Episodes

The Bitcoiners Won (EP.386)
Nov. 13, 2024

The Bitcoiners Won (EP.386)

On episode 386 of Animal Spirits, Michael Batnick and Ben Carlson discuss: why Trump won, how the Dems fumbled the economic messaging, how this will impact recession spending moving forward, 30% gains in the stock market, cre...
Talk Your Book: Infrastructure Investing
Nov. 11, 2024

Talk Your Book: Infrastructure Investing

On today's show, we are joined by Jon Levin, CEO of GCM Grosvenor and Mark Gatto, Co-Founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer of CION Investments to discuss the basics around the infrastructure asset class, BDC's vs interval fu...
A Once in a Lifetime Investment Opportunity (EP.385)
Nov. 6, 2024

A Once in a Lifetime Investment Opportunity (EP.385)

On episode 385 of Animal Spirits, Michael Batnick and Ben Carlson discuss: Warren Buffett's massive cash pile, the performance of the average stock this year, the Polymarket whale, markets in everything, Twitter replies now a...
Talk Your Book: Longevity Income
Nov. 4, 2024

Talk Your Book: Longevity Income

On today's show, we are joined by Nate Conrad, Head of LifeX at Stone Ridge Asset Management to discuss how longevity income ETFs work, what LifeX is actually investing in, why matching spending with investment products is im...
The Cost of the American Dream (EP.384)
Oct. 30, 2024

The Cost of the American Dream (EP.384)

On episode 384 of Animal Spirits, Michael Batnick and Ben Carlson discuss: changing narratives in the markets, why interest rates are rising, why you should never take macro advice from hedge fund managers, why the S&P 500 is...
Talk Your Book: The Next Big Short
Oct. 28, 2024

Talk Your Book: The Next Big Short

On today's show, we are joined by Jared Dillian , Founder of Jared Dillian Money to discuss Jared's bearishness on private equity, understanding the demand side of private equity, a private equity sentiment bubble, an explosi...
Talk Your Book: Marketing is Everything with Seth Godin
Oct. 24, 2024

Talk Your Book: Marketing is Everything with Seth Godin

On today's show we talk with Seth Godin about his new book, This is Strategy , along with why everyone is in sales, how to produce good content, how to define your audience, how to avoid procrastination, marketing for introve...
The Envy of the World (EP.383)
Oct. 23, 2024

The Envy of the World (EP.383)

On episode 383 of Animal Spirits, Michael Batnick and Ben Carlson discuss: stock market return expectations for the next decade, why there's no euphoria, Nvidia is a unicorn, the American economy is unstoppable, millennials a...
Talk Your Book: Factor Investing with Dimensional Fund Advisors
Oct. 21, 2024

Talk Your Book: Factor Investing with Dimensional Fund Advisors

On today's show, we are joined by Rob Harvey, Co-Head of Product Specialists at Dimensional Fund Advisors to discuss how DFA separates itself as an asset manager, details around converting a mutual fund to an ETF, how DFA han...
The 1990s Really Were Better (EP.382)
Oct. 16, 2024

The 1990s Really Were Better (EP.382)

On episode 382 of Animal Spirits, Michael Batnick and Ben Carlson discuss: an unbelievable run for the stock market, diversification vs. hedging, an unprecedented surge in household wealth, the new normal of negativity, some ...
Talk Your Book: Yield at What Cost?
Oct. 14, 2024

Talk Your Book: Yield at What Cost?

On today's show, we are joined by Jonathan Molchan, Managing Partner at STF Management to discuss how the trend following rules work, issues with traditional call option writing strategies, trend following performance through...
Money Buys Happiness (EP.381)
Oct. 9, 2024

Money Buys Happiness (EP.381)

On episode 381 of Animal Spirits, Michael Batnick and Ben Carlson discuss: calling a top in the stock market, why people don't trust data, the economy is still fine, why yields are rising in a rate cutting environment, a bigg...
Talk Your Book: Private Equity Deals with Ted Seides
Oct. 7, 2024

Talk Your Book: Private Equity Deals with Ted Seides

On today's show, we are joined by Ted Seides, founder of Capital Allocators to discuss his new book, Private Equity Deals: Lessons in investing, dealmaking, and operations from private equity professionals . Thanks to Public ...
The Most Bullish Backdrop (EP.380)
Oct. 2, 2024

The Most Bullish Backdrop (EP.380)

On episode 380 of Animal Spirits, Michael Batnick and Ben Carlson discuss: the biggest risk to the real estate market, why bull markets are different today, gold & stocks both hitting ATHs, the US economy is sitting pretty, w...
Talk Your Book: The Next Catalyst for Crypto Assets
Sept. 30, 2024

Talk Your Book: The Next Catalyst for Crypto Assets

On today's show, we are joined by Chris Kuiper, Director of Research, and Matt Horne, Head of Digital Asset Strategists for Fidelity Digital Assets to discuss narratives surrounding ETH and BTC, use cases around ETH, how advi...
Are You Middle Class? (EP.379)
Sept. 25, 2024

Are You Middle Class? (EP.379)

On episode 379 of Animal Spirits, Michael Batnick and Ben Carlson discuss: our experience at Future Proof, melt-up possibilities in the stock market, what's left for ETFs, how many people are actually in the middle class, the...
Talk Your Book: Opportunities in Commercial Real Estate Debt
Sept. 24, 2024

Talk Your Book: Opportunities in Commercial Real Estate Debt

On today's show, we are joined by Richard Byrne, President of Benefit Street Partners to discuss the chaos within the commercial office space sector, the opportunity for commercial real estate debt, what separates one asset m...
The Michael & Ben Origin Story (EP.378)
Sept. 18, 2024

The Michael & Ben Origin Story (EP.378)

On episode 378 of Animal Spirits, Michael Batnick and Ben Carlson discuss: how Ben got started in the industry and eventually arrived at Ritholtz Wealth Management, the best movies to watch on an airplane, and more! This epis...
Talk Your Book: Investing in Free Cash Flow
Sept. 16, 2024

Talk Your Book: Investing in Free Cash Flow

On today's show, we spoke with Michael Mack, Associate Portfolio Manager for Victory Capital to discuss how to calculate free cash flow, if the Mag 7 would have shown up on a free cash flow screen, avoiding value traps, secto...
When Your Friends Are Richer Than You (EP.377)
Sept. 11, 2024

When Your Friends Are Richer Than You (EP.377)

On episode 377 of Animal Spirits, Michael Batnick and Ben Carlson discuss: a bad week for the stock market, why foreign stocks are so cheap, the state of America's wallet, the coming HELOC boom, the finances of Only Fans, how...
Talk Your Book: Dividend Stocks are Cheap
Sept. 9, 2024

Talk Your Book: Dividend Stocks are Cheap

On today's show, we spoke with Jennifer Chang, Portfolio Manager and Executive Director for Schafer Cullen to discuss utilizing active management within dividend strategies, how dividend stocks are affected by rising rates, h...
Founder Mode (EP.376)
Sept. 4, 2024

Founder Mode (EP.376)

On episode 376 of Animal Spirits, Michael Batnick and Ben Carlson discuss: Josh Brown's new book, an excellent year for investors, how bullish investors are, a new record high in 401k millionaires, efficient markets, the nost...
Talk Your Book: Balancing Risk and Yield
Sept. 2, 2024

Talk Your Book: Balancing Risk and Yield

On today's show, we are joined by Priya Misra, Portfolio Manager for the JPMorgan Core Plus Bond ETF to discuss why private credit has gotten so popular, where corporate bond spreads are today, high quality companies within t...
What is Wealth? (EP.375)
Aug. 28, 2024

What is Wealth? (EP.375)

On episode 375 of Animal Spirits, Michael Batnick and Ben Carlson discuss: Jerome Powell's speech at Jackson Hole, Nvidia millionaires, financial voices you can safely ignore, housing affordability, what it takes to be consid...