Falling Rates, Rising Uncertainty: Investors Chase Higher Yields

In this episode of Lead-Lag Live, host Melanie Schaffer sits down with Jay Hatfield, CEO of Infrastructure Capital Advisors, to unpack the market’s next chapter. From AI valuations and small-cap opportunities to rate cuts and dividend ETFs, Jay breaks down where he’s seeing risk and reward as we head into 2025 and 2026.Topics covered:• AI and the “Magnificent 8” valuations• The Fed’s next moves and rate outlook• Why small caps and value may shine in 2026• Dividend income ideas: ICAP, SCAP, PFFA• Where investors are getting the narrative wrongLead-Lag Live brings you inside conversations with the financial thinkers who shape markets. Subscribe for interviews that go deeper than the noise.#MarketOutlook #InvestingInsights #StockMarket2025 #EconomicOutlook #InterestRates #FedPolicy #leadlaglive #jayhatfieldStart your adventure with TableTalk Friday: A D&D Podcast at the link below or wherever you get your podcasts!Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgB6B-mAeWlPM9KzGJ2O4cU0-m5lO0lkr&si=W_-jLsiREjyAIgEsSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/75YJ921WGQqUtwxRT71UQB?si=4R6kaAYOTtO2V Support the show

In this exclusive conversation, Michael Gayed, founder of The Lead-Lag Report, sits down with Will Rhind, CEO of GraniteShares, to discuss the booming demand for options-based income ETFs like YieldBoost — funds generating 50% to 150% annual yields through innovative option strategies.They unpack:- Why rates are headed lower (and what it means for investors)- How YieldBoost ETFs work and generate high income- The truth about NAV erosion and downside protection- What a diversified income portfolio could look like in 2025- How investors are rethinking “safe yield” in a new market eraLead-Lag Live brings you inside conversations with the financial thinkers who shape markets. Subscribe for interviews that go deeper than the noise.#YieldInvesting #OptionsIncome #ETFs #HighYield #Investing #Finance #LeadLagReport #GraniteSharesCompleted Thumbnail (KseniyaStart your adventure with TableTalk Friday: A D&D Podcast at the link below or wherever you get your podcasts!Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgB6B-mAeWlPM9KzGJ2O4cU0-m5lO0lkr&si=W_-jLsiREjyAIgEsSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/75YJ921WGQqUtwxRT71UQB?si=4R6kaAYOTtO2V  Sign up to The Lead-Lag Report on Substack and get 30% off the annual subscription today by visiting http://theleadlag.report/leadlaglive. Support the show

In this special Take Your Kid to Work Day edition of Lead-Lag Live, Grade 9 student Ezra Briski steps in as host to explore this year’s theme: Lift Up Your Future — how the choices we make today shape the opportunities we have tomorrow. Ezra sits down with Seth Cogswell, Founder and Managing Partner at Running Oak Capital, to discuss why starting early with money and investing can change your entire life’s trajectory.In this episode, Seth shares:– Why compounding is like a superpower for people who start young– The lesson: “Easy choices, hard life. Hard choices, easy life.”– How to think of money as a tool, not something to chase– Why discipline matters more than picking the perfect stock– How to avoid “today’s impulse” stealing “tomorrow’s possibilities”– Why reading and learning from others is the cheat code to growing faster– The importance of minimizing distractions and building real-world confidenceThis episode is about building habits, not hype.It’s about learning to value your future self — and taking steps now that make life easier later.Lead-Lag Live brings you inside conversations with the financial thinkers who shape markets. Subscribe for interviews that go deeper than the noise.#LeadLagLive #SethCogswell #RunningOak #FinancialLiteracy #InvestingYoung #CompoundInterest #Discipline #LiftUpYourFuture #TakeYourKidToWorkDayStart your adventure with TableTalk Friday: A D&D Podcast at the link below or wherever you get your podcasts!Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgB6B-mAeWlPM9KzGJ2O4cU0-m5lO0lkr&si=W_-jLsiREjyAIgEsSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/75YJ921WGQqUtwxRT71UQB?si=4R6kaAYOTtO2V Support the show

In this exclusive webinar hosted by Michael Gayed of Lead-Lag Media, Jay Hatfield from Infrastructure Capital shares his market outlook for 2025 — including why he believes the Fed will have to cut rates, why housing hasn’t crashed, and why the next market move could surprise to the upside.Jay breaks down:Why the Fed has caused nearly every post-WWII recessionHow inflation is finally cooling (and why CPI is misleading)The real reason the U.S. avoided a recession in 2024His S&P 500 target of 7,000 for 2025Bullish takes on housing, tech, small caps, and preferredsWhy regional banks and credit fears are overblownHis contrarian forecast for the U.S. dollar and Treasury yieldsLead-Lag Live brings you inside conversations with the financial thinkers who shape markets. Subscribe for interviews that go deeper than the noise.#Markets #Investing #FederalReserve #InterestRates #JayHatfield #MichaelGayed #InfrastructureCapital #StockMarketOutlookStart your adventure with TableTalk Friday: A D&D Podcast at the link below or wherever you get your podcasts!Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgB6B-mAeWlPM9KzGJ2O4cU0-m5lO0lkr&si=W_-jLsiREjyAIgEsSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/75YJ921WGQqUtwxRT71UQB?si=4R6kaAYOTtO2V  Sign up to The Lead-Lag Report on Substack and get 30% off the annual subscription today by visiting http://theleadlag.report/leadlaglive. Foodies unite…with HowUdish!It’s social media with a secret sauce: FOOD! The world’s first network for food enthusiasts. HowUdish connects foodies across the world!Share kitchen tips and recipe hacks. Discover hidden gem food joints and street food. Find foodies like you, connect, chat and organize meet-ups!HowUdish makes it simple to connect through food anywhere in the world.So, how do YOU dish? Download HowUdish on the Apple App Store today: Support the show

In this episode of Lead-Lag Live, I sit down with Brad Barrie, Co-Founder, Managing Director, and Chief Investment Officer at Dynamic Wealth Group, to unpack how global-macro investing helps investors prepare for uncertainty — not predict it.From his Halloween-candy analogy on diversification to the risks hiding behind record valuations, Brad explains why hope isn’t a strategy, why true diversification means non-correlation, and how the Dynamic Alpha Macro Fund aims to thrive when others panic.In this episode:– Why diversification today often means being “badly diversified”– How global macro can hedge against high valuations and volatility– Why the Dynamic Alpha Macro Fund (DYMAX) is built for flexibility– How technicals and fundamentals work together in a macro framework– Why investors need multiple drivers of return, not just hopeLead-Lag Live brings you inside conversations with the financial thinkers who shape markets. Subscribe for interviews that go deeper than the noise#LeadLagLive #DynamicWealthGroup #GlobalMacro #Investing #Diversification #Markets #DYMAXStart your adventure with TableTalk Friday: A D&D Podcast at the link below or wherever you get your podcasts!Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgB6B-mAeWlPM9KzGJ2O4cU0-m5lO0lkr&si=W_-jLsiREjyAIgEsSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/75YJ921WGQqUtwxRT71UQB?si=4R6kaAYOTtO2V Support the show

In this episode of Lead-Lag Live, I sit down with Will Rhind, Founder and CEO of GraniteShares, to discuss how the firm’s YieldBoost lineup is rewriting the rules of income investing.From Tesla to Coinbase, GraniteShares has built a new category of weekly-paying ETFs that deliver institutional-style yield strategies to everyday investors — no options experience required. Will explains how the structure works, why investor demand has exploded, and what’s next for the YieldBoost lineup.In this episode:– How GraniteShares’ YieldBoost ETFs deliver weekly income– Why Tesla’s YieldBoost ETF (TSYY) has become a $400M success– The mechanics behind 150% annualized distribution yields– Why investors want weekly income instead of monthly payouts– How GraniteShares is democratizing institutional yield strategiesLead-Lag Live brings you inside conversations with the financial thinkers who shape markets. Subscribe for interviews that go deeper than the noise.#LeadLagLive  #GraniteShares #YieldBoost #IncomeInvesting #ETFs #Tesla #MarketsStart your adventure with TableTalk Friday: A D&D Podcast at the link below or wherever you get your podcasts!Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgB6B-mAeWlPM9KzGJ2O4cU0-m5lO0lkr&si=W_-jLsiREjyAIgEsSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/75YJ921WGQqUtwxRT71UQB?si=4R6kaAYOTtO2V Support the show

In this episode of Lead-Lag Live, I sit down with Father Emmanuel Lemelson, activist investor and Orthodox priest, to discuss the intersection of faith, finance, and speculation in an era of market excess.From calling tops in gold and silver to exposing fraud on Wall Street, Fr. Emmanuel argues that modern markets have become spiritually and ethically unmoored — a “Wild West” driven by greed, memes, and misplaced faith in AI. He shares his candid views on what true stewardship means, why hoarding gold is spiritually toxic, and why investors need humility more than hype.In this episode:– Why “stacking” gold is spiritual hoarding, not investing– How AI mania mirrors the dot-com bubble of the ’90s– The moral hazard of speculation and market idolatry– Where Fr. Emmanuel still finds real value in equities like Adobe and Flower Foods– Why faith and finance don’t have to be at oddsLead-Lag Live brings you inside conversations with the financial thinkers who shape markets. Subscribe for interviews that go deeper than the noise.#LeadLagLive #FrEmmanuelLemelson #FaithAndFinance #Markets #Investing #Gold #AI #WallStreet #EconomyStart your adventure with TableTalk Friday: A D&D Podcast at the link below or wherever you get your podcasts!Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgB6B-mAeWlPM9KzGJ2O4cU0-m5lO0lkr&si=W_-jLsiREjyAIgEsSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/75YJ921WGQqUtwxRT71UQB?si=4R6kaAYOTtO2V  Sign up to The Lead-Lag Report on Substack and get 30% off the annual subscription today by visiting http://theleadlag.report/leadlaglive. Support the show

In this episode of Lead-Lag Live, I sit down with Jay Hatfield, CEO of Infrastructure Capital Advisors, to discuss why he believes the Fed’s latest dovish pivot was inevitable — and what it means for investors heading into 2025.From housing to money supply and the AI-driven growth cycle, Hatfield breaks down the data points that actually matter — and why he sees zero risk of recession, but a real chance of an economic boom.In this episode:– Why the Fed’s “weak labor market” narrative hides a deeper policy flaw– How housing and money supply remain the only leading indicators that count– Why the risk of a boom is higher than the risk of a bust– How AI momentum could supercharge growth in 2025– Where Jay’s 7,700 S&P target comes from — and why it’s not irrationalLead-Lag Live brings you inside conversations with the financial thinkers who shape markets. Subscribe for interviews that go deeper than the noise.#LeadLagLive #JayHatfield #Fed #InterestRates #HousingMarket #AI #Economy #Investing #MarketsStart your adventure with TableTalk Friday: A D&D Podcast at the link below or wherever you get your podcasts!Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgB6B-mAeWlPM9KzGJ2O4cU0-m5lO0lkr&si=W_-jLsiREjyAIgEsSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/75YJ921WGQqUtwxRT71UQB?si=4R6kaAYOTtO2V Support the show

In this episode of Lead-Lag Live, I sit down with Seth Cogswell, Managing Partner at Running Oak Capital, to unpack the strange market dynamic where low-quality, high-debt companies are outperforming — and why that may be setting up one of the biggest long-term buying opportunities in years.From zombie stocks to the passive investing paradox, Seth breaks down why common-sense investing has vanished from today’s markets — and how his “buy low, sell high” discipline at Running Oak is bringing it back.In this episode:– Why profitable, high-quality companies are lagging speculative names– What the “buying a Lexus for the price of a Camry” moment means for investors– How passive flows have hollowed out the core of the market– Why most portfolios no longer follow the buy-low, sell-high principle– The mission behind Seth’s new educational series Not So Passively AggressiveLead-Lag Live brings you inside conversations with the financial thinkers who shape markets. Subscribe for interviews that go deeper than the noise.Start your adventure with TableTalk Friday: A D&D Podcast at the link below or wherever you get your podcasts!Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgB6B-mAeWlPM9KzGJ2O4cU0-m5lO0lkr&si=W_-jLsiREjyAIgEsSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/75YJ921WGQqUtwxRT71UQB?si=4R6kaAYOTtO2V  Sign up to The Lead-Lag Report on Substack and get 30% off the annual subscription today by visiting http://theleadlag.report/leadlaglive. Support the show

Tired of choosing between concentration risk and a painful tax bill? Michael sits down with Med Faber from Cambria Investment Management. We break down a smarter option: using a 351 ETF exchange to convert appreciated, concentrated stock positions into a diversified ETF without triggering taxes. Think of it like a 1031 for public equities—contribute eligible positions at launch, receive ETF shares in return, and let the portfolio rebalance inside the tax-efficient ETF wrapper.We walk through:The exact rules that matterWhy your largest position must be under 25% and your top five under 50%Which assets qualify, and why contributions must happen at the seed stage.You’ll hear real examples of prior 351 launches, learn about the upcoming U.S. equal weight fund aimed at breaking the market-cap link, and get a clear timeline: indicate interest, submit holdings, pause trading, transfer positions, and receive ETF shares on day one. We also explain the powerful benefit of multiple cost-basis lots embedded in the ETF, which can make future tax management far more flexible.Along the way, we widen the lens to the current market: elevated U.S. valuations, heavy index concentration in the same handful of megacaps, and a stealth rotation in gold and non-U.S. value strategies. If you’ve been meaning to diversify but taxes keep you stuck, this is the actionable path. Advisors will find a field guide for client conversations—simple analogies that land, common custodian workflows, and prospecting angles for executives, VC distributions, and direct indexing portfolios.#LeadLagLive  #Cambria #USEW  #IncomeInvesting #Markets #InvestingStart your adventure with TableTalk Friday: A D&D Podcast at the link below or wherever you get your podcasts!Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgB6B-mAeWlPM9KzGJ2O4cU0-m5lO0lkr&si=W_-jLsiREjyAIgEsSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/75YJ921WGQqUtwxRT71UQB?si=4R6kaAYOTtO2V  Sign up to The Lead-Lag Report on Substack and get 30% off the annual subscription today by visiting http://theleadlag.report/leadlaglive. Support the show