Fill The Gap: The Official Podcast of CMT Association

In this episode of Fill the Gap, our friend Ted Hicks, CMT, CFP, CKA joins us to talk about his journey from traditional financial planning to a technically driven, rules-based investment process after living through the dot‑com crash and the global financial crisis. Ted explains why those experiences led him to question conventional asset allocation and embrace technical analysis, combining systematic models with discretionary swing trading to better manage risk and client behavior. The conversation centers on his book, "Evidence‑Based Investing," which aims to clearly explain why many accepted academic assumptions fail in real markets and why process matters more than predictions. Technical analysis works because it focuses on observable market behavior, not explanations, and provides practical tools for navigating inevitable market cycles.Fill the Gap, hosted by David Lundgren, CMT, CFA and Tyler Wood, CMT brings veteran market analysts and money managers onto a monthly podcast. For complete show notes of every episode, visit: https://cmtassociation.org/development/podcasts/ Give us a shout:@dlundgren3333 or https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-lundgren-cmt-cfa-63b73b/@_TBone_Pickens or https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-wood-cmt-b8b0902/@CMTAssociation orhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/cmtassociationCMT Association is the global credentialing authority committed to advancing the discipline of technical analysis in the financial services industry. We serve members in over 137 countries. Our mission is to elevate investors mastery and skill in mitigating market risk and maximizing return in capital markets through a rigorous credentialing process, professional ethics, and continuous education. CMT Association formed in the late 1960s with headquarters in lower Manhattan, NY and Mumbai, India.Learn more at: www.cmtassociation.org

Keith Lerner, CIO and Chief Market Strategist at Truist Advisory Services, shares his 'weight of the evidence' framework blending history, economics, fundamentals, and technicals. He explains when technicals should carry extra weight, how checklists force accountability, and why rapid sector and global rotations demand flexible tactical tilts. Practical portfolio examples and communication around volatility complete the conversation.

Brian Shannon, CMT — veteran trader, AlphaTrends founder and educator. He discusses his swing‑trading approach and why he prefers it to day trading. He explains the origins and practical uses of Anchored VWAP, how anchoring choices reveal buyer versus seller control, and how to manage entries, stops, and scaling for better trade discipline.

Damanick Dantes, founder of Dante's Outlook and CMT charterholder, builds adaptive quantitative portfolios. He talks trend, momentum and dispersion across global assets. He explains rotating sleeves like Bitcoin versus gold, volatility and correlation management, stress-testing models, and tailoring allocations for different client needs.

Javier Pineda, institutional portfolio manager and CMT charterholder who manages crypto strategies and wrote a book on crypto investing. He discusses applying technical analysis and on-chain metrics to crypto markets. Short takes cover Bitcoin cycles and halvings, challenges of aggregating decentralized volume data, how capital rotates from Bitcoin to Ethereum to altcoins, and why quantum computing is not an immediate threat to blockchain security.

Julius de Kempenaer, CMT, a seasoned technical analyst and creator of the Relative Rotation Graph (RRG), discusses his journey from military academy to finance. He dives into the pivotal role of relative strength in portfolio management and reveals how RRG aids in visualizing asset momentum. Julius provides insights on optimal portfolio weighting, the significance of removing underperformers, and common pitfalls in RRG application. He also emphasizes the ongoing need for education in technical analysis, reflecting on his recent achievement of the CMT designation.

Sunil Garg, CMT, is Chief Investment Officer at Lighthouse Canton in Dubai and a former J.P. Morgan executive specializing in global investment analysis. In this discussion, he explores the interplay between technical and fundamental analysis, emphasizing that price action often leads fundamentals. Sunil shares insights on the current AI-driven market bubble, offering key risk management rules to spot shifts in market conditions. He emphasizes the UAE's evolving financial landscape and the decoupling of equities from oil, highlighting emerging market trends and opportunities.

JC O'Hara, Chief Technical Strategist at Roth Capital Partners, shares insights from his career, highlighting the synergy of technical and fundamental analysis. He discusses strategies for understanding market behavior and emphasizes the importance of timing in trading. O'Hara sheds light on current market conditions, potential in small-cap tech and healthcare, and the significance of liquidity and credit spreads. He also advocates for continuous learning and adapting by analyzing various market players to refine investment strategies.

Robert 'Bob' Minter, Director of Investment Strategy at Aberdeen Investments and seasoned expert in commodities, shares his insights on blending technical and fundamental analysis in investing. He discusses how shifts in global supply chains and central bank activities impact commodities like oil and gold. Bob explains the importance of market signals, including moving averages, to gauge trade opportunities and highlights how changing trade routes may increase volatility. He also emphasizes the CMT community's role in continuous learning and idea sharing.

Stephen Suttmeier, CMT, CFA, is a seasoned technical strategist and founder of Suttmeyer Technical Strategies, transitioning from a pre-med path to finance. In this discussion, he shares insights on the mega-cap melt-up and the implications of AI on market trends. He emphasizes the importance of technical signals for navigating market cycles, and highlights emerging opportunities in commodities and global ETFs. Suttmeier also examines sector rotations and the risks posed by rising inflation and interest rates.