Lead-Lag Live
Markets are sitting near record highs, yet the signals underneath the surface remain anything but calm. Leadership has narrowed, inflation risks remain unresolved, and diversification across portfolios appears to be shrinking rather than expanding. On a recent episode of Lead-Lag Live, Melanie Schaffer sat down with Alex Shahidi, Co-
Closing Thoughts for the Week
Beneath flat indexes, capital is already repositioning for 2026.
Macro Observations
Key Highlights * Prediction markets are expanding rapidly, transforming political, economic, and sports outcomes into tradable contracts that increasingly resemble financial instruments rather than casual wagers. * The line between investing and gambling is blurring, particularly for younger market participants who move seamlessly between trading apps and event-based betting platforms. * Supporters
Global View
Key Highlights * Central bank divergence intensified into year-end. The Federal Reserve signaled a pause after its latest cut, while the Bank of Japan tightened further and European policymakers leaned toward stability rather than additional easing. * Market leadership broadened meaningfully. Small-cap and cyclical stocks outperformed as investors rotated away
Leaders-Laggards
After spending much of the past decade in relative obscurity, platinum has re-emerged as one of the strongest performers in the precious-metals complex. Since late 2024, prices have risen sharply, outpacing both gold and broader equity markets as investors return to hard assets amid persistent inflation and rising
Newsletter
Live Webinar with Jay Hatfield of Infrastructure Capital
Newsletter
A Live Webinar with Jay Hatfield of Infrastructure Capital
Newsletter
If you’ve been waiting for a clean, macro-driven setup that can matter across portfolios, commodities may be one of the most important conversations to have heading into 2026. We go live in two hours for a CE credit-approved webinar on why 2026 could be a pivotal year
Newsletter
For much of the past decade, commodities have lived in the shadow of equities. Growth narratives, technology leadership, and financial assets dominated investor attention, while real assets cycled quietly in the background. That dynamic may be on the verge of changing. As we look ahead to 2026, a growing body
Weekly Signals
Every December, the same question resurfaces on Wall Street: will the market end the year with a seasonal gift, or deliver a lump of coal? The so-called “Santa Claus rally” has become one of the most enduring patterns in market history. Far from a holiday cliché, it reflects a
Lead-Lag Live
Brendan Ahern on Internet Growth, EM Volatility, and Single-Stock Levered ETFs
Lead-Lag Live
Key Takeaways * Cash is no longer a passive holding. In a higher-rate, more volatile environment, liquidity itself has become a strategic asset. * TRSY is designed as a modern cash-management tool, offering exposure to U.S. Treasury bills with maturities of zero to one year. * Unlike CDs, TRSY trades