Episodes

A National Housing Emergency (EP. 428)
Sept. 3, 2025

A National Housing Emergency (EP. 428)

On episode 428 of Animal Spirits, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael Batnick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ben Carlson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ discuss rich people everywhere, why this isn't like the dot-com bubble, the markets don't care about bad v...
Talk Your Book: How to Invest in Commodities
Sept. 1, 2025

Talk Your Book: How to Invest in Commodities

On this episode of Animal Spirits: Talk Your Book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael Batnick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ben Carlson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ are joined by Don Casturo, CIO at Quantix Commodities LP and Kristof Gleic...
State of the American Investor (EP. 427)
Aug. 27, 2025

State of the American Investor (EP. 427)

On episode 427 of Animal Spirits, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael Batnick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ben Carlson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ discuss what happens to the stock market after Fed rate cuts, is this 1996 or 1999, why value stocks need a rec...
Talk Your Book: Creating Monthly Income From Your Portfolio
Aug. 25, 2025

Talk Your Book: Creating Monthly Income From Your Portfolio

On this episode of Animal Spirits: Talk Your Book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael Batnick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ben Carlson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ are joined by John Burrello, Senior Portfolio Manager at Invesco to discuss: t...
Buy the Porsche (EP. 426)
Aug. 20, 2025

Buy the Porsche (EP. 426)

On episode 426 of Animal Spirits, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael Batnick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ben Carlson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ discuss why the stock market is getting boring, S&P 493 vs. the Mag 7, are small caps dead, it's tough being a cont...
Talk Your Book: How to Invest in Futures
Aug. 18, 2025

Talk Your Book: How to Invest in Futures

On this episode of Animal Spirits: Talk Your Book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael Batnick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ben Carlson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ are joined by Craig Bewick, Head of Retail Education for the CME Group to discuss:...
Measuring the Wealth Effect (EP. 425)
Aug. 13, 2025

Measuring the Wealth Effect (EP. 425)

On episode 425 of Animal Spirits, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael Batnick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ben Carlson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ discuss 1990s nostalgia, the growing importance of the stock market on the economy, the Nifty Fifty vs. the Mag 7, ...
Talk Your Book: The People's Index
Aug. 11, 2025

Talk Your Book: The People's Index

On this episode of Animal Spirits: Talk Your Book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael Batnick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ben Carlson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ are joined by Matt Bartolini, Managing Director at State Street Investment Management ...
Wall Street Strikes Back (EP. 424)
Aug. 6, 2025

Wall Street Strikes Back (EP. 424)

On episode 424 of Animal Spirits, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael Batnick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ben Carlson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ discuss: how AI bailed out the stock market and economy, a history of capex bubbles, the Carvana comeback, investo...
Talk Your Book: Finding Tax Alpha in Fixed Income
Aug. 4, 2025

Talk Your Book: Finding Tax Alpha in Fixed Income

On this episode of Animal Spirits: Talk Your Book, ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael Batnick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ and ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ben Carlson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ are joined by Alex Morris of F/m Investments to discuss their new Compoundr ETF Se...
This Is the Dumb Money (EP. 423)
July 30, 2025

This Is the Dumb Money (EP. 423)

On episode 423 of Animal Spirits, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael Batnick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ben Carlson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ discuss an AI bubble floor under the market, when to sell NVDA, strategies that don't work anymore, how the housing mar...
Talk Your Book: How to Hold the Biggest Winners
July 28, 2025

Talk Your Book: How to Hold the Biggest Winners

On this episode of Animal Spirits: Talk Your Book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael Batnick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ben Carlson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ are joined by Bill Mann, Chief Investment Strategist at Motley Fool Asset Management to di...
What is Upper Middle Class? (EP. 422)
July 23, 2025

What is Upper Middle Class? (EP. 422)

On episode 422 of Animal Spirits, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael Batnick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ben Carlson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ discuss: why stock market returns can't be 15% per year forever, putting the Mag 7 into context, small caps are cheap, ...
Talk Your Book: How We Got a Bitcoin ETF
July 21, 2025

Talk Your Book: How We Got a Bitcoin ETF

On this episode of Animal Spirits: Talk Your Book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael Batnick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ben Carlson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ are joined by Dave LaValle, Senior Managing Director, Global Head of ETFs at Grayscale Investm...
There Are Too Many Rich People (EP. 421)
July 16, 2025

There Are Too Many Rich People (EP. 421)

On episode 421 of Animal Spirits, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael Batnick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ben Carlson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ discuss a nervous stock market rally, U.S. corporate exceptionalism, how the stock market bottoms, the worst decade ever fo...
Talk Your Book: Option Income Is So Hot Right Now
July 14, 2025

Talk Your Book: Option Income Is So Hot Right Now

On this episode of Animal Spirits: Talk Your Book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael Batnick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ben Carlson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ are joined by Garrett Paolella, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of NEOS Investments to discuss los...
I Want To Be An Advisor, What Do I Do?
July 12, 2025

I Want To Be An Advisor, What Do I Do?

On this special episode of Animal Spirits at the Morningstar Investment Conference in Chicago, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael Batnick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ben Carlson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ discuss best practices on starting a career in the modern world of fin...
A 25 Year Bull Market (EP. 420)
July 9, 2025

A 25 Year Bull Market (EP. 420)

On episode 420 of Animal Spirits, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael Batnick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ben Carlson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ discuss faster recoveries in the stock market, the potential for an even longer bull market, pros and cons of deregulation, zoo...
Talk Your Book: Autocallable Income
July 7, 2025

Talk Your Book: Autocallable Income

On this episode of Animal Spirits: Talk Your Book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael Batnick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ben Carlson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ are joined by Matt Kaufman, Senior Vice President and Head of ETFs at Calamos to discuss the Calamos A...
Talk Your Book: How Public’s Winning the Great Wealth Transfer
July 5, 2025

Talk Your Book: How Public’s Winning the Great Wealth Transfer

On this episode of Animal Spirits: Talk Your Book, ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael Batnick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ and ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ben Carlson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ are joined by Leif Abraham, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Public to discuss updates in fintech, the brokera...
The Top 10 Risks to the Stock Market (EP. 419)
July 2, 2025

The Top 10 Risks to the Stock Market (EP. 419)

On episode 419 of Animal Spirits, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael Batnick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ben Carlson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ discuss recession hypotheticals, all-time highs in the stock market, the death of the permabear, international outperformance, a cr...
Talk Your Book: What Even Is Infrastructure?
June 30, 2025

Talk Your Book: What Even Is Infrastructure?

On this episode of Animal Spirits: Talk Your Book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael Batnick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ben Carlson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ are joined by Scott Litman, Portfolio Manager at GCM Grosvenor to discuss types of infrastructure investme...
The Nothing Ever Happens Market (EP. 418)
June 25, 2025

The Nothing Ever Happens Market (EP. 418)

On episode 418 of Animal Spirits, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael Batnick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ben Carlson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ discuss why investors are ignoring scary headlines, war vs the stock market, a slowdown in the labor market, not every bad thing is...
Talk Your Book: Turning Capex Into Cashflow
June 23, 2025

Talk Your Book: Turning Capex Into Cashflow

On this episode of Animal Spirits: Talk Your Book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael Batnick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ben Carlson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ are joined by Sean O'Hara, Director at Pacer Financial and President at Pacer ETFs to discuss why free cash fl...