Money Life with Chuck Jaffe

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.

Zach Jonson, chief investment officer at Stack Financial Management, says that the market is reaching all-time highs with 'weaker and weaker breadth and more narrow selectivity,' and that this dichotomy indicates that the risk of a correction is rising. Jonson says that investors who are significantly overweight in equities due to the market's hot run over the last year might want to pull back now to avoid a potential crunch as they watch this skirmish between the market's fundamentals and technicals play out. Also on the show, Nicholas Marshi, editor at BDCReporter.com, discusses the current earnings season and why he sees a 'golden age' ahead for business development companies, Odeta Kushi, deputy chief economist at First American Financial Corp. talks about the changing dynamics of the housing and real estate market, and Michael Robinson, chief technology strategist for Money Map Press, talks tech stocks in the Market Call.

Lindsey Bell, chief investment strategist at Ally Invest, says that while the market has seen great numbers thus far this year, there is room to go higher -- potentially by double digits -- once the market has clarity on how the Federal Reserve will respond to inflationary pressures. Bell notes that there will be 'rockier days ahead,' but she is optimistic not only for the rest of 2021 but for next year as well, noting that most of the red flags are worrisome but not real triggers for potential protracted downturn. Also on the show, Tom Lydon of ETFTrends.com makes a new fund from a big-name fund company that only just entered the exchange-traded fund space his pick as 'ETF of the Week,' and legendary financial talk-show host Moe Ansari of Compak Asset Management, lets Chuck turn the mic around on him as he talks stocks in the Market Call.

Veteran market observer Marc Chaikin, the founder of Chaikin Analytics, says that the market has been consistently making higher highs and higher lows since November of 2020, and that upward grind is likely to continue for at rest of the year -- Chaikin thinks the market will gain another 10 percent by year's end -- so investors who are worrying about problems and second-guessing the market's moves are hurting themselves and their portfolios. Also on the show, Ted Rossman discusses the latest Bankrate.com, which shows that the average consumer has more than a hundred dollars of unused (and potentially lost) gift cards at home, author Scott Jarred talks about his new book on how consumers can 'Future Hack' their financial lives, and Chuck answers a question from a listener who is unhappy with how former employers have been running his old retirement-savings plans.

Robert Frick, corporate economist at Navy Federal Credit Union, says that nervous investors are worried about numbers that are much more solid than they appear in headlines. Frick notes that retail sales, for example, could come down 5 percent from current levels and they'd still be booming. He sees strong economic growth even as the headline numbers start to reflect the movement from recovery mode to pre-pandemic normals. Also on the show, Adam Rozencwagj of Goehring and Rozencwajg says that a decade-long bear market in commodities has ended and that there are strong signs for a bull market ahead, helped along by the localized supply shortages arising from the pandemic. And Jeffrey Hirsch, editor-in-chief of Stock Traders' Almanac, says that the stock market is likely to see heightened volatility but mostly sideways movement through the fall.

David Trainer, president and founder of New Constructs puts technology giants Amazon, Alphabet and PayPal in the Danger Zone this week, noting that the companies are among the companies in the Standard and Poor's 500 that are most likely to miss earnings estimates for the upcoming reporting season, thanks to investments in other companies that ultimately distort their financial picture. Also on the show, Chad Moutry discusses the findings of the July Economic Outlook survey released today by the National Association for Business Economics, author Christopher Cox talks about his book 'The Deadline Effect' and offers suggestions for how procrastinators -- like Chuck -- can get things done before the last minute, fixed-income manager Jerry Paul of ICON Advisers stops by for a bonus NAVigator talking opportunities for yield in closed-end funds, and Chuck answers an audience-member's question on federal account protections.

Katie Stockton, founder and managing director at Fairlead Strategies, says that the market's recent volatility has changed investor sentiment but that mood change actually is creating buying opportunities. Stockton says she does not see much pressure for a correction in the market now, in spite of the market's nervousness; she notes that much of the downside nervousness is around mega-cap stocks, again creating opportunities for investors away from the headlines. Looking at fundamentals, Jeff Weniger, head of equity strategy for WisdomTree Asset Management, says that the current market theme is 'inflation, inflation, inflation' and that the reflation/inflation story will likely drive much of the market action for the next year or two. In the NAVigator segment, Patrick Galley of RiverNorth Capital Management talks about how the narrowing of discounts in muni-bond closed end funds doesn't change the attractiveness of the asset class, nor make its relatively high tax-equivalent yields less attractive. And in the Market Call, Clark Kendall of Kendall Capital gives his take on both stocks and ETFs.

Ken McAtamney, manager of the William Blair International Leaders Fund, says that an 'underinvestment in [capital expenditures] around the world' has created a void that is now being filled around the world. He noted that beyond physical infrastructure in the United States and Europe, there will be expansive spending on data and digital infrastructure around the globe that will carry the recovery into the next few years. McAtamney is positive on developed Europe and emerging markets -- and specifically China -- as areas that should shine coming out of the pandemic recovery. Also on the show, Tom Lydon of ETFTrends.com focuses on inflation fears with his pick for the 'ETF of the Week,' Meredith Stoddard of Fidelity Investments discusses the firm's 2021 Couples and Money survey, and Charlie Farrell of Northstar Investment Advisors talks stocks and ETFs in the Market Call.

Stock market volatility is up as the markets try to sort out whether inflationary increases are permanent and when the Federal Reserve will decide it's time to raise interest rates, and that backdrop -- coupled with renewed fears of how Covid-19 could impact the business world -- should make volatility the norm for at least the remainder of the year, according to JJ Kinahan, chief market strategist for TD Ameritrade. Kinahan says the market 'is telling us that you shouldn't be expecting inflation for awhile,' and he notes that the market's technicals are mostly in line with the strong fundamentals to make it that a crash or a recession doesn't seem to be in the offing. In Left Brain Thinking today, Noland Langford of Left Brain Investment Research talks about the durability of the cashless society movement and says that Visa, PayPal and Square are poised for massive growth on that front, without even factoring in cryptocurrencies as a future form of cashless payment. And in the Market Call, financial adviser Adam Lampe of Mint Wealth Management talks stocks.

Jim Paulsen, chief investment strategist for Leuthold Weeden Capital Management, says that inflation is the big risk facing the market, but he downplays the potential for inflation to last once supply-chain issues and demand levels normalize post-pandemic. Meanwhile, he makes the case that the stock market could rise from now through the end of the year and still enter 2022 relatively cheap, with the Standard and Poor's 500 trading at less than 20 times earnings, a level which would keep the bull market rolling. Also on the show, Ted Rossman of CreditCards.com discusses Americans' tipping habits and how they talked a better game than they played during the coronavirus epidemic, and Bernie Horn, manager of Polaris Global Value fund talks about where in the world he's investing and what stands out to him now in the Market Call.

Scott Colyer, chief executive officer at Advisors Asset Management, says that for all the talk that the Federal Reserve has started talking about hiking interest rates, he doesn't see it happening until 2022 or beyond, and that means that investors don't have to change strategies now to stay in line with the central; bank. He expects returns for the rest of the year to loosely resemble what happened during the first six months, an upward grind made on the back of increasing worries. Also on the show, Dave Stinnett, head of Vanguard Strategic Retirement Consulting, talks about the 20th anniversary edition of Vanguard's 'How America Saves' study, David Trainer, founder of New Constructs, puts the Robinhood IPO in 'the Danger Zone,' and Rob Spivey, director of research for Valens Securities, talks stocks in the Market Call.

Greg Valliere, chief U.S. policy strategist at AGF Investments, says that the Federal Reserve wants the economy to run hot and is likely to let things keep rolling longer before raising rates to potentially put the brakes on. That, he says, will be well down the line, as he expects a good economy -- though not necessarily great -- for the next few quarters. He notes that a key factor will be monetary policy, but he notes that the current yield on Treasuries is a sign that the market is not fearful of an imminent breakout of inflation or rates, which is why a recession is 'not remotely imminent.' Also on the show, Dan Omstead of Tekla Capital -- which runs four health-care oriented closed-end funds -- discusses the post-pandemic outlook for biotech and healthcare investing, and Eric Lynch of the Scharf Funds talks about 'quality relative value investing' in the Market Call.

Brent Schutte, chief investment strategist for Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management, says that while worries about rising inflation and interest rates have some market observers talking about the potential for recession, he believes they're ahead of the economy right now. Schutte says the economic cycle still has room to roll -- and that the market will pick up as fears of long-term inflation in the coming few quarters. The remainder of the show has a distinct focus on income, and ways to generate and protect it in the inflationary/rising rate environment. Tom Lydon of ETFTrends.com makes a fund that pays monthly income and that has an 8 percent current yield his 'ETF of the Week,' and Renee Schaaf, president of retirement and income solutions for Principal Financial Group, talks about the pros and cons of purchasing annuities under these changing market conditions.

Zachary Karabell, president of River Twice Capital, says that short-term bottlenecks and supply-chain issues are not systemic inflation, and while he foresees inflationary spikes, he does not believe that long-term upward price pressure is about to change the broad economic picture. In a wide-ranging Big Interview, he notes that the global economy could see a series of rolling recoveries, leading to repeated cycles of good news as the world re-opens from the pandemic. Also on the show, Catherine Golladay of Charles Schwab and Co. discusses the latest 401k Participant Survey, in which Americans discuss just how much money they believe they must amass to live out their days comfortably, Chuck answers an audience question on passive investing and, in the Market Call, Bryan Koslow of Clarus Group talks about the exchange-traded funds he favors now.

Charlie Bobrinskoy, vice chairman of Ariel Investments and a noted value manager, says that he expects inflation to be more than 'transitory,' and that if prices start to rise, it could spell some trouble for growth stocks. Meanwhile, even with the markets around record-high levels, he believes there are still plenty of reasonably priced companies that should help value investors continue their recent comeback. Also on the show, Zachary Karabell of RiverTwice Capital discusses his latest book on the reclusive Brown Brothers Harriman and why it has been an American powerbroker, Alia Dudum of Lending Club talks about the firm's latest Reality Check Paycheck-to-Paycheck research, which shows that Americans are struggling to stay ahead of their bills, and Chuck talks about his latest adventures in consolidating his personal accounts.

Rick Bookstaber, chief risk officer at Fabric RQ, talks about the changing face of risk in the current market environment, running from how rising inflation and interest rates play in to how the 'gamefying' of the market and the eruption of meme stocks that have defied traditional market forces has the potential to impact all investors, even the classic buy-and-hold types who avoid hot stock plays. Also on the show, Anqi Chen, research economist at the Center for Retirement Research, discusses Americans' need for long-term care and how most people are unprepared to cope with the problem, Stan Treger, behavioral scientist at Morningstar, covers research on how few investors want cryptocurrency available in their retirement plans, Kyle Guske of New Constructs puts a Fidelity sector fund in the Danger Zone, and Chuck answers a question about non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and whether he's joining the latest investment trend.

David Goerz, chief investment officer at Strategic Frontier Management, sees trouble ahead for a market that is overvalued, with an economy that he believes is headed for trouble unless government spending is reduced and with a bond market that he finds troubling. Goerz expects the Federal Reserve to hike rates once this year, and says there will be four -- but as many as eight -- rate increases next year, with the hope being that many hikes will ultimately return the economy to normal by the end of 2023. Also on the show, Mark Newton of Newton Advisors says the market's technicals suggest a 10 percent correction is in the cards playing out right now, but that the market is likely to rebound from that into the end of the year, plus legendary activist investor Phillip Goldstein talking about the diminishing rights of shareholders in closed-end funds, and Arynton Hardy of Hardy Capital Investments talks ETFs in the Market Call.

Marko Papic, chief strategist for the Clocktower Group, says that he expects an inflation surprise to the upside -- bigger than the market forecasts -- which is likely to upset the market, adding to volatility and limiting the forward potential for stocks. It has him looking to foreign markets to generate bigger returns for the remainder of the year and potentially beyond. Also on the show, Tom Lydon of ETFTrends.com looks to the potential of blockchain with his ETF of the Week, Jacque Reardon discusses Franklin Templeton's latest Voice of the American Worker study -- which shows that people are redefining what it means to retire -- and in the Market Call, David Marcus of the Evermore Global Value fund talks about where he sees blood running in the streets to find his buys.

Joe Terranova, chief market strategist at Virtus Investment Partners, says that the market's rebound from early-pandemic lows has investors tempted into concentrated portfolios, pursuing the hot sectors and big winners, but he says the remainder of the year will be about risk, and 'reintroducing diversification by asset class, geography, equity size class and strategy.' Terranova says he is optimistic not just for the future but for the next 10 to 15 years, but he says the markets will demand that investors spread their risks around and manage their return expectations to ride it out to those long-term gains. Also on the show, Freddy Garcia of Left Brain Wealth Management says that investors should be focused on sustainable revenue growth -- rather than whether a stock fits the classic growth or value labels -- to find companies that can move forward regardless of market conditions, and Tom Plumb of the Plumb Balanced Fund and the Plumb Equity Fund talks stocks in the Market Call.

John Mousseau, chief executive officer and director of fixed income at Cumberland Advisors, says that worries about rising inflation are overblown given current conditions, and he says investors should expect higher inflation but only to the extent that it returns to pre-pandemic levels over the next year. Also on the show, Francesca Ortegren discusses a recent study done by Clever Real Estate showing how the pandemic continues to damage Americans' finances, Chuck answers a question about Section 72T withdrawals from retirement accounts, and Jason Browne of Alexis Investment Partners talks practical and tactical investing with ETFs in the Market Call.

Different analysts taking a fundamental and a technical view of the market both think that strong conditions will carry into the second half of 2021, but think returns may be muted compared to the last six months. Rusty Vanneman, chief investment strategist at Orion Portfolio Solutions, says that 'the growth rate of the growth rate' is slowing, which is likely to slow the market or at least make it more choppy. Meanwhile, Jeffrey Bierman of TheoTrade.com says the market is overbought now from a technical standpoint, which eventually should play out in a correction and heightened volatility. Also on the show, John Cole Scott, chief investment officer at Closed-End Fund Advisors and the executive chairman of the Active Investment Company Alliance, talks about the narrowing discounts in closed-end funds but warns investors not to wait for them to widen before buying, and Daniel Kline, lead advisor at 7Investing.com talks stocks in the Market Call.

Meb Faber, chief executive and chief investment officer for Cambria Investments, says that the U.S. stock market's return to record high levels has given it little room to move forward from here -- with the exception of value stocks, which remain attractive despite a 'face-ripper' of a year -- but he believes that while investors can ride the current trends until they change, he notes that the biggest opportunities are around the world right now. He notes that most people are too focused on America in their asset allocations, but they now are looking at cheaper names and bigger growth potential abroad. Also on the show, Tom Lydon of ETFTrends.com makes an actively managed financial-sector fund his 'ETF of the Week,' and Chuck Carlson of Horizon Investment Services and The DRIP Investor, talks about the art and science of selecting stocks using his firm's Quadrix system in the Market Call.

Michael Falk of Focus Consulting Group -- who joins Chuck every three months to discuss the market, investing and his personal battle with Lou Gehrig's Disease -- responds to fears of rising inflation and interest rates, whether that changes his disdain for bonds, but also talks baseball, how the pandemic was a stroke of good fortune for him and much more. Also on the show, Michael Dominguez, author of 'Armchair Real Estate Millionaire' discusses how the pandemic and the hot housing market have changed things for income-oriented property buyers, and Marina Gross of Natixis' Portfolio Research and Consulting Group talks about how financial advisers are bridging the gap between their own realistic market expectations and the wild hopes of clients/individual investors.