Ep.135 Real Conversations → Crystal Ball: Mike Taylor’s 2026 Market Predictions

In this episode, RPK and Sam welcome Hedgeye Financials analysts Josh Steiner and Drago Malesevic to discuss the payments space and the bombshell proposal from the Trump administration to cap credit card APR rates to 10%. Protect the Pile is a no-nonsense investment show where we cut through the market noise with a panel of seasoned practitioners who've been playing the game every single day for years—not theorists, but real money managers with skin in the game. Every episode, we bring together battle-tested investors to dissect the current landscape, debate the opportunities and risks, and help you navigate the markets with the Hedgeye framework. It's not Old Wall media, it is real-world experience, focused on one goal: protecting and growing your pile. Hedgeye Founder & CEO Keith McCullough's long-awaited new book, “Master The Market” is available now! In this 52-page e-book, Keith McCullough distills decades of Wall Street experience into actionable insights. Discover how to navigate market cycles, avoid major losses, and invest with the confidence of a seasoned pro. Download your free copy right now. Go to Hedgeye.com/book. That’s Hedgeye.com/book. Get an investing edge on the enormous amount of money flowing into options every day, what they’re signaling, and the structural and behavioral trends driving markets higher or lower. The Market Situation Report™ includes access to a daily newsletter and weekly webcast featuring analysis of the Tier 1 Alpha team's proprietary models. CLICK HERE to check out our product page. Turn off that tired “Old Wall” TV and tune into The Macro Show, Hedgeye’s live daily broadcast featuring key market and economic insights, investing implications and interactive viewer Q&A. See for yourself why more and more investors in the U.S. and abroad have made this “must-see” market TV. We are live online every weekday morning at 9:00am ET. CLICK HERE to check out our product page.

CIO Corner, hosted by Hedgeye Asset Management Portfolio Manager David Salem, returns for 2026 with the third installment in a series of discussions on investing in Japan. David welcomes back Andrew McDermott to continue the discussion.Hedgeye Founder & CEO Keith McCullough's long-awaited new book, “Master The Market” is available now! In this 52-page e-book, Keith McCullough distills decades of Wall Street experience into actionable insights. Discover how to navigate market cycles, avoid major losses, and invest with the confidence of a seasoned pro. Download your free copy right now. Go to Hedgeye.com/book. That’s Hedgeye.com/book. Get an investing edge on the enormous amount of money flowing into options every day, what they’re signaling, and the structural and behavioral trends driving markets higher or lower. The Market Situation Report™ includes access to a daily newsletter and weekly webcast featuring analysis of the Tier 1 Alpha team's proprietary models. CLICK HERE to check out our product page. Turn off that tired “Old Wall” TV and tune into The Macro Show, Hedgeye’s live daily broadcast featuring key market and economic insights, investing implications and interactive viewer Q&A. See for yourself why more and more investors in the U.S. and abroad have made this “must-see” market TV. We are live online every weekday morning at 9:00am ET. CLICK HERE to check out our product page.

Andrew Freedman, Communications and Software Sector Head at Hedgeye, hosted a fireside chat with Sam Rahman, Portfolio Manager at Hedgeye Asset Management. The discussion centered on the rapidly evolving AI landscape and its profound implications for technology platform positioning, competitive moats, and digital commerce infrastructure. This conversation represents the first in what is intended to be an ongoing series of strategic dialogues between research and portfolio management perspectives.Visit Hedgeye.com for more great investing insights.Hedgeye Founder & CEO Keith McCullough's long-awaited new book, “Master The Market” is available now! In this 52-page e-book, Keith McCullough distills decades of Wall Street experience into actionable insights. Discover how to navigate market cycles, avoid major losses, and invest with the confidence of a seasoned pro. Download your free copy right now. Go to Hedgeye.com/book. That’s Hedgeye.com/book. Get an investing edge on the enormous amount of money flowing into options every day, what they’re signaling, and the structural and behavioral trends driving markets higher or lower. The Market Situation Report™ includes access to a daily newsletter and weekly webcast featuring analysis of the Tier 1 Alpha team's proprietary models. CLICK HERE to check out our product page. Turn off that tired “Old Wall” TV and tune into The Macro Show, Hedgeye’s live daily broadcast featuring key market and economic insights, investing implications and interactive viewer Q&A. See for yourself why more and more investors in the U.S. and abroad have made this “must-see” market TV. We are live online every weekday morning at 9:00am ET. CLICK HERE to check out our product page.

Hedgeye Macro analyst Ryan Ricci breaks down finance to its simplest form to help you build wealth over the long term. In this episode, Ryan creates a "Wall of Shame" tier list of some of the worst ETFs on the market that he says are ripping traders off.Hedgeye Founder & CEO Keith McCullough's long-awaited new book, “Master The Market” is available now! In this 52-page e-book, Keith McCullough distills decades of Wall Street experience into actionable insights. Discover how to navigate market cycles, avoid major losses, and invest with the confidence of a seasoned pro. Download your free copy right now. Go to Hedgeye.com/book. That’s Hedgeye.com/book. Get an investing edge on the enormous amount of money flowing into options every day, what they’re signaling, and the structural and behavioral trends driving markets higher or lower. The Market Situation Report™ includes access to a daily newsletter and weekly webcast featuring analysis of the Tier 1 Alpha team's proprietary models. CLICK HERE to check out our product page. Turn off that tired “Old Wall” TV and tune into The Macro Show, Hedgeye’s live daily broadcast featuring key market and economic insights, investing implications and interactive viewer Q&A. See for yourself why more and more investors in the U.S. and abroad have made this “must-see” market TV. We are live online every weekday morning at 9:00am ET. CLICK HERE to check out our product page.

***This webcast originally aired live on Hedgeye.com on January 22nd, 2026***Our friend Mike Taylor has an uncanny knack for identifying winning opportunities and getting things right well ahead of the crowd. He’s built a reputation for being early, decisive, and right when it matters.A familiar face and fan favorite on HedgeyeTV, the hedge fund veteran sits down with Founder and CEO Keith McCullough for a no-holds-barred, 1-on-1 discussion on what’s next for markets.Expect a candid, unscripted conversation focused on:Major market inflection points aheadKey risks and opportunities investors are missingHow to position portfolios ahead of the next big movesVisit Hedgeye.com for more great investing content.Subscribe to other Hedgeye Products Here:The Call @ HedgeyeThe Macro ShowSignal Strength StocksHedgeye Founder & CEO Keith McCullough's long-awaited new book, “Master The Market” is available now! In this 52-page e-book, Keith McCullough distills decades of Wall Street experience into actionable insights. Discover how to navigate market cycles, avoid major losses, and invest with the confidence of a seasoned pro. Download your free copy right now. Go to Hedgeye.com/book. That’s Hedgeye.com/book. Get an investing edge on the enormous amount of money flowing into options every day, what they’re signaling, and the structural and behavioral trends driving markets higher or lower. The Market Situation Report™ includes access to a daily newsletter and weekly webcast featuring analysis of the Tier 1 Alpha team's proprietary models. CLICK HERE to check out our product page. Turn off that tired “Old Wall” TV and tune into The Macro Show, Hedgeye’s live daily broadcast featuring key market and economic insights, investing implications and interactive viewer Q&A. See for yourself why more and more investors in the U.S. and abroad have made this “must-see” market TV. We are live online every weekday morning at 9:00am ET. CLICK HERE to check out our product page.

***This webcast originally aired live on Hedgeye.com on January 13th, 2026***Hedgeye CEO Keith McCullough is joined by economist, tech entrepreneur, and author Dr. Pippa Malmgren for a must-watch edition of Real Conversations.Pippa believes we are no longer approaching a singular technological turning point. We are already living through a multiplicity of breakthroughs, with massive evolutionary leaps happening simultaneously across technology, money, and society itself. While innovation accelerates at unprecedented speed, public debate remains stuck in outdated left-versus-right frameworks that no longer explain the world. The only meaningful direction, Pippa suggests, is forward or backward.In this wide-ranging discussion, Keith and Pippa will explore how fast, deep, and transformative today’s innovations truly are, including the evolution of money, shifting power structures, and what these changes mean for economies and markets. This conversation is designed to challenge conventional thinking and reframe how investors understand the future.Visit Hedgeye.com for more great investing content.Subscribe to other Hedgeye Products Here:The Call @ HedgeyeThe Macro ShowSignal Strength StocksHedgeye Founder & CEO Keith McCullough's long-awaited new book, “Master The Market” is available now! In this 52-page e-book, Keith McCullough distills decades of Wall Street experience into actionable insights. Discover how to navigate market cycles, avoid major losses, and invest with the confidence of a seasoned pro. Download your free copy right now. Go to Hedgeye.com/book. That’s Hedgeye.com/book. Get an investing edge on the enormous amount of money flowing into options every day, what they’re signaling, and the structural and behavioral trends driving markets higher or lower. The Market Situation Report™ includes access to a daily newsletter and weekly webcast featuring analysis of the Tier 1 Alpha team's proprietary models. CLICK HERE to check out our product page.

Hedgeye Macro analyst Ryan Ricci breaks down finance to its simplest form to help you build wealth over the long term. In this episode, Ryan and Macro analyst Matt Cooper discuss the mountain of expenses facing Gen Z that is impeding their financial growth.Hedgeye Founder & CEO Keith McCullough's long-awaited new book, “Master The Market” is available now! In this 52-page e-book, Keith McCullough distills decades of Wall Street experience into actionable insights. Discover how to navigate market cycles, avoid major losses, and invest with the confidence of a seasoned pro. Download your free copy right now. Go to Hedgeye.com/book. That’s Hedgeye.com/book. Get an investing edge on the enormous amount of money flowing into options every day, what they’re signaling, and the structural and behavioral trends driving markets higher or lower. The Market Situation Report™ includes access to a daily newsletter and weekly webcast featuring analysis of the Tier 1 Alpha team's proprietary models. CLICK HERE to check out our product page.

In this episode, RPK, Sam, David & John discuss the latest all-time market highs, take a deep dive on investing in Japan, break down the long-term trajectory of profit margins on data centers, and more.Protect the Pile is a no-nonsense investment show where we cut through the market noise with a panel of seasoned practitioners who've been playing the game every single day for years—not theorists, but real money managers with skin in the game. Every episode, we bring together battle-tested investors to dissect the current landscape, debate the opportunities and risks, and help you navigate the markets with the Hedgeye framework. It's not Old Wall media, it is real-world experience, focused on one goal: protecting and growing your pile.Hedgeye Founder & CEO Keith McCullough's long-awaited new book, “Master The Market” is available now! In this 52-page e-book, Keith McCullough distills decades of Wall Street experience into actionable insights. Discover how to navigate market cycles, avoid major losses, and invest with the confidence of a seasoned pro. Download your free copy right now. Go to Hedgeye.com/book. That’s Hedgeye.com/book. Get an investing edge on the enormous amount of money flowing into options every day, what they’re signaling, and the structural and behavioral trends driving markets higher or lower. The Market Situation Report™ includes access to a daily newsletter and weekly webcast featuring analysis of the Tier 1 Alpha team's proprietary models. CLICK HERE to check out our product page. Turn off that tired “Old Wall” TV and tune into The Macro Show, Hedgeye’s live daily broadcast featuring key market and economic insights, investing implications and interactive viewer Q&A. See for yourself why more and more investors in the U.S. and abroad have made this “must-see” market TV. We are live online every weekday morning at 9:00am ET. CLICK HERE to check out our product page.

***This webcast originally aired live on Hedgeye.com on December 17, 2025***Join Hedgeye Founder and CEO Keith McCullough for a new Real Conversation with Ross Burnaman, Director at Eldridge Capital Management, this Wednesday, December 17 at 11:00am ET on HedgeyeTV.The conversation will focus on how credit markets work today and where risks and opportunities are emerging. Keith and Ross will examine the impact of interest rates, macro conditions, and industry trends on credit performance, including Collateralized Loan Obligations (CLOs), Senior Secured Loans, and Business Development Companies (BDCs).The discussion will break down credit risk in clear terms, covering defaults, recent stress cases, and what they signal for the broader credit cycle. The webcast will also explain CLOs in plain English, including how they are structured, why they have historically held up, and how investors should think about CLO bonds and ETFs versus traditional bond funds.Visit Hedgeye.com for more great investing content.Subscribe to other Hedgeye Products Here:The Call @ HedgeyeThe Macro ShowSignal Strength StocksHedgeye Founder & CEO Keith McCullough's long-awaited new book, “Master The Market” is available now! In this 52-page e-book, Keith McCullough distills decades of Wall Street experience into actionable insights. Discover how to navigate market cycles, avoid major losses, and invest with the confidence of a seasoned pro. Download your free copy right now. Go to Hedgeye.com/book. That’s Hedgeye.com/book. Get an investing edge on the enormous amount of money flowing into options every day, what they’re signaling, and the structural and behavioral trends driving markets higher or lower. The Market Situation Report™ includes access to a daily newsletter and weekly webcast featuring analysis of the Tier 1 Alpha team's proprietary models. CLICK HERE to check out our product page. Turn off that tired “Old Wall” TV and tune into The Macro Show, Hedgeye’s live daily broadcast featuring key market and economic insights, investing implications and interactive viewer Q&A. See for yourself why more and more investors in the U.S. and abroad have made this “must-see” market TV. We are live online every weekday morning at 9:00am ET. CLICK HERE to check out our product page.

Hedgeye Macro analyst Ryan Ricci breaks down finance to its simplest form to help you build wealth over the long term. In this episode, Ryan sits down with Hedgeye Asset Management Portfolio Manager R. Patrick Kent (aka RPK) to discuss the ins and outs of what it means to be a portfolio manager.Hedgeye Founder & CEO Keith McCullough's long-awaited new book, “Master The Market” is available now! In this 52-page e-book, Keith McCullough distills decades of Wall Street experience into actionable insights. Discover how to navigate market cycles, avoid major losses, and invest with the confidence of a seasoned pro. Download your free copy right now. Go to Hedgeye.com/book. That’s Hedgeye.com/book. Get an investing edge on the enormous amount of money flowing into options every day, what they’re signaling, and the structural and behavioral trends driving markets higher or lower. The Market Situation Report™ includes access to a daily newsletter and weekly webcast featuring analysis of the Tier 1 Alpha team's proprietary models. CLICK HERE to check out our product page. Turn off that tired “Old Wall” TV and tune into The Macro Show, Hedgeye’s live daily broadcast featuring key market and economic insights, investing implications and interactive viewer Q&A. See for yourself why more and more investors in the U.S. and abroad have made this “must-see” market TV. We are live online every weekday morning at 9:00am ET. CLICK HERE to check out our product page.