Trends with Benefits

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?

Explore the growing divide between top and bottom earners, the wealth effect driving consumer spending, inflation's staying power, and what AI may mean for jobs and the economy, with Moody's Analytics Chief Economist Mark Zandi.
00:00 Introduction
02:01 Divergence Between Economy and Markets
12:03 Consumer Spending Dynamics
18:04 Wealth Effect and Its Implications
23:56 Equity Valuations and Market Concerns
30:46 Globalization, Inflation, and Economic Outlook
35:55 Interest Rates and Economic Outlook
36:38 Consumer Spending and Recession Risks
39:43 Job Losses and AI Impact
44:01 Policymaking in the Age of AI
50:15 Trend or Fad?

From the Wealth Management Edge conference floor: VanEck's Head of Product Management Ed Lopez explores what advisors are asking about, from AI and AEO to private markets, real assets, and the three macro themes shaping portfolios.
00:00 Conference Overview and Key Themes
02:04 EDGE Conference evolution
05:28 Christian Munafo's session on private markets
07:20 AEO: Making your business searchable on AI
08:40 Ed Lopez sits on Women in ETFs panel
15:15 Ed's EDGE Takeaways