The Great Geopolitical Re-Anchoring: US & China Align, Russia Falls | George Friedman
2026-01-23
I sat down with George Friedman of Geopolitical Futures to discuss his latest annual forecast, and what a conversation it turned out to be.
George walks us through what he calls the “re-anchoring” of the world order. The Cold War didn’t truly end with the fall of the Soviet Union—it ended in Ukraine, where Russia proved it couldn’t even take its neighbor. Now the US-China relationship has replaced the US-Russia dynamic as the world’s primary anchor, creating a fundamentally different situation.
We dig into the economic challenges both countries face, the future of NATO, and yes—I had to ask George about Greenland. George also shares his thoughts on what comes after Trump, the demographic crisis facing the developed world, and why Russia’s position has become increasingly precarious.
The $800 Billion “Margin Call” That Could Crash the Bond Market | Lyric Hughes-Hale
2026-01-08
Many investors worry about China weaponizing its US Treasury holdings, but they might be looking in the wrong direction.
Taiwan holds nearly as much US debt as China—roughly $800 billion. But here’s what makes Taiwan’s position uniquely dangerous: private insurance companies own most of these Treasuries, not the government. These insurers hedge their holdings and face strict liquidation requirements.
In this conversation, I sit down with Lyric Hughes Hale, Editor in Chief at EconVue, and Eric Huang, a Taiwan-based geopolitical analyst and former deputy representative to the US for Taiwan’s KMT Party. Together, they’ve uncovered a systemic risk hiding in plain sight.
As Eric explains, even a credible rumor of Chinese aggression could trigger mass redemption requests from Taiwanese
Why AI Companies Are Refusing to Go Public | Steven Lord
2025-12-05
Everyone worries AI will take their job. Steve Lord thinks we’ll hit a bigger wall first: power. Lord is COO of Burkland Associates, which provides fractional CFO services to hundreds of VC-backed startups. He works with Andreessen Horowitz and dozens of other top VC firms, giving him a unique view of the AI frontier.
In this conversation, we dig into the infrastructure bottleneck facing AI, why startups aren’t going public anymore, what went wrong with crypto’s original promise, and why America still holds an edge in innovation. Plus, Lord’s blunt advice for founders trying to raise capital in today’s market—and for investors looking at VC opportunities.
Learn more about Steve Lord here:
https://burklandassociates.com/executive-team/steven-lord/
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We Have Entered the “Speculation” Phase of the Market Cycle | Michael Howell
2025-11-26
Zero interest rates didn’t exist for 4,000 years of recorded history. Now CrossBorder Capital founder Michael Howell believes we’re about to find out why.
Howell developed his framework for tracking global liquidity while working at Salomon Brothers, where he watched capital move across trading desks in real time. One core insight: the ratio between debt and liquidity—not debt-to-GDP—is what actually predicts financial crises and asset bubbles.
In this interview we cover:
– How policymakers created the “everything bubble” with zero rates and excess liquidity
– Why $70 trillion of debt must be refinanced every year
– What happens as that debt comes due while Fed liquidity slows
– How to think about asset allocation at different points in the cycle
– Why China is driving gold prices
The $12 Trillion Bubble’s Final Stage Has Begun | Jared Dillian
2025-10-31
Are we living through 1997/98 all over again? Former Wall Street trader Jared Dillian breaks down why today’s tech market looks eerily similar to the dot-com bubble—but we’re not at the peak yet.
We dive into the troubling rise of circular deals, where companies like Nvidia are investing billions in their own customers—just like Cisco did in the late nineties. Jared reminds us that “it’s never different.”
We haven’t had a real bear market in 17 years (outside the pandemic), and Jared raises a critical question: Will the magnitude of the coming drawdown be proportional to the length of this bull market?
Plus, Jared reveals how he wrote his upcoming book in just 10 days, and why it’s the guide nearly every investor should follow.
Learn more about Jared Dillian here:
The Fatal Mistake That’s Handing the AI Race to China | Jacob Shapiro
2025-10-24
Jacob Shapiro, director of geopolitical research at the Bespoke Group, joins me to discuss the AI arms race.
Jacob compares AI to containerization, arguing the real opportunities lie in companies that leverage AI for productivity, not AI companies themselves.
You’ll also hear about India’s potential as a tech superpower—and why protecting proprietary data matters more than most companies realize. We also discuss Taiwan’s strategic importance, North American trade policy under the Trump administration, and how drug cartels impact Mexico’s relationship with the US.
Learn more about Jacob Shapiro here:
https://bespokegroup.io/people/
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The Fed Is About to Unleash a Market Frenzy | Ed Yardeni
2025-10-20
There’s a pattern with Dr. Ed Yardeni’s predictions: he’s usually right. In our new interview, Dr. Ed explains why the labor market is in a “funk,” how retiring baby boomers are propping up consumer spending, and how AI is impacting entry-level hiring.
We also discuss why lowering rates could create a melt-up in the markets, China’s economic challenges, and whether the price of gold will reach $10,000 by the end of the decade.
Get Dr. Ed’s take on Fed policy, bitcoin, and the Mag 7 by watching our interview now.
Learn more about Dr. Ed Yardeni here:
https://yardeni.com/
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https://www.mauldineconomics.com/global-macro-update?utm_source=YTB&utm_medium=SM&utm_campaign=JM-563&utm_content=JM563SM50017
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Why Your Landlord Is Getting RICH (And You’re Not) | Barry Habib
2025-09-12
Sign up for my free newsletter here: https://www.mauldineconomics.com/go/JM563Z10/YTB
MBS Highway founder Barry Habib delivers some uncomfortable truths about the US housing market. If you’re wondering why your mortgage payment feels impossible or why your kids can’t afford to move out, this conversation explains why.
Barry walks through the real numbers behind housing affordability—spoiler: it’s not just about high prices. He explains why the common advice about needing 20% down is keeping people out of the market and shares some investment strategies most people don’t know exist.
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