s sharp decline, a possible rotation from hardware into software, credit-card rewards, gold prices and housing affordability. WisdomTree: https://www.wisdomtree.com/investments

July 10, 202640 min

The $1.5 Trillion AI Race Rewrites Earnings Expectations

Show from 2026-07-10 Host Jeremy Schwartz is joined by Chris Gannatti and Jeff Weniger for a wide-ranging discussion on the latest developments driving technology markets and the economy. The group examines surging AI infrastructure spending, demand for memory chips, expectations for another strong earnings season, and the growing investment cycle surrounding data centers, hyperscalers and physical AI. Professor Siegel joins later in the episode to discuss the resilience of equity markets despite renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, highlighting the surprising stability in oil prices, the outlook for inflation, interest rates and second-quarter GDP, while also explaining how AI-driven margin expansion continues to fuel historically strong corporate earnings growth. After Professor Siegel signs off, Jeremy, Chris and Jeff briefly wrap up the show with additional commentary on Delta's earnings, travel demand, and observations from the summer travel season. The conversation concludes with a discussion of activity in Las Vegas, consumer travel trends, and how pricing dynamics may be affecting tourism and convention traffic. WisdomTree: https://www.wisdomtree.com/investments

July 3, 202651 min

Cracks, Chips, and Market Shifts

Show from 2026-07-02 Host Jeremy Schwartz and Professor Siegel discuss the latest jobs report, noting downward payroll revisions, an unusually sharp decline in labor force participation, and why broader labor market data still points to a steady economy rather than a significant slowdown. Professor Siegel also explains why lower oil prices and easing commodity inflation could keep the Fed on hold for the rest of the year while highlighting the increased volatility between value and growth stocks driven by AI-related trading. (14:52) Jeremy is joined by Blake Hyman, Sam Rines and Jeff Weniger to discuss the latest developments across AI infrastructure, semiconductor spending, Meta’s new compute capacity initiative and OpenAI’s delayed IPO. The group also examines geopolitical developments affecting energy markets, AI adoption and employment trends, opportunities in Japan, recent market rotations, and the investment implications of AI across technology, healthcare and other sectors. They close with a discussion on the new Trump Accounts program and its potential long-term retirement planning benefits. WisdomTree: https://www.wisdomtree.com/investments

June 26, 20261 hr 13 min

Trade Outside the Box, Featuring Brent Donnelly

Host Jeremy Schwartz and Professor Siegel discuss the sharp rotation from growth into value, falling oil prices, stronger-than-expected economic data, and the implications of rising memory chip costs across the technology sector. Professor Siegel also shares his view that lower energy prices should help keep inflation contained, making additional interest rate hikes this year unlikely, while highlighting upcoming labor market, housing, and money supply data as key indicators to watch. (13:23) Jeremy continues with Brent Donnelly to discuss his new book, Trade Outside the Box, and how successful traders can gain an edge by thinking beyond traditional investment frameworks. Brent explains how psychology, poker, creativity, narratives, and behavioral finance influence his trading process, while also discussing the role of AI, market positioning, and sentiment in identifying opportunities. The conversation concludes with insights on market rotations, disciplined risk management, adapting to changing market environments, and the broader life lessons that can be drawn from trading, decision-making, and independent thinking. Read Brent's book: https://a.co/d/09sXk2jA Learn more about Brent: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B07NC8MVZZ/about?ccs_id=7f690ca0-41d4-43c0-b13c-b3140b3a8411 WisdomTree: https://www.wisdomtree.com/investments

June 19, 20261 hr 4 min

Building the Circuit of AI

Show from 2026-06-19 Host Jeremy Schwartz and Professor Siegel discuss the Federal Reserve's latest meeting, the outlook for interest rates, and how falling oil prices could influence inflation, monetary policy, and investor sentiment in the months ahead. Professor Siegel explains why declining energy prices could lead to significantly lower inflation readings, shares his views on the political and economic challenges of raising rates in that environment, and discusses the potential for market leadership to broaden beyond AI-related stocks as energy prices stabilize. (25:43) Jeremy is joined by Tyson Tuttle, CEO of Circuit AI, to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming manufacturing and industrial businesses by improving productivity, addressing skilled labor shortages, and helping companies accelerate revenue growth. Tyson explains how Circuit AI applies AI to automate complex quoting, technical documentation, and service workflows while preserving valuable institutional knowledge. The conversation also covers AI's long-term impact on employment, the rapid buildout of AI infrastructure, the outlook for semiconductors and enterprise software, token economics, and why startups may be best positioned to capitalize on the next wave of AI-driven innovation. Learn more: https://www.circuit.ai/ Tyson Tuttle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tuttle/ WisdomTree: https://www.wisdomtree.com/investments