The Grant Williams Podcast Ep. 77 - Brent Johnson

My guest on this edition of The Grant Williams Podcast is Travis Kling of Ikigai Asset Management, who joins me to explore a concept gaining increasing traction in today’s market environment – financial nihilism. Along the way, we also discuss the delicate balance between keeping interest rates low and inflating our way out of debt, the challenges faced by central banks in managing monetary policy to support economic growth while preventing excessive inflation and the potential impact of technological innovation on inflation as well as the possibility of a great wealth transfer from older generations to younger ones. Of course, we couldn’t end without a discussion around the role of cryptocurrencies in this changing economic landscape, so there’s that as well… Every episode of the Grant Williams podcast, including This Week In Doom, The End Game, The Super Terrific Happy Hour, The Narrative Game, Kaos Theory and Shifts Happen, is available to Copper, Silver and Gold Tier subscribers at my website www.Grant-Williams.com.  Copper Tier subscribers get access to all podcasts, while members of the Silver Tier get both the podcasts and my monthly newsletter, Things That Make You Go Hmmm… Gold Tier subscribers have access to my new series of in-depth video conversations, About Time.  

Joining me on this episode of The Grant Williams Podcast is my great friend Brent Johnson of Santiago Capital, for a discussion about global markets and, of course, The Milkshake Theory. Brent explains how he uses the Theory as a framework to help him understand how a sovereign debt and currency crisis might play out and how, though he’s been uncertain about markets recently, this framework has helped him navigate the volatility. Brent emphasizes the importance of remaining objective and questioning one’s own beliefs, as well as the need to be prepared for drawdowns in asset prices as we discusses the extraordinary bull market in certainty and the importance of diversification. There’s also time for a look at the current political situation in the US and its potential impact on the markets with Brent arguing that, while the US may be facing political and economic turmoil, the rest of the world still relies heavily on the US dollar, and a divided US would be a disaster for the global economy. Something for everyone in here… Every episode of the Grant Williams podcast, including This Week In Doom, The End Game, The Super Terrific Happy Hour, The Narrative Game, Kaos Theory and Shifts Happen, is available to Copper, Silver and Gold Tier subscribers at my website www.Grant-Williams.com.  Copper Tier subscribers get access to all podcasts, while members of the Silver Tier get both the podcasts and my monthly newsletter, Things That Make You Go Hmmm… Gold Tier subscribers have access to my new series of in-depth video conversations, About Time.

Returning to the podcast this time out is Michael Howell of CrossBorder Capital, and what a return it is as we discuss the continuing (some would say escalating) importance of liquidity in global markets. Michael explains how central banks have been the main source of liquidity since the 2008 financial crisis, with their primary goal being to preserve the integrity of sovereign debt markets and ensure a smooth refinancing environment for some $350 trillion of debt. He also highlights the British gilt crisis in September 2022 as a wake-up call for policymakers, signaling that markets are no longer robust and are, in fact, remarkably fragile. We also discuss how the path of least resistance for central banks is to continue kicking the can down the road and monetize the deficit, leading to higher structural inflation rates. Every episode of the Grant Williams podcast, including This Week In Doom, The End Game, The Super Terrific Happy Hour, The Narrative Game, Kaos Theory and Shifts Happen, is available to Copper, Silver and Gold Tier subscribers at my website www.Grant-Williams.com.  Copper Tier subscribers get access to all podcasts, while members of the Silver Tier get both the podcasts and my monthly newsletter, Things That Make You Go Hmmm… Gold Tier subscribers have access to my new series of in-depth video conversations, About Time.

Remi Tetot, the man behind The Mad King, joins me for a discussion around three of his most recent pieces of research. We discuss Remi’s observations around the Bitcoin ETFs and his views on the current up-cycle in crypto before switching to the growth potential of India, during which we discover a fascinating opportunity as India’s GDP expands with inevitable consequences for its defence sector. Finally, we switch our attention to the Magnificent 7… sorry, Magnificent 6, as Remi picks apart the fascination with NVIDIA, AI and data centres, drawing parallels to the broadband ‘revolution’ of the late-1990s. Every episode of the Grant Williams podcast, including This Week In Doom, The End Game, The Super Terrific Happy Hour, The Narrative Game, Kaos Theory and Shifts Happen, is available to Copper, Silver and Gold Tier subscribers at my website www.Grant-Williams.com.  Copper Tier subscribers get access to all podcasts, while members of the Silver Tier get both the podcasts and my monthly newsletter, Things That Make You Go Hmmm… Gold Tier subscribers have access to my new series of in-depth video conversations, About Time.

Join Doomberg and I as we discuss several topics sure to stir even the most languid of blood including the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the changing nature of warfare with the rise of drone technology, and the concept of peak cheap oil. Doomberg’s argument that peak cheap oil is a fallacy and that human ingenuity will always find ways to extract and produce more hydrocarbons has garnered plenty of attention (and pushback) in recent weeks so here’s another chance to understand why and to hear about the backlash they received for their views on the matter. Finally, just when you think we’ve run out of controversial subjects, the conversation turns to an upcoming piece on the assault on climate denialism and the labeling of certain views as hate speech…   Every episode of the Grant Williams podcast, including This Week In Doom, The End Game, The Super Terrific Happy Hour, The Narrative Game, Kaos Theory and Shifts Happen, is available to Copper, Silver and Gold Tier subscribers at my website www.Grant-Williams.com.  Copper Tier subscribers get access to all podcasts, while members of the Silver Tier get both the podcasts and my monthly newsletter, Things That Make You Go Hmmm… Gold Tier subscribers have access to my new series of in-depth video conversations, About Time.

A long-overdue episode seven of Shifts Happen sees Luke Gromen return to discuss the pace at which three things are happening: the acceleration of the US fiscal crisis and debt spiral, the Fed’s policy mistake of not letting inflation run hot enough, and the de-dollarization of global oil markets. Luke explains that China needs to de-dollarize its oil imports and commodity imports to avoid a currency crisis, which is driving the de-dollarization of global oil markets and also highlights the importance of gold in this process, as China needs gold to work in order to improve its standards of living and avoid a crisis. Luke believes gold will continue to rise in price, and that the pace of events is accelerating towards a US fiscal crisis. He explains the US is facing a fiscal crisis due to its high debt and deficits, and the lack of price-sensitive buyers for its treasuries and that the Fed’s choice is not inflation or deflation, but rather how it wants to lose the long end of the yield curve Plenty of food for thought here with Luke on fine form. Every episode of the Grant Williams podcast, including This Week In Doom, The End Game, The Super Terrific Happy Hour, The Narrative Game, Kaos Theory and Shifts Happen, is available to Copper, Silver and Gold Tier subscribers at my website www.Grant-Williams.com. Copper Tier subscribers get access to all podcasts, while members of the Silver Tier get both the podcasts and my monthly newsletter, Things That Make You Go Hmmm… Gold Tier subscribers have access to my new series of in-depth video conversations, About Time.

As we ease our way into 2024, I’m delighted to welcome back my great mate, Julian Brigden to the podcast. Julian is the co-founder of independent research firm MI2 Partners and, as he’s demonsrated in previous conversations, a hugely insightful and incredibly entertaining guest! This time out, he and I discuss, amongst other things, the Goldilocks narrative, the potential risks in the current market environment, the performance of Tesla stock, the Chinese stock market, and the outlook for gold. Julian expresses his skepticism around threading the Goldilocks needle and highlights the historical challenges of achieving a soft landing in the US economy. He also shares his concerns about the future of Tesla and the Chinese stock market and offers some thoughts on gold, which he believes is in a structural bull market, but… Here we go… Every episode of the Grant Williams podcast, including This Week In Doom, The End Game, The Super Terrific Happy Hour, The Narrative Game, Kaos Theory and Shifts Happen, is available to Copper, Silver and Gold Tier subscribers at my website www.Grant-Williams.com.  Copper Tier subscribers get access to all podcasts, while members of the Silver Tier get both the podcasts and my monthly newsletter, Things That Make You Go Hmmm… Gold Tier subscribers have access to my new series of in-depth video conversations, About Time.

Returning to The End Game as we begin the year with a bang are the brains behind Simplify, The Two Mikes, Green & Taylor who take turns picking apart just about ever facet of the financial and political spectrum. From the growth of passive investing and its potential impact on the market to the importance of understanding the holdings and flows of passive funds, The Two Mikes hold court in typically forthright fashion. Also under the microscope are the behavior of stocks like Tesla and Apple, and how fundamental valuations will eventually come into play. The conversation then shifts to the influence of politics on the market, with a focus on the actions of the Treasury and the potential impact of the upcoming election. Finally, we discuss the role of the Federal Reserve and its recent policies, somehow managing to trigger just about every group along the way. Every episode of the Grant Williams podcast, including This Week In Doom, The End Game, The Super Terrific Happy Hour, The Narrative Game, Kaos Theory and Shifts Happen, is available to Copper, Silver and Gold Tier subscribers at my website www.Grant-Williams.com.  Copper Tier subscribers get access to all podcasts, while members of the Silver Tier get both the podcasts and my monthly newsletter, Things That Make You Go Hmmm… Gold Tier subscribers have access to my new series of in-depth video conversations, About Time.

My guest in this edition of The Grant Williams Podcast is a man who finds both himself and his field of expertise at the very heart of recent events in Ukraine, geopolitical strategist and author, Peter Zeihan. Peter’s books, The Absent Superpower, The Accidental Superpower and Disunited Nations have been incredibly helpful to me in understanding the strengths and weaknesses of not just the global geopolitical landscape as a whole, but also the individual countries involved in the escalating tensions. His upcoming book The End Of The World Is Just The Beginning is set to be an absolutely invaluable addition to his excellent work. In what is an intensely though-provoking and painfully realistic assessment of the war in Ukraine, Peter pulls no punches in laying out where we currently stand, why we are where we are, and the many painful roads the world may well travel from here in the weeks and months to come. This conversation isn’t for the faint of heart, but Peter’s understanding of the range of outcomes available to us is incredibly valuable at what is shaping up to be a pivotal time for mankind in so many ways. Every episode of the Grant Williams podcast, including The End Game, Super Terrific Happy Hour, The Narrative Game and the brand new series This Week In Doom, featuring my co-host, Doomberg, is available to Copper and Silver Tier subscribers at my website www.grant-williams.com. Copper Tier subscribers get access to all podcasts, while members of the Silver Tier get both the podcasts and my monthly newsletter, Things That Make You Go Hmmm… So if you enjoy what you hear on this show and want more high-quality content like it, make your way over to www.grant-williams.com and join our exciting community today! And with that, please enjoy the show!!    

Joining me for the final episode of The Grant Williams Podcast in 2023 is returning guest, Michael Oliver, the brains behind Momentum Structural Analysis (MSA) – one of the most original and, in my experience, accurate forecasters of asset prices right across the spectrum. In a hugely enjoyable conversation, we discuss the current state of the markets and what to expect in 2024. Michael explains his unique approach to technical analysis, which focuses on momentum rather than price, and emphasizes the importance of looking at long-term trend structures and how they can provide a different perspective on market patterns. Also under the microscope are the potential impact of the upcoming US elections and the increasing division in the country. Michael explains why he believes that there is no outcome of the election that will be peaceful and that this could have significant implications for the markets. Lastly, he also highlights the potential for a rally in gold and commodity-related stocks. Whichever way you cut it, Michael’s analysis suggests that investors should be cautious in the face of potential market volatility in the coming year. Every episode of the Grant Williams podcast, including This Week In Doom, The End Game, The Super Terrific Happy Hour, The Narrative Game, Kaos Theory and Shifts Happen, is available to Copper, Silver and Gold Tier subscribers at my website www.Grant-Williams.com.  Copper Tier subscribers get access to all podcasts, while members of the Silver Tier get both the podcasts and my monthly newsletter, Things That Make You Go Hmmm… Gold Tier subscribers have access to my new series of in-depth video conversations, About Time.