Money Life with Chuck Jaffe

Michael Kelly, global head of multi-asset at PineBridge Investments, says that the global economic recovery has changed its shape -- going from the V-recovery that many people hoped for -- to something more gradual but longer-lasting, largely following the path of vaccination around the world. Kelly also discusses how he is responding to the challenges of a low-yield/rising-inflation fixed-income market. Also on the show, David Trainer of New Constructs identifies five companies that he expects to have big misses in the upcoming earnings season, Doug Milnes, head of data analysis at MoneyGeek.com, discusses some of the dichotomies between consumer optimism and behavior, and top-down investor/trader Leon Wilfan talks stocks in the Market Call.

Everett Millman, precious metals specialist at Gainesville Coins, says that while investors traditionally turn to gold to act as a hedge against inflation, precious metals haven't been as good of a hedge as stocks and other assets. Millman says the market seems to be buying the narrative that inflation is transitory, noting that money has been flowing out of precious metals at a time when most people would expect demand to be high; it has also limited gold's effectiveness in these inflationary, rising-rate times. In The NAVigator segment, Eric Chadwick, president at Flaherty & Crumrine, says that preferred securities are the 'sweet spot' in this market, offering relatively attractive yields without adding significant risk to a portfolio. Also on the show, Catherine Golladay discusses how workers are more stressed about their finances now, but also more optimistic that they are moving in the right directions, and the Market Call is a rebroadcast of a recent chat with Nancy Tengler, chief investment strategist at Laffer Tengler Wealth Management.

Historian Kyle Harper, author of 'Plagues Upon the Earth; Disease and the Course of Human History,' says in the Book Interview today that the coronavirus is just the latest worldwide disease phenomenon and that those past events have spurred positives like developments and negatives like inequality. He discusses the outcomes from history and how current events will impact society and the markets for years. Also on the show, Tom Lydon of ETFTrends.com makes a brand new fund with an eye on frontier markets his ETF of the Week, Bruce Monrad of Northeast Investors Trust talks the bond market and the hunt for yield in a rising rate/inflation market, and Chuck answers a listener's question about dividend investing.

Joseph Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM, says that the economy has turned the corner from recovery to expansion, and says that concerns over slowing growth miss the point that growth rates will continue to be well above historic rates. Brusuelas says that the Delta variant and its ability to disrupt global supply chains remains the biggest worry for the global economy moving forward, but he notes that he expects talk of inflation and supply chain issues to subside by early 2022; meanwhile, he expects the economy to be growing at a 5 percent clip in the second half of the year, more than double historic norms, meaning that any slowdown is mostly about changing the shape and duration of the rebound, not ending it. Also on the show, Ryan Kelley, chief investment officer at the Hennessy Funds, talks about investing in the utilities and energy sector at a time when prices have been popping as demand rebounds, and Chuck talks about determining who you can trust for your financial advice.

Chris Vermeulen, chief market strategist for The Technical Traders, says the market's frothy September has pushed it to where he's headed for cash, at least for the short term, avoiding what he thinks will be a short downturn leading into a sideways market and ultimately a buying opportunity, as he expects the market to rebound into a strong bull run that could last six to eight months. At that point, however, Vermeulen says the market's years-long rally could be running out of steam and on its last legs. Also on the show, David Meyer, president of the Public Investors Advocate Bar Association talks about why consumers are never paid in 30 percent of the arbitration victories against rogue brokers, Washington Post columnist Allan Sloan discusses the debt-ceiling debate's negative impact on the bond market and borrowing -- even if it ultimately gets passed -- and Chuck answers listener questions about gold and bitcoin, and selling stocks.

Syed Ejaz, financial policy analyst for Consumer Reports, joins Chuck to talk about the magazine's report released last week which showed that popular apps providing access to credit scores may not offer all of the benefits users expect and come burdened with hidden costs. Ejaz says that, aside from some measure of convenience, consumers would mostly be better off keeping tabs on their credit reports and credit scores on their own. Also on the show, author Dorie Clark, talks about 'The Long Game: How to Be a Long-Term Thinker in a Short-Term World,' David Trainer of New Constructs says a very hot stock is headed for trouble and belongs in the Danger Zone, and Justin Carbonneau, vice president and partner at Validea.com and Validea Capital Management, talks stocks in the Money Life Market Call.

Julius de Kempenaer, senior technical analyst at StockCharts, says that the long-term trend for the stock market and for nearly every sector still looks strong, but he says the relationship between stocks and bonds needs fixing, which is why he expects a technical correction to give the market some time to breathe and digest the action of the last two years. De Kempenaer expects limited upside potential for a while, but says the downside could be a long slow sideways move or a steeper-but-shorter downturn. Also on the show, Bryce Doty of Sit Investment Associates says that a diversified portfolio of closed-end funds can make it possible to safely stretch for more yield, financial planner and blogger Jessica Weaver discusses how wasted time may actually be the biggest money loser for most people, and Gerry Frigon of Taylor Frigon Capital Management talks growth stocks in the Market Call.

Michael Falk of Focus Consulting Group -- who joins Chuck at the end of every quarter to discuss the market, investing and his personal battle with Lou Gehrig's Disease -- says that investors need to recognize that the greatest obstacle to their long-term financial success isn't the market and the economy, but the man in the mirror. 'Behavior,' he says in a wide-ranging interview, ' is more important than your investments,' noting that you will 'cause the greatest amount of error in any decision-making process you can use or design.' Also on the show, Tom Lydon of ETFTrends.com makes a brand new, tech-oriented fund from Goldman Sachs his ETF of the Week, and Bryan Lee of Blue Zone Wealth Advisors talks about finding stocks with recurring, repetitive business models -- particularly on small-ticket items -- in the Market Call.

Fritz Folts, chief investment strategist at 3EDGE Asset Management, says supply chain issues, Covid variants and other factors aren't going away, which will leave inflation higher heading into 2022, making it harder for the Federal Reserve to balance interest rates and inflation with changing global growth. Folts says that investors need to respond to the potential trouble by being better diversified outside of the United States, trying to generate more return without taking on too much risk. Also on the show, Brian Dress, director of research for Left Brain Investment Research, discusses preferred securities as a high-yield alternative in today's low-rate market, Zack Gipson, managing director of digital investor solutions for Charles Schwab talks about a survey released Tuesday that shows how investors are more reliant on technology than ever but still need human touch on the most important planning decisions, and author Christopher Mims discusses his new book, 'Arriving Today: From Factory to Front Door -- Why Everything Has Changed About How and What We Buy.'

Erik Weisman, chief economist and portfolio manager at MFS Investments, says that if inflation were to run at 3 percent or more for all of next year, it would be a significant challenge for both stock and bond markets 'and there may not be that many safe places to hide,' but while he sees that potential danger, he believes that the beginning of 2022 is likely to be where inflation peaks near 5 percent and then settles down to levels that allow for continued growth. It will be slower growth for both the economy and the market, Weisman warns, but still positive. Also on the show, Eric Noe of Business.com discusses a survey about how roughly seven out of eight investors would like cryptocurrency made available in their retirement-savings plan, a discussion that may seem particularly ironic after Chuck opens the show with the tale of @MrGoxx, the cryptocurrency-trading hamster (no, he's not kidding); Chuck also takes a listener's question about automatic reinvestment plans for ETFs, and Chris Natividad, chief investment officer at Equbot talks about using artificial intelligence as a means of selecting stocks in the Market Call.

Bryce Doty, senior portfolio manager for Sit Investment Associates, says that current causes for investor concern -- the debt ceiling, inflation and more -- are creating volatility and buying opportunities in a market that's on solid long-term footing as it continues to reopen and recover from the coronavirus pandemic. Also on the show, Kyle Guske from research firm New Constructs explains in the Danger Zone why the Allbirds IPO won't fly right from the start, University of Arkansas professor Mervin Jebaraj discusses the latest outlook survey from the National Association for Business Economics and, in the Market Call, Nancy Tengler, chief investment strategist at Laffer Tengler Wealth Management talks about finding growth stocks at reasonable prices given current market conditions.

Matt Fox, president of Ithaca Wealth Management, says that the market appears to have shaken off current events in China that were creating downward pressure, and it could soon be back to flirting with record highs and resuming its long climb. Fox noted that his big worry is less about anything he sees in the charts and more about the potential for the economy to have surprisingly slow growth. Also on the show, Erik Herzfeld of Thomas J. Herzfeld Advisors says that investors are sacrificing returns for liquidity when they choose traditional mutual funds and ETFs instead of closed-end funds, financial adviser Vidal Peoples of Strategies for Wealth discusses taking a fiscal physical now, and Sneha Jose, director of behavioral finance for Stifel discusses investor biases and how individuals and their hard-wired thinking frequently short-circuit the best-laid investment plans.

Ron Sanchez, chief investment officer at Fiduciary Trust Company International, says that markets are facing some resistance in September after seven consecutive months of gains, and he expects that increased choppiness to continue into October, but his long-term outlook remains highly constructive, noting that economic growth from the recovery is being pushed out into 2022 and '23. Sanchez believes that we're still 'in the first half of this economic cycle over the next two or three years where economic growth could be north of 3 percent and closer to 4;' that would represent economic growth that is more than double pre-pandemic levels. Also on the show, Tom Lydon of ETFTrends.com makes a small, new thematic fund his ETF of the Week, saying he has big expectations and hopes for the fund, and Chuck answers a listener's question about whether and how to factor small investment positions and ideas into a portfolio. And in the Market Call, Mike Larson, senior analyst at Weiss Ratings, talks about 'safe-money' stocks in today's complicated environment.

Paul Christopher, head of global market strategy at the Wells Fargo Investment Institute, says that the economic recovery pace in the United States is ahead of most foreign countries and is likely to stay that way for a year or more, but his long-term thinking suggests that changing globalization will use more robotics and artificial intelligence and more to localize production and make it that different countries move through cycles on their own pace, rather than as part of a large group. Also on the show, Francisco Bido of F/m Acceleration discusses in the Market Call how using a quantitative approach mixed with some fundamentals can find stocks poised for solid future growth, Francesca Ortegren from Clever Real Estate covers their latest survey showing an alarmingly large percentage of Americans have taken on or added to their credit card debt since the start of the pandemic, and Chuck answers a listener's question about some famous funds whose best days may be in the past.

Steve Rick, chief economist at CUNA Mutual Group, says that Coivd-19 and its variants remain the biggest issue facing the global economy right now because it has slowed the U.S. economy more than expected and it continues to drive expectations lower, at a time when rising inflation is a concern that could put a further damper on growth. Despite the uncertainty, Rick remains largely positive on the economy, provided that inflation spikes remain, as he expects, relatively short-lived. Also on the show, Gal Wettstein from the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College discusses how long most people have the ability to continue working, Chuck takes a listener's question about why guests sometimes celebrate bad investment ideas, and Jack Murphy, chief investment officer at Easterly Investment Partners looks for contrarian value investments in the Market Call.

David Trainer, president of New Constructs, says that new research from the firm shows that three-quarters of the Standard and Poor's 500 stocks have misstated earnings, and that 215 of those companies have overstated their profits by more than 10 percent. He cites Fortive Corp., which shows reported earnings of $4.62 per share, but with core earnings of 99 cents per share; as a result, Trainer says the $74 stock has an economic book value of roughly $21 per share, making a fair value somewhere between those extremes. Also on the show, Jacob Channel of LendingTree on how many renters believe the housing market has priced them out, permanently, Lawrence Shapiro talks about his book 'When Bad Thinking Happens to Good People' and, in the Market Call, Kathy Boyle of Chapin Hill Advisors discusses ETF investing.

Niladri Mukherjee, head of portfolio strategy at Merrill Lynch Bank of America Private Bank, thinks that equities will grind higher from current levels, but that progress will be based on a 'different playbook' driven by rising corporate earnings and narrower moves that force investors to dig into the numbers -- to 'get micro' looking at valuation opportunities -- rather than relying on the rising tide of indexes to carry them forward. Also on the show, Steve Seedhouse, managing director of biotechnology equity research for Raymond James discusses the long-term impacts of Covid on biotech stocks, noting that the virus has become endemic -- it will be with us indefinitely, requiring treatments in the future to cover any and all variants -- and that status changes the prospects for businesses responding to it. He also covers the emerging biotech processes that he believes have significant potential. Also on the show, James Thom, manager of the closed-end India Fund, discusses the country's remarkable growth rate during recovery and the opportunities it presents, and Danny Sullivan, director for risk for Verus Investments, talks about how investors need to consider inflation in terms of the danger it holds to their portfolio rather than as simply a threat to the market.

Rob Isbitts, chief investment strategist at Sungarden Investment Publishing, says that with the yield on the Standard and Poor's 500 is as low as it has been in years, investors trying to find good buys on dividend stocks are looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack. Isbitts, who has developed a new investment factor he calls YARP -- for 'yield at a reasonable price' -- says that yield-oriented investors are taking on too much risk for the distributions they're getting right now, a situation that's unlikely to change until the market goes through some sort of correction. Also on the show, Paul Dilda of BMO Harris Bank discusses BMO's Real Financial Progress Index and 'the knowing-doing gap,' where consumers know what they should so but aren't actually getting it done, Tom Lydon of ETFTrends.com looks to China for his ETF of the Week, and Benjamin Bailey of the Praxis Mutual Funds talks about fixed-income investing and the economy in The Big Interview.

Noland Langford, chief executive at Left Brain Investment Research, says that investors must adjust and deal with the current impact of inflation and continuing low rates, noting that '5 is the new 8,' and that investors may struggle to find good ways to generate a 5 percent yield. To meet that standard, Langord says he has gotten both more aggressive and more selective in using high-yield corporate bonds and preferred securities, and talks about a few examples that meet his investment criteria now. Also on the show, best-selling author Ben Mezrich discusses his latest book, 'The Antisocial Network: The GameStop Short Squeeze and the Ragtag Group of Amateur Traders That Brought Wall Street to Its Knees,' and says that the meme-stock fad started by that famous episode is not going away, and Scott Bennett, founder of Invest With Rules, puts his rules-based philosophy to the test in the Market Call.

Jan van Eck, chief executive officer at VanEck, says that government policy 'determines the weather' for markets and policy has been 'insanely supportive' of markets and while that is changing slowly he would suggest that investors have no reason to feel nervous while the Federal Reserve continues to support the market. van Eck talks about three multi-year investable trends, starting with the continued low interest rates and how they encourage people to keep borrowing now, but extending to the transition to renewable energy and then how blockchain technologies will change financial services. Also on the show, Simon Zhen discusses a recent MyBankTracker.com survey on who Americans learned their financial lessons from, Rosetta Bryson of Simple Trader Pro talks about how the market's technicals show fairly smooth sailing ahead, and Josh Duitz of the Aberdeen Standard Global Infrastructure Income fund talks infrastructure stocks in the Market Call.

It's a wide-ranging show today with author Alec Ross, discussing 'The Raging 2020s: Companies, Countries, People - and the Fight for Our Future,' and whether the times ahead look more like a Star Trek universe or the landscape of Mad Max. In the Danger Zone, David Trainer of New Constructs sees through the popularity of the Warby Parker IPO to discuss how the stock may be worth no more than 20 percent of its anticipated opening price, and in the Market Call, Jonathan Browne of Robinson Capital talks closed-end funds. Also, Chuck answers a question about a legislative proposal that would combat tax cheats, but which might also feel like an invasion of privacy.

Michael Kahn, senior market analyst at Lowry Research Corp., says that technical analysis shows that the market at record highs is hiding the fact that parts of the market are not working, and that a number of indexes and indicators -- with the notable exception of the Standard and Poor's 500 -- are flat or struggling. 'I don't see that the rising tide is raising all boats,' Kahn says. 'I don't think the tide is rising.' In the Big Interview, Richard Smith of The RISK Rituals newsletter -- chief executive at the Foundation for the Study of Cycles -- talks about current market movements and how investors can better deal with risk. Michael Ordonez of Thornburg Investment Management, says in The NAVigator that the difficult environment for income-oriented investors, coupled with regulatory changes allowing for a more consumer-friendly structure led to the firm creating its first-ever closed-end fund, and that he expects more funds to take up the new structure. And in the Market Call, Andrey Kutuzov, portfolio manager for Seven Canyons Advisors, discusses small-cap growth investing around the globe.

Michael Mullaney, director of global markets research at Boston Partners says that we're seeing 'the best financial conditions that we've seen in decades right now, and earnings are off the charts,' and while he sees some potential for change due to inflation and interest rate pressures, he says that investors should be listening to the stock market and taking advantage of the good conditions while they last. Also on the show, Tom Lydon of ETFTrends.com issues a warning for investors in target-date funds and ETFs about the potential for their picks to be less effective in the future than they have been over the last decade or more, Ed Carson of Investors Business Daily discusses a sudden shift towards pessimism among American investors, and best-selling author John U. Bacon discusses his latest book and the lessons to be learned from his time leading 'America's Worst High School Hockey Team.'

Joe Kalish, chief macro strategist at Ned Davis Research, says that the global markets are positioned well for the future provided that they can avoid significant trauma caused by inflation, and he is worried that the pressures causing current inflation may be more persistent than policymakers expect. If pricing pressures linger and are not transitory -- and Kalish uses shelter costs as a possible example -- they may not show up in inflation measures for more than a year, but they will impact the market long-term. Also on the show, Ted Rossman discusses the latest Bankrate.com survey on how people are feeling and responding to the pinch of higher prices, we revisit a recent chat with Victoria Fernandez, chief market strategist at Crossmark Global Investments, and Chuck answers a question about investing in U.S. savings bonds for children and grandchildren.

Scott Helfstein, executive director of thematic investing at ProShares, says that the economic re-opening from the pandemic is not some sort of rewind, and that to move forward investors should give up on what he described as five fallacies, including the long-held debate about the growth versus value styles of investing. Helfstein also says that investors should recognize that investors should not expect government influence to cool off when the pandemic ends, says that the global supply chain will be a protracted problem and more. Also on the show, Matt Zajechowski discusses a study done for Harmony Healthcare on the reasons for the country's declining birth rate and why many of the issues are financial, and in an extended Market Call interview, Dan Wiener of Adviser Investments and The Independent Adviser for Vanguard Investors delves deeply into the world of Vanguard funds and ETFs.

Jeanette Garretty, chief economist at Robertson Stephens Wealth Management, says that the economy has entered an economic expansion phase, and notes that these growth phases tend to last a while. She expects this expansion to run for years, driven by fiscal policy and helped along by changes in the workplace, productivity and inventories that have eliminated some of the classic economic impediments to protracted growth runs. Also on the show, Daniel Wildermuth of the Wildermuth Endowment Fund discusses how private equity investments have weathered the pandemic -- and outperformed the broad stock market over the longer term -- Jake Wujastyk of TrendSpider.com says that the technical indicators show that the market has room to run higher right now, and Julie Kutasov of Kayne Anderson Rudnick covers 'quality' small- and mid-cap investing in the Market Call.

Catherine Stienstra, head of municipal bond investments at Columbia Threadneedle, says that the muni market has had a good summer, but got a bit softer in August and is likely to stay that way while waiting to see how government infrastructure plans and any potential tax increases play out. Tom Lydon of ETFTrends.com -- for the second week in a row -- makes a classic fund that now is available as an exchange-traded fund his ETF of the Week; one difference this week is that the fund is a cornerstone in Chuck's portfolio. Also on the show, Barry Metzger of Charles Schwab talks about the latest Traders Pulse survey, which looks at the sentiment of investors who are making at least three dozen transactions per year, and in the Market Call, Mike Bailey, director of research at FBB Capital Partners, discusses his 'beat and raise' strategy for buying stocks with momentum.

Andrew Foster, chief investment officer at Seafarer Capital Partners, says that forecasts for China to become the world's largest economy -- surpassing the United States -- are based on overblown economic assumptions. He says China is revising numbers, which will put 'a substantial dampener on growth;' instead of growth rates projected at 6 percent, Foster says to expect economic deceleration that puts 'the point where China surpasses the US more in doubt' or much further out. Also on the show, Cheryl Smith, economist and portfolio manager at Trillium Asset Management, discusses how the pandemic helped to prove a number of key economic theories, which should help guide the way to what happens next, and Madhu Chaudhary, investment analyst, talks about the growth potential of Upstart Holdings, an online lending platform firm that uses artificial intelligence rather than classic credit scores to determine risk-worthy borrowers.

Steven Dover, chief market strategist at Franklin Templeton, and the head of the Franklin Templeton Investment Institute, says that the current math makes it hard for the market to double again the way it has in the last year, so he is expecting it to take another eight or nine years to see the next market double. That means investors should expect single-digit gains, which Dover thinks is reasonable given current market conditions, uncertainty over inflation, Covid-19, interest rates and more. Also on the show, Michele Schneider of MarketGauge.com talks technical analysis as the market keeps flirting with record highs, Martin Leclerc, chief investment officer at Barrack Yard Advisors, talks stock in the Market Call, and Chuck discusses -- and plays excerpts from -- his most recent telephone run-in with the law.

Mark Luschini, chief investment strategist for Janney Montgomery Scott, says that the stock market is likely to follow the growth of corporate profits, which bodes well for heady gains over the next year or two, despite inflation and other concerns that will increase volatility and potentially cause setbacks. Luschini says that since grizzly and protracted bear markets rarely occur outside of a recession -- and with recession seeming like a remote possibility in the next 12 to 24 months -- investors should be prepared to stay the course but ride out the bumps. Also on the show, John Smallwood of Smallwood Wealth Management talks about factoring inflationary pressure into long-term portfolio decisions, law professor Robin Feldman discusses how the U.S. patent system currently is incentivizing failure and causing higher prices in health care, and David Trainer of New Constructs talks about how operating earnings measures are actually distorting the financial picture of companies like Marathon Petroleum and eBay.

Kristina Hooper, chief global market strategist at Invesco, expects reasonable growth for the economy and the stock market into next year, but notes that depends on the Federal Reserve successfully managing interest rates, and Covid variants not re-igniting the pandemic to where consumers shut down even if the economy remains open. She expects secular growth and defensive stocks to be the outperformers as the economy moderates and returns more to normal; cyclical stocks and small-cap companies will see their recent outperformance end closer to the end of the year as growth slows. In the weekly NAVigator segment, John Cole Scott, founder/executive chairman of the Active Investment Company Alliance and chief investment officer at Closed-End Fund Advisors discusses how the right mix of issues in these vexing low-rate times can create 'synthetic bonds' that deliver above-average income to fuel investors' lives. Also on the show, technical analyst Michael Sincere, author of 'Understanding Options,' says he would not be surprised to see a market reversal -- potentially as big as a 10 percent correction -- in the next three months, and Dave Mazza of Direxion talks about the new ETFs the firm is cooking up and the investment themes he sees as interesting opportunities now.

Scott Kimball, head of US fixed income at BMO Global Asset Management says investors need to recognize that the Federal Reserve is taking away emergency provisions, which should not threaten risk markets the way they feel threatened right now. With the Fed remaining cautious, Kimball says that inflation is likely to remain elevated, but not get to the runaway level. As a result, he expects that 2022 will prove that the inflationary talk right now has been early. Also on the show, Tom Lydon of ETFTrends.com calls out a classic fund that has now been newly repacked in an exchange-traded wrapper as his ETF of the Week, Ken Tumin of DepositAccounts.com discusses how a majority of Americans would be happy to never go back to a physical bank again, and the Market Call revisits a recent chat with Ivana Delevska of SPEAR Invest.

Jae Yoon, chief investment officer at New York Life Investment Management, says that he is worried about how much higher the market can go from here with valuations at or near record highs, but he believes investors can be confident about investing globally and adding emerging markets and developed Europe for growth. Yoon believes the 10-year Treasury bond will be in the 1.5 to 2 percent range by the end of this year or early next year, and says investors need to react to that, tilting towards value and small-cap stocks and shying away from technology stocks. He says that how the rate and inflation picture play out will decide the market's ability to continue rising and avoiding trouble. Also on the show, author and blogger Shannon Bush talks about 'Redefining Rich' and changing the way you value things in your life, we revisit a recent chat on technical analysis with Adam Grimes of Talon Advisors, and Ted Rossman of CreditCards.com joins Chuck to answer an audience member's question about how and why treating their credit seriously and doing the right things hasn't resulted in a near-perfect credit score.

Victoria Fernandez, chief market strategist at Crossmark Global Investments, says the recovery has created a solid foundation for the market to do well, despite increased choppiness that may be fueled in part by the shifting numbers and the strained year-over-year comparisons. With the heightened volatility, Fernandez says investors need to double down on their diligence, becoming more particular about individual securities and looking for solid balance sheets that can withstand volatility over the rest of the year and into 2022. Also on the show, author David Sumpter talks about 'The Ten Equations That Rule the World,' and Chuck answers three questions from audience members with varied concerns about their portfolios.

Broan Bollinger, president of Simply Safe Dividends, says that the stock market's rise to record highs has created challenging valuations for income-oriented stocks, but he maintains that there are issues that are steady, boring names that have missed out on much of the rise and remain reasonable values today. In the Market Call, Bollinger discusses the importance of dividend safety and the relative certainty of the income stream in income-generating stocks. Also on the show, Greg McBride of Bankrate.com discusses the site's recent survey showing how few Americans are taking advantage of low mortgage rates to refinance, in many cases because they don't know the rate they are paying now, David Trainer of New Constructs revisits and reiterates three Danger Zone picks in DID, COMP and TSLA, noting that two of those selections have been successful while the most famous third selection has continued to defy gravity. And the Book Interview goes 'In Pursuit of the Perfect Portfolio,' with the book's co-author Stephen Foerster discussing investing legends who got it right and who are strategic role models for millions of investors.

Marc Lichtenfeld, chief income strategist at The Oxford Club, says that lower-for-longer interest rates and bond yields that have had investors turning to dividend-paying stocks have helped push valuations to where investors are having a tough time getting good payouts, and that they might want to cast a jaundiced eye to investments where the yield is out of line with the market right now because companies that are unblemished are trading at premium levels, so the only bargains have some warts to worry about. Also on the show, Roxanna Islam of Alerian and S-Network Global Indexes discusses why closed-end fund distribution rates have been so high, even as most yields in investing are down, Kamaron McNair of MagnifyMoney.com talks about a survey in which a surprising number of respondents admit regrets over impulsive behavior -- including trading while intoxicated -- and Rob Lutts of Cabot Wealth Management talks about stocks and building a sound portfolio in the Market Call.

Thomas Winmill, manager of the Midas Fund, says that gold is where investors go to preserve capital when they think inflation is coming, and the underperformance of gold would suggest that investors think that rising consumer prices are temporary. Winmill notes that there has been inflation in housing and health care and in other key areas, as well as in commodities like aluminum, copper and cobalt - but not in precious metals. Still, he says that gold miners are attractive now as they are appreciating faster than equities and beyond inflation right now. Also on the show, Tom Lydon of ETFTrends.com makes a small-cap fund his 'ETF of the Week,' Mike Brown of Breeze discusses trends in voluntary insurance coverage and which groups are not protecting themselves against catastrophe, particularly in healthcare. And in the Market Call, Jordan Waldrep of Truemark Investment management talks low-volatility dividend investing.

Michael Power, strategist at NinetyOne, says that stock market valuations are stretched and bond yields are unsatisfying, but investors have no place else to go but the domestic markets. He expects a sell-off and downturn, but to end quickly. Ultimately, he believes investors will like the progress made over the next year, even though they will have to suffer through heightened volatility to reach that good news. Also on the show, Freddy Garcia of Left Brain Wealth Management discusses financial advisers who don't or won't put individual stocks into client portfolios, and Doug Cartwright, portfolio manager of the Buffalo Early Stage Growth (BUFOX ) talks small- and mid-cap investing in the Market Call.

Economist William Silber says that when investors have downside protection and the potential for limited losses against big possible gains, it is time to be a gambler and to be a little reckless. Silber whose new book out this week is 'The Power of Nothing to Lose: The Hail Mary Effect in Politics, War, and Business,' discusses the times when gambles and risk-taking make sense, though he notes that most of those speculations are more for entertainment than for building wealth. Also on the show, Rita Assaf of Fidelity Investments, discusses the firm's latest survey of parents on students on changing college-savings and planning, Chuck answers a question about the appropriateness of default choices in retirement plans, and Ivana Delevska, founder of SPEAR Invest, talks industrials and industrial-technology stocks in the Market Call.

John Blank, chief equity strategist and chief economist for Zacks Investment Research, says that valuations are high, but that the Standard and Poor's 500 is buttressed against a downturn by its biggest members -- the famed FAANG stocks plus Microsoft and one or two others -- that have price/earnings ratios of higher than 25, higher than the index p/e of 20. 'We have never had seven companies make up a quarter of [the index],' Blank says, 'and we have never had those seven companies driving 25 or 30 percent annual earnings increases.' Also on the show, Ted Rossman of CreditCards.com talks about back-to-school spending this year, and how more than one-third of all parents are feeling pressured to overspend this year, David Trainer of research firm New Constructs takes a bite of Beyond Meat and chews on the hot stock in the Danger Zone, and Tony Minopoli, president/chief investment officer at Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors makes his debut in the Market Call, talking stocks and stock-picking.

Technical analyst Adam Grimes, president of Talon Advisors, says that he is generally bullish about the market right now, and that it 'would take a lot' to make him move to the short side and bet against the market. Instead, he anticipates a strong market move to the upside and says investors should be moving money aggressively to take advantage of buying opportunities. Also on the show, Mike Taggart of Taggart Fund Intelligence discusses the current state of closed-end fund consolidations and how two ongoing deals aren't particularly good for shareholders, and yet those individual owners have mostly allowed the deals to continue. And in the Market Call, Sandy Villere III of the Villere Funds talks about how he is maintaining balance -- and holding a little more cash than normal -- given current market conditions.

Zvi Schreiber, author of 'Money, Going Out of Style: The story of money and the mystery of its demise,' says that people are getting more money than ever but aren't moving it along and pushing it through the economy, opting instead to use money in speculative ways through investing, cryptocurrency and more, all of which has the potential to be economically destabilizing. He explains how dubious uses of money aren't providing economic value. Also on the show, Tom Lydon of ETFTrends.com makes a dividend-oriented issue that converted from a traditional fund into an exchange-traded fund his 'ETF of the Week,' Chuck explains what a dead-cat bounce is, and Pouya David Yadegar, founder of Prime Opportunities Investment Group talks stocks in the Market Call.

Anu Gaggar, global investment strategist for Commonwealth Financial Network, says that bank stocks -- mostly out of favor since the financial crisis of 2008 and hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic -- are showing signs that their strong recent recovery has legs despite the threats posed by potential hikes in inflation and interest rates. Gaggar notes that since the market bottomed in March 2020, banks have outperformed the Standard and Poor's 500 by over 25 percent, adding that the risk controls put in place during the pandemic should pay off now as balance sheets across the industry have improved. Also on the show, Catherine Collinson of the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies discusses how the pandemic has affected workers' savings and habits, Chuck takes a question about managing required minimum distributions from an IRA, and Peter Tuz, chief executive officer at Chase Investment Counsel, says in the Market Call that while he sees the potential for choppy/down markets for the rest of the year, there's still no place he'd rather put his money.

Giorgio Caputo, senior fund manager at J.O. Hambro Capital Management, says that investors aren't being paid enough for duration or credit risk in their bond holdings, which is why the firm is leaning more toward equities to generate income and protect against the possibility of rising rates. Caputo says the equity allocation needs both companies that play defense against the current economic cycle, the potential for inflation and the spectre of rising rates. In the first interview today, Kerry Pechter, editor and publisher of Retirement Income Journal, discusses a crisis he sees brewing in the life insurance and annuity industry based on the 'Bermuda Triangle Strategy' being used by some companies to shift/reduce risk while goosing returns and/or buying back shares. Andf in the 'Book Interview,' venture capitalist Steven Hoffman talks about 'The Five Forces That Change Everything.'

David Trainer, president and founder of New Constructs, put Pinterest and Zendesk back in the 'Danger Zone,' noting that recent earnings misses for the companies could be what triggers the decline he has been expecting. Trainer says Pinterest has a downside of more than 50 percent, and that Zendesk is even worse at over 80 percent, though he notes the companies have survived previous troubles to remain at lofty valuations. Also on the show, Ram Subramanian of Discover discusses a survey showing how the pandemic made Americans realize how badly they are undersaved, Angel Williams, author of 'Finding Your Treasure,' talks about how to turn garbage into profits, and we rebroadcast a recent interview with Robert Frick, corporate economist at Navy Federal Credit Union.

Rick Schmidt, portfolio manager for Harding Loevner, says that investors may have a lot of macro worries -- from rising inflation and interest rates to coronavirus, the economy and more -- but he describes the big picture as being like the weather: 'We don't think we can predict it beyond a couple of days, but it's not silly to look out the window before you go outside. If it's raining, put up an umbrella ... But I'm not going to predict what's going to happen a week from now and try to invest on it.' Schmidt says that if you look beyond the headlines, there are plenty of promising investments with solid fundamentals available at reasonable prices. Also on the show, energy fund manager Brian Kessens of Tortoise Ecofin discusses the sharp rebound and future prospects for the energy space, Mark Hamrick, senior economic analyst for BankRate.com, discusses the unemployment/jobs picture and its bigger meaning for the rest of the year, and Todd Rosenbluth, director of ETF and mutual fund research for CFRA, talks exchange-traded funds in the Market Call.

Markus Schomer, chief economist at Pinebridge Investments, says in the Big Interview that worries over rising inflation and interest rates are significantly overblown, noting that the shortages behind price hikes should mostly be resolved by the year's end, and adding that there are no rate hikes in the Federal Reserves 'foreseeable future,' because the central bankers can't achieve their jobs/employment targets in a rising rate environment. Also on the show, Tom Lydon of ETFTrends.com highlights a new exchange-traded fund that is a pure play on companies mining and developing uses for cryptocurrencies, and Andy Braun of the Pax Large Cap fund talks stocks in the Market Call.

Ed Carson, news editor at Investor's Business Daily, says the latest IBD/TIPP Economic Optimism Index -- which overall was down again in the facing of concerns about rising inflation -- highlights the difference between investors and non-investors. He noted that the confidence measure showed a record 'optimism gap,' a difference of more than 15 percentage points between the number of positive investors compared to non-investors. Investors haven't just seen their stocks rise, but held more stable jobs and are pleased with the recovery, Carson said, while non-investors remain fearful. Also on the show, Brian Dress of Left Brain Investment Research highlights Crocs, a retail stock he might have ignored if not for the quantitative analysis discipline in the firm's process, author Katrina Dudley discusses 'Undiversified: The Big Gender Short in Investment Management' and how and why an influx of women money managers would be good for the industry and for investors, and Patrick Healy of Caliber Financial Partners talks about stocks and his barbell-approach between growth and value in the Market Call.

Josef Schuster, president of IPOX Schuster -- a firm that tracks and evaluates initial public offerings -- says that the hot names like Robinhood that have been making headlines in IPOs have been the lesser opportunities right now, noting that lesser-known small- and mid-cap new companies have a greater probability of upside and are a better value. Schuster talks about the current IPO market, but also covers special-purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) and how they are changing the landscape for companies looking to go public, along with how both types of opportunity can fit into an individual investor's portfolio. Also on the show, Ron Surz, author of 'Baby Boomer Investing in the Perilous Decade of the 2020s,' covering the dangers he sees in target-date and life-cycle funds, and Chuck answers audience questions about moving averages, paying off mortgages, and combining funds, ETFs and closed-end funds in a portfolio.

Adam Abbas, portfolio manager and the co-head of fixed income for the Oakmark Funds, says that investors are seeing -- and must react to -- different types of inflation, starting with the quantifiable shortages creating 'bottleneck inflation' that is transitory, then 'easy money inflation' created by central bank policies and unprecedented economic stimulus, and that investors will still find fixed income useful in these times for consistent returns and protection of capital, even if rates are not particularly attractive. Also on the show, Kyle Guske of New Constructs discusses some popular stocks -- all of which have been highlighted previously in 'The Danger Zone' -- that look even more precarious after reporting their most-recent quarterly earnings, author Erika Benson discusses 'Land Investing Mistakes,' and Chuck answers two questions from audience members.