Trends with Benefits

Explore why mortgage REITs are a macro play, not a real estate bet, how GSE reform shifted from IPO to policy tool, and why today's rate environment echoes Annaly's best decade, with Annaly Capital CEO David Finkelstein and VanEck's Ed Lopez.
00:00 Introduction to mortgage REITs and episode overview
11:08 Interest rates normalization and market equilibrium
19:15 Long-term capital allocation and growth strategies
26:25 GSE reform, conservatorship, and market implications
34:34 Housing policy, institutional investment, and market stability
41:30 Advice for individual investors in mortgage REITs

Explore why sports franchises are increasingly viewed as an investable asset class, how institutional capital and media rights are reshaping valuations, and why owners see themselves as stewards of a community asset, with New York Islanders co-owner Jon Ledecky and VanEck's Ed Lopez.
00:00 Introduction 
04:30 From Entrepreneur to Sports Owner
08:30 Lessons from Failure and Entrepreneurial Spirit
12:01 Community Impact Through Sports Ownership
19:29 Acquisition of the New York Islanders
23:10 Sports as an Alternative Investment
32:25 The Evolving Landscape of Sports Ownership
38:37 Emerging Sports and Investment Opportunities
41:29 Sports as an Asset Class
43:04 The Future of Sports Betting and Fan Engagement

Explore what stood out at Future Proof 2026, from advisor skepticism about AI's real client value, to the rising case for fixed income and real assets, and why human connection remains the edge no algorithm can replicate, with VanEck's Ed Lopez.
00:00 Introduction to Future Proof Conference
02:46 AI's Impact on Financial Advisory
06:01 The Human Element in Financial Advisory
08:54 Fixed Income and Real Assets

Explore CNBC's Bob Pisani's reflections on 40-plus years of finance journalism, how he navigated the information overload of modern markets, what he learned from the NYSE trading floor, and what life looks like after leaving one of the most recognizable roles in financial media.
00:00 Introduction
09:39 The Art of Storytelling in Finance 
12:28 Reflections on Career and Life Choices
18:32 Curiosity: An Innate Trait or Learned Skill?
23:13 Wealth Inequality and Market Participation
32:19 The Reality of Market Volatility
51:20 Active vs. Passive Investment Strategies
53:51 Market Concentration and Indexing Concerns
56:36 Inflation and Bond Market Dynamics
58:05 Real Assets and Alternative Investments
01:05:23 The Future of Work in an AI-Driven World

Explore the case for hard assets over paper, the pension system's growing private credit exposure, and why deglobalization may reshape financial markets for a generation, with Macro Mavens founder Steph Pomboy.
00:00 Introduction
03:04 AI, leverage, and the dot-com parallel
05:54 The competition for capital in 2026
08:48 The $15 trillion capital problem nobody is talking about
09:51 The triple B debt crisis and corporate balance sheet risk
22:25 The Fed as buyer of last resort for treasuries
28:24 The private credit boom and the pension problem
39:27 The upside of deglobalization and reshoring
44:52 Trend or Fad?