Money Life with Chuck Jaffe

Doug Roberts, chief investment strategist for the Channel Capital Research Institute, says in the Big Interview that the Federal Reserve has made its plans clear, and that is that rates and inflation will rise in the next year or two, but they stopped short of any action that would make nervous investors leave the market now. He suggested that investors should stand pat with well-balanced, diversified portfolios as they wait for the paths of rates and inflation to become more clear. Also on the show, Tom Lydon of TFTrends.com makes a unique precious metals fund his 'ETF of the Week,' Ted Rossman of CreditCards.com discusses how Americans are preparing to overextend themselves, raising credit card balances in the process as they unleash their unfulfilled desires of the last 16 months. In the Market Call, James Abate of the Centre Funds -- portfolio manager of Centre American Select Equity (DHAMX) -- talks stocks.

Scott Wren, senior global market strategist at the Wells Fargo Investment Institute says that the big question dogging the market right now is whether the recent spike in inflation is transitory or longer lasting. He sees inflation staying high for most of the rest of 2021 before normalizing, meaning that the market's growth in 2022 is not likely to be curtailed by rising prices. Also on the show, Brian Gahsman of the AlphaCentric Robotics and Automation Fund talks stocks in the Market Call, and Chuck discusses this week's column, where he gives you three reasons for optimism and three more for pessimism given current market conditions.

Duane McAllister, portfolio manager for the Baird Funds, says that the Federal Reserve is likely to sustain its inflation projections but says that he doesn't expect interest rates to spike as inflation goes up, citing strong international demand and other factors as keeping rates in check. Also on the show, Jim Welsh of Smart Portfolios talks technical analysis, noting that he sees the market taking a 7 to 10 percent downturn over the next few months before proving that drop to be a buying opportunity based on a rebound in the fourth quarter, Jill Gonzalez of WalletHub.com discusses how coronavirus changed Americans' habits with rewards credit cards, and Oliver Pursche of Wealthspire talks exchange-traded funds in the Market Call.

Peter Berezin, chief global strategist and director of research at BCA Research, discusses the "Crypto Impossibility Theorem' -- which states that cryptocurrencies will only be viable if they can offer a higher return than stocks, and why he believes that won't happen, and will lead to struggles that distract the market and slow appreciation. In the long run, he expects interest in cryptocurrencies to diminish and the market to benefit as a result. Also on the show, Mike Brown of Expertise.com discusses the high percentage of consumers who bought insurance policies during the pandemic but now wish they hadn't made the purchase, Kyle Guske of New Constructs highlights the problems inherent to 'street earnings' in The Danger Zone, and Chuck answers an audience member's question about bond investments in a rising-rate environment.

Gargi Chaudhuri, head of investment strategy for iShares, Americas says that while the reopening is driving growth right now, she expects capital expenditure and infrastructure spending to keep the economy rolling into and through 2022. She also notes that while the pandemic shutdown was a global event, the reopening is happening in pockets which will mean that different regions -- and industries -- will be coming back and gaining steam at different times, which should prolong the global recovery, although she notes that central bankers will have to act prudently to keep the underlying conditions primed for growth. Turning to technical analysis, Dan Zanger of ChartPattern.com sees nothing but bullish patterns and a breakout to new highs ahead, saying he expects the market to roll into the early summer before taking a breather come late July and August; even that respite, he said, will not stop the upward momentum. Also on the show, Bob Long, chief executive officer at Conversus, discusses how 'tender funds' can give investors access to private equity and smooth out portfolio performance, and we revisit a recent chat with Jason Thomas, chief economist at AssetMark.

Talley Leger, senior investment strategist at Invesco, recognizes the various tunes the market is humming over inflation, interest rates and other concerns, but he looks at earnings growth and valuations and is singing a different tune, Frank Sinatra's 'The Best is Yet to Come.' He explains why in the Big Interview. Also on the show, Tom Lydon of ETFTrends.com makes a fund based on a famous investment guru's strategy his 'ETF of the Week," Meredith Stoddard, vice president of life event planning at Fidelity Investments, discusses research on the financial, emotional, social and physical tolls that caregivers endure as they help their loved ones, and we revisit a recent Market Call interview talking exchange-traded funds with Chuck Self from iSectors.com

Kathy Bostjancic, chief US financial economist, says the current recovery 'is what we've been waiting for' and is a story of spending and pent-up demand tempered by a global supply shortage that is generating inflation and symbolizes the bumps in the road that should temper consumers' enthusiasm. Bostjancic notes that getting supply and demand rebalanced could take a year or more, with the meantime being when inflation and interest rates could grow into a significant problem. Also on the show, Noland Langford of Left Brain Investment Research talks reopening plays, noting that 'The truth-teller will be the earnings and what the revenues have done a quarter or two past this,' portfolio manager Nate Velarde of Chautauqua Capital Management discusses the areas where he thinks investors can develop long-term investment convictions now, and Aliza Vigderman of Security.org covers a new survey showing that more than 20 percent of Americans experience identity theft in the aftermath of a relationship breaking up.

Lawrence Kotlikoff, an economist and the founder of Maxifi.com, says that the current increase in inflation is nothing compared to what he fears is coming, which he said could be several years of the high single digits all the way up to hyperinflation levels. Kotlikoff says that investors need to factor what inflation will do to the ability of their financial nest egg to maintain purchasing power and fund a lengthy retirement. Also on the show, Leo Leydon of Financial Focus Advisory Services discusses technical analysis, noting that the market is looking like it is in a sideways pattern that could last for the summer, and David Snowball of MutualFundObserver.com talks mutual funds and notes that one hot, popular fund company looks to him like a train wreck that's on the track with unavoidable damage dead ahead.

Paul Gruenwald, chief economist at S and P Global Ratings says that the economy is being turned back on in the middle to late stages of the economic cycle, which is different from the standard exit from a downturn, raising questions about the impact and effectiveness of policy decisions going forward. Still, he remains constructive about the market, noting that the U.S. economy could come out of the pandemic without too much scarring, with reasonable growth rates -- much lower than current levels --with markets remaining reasonably calm as the economy gets sorted out. Also on the show, Minouche Shafik, director of London School of Economics and Political Science, discusses her new book, 'What We Owe Each Other: A New Social Contract for a Better Society,' and Christopher Zook, president of CAZ Investments, talks long-term thematic investing in the Market Call.

Bob DiMella, co-head of municipal managers at MacKay Shields, discusses the surprise that muni bonds have been since the start of the pandemic, coming through what were expected to be tough times with superior performance among fixed-income investments and positioned to be a leader in the bond space amid rising interest rates and inflation in the future. Also on the show, Randy Anderson of the Griffin Capital Institutional Access Real Estate fund discusses the changing opportunities in real estate investing now, Brad Lamensdorf of the Lamensdorf Market Timing Report and the Ranger Equity Bear ETF talks technical analysis and why he dislikes financials and energy stocks right now, and Barry James of the James Advantage Funds talks about stocks -- and why he actually favors financial companies -- in the Market Call.