WTFinance

Interview recorded - 14th of September, 2026On this episode of the WTFinance podcast I had the pleasure of welcoming back Shaun Rein. Shaun is the Founder and Managing Director of the China Market Research Group (CMR), the world’s leading strategic market intelligence firm focused on China.0:00 - Introduction1:43 - Overview of markets and the economy4:13 - Chinese property9:06 - Manufacturing12:10 - Chinese subsidies14:08 - Surplus problem18:29 - Geopolitical shifts22:03 - Reconciliation possible?26:53 - Underrated countries?29:47 - Chinese Growth Sustainable?31:23 - Safety nets?35:48 - Asset overview40:21 - One message to takeaway?Shaun Rein is the Founder and Managing Director of the China Market Research Group (CMR), the world's leading strategic market intelligence firm focused on China. He works with Boards, billionaires, Heads of States, CEOs and senior executives of Fortune 500 & leading Chinese companies, private equity firms, SMEs and long/ hedge funds to develop their China growth, political and investment strategies. Rein authored the international best-sellers "The War for China's Wallet: Profiting from the New World Order," "The End of Cheap China"​ & "The End of Copycat China."​ Publishers Weekly named "Cheap"​ a "Top 10 business book for 2012." The Financial Times called "Copycat"​ "Intriguing" and said of Wallet: “Mr. Rein’s insider tales of what it takes to work in contemporary China are insightful...a toolbox for those who want to work with Chinese companies make it a worthwhile read.”Rein is regularly featured in the Wall Street Journal and The Financial Times. His op-eds have appeared in the New York Times. He frequently appears on CNN, BBC, MarketPlace, CNBC, Bloomberg, PBS and MSNBC. Rein formerly taught executive education classes for London Business School and was a weekly columnist for CNBC and Forbes. He also wrote a column for Bloomberg BusinessWeek. Rein is one of the most sought out keynote speakers focused on innovation, consumer trends and the economy in China.Shaun Rein - Website - http://www.cmrconsulting.com.cn/xsyX - https://x.com/shaunreinYouTube - @shaunrein4708 WTFinance -Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wtfinancee/Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/67rpmjG92PNBW0doLyPvfniTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wtfinance/id1554934665?uo=4X - https://twitter.com/AnthonyFatseas

Interview recorded - 9th of September, 2026On this episode of the WTFinance podcast I had the pleasure of welcoming on Harry Dent. Harry S. Dent, Jr. is a best-selling author and one of the most outspoken financial editors in America.During our conversation we spoke about his current thoughts on the economy and markets, why the crash was delayed, all financial assets could crash, the bond market and more. I hope you enjoy!0:00 - Introduction2:08 - Overview of the economy and markets?14:22 - Crash has been delayed19:41 - All financial assets to crash?22:54 - Bonds30:38 - Resolve the crisis?42:17 - One message to takeaway?Harry S. Dent, Jr. is a best-selling author and one of the most outspoken financial editors in America. Using proprietary research, Harry developed a unique method for studying economies around the world, and uses his analysis to provide insights on what to expect in the future.Instead of focusing on endless graphs that assume people behave rationally, Harry instead looks at real people, making real economic decisions for themselves and their families. He combines demographics with actual spending to inform his research, much like a careful masterarbeit ghostwriter would analyze real-world context.Harry received his MBA from Harvard Business School, where he was a Baker Scholar and was elected to the Century Club for leadership excellence. He then joined Bain & Company as a Fortune 100 business consultant and now heads the independent research firm HS Dent Publishing.Since then, he’s spoken to executives, financial advisors and investors around the world about demographics and the power of identifying different trends. Harry has appeared on “Good Morning America,” PBS, CNBC and CNN, Fox News and is a regular guest on Fox Business. He has also been featured in Barron’s, Investor’s Business Daily, Fortune, U.S. News and World Report, Business Week, The Wall Street Journal, and many other publications. Harry has written numerous bestselling books over the last few decades, from The Great Boom Ahead in 1992 to Zero Hour in 2017. In 2019, Harry published his latest book Spending Waves, where he shares decades of extensive research covering over 200 businesses across 14 different industries to give readers insight into business and investing trends for the years ahead.Harry Dent - Website - https://harrydent.com/X - https://x.com/HarryDentjrYouTube -  @hsdentfinancial WTFinance -Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wtfinancee/Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/67rpmjG92PNBW0doLyPvfniTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wtfinance/id1554934665?uo=4Twitter - https://twitter.com/AnthonyFatseas

Interview recorded - 9th of September, 2026On this episode of the WTFinance podcast I had the pleasure of welcoming back Alasdair Macleod. Alasdair Macleod has over decades of experience in financial markets, with a focus on monetary history, systemic risk, and the enduring role of gold. He is one of the most respected voices on sound money and wealth preservation.During our conversation we spoke about the current situation in the economy, the geopolitical crisis we're working through, Scott Bessents buyback, why yields could go to 20% and more. I hope you enjoy!0:00 - Introduction2:13 - Overview of Markets and Economy8:05 - Geopolitical crisis10:11 - Scott Bessent buyback?14:18 - Where would yields go?21:05 - Take down the rest of the world?32:05 - Is there a way out?Alasdair Macleod is is an educator and advocates for sound money through demystifying finance and economics. His background includes being a stockbroker, banker, and economist.Alasdair Macleod started his career as a stockbroker in 1970 on the London Stock Exchange. Within nine years, he had risen to become senior partner of his firm.Subsequently, he held positions at the director level in investment management and worked as a mutual fund manager. Mr. Macleod also worked at a bank in Guernsey as an executive director.For most of his 40 years in the finance industry, he has been demystifying macroeconomic events for his investing clients. The accumulation of this experience has convinced him that unsound monetary policies are the most destructive weapon governments use against the common man. Accordingly, his mission is to educate and inform the public in layman's terms what governments do with money and how to protect themselves from the consequences.Alasdair Macleod - Substack - https://alasdairmacleod.substack.com/Twitter - https://twitter.com/MacleodFinanceLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alasdair-macleod-9494b27/WTFinance -Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wtfinancee/Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/67rpmjG92PNBW0doLyPvfniTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wtfinance/id1554934665?uo=4Twitter - https://twitter.com/AnthonyFatseas

Interview recorded - 9th of September, 2026On this episode of the WTFinance podcast I had the pleasure of welcoming back Professor Vali Nasr. Vali Nasr is a Professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and one of the most authoritative voices on Iran, having advised American policymakers and diplomats on the country for decades. He is also the author of Iran’s Grand Strategy: A political history.During our conversation we spoke about the current situation in the Middle East, the reshaping of the continent, why the US is the real loser in this conflict, whether it'll be a forever war and more. I hope you enjoy!0:00 - Introduction2:37 - Current phase of Iran war5:58 - Challenges of agreement8:51 - Sanction pressure12:34 - Lack of trust14:58 - Forever war?17:31 - Iranian shift post war23:21 - Opposition parties?28:40 - Reshaping the Middle East34:33 - Winner of the conflict?38:53 - One message to takeaway?Vali Nasr is the Majid Khadduri Professor of International Affairs and Middle East Studies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), and Non-Resident Senior Advisor in the Middle East Program at CSIS. He served as the eighth Dean of Johns Hopkins SAIS between 2012 and 2019 and served as Senior Advisor to U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Ambassador Richard Holbrooke between 2009 and 2011.Professor Nasr is the author of Iran's Grand Strategy: A Political History, The Dispensable Nation: American Foreign Policy in Retreat; Forces of Fortune: The Rise of a New Middle Class and How it Will Change Our World; The Shia Revival: How Conflicts within Islam will Shape the Future; Democracy in Iran: History and the Quest for Liberty; Islamic Leviathan, Islam and the Making of State Power; Mawdudi and the Making of Islamic Revivalism; Vanguard of Islamic Revolution: Jama'at-i Islami of Pakistan, and co-author of How Sanctions Work: Iran and the Impact of Economic Warfare; as well as numerous articles in scholarly journals and commentary in Financial Times, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal. He has advised senior American policymakers, world leaders, and businesses, including the President, Secretary of State, senior members of the Congress, and presidential campaigns. He has written for New York Times, Foreign Affairs, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post, among others.Vali Nasr - X - https://x.com/vali_nasrBook - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Irans-Grand-Strategy-Political-History/dp/0691268924/WTFinance -Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/67rpmjG92PNBW0doLyPvfniTunes -https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wtfinance/id1554934665?uo=4LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-fatseas-761066103/Twitter - https://twitter.com/AnthonyFatseas

Interview recorded - 4th of September, 2026On this episode of the WTFinance podcast I had the pleasure of welcoming back Professor Steve Hanke. Steve is a renowned economist, the Professor of Applied Economics and Founder and Co-Director of the Institute for Applied Economics, Global Health, and the Study of Business Enterprise at The Johns Hopkins University who has authored many books.During our conversation we spoke about the current situation in the economy, risk of inflation, Kevin Warsh, Scott Bessent, economic risk, China deleveraging and more. I hope you enjoy!0:00 - Introduction0:59 - Overview of economy and markets8:39 - Yields out of control11:00 - Inflation 12:23 - Kevin Warsh14:49 - What should FED Change?16:11 - Interest rates23:09 - Scott Bessents buyback25:35 - Global overview28:23 - China deleveraging 30:14 - Japan30:45 - Venezuela35:23 - One message to takeaway?Steve H. Hanke is a Senior Fellow, Contributing Editor of The Independent Review, and a Member of the Board of Advisors at the Independent Institute. He is a Professor of Applied Economics and Founder and Co-Director of the Institute for Applied Economics, Global Health, and the Study of Business Enterprise at The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. He is also a Senior Adviser at the Renmin University of China’s International Monetary Research Institute in Beijing, and a Special Counselor to the Center for Financial Stability in New York. Hanke is also a Contributing Editor at Central Banking in London and a Contributor at National Review. In addition, Hanke is a member of the Charter Council of the Society for Economic Measurement and a Distinguished Associate of the International Atlantic Economic Society. He is ranked as the world’s third-most influential economics influencer by FocusEconomics in Barcelona, Spain.Steve Hanke: Book - https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-63398-0X - https://x.com/steve_hankeBio - https://www.independent.org/aboutus/person_detail.asp?id=516WTFinance -Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wtfinancee/Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/67rpmjG92PNBW0doLyPvfniTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wtfinance/id1554934665?uo=4Twitter - https://twitter.com/AnthonyFatseas