No More AAA - What the U.S. Debt Downgrade Means for Investors
With longer-term U.S. interest rates rising and no plan to reduce the budget deficit, is a U.S. national debt crisis imminent?Topics covered include:Why S&P, Fitch, and now Moody's stripped the U.S. of its pristine AAA debt ratingHow the U.S. national debt dynamics compare to Greece, Italy, and JapanWhat are four things investors should monitor for signs that the national debt crisis is worsening or spiraling out of controlInsiders Guide Email NewsletterGet our free Investors' Checklist when you sign up for the free Money for the Rest of Us email newsletterOur Premium ProductsAsset CampMoney for the Rest of Us PlusShow NotesMoody's Ratings downgrades United States ratings to Aa1 from Aaa; changes outlook to stable—Moody's RatingsResearch Update: United States of America Long-Term Rating Lowered To 'AA+' On Political Risks And Rising Debt Burden; Outlook Negative—S&P GlobalInterest Expense and Average Interest Rates on the National Debt FY 2010 – FYTD 2025—FiscalData.Treasury.govThe Stark Math on the GOP Tax Plan: It Doesn’t Cut the Deficit by Richard Rubin—The Wall Street JournalThe Long-Term Budget Outlook: 2025 to 2055—Congressional Budget OfficeWalmart says higher prices could hit this month due to tariffs by Natalie Sherman—BBCPost on May 17th, 2025; 7:27 AM by Donald J. Trump—Truth SocialWalmart responds to Trump comment that retailer should ‘eat the tariffs’ by Kyler Swaim—The HillWhat’s behind Japan’s High Government Debt? by YiLi Chien and Ashley H. Stewart—Federal Reserve Bank of St. LouisRelated Episodes487: Are We Heading for a 2030s Depression? Global Economic and Population Shifts479: National Debt Master Class Finale – What To DoSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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24:54
Facing a Financial Squeeze: What Harvard’s Response Can Teach the Rest of Us
How can we apply the same emergency measures that Harvard and other universities are using to navigate a financial crisis? Also, how universities invest their endowments and what their performance has been.Topics covered include:What has led to the financial crisis at HarvardWhat actions has the university takenHow do endowments invest and spend their fundsHow endowments maintain intergenerational equityHow we can apply the principles universities use in our own investingSponsorsNetSuite LinkedIn Jobs – Use this link to post your job for free on LinkedIn JobsInsiders Guide Email NewsletterGet our free Investors' Checklist when you sign up for the free Money for the Rest of Us email newsletterOur Premium ProductsAsset CampMoney for the Rest of Us PlusShow NotesLetter Sent to Harvard 2025-04-11—HarvardHarvard Response 2025-04-14—HarvardTrump Administration Will Freeze $2 Billion After Harvard Refuses Demands by Vimal Patel—The New York TimesShould Harvard Be Tax Exempt? by The Editorial Board—The Wall Street JournalFact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Reforms Accreditation to Strengthen Higher Education—The White HouseAt Grim Town Hall, Harvard Medical School Leaders Tell Staff to Expect Layoffs and Far-Reaching Cuts by Avani B. Rai and Saketh Sundar—The Harvard CrimsonCan Harvard Use Its Endowment To Make Up For Federal Cuts? It’s Possible, but Not That Simple. by Avani B. Rai and Saketh Sundar—The Harvard CrimsonYale Weighs $850 Million Bond Sale Amid Trump’s Higher Education Attack by Elizabeth Rembert and Amanda Albright—BloombergYale seeks to sell billions in private equity investments as political pressures from Trump mount by Liese Klein—CT Insider2024 NACUBO-Commonfund Study of Endowments—NACUBOEndowments Face Liquidity Crunch Amid Market Pullback, Funding Cuts by Matt Toledo—Chief Investment OfficerBig investors borrow against private equity holdings amid cash crunch by Amelia Pollard and Antoine Gara—The Financial TimesRelated Episodes402: Why Student Debt Is So High and Forgiving It Doesn’t Fix the Problem245: Is College Worth It?180: Can You Outperform Harvard’s Endowment?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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25:08
Why Bond Investing Is Easier Than Ever
Discover how bond market ETFs have transformed investing — making bonds easier, cheaper, and more accessible than ever. We also explore how the bond market’s very composition has evolved.Episode SponsorsDelete Me – Use code David20 to get 20% offInsiders Guide Email NewsletterGet our free Investors' Checklist when you sign up for the free Money for the Rest of Us email newsletterOur Premium ProductsAsset CampMoney for the Rest of Us PlusShow NotesThe total return strategy in bonds is far from dead by James Bianco—The Financial TimesWhat I Learned in My First Year Managing Fixed-Income by Jim Bianco—Bianco Research AdvisorsETFs are eating the bond market by Robin Wigglesworth and Will Schmitt—The Financial TimesRelated Episodes463: How to Lock in Higher Yields in Case Interest Rates Fall455: Easier Investing, Richer Life: TIPS Ladders to Annuities418: Bond Investing MasterclassSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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26:22
Investing in Emerging Markets with Ali Akay
Ali Akay, CIO of Carrhae Capital, answers why invest in emerging markets. He also shares with Greg Dowling of FEG insights on China, Mexico, South Korea, Argentina, Greece, Turkey, South Korea, and South Africa.Insiders Guide Email NewsletterGet our free Investors' Checklist when you sign up for the free Money for the Rest of Us email newsletterOur Premium ProductsAsset CampMoney for the Rest of Us PlusShow NotesEmerging Unscathed: Featuring Ali Akay—FEG Insight BridgeRelated Episodes474: Are Emerging Markets Bonds a Once-in-a-Generation Opportunity?411: Is Emerging and Frontier Markets Investing Still Worth It? – With Asha MehtaSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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34:34
Is the Rest of the World Selling America?
The U.S has traditionally been a safe haven for investing, but that hasn't been the case in 2025. We explore three economic and narrative regimes and consider why we may be witnessing a shift after 12 years of U.S. outperformance.Topics covered include:What was the narrative and economic and financial performance from 1995-2001, 2002-2012, and 2012 -2024.How the performance of the U.S. dollar impacted returnsWhy did economic forecasters predict the U.S. national debt would be paid off in 2011, and why were they wrong?Signs that the current economic and financial narrative is shifting.Insiders Guide Email NewsletterGet our free Investors' Checklist when you sign up for the free Money for the Rest of Us email newsletterOur Premium ProductsAsset CampMoney for the Rest of Us PlusShow NotesTestimony of Chairman Alan Greenspan Outlook for the federal budget and implications for fiscal policy Before the Committee on the Budget, U.S. Senate January 25, 2001—The Federal Reserve BoardFederal Surplus or Deficit [-] as Percent of Gross Domestic Product—FRED Economic DataNonfarm Business Sector: Labor Productivity (Output per Hour) for All Workers—FRED Economic DataNarrative Economics: How Stories Go Viral and Drive Major Economic Events by Robert J. Shiller—Princeton University PressDonald Trump vs Mr Market by Tim Harford—The Financial TimesTourism boycott? Europe travel to US drops in wake of Trump presidency by Talyta França & Alessio Dell'Anna, Mert Can Yilmaz—euronewsTrump’s Trade Offensive Threatens America’s Financial Primacy by Nick Timiraos, Jack Pitcher, and Chelsey Dulaney—The Wall Street JournalRelated Episodes519: Is This the End of Globalization and Free Trade?380: How Stories Drive Our Happiness and Financial SuccessSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
A personal finance and investing podcast on money, how it works, how to invest it and how to live without worrying about it. J. David Stein is a former Chief Investment Strategist and money manager. For close to two decades, he has been teaching individuals and institutions how to invest and handle their finances in ways that are simple to understand. More info at moneyfortherestofus.com