Lead-Lag Live

Aram Babikian, Head of Xtrackers Wealth at DWS and an expert in ETF and technology investing, dives into the intersection of geopolitics and tech. He explains the importance of 'critical technologies' and how the US–China rivalry is reshaping capital flows. Aram reveals how geostrategic risk ratings guide investment choices, leading to the exclusion of major players like Apple and Tesla due to their ties to China. He emphasizes the potential of tech investments aligned with national security, highlighting companies like Palantir and Rolls-Royce as strategic opportunities.

Dodd Kittsley, Co-CIO of Davis Advisors, shares insights from his extensive career in active equity investing. He explains the importance of fundamental research and selectivity as markets transition to normalized interest rates. Dodd discusses the evolution of active equity ETFs, emphasizing a high-conviction, benchmark-agnostic approach. He highlights the significance of what investors don't own, the impact of 'picks and mortars' technology on financials, and the advantages of long-term, owner-operator investments.

In this engaging discussion, Jay Hatfield, CEO of Infrastructure Capital, shares his expertise in income securities and market strategies. He predicts significant changes in fixed income yields due to anticipated Fed rate cuts, advocating for high-yield bonds and preferreds over traditional investment-grade options. Hatfield also delves into equity opportunities beyond tech, emphasizing small-cap rotations and valuation discipline. He provides insights on navigating the evolving economic landscape and positioning portfolios for optimal returns in 2026.

Kai Wu, Founder and CIO of Sparkline Capital, dives into the shifting landscape of AI investment, analyzing the growing concerns over massive AI capital expenditures. He discusses the implications of market concentration among major players and why this could amplify risks for investors. Wu highlights the ongoing debate about AI's productivity gains and suggests that companies adopting AI might outpace those building infrastructure. He urges investors to rethink strategies as the next phase of AI evolves.

Jay Hatfield, CEO of Infrastructure Capital Advisors and expert in macro research, dives into the implications of the Fed’s rate cuts on markets. He predicts a bullish S&P 500 trajectory, potentially reaching 7,000–8,000. Hatfield emphasizes the advantages of preferred stocks and high-yield credit in a dovish cycle. He discusses how small-cap value could outperform as investors shift away from mega-cap tech. Strategies focusing on dividends can also reduce portfolio volatility, providing attractive alternatives for income investors.

In this episode of Lead-Lag Live, I sit down with Greg Babij, Co-Founder and Chief Investment Officer at Sundial, to explore why traditional buy-and-hold strategies may struggle in a market defined by faster cycles, rising volatility, and structural change.From the rise of zero-day options to the importance of tactical exposure, tail hedging, and trend following, Babij explains how portfolios can be designed to survive growth, recession, inflation, and deflation without relying on predictions.In this episode:– Why buy and hold may no longer deliver the same results– How zero-day options are changing market behavior– The difference between prediction and probability-based investing– Why tactical and non-correlated strategies matter more now– How to construct portfolios that adapt across market regimesLead-Lag Live brings you inside conversations with the financial thinkers who shape markets. Subscribe for interviews that go deeper than the noise.Support the show

Markets sit near record highs even as economic signals send mixed messages, and many portfolios are more concentrated today than ever. In this Lead-Lag Deep Dive, Melanie Schaeffer sits down with Alex Shahidi, CO-CIO at Evoke Advisors, to break down what risk parity really is and why traditional frameworks like 60 40 may leave investors exposed.Shahidi explains how growth and inflation cycles historically drive long term returns, why diversification is often misunderstood, and how a true balanced allocation uses equities, commodities, gold, treasuries, and inflation linked bonds to weather very different market regimes. He also discusses the philosophy behind the RPAR Risk Parity ETF and why more advisors are reconsidering how they approach portfolio construction.In this episode:Why most portfolios are less diversified than investors thinkHow growth and inflation surprises drive major market cyclesThe role of commodities, gold, and inflation linked bonds in a balanced allocationWhy equal risk contribution matters more than traditional 60 40 mixesHow advisors can use risk parity to build more resilient portfoliosLead-Lag Live brings you inside conversations with the financial thinkers who shape markets. Subscribe for interviews that go deeper than the noise.#LeadLagLive #Investing #PortfolioStrategy #GlobalMarkets #RiskManagement #MacroTrends #AssetAllocation #Finance #MarketOutlook #ETFStrategiesSupport the show

In this episode of Lead-Lag Live, I sit down with Stephen Sikes, Chief Operating Officer at Public, to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming retail investing, brokerage platforms, and portfolio construction.From AI-powered research to custom-built indexes and the rise of agentic brokerage, Sikes explains how new tools are giving individual investors access to capabilities once reserved for institutions and what risks and responsibilities come with that shift.In this episode:– How AI research tools are changing how retail investors analyze stocks– What it means to build custom indexes using natural language– The rise of agentic brokerage and automated portfolio management– Where AI can help investors and where human judgment still matters– Why the next generation of brokerages may look nothing like the lastLead-Lag Live brings you inside conversations with the financial thinkers who shape markets. Subscribe for interviews that go deeper than the noise.Support the show

In this episode of Lead-Lag Live, I sit down with Mike Barrasso, Co-Founder and CEO of WealthReach, to uncover one of the biggest blind spots in advisor growth: knowing who is researching you before they ever reach out.From intent data and website visitor identification to compliant AI-driven outreach, Barrasso explains how advisors can stop wasting marketing spend and start engaging prospects at the exact moment they are actively looking for help.In this episode:– Why over 90 percent of advisor website traffic disappears without a trace– How intent data reveals who is actively researching wealth management topics– The difference between cold prospecting and warm, high-probability outreach– How AI can personalize compliant emails at scale for advisors– Why better data changes how advisors grow in a competitive marketLead-Lag Live brings you inside conversations with the financial thinkers who shape markets. Subscribe for interviews that go deeper than the noise.#LeadLagLive #WealthManagement #FinancialAdvisors #AI #MarketingStrategy #FinTech #DigitalMarketing #MarketsSupport the show

Emerging markets are changing fast. Old economy sectors like banks and energy no longer define the space. Instead, growth is being driven by internet platforms, tech enabled consumer companies, and new economy business models reshaping how investors approach EM exposure. In this Lead-Lag Deep Dive, Melanie Schaffer sits down with Brendan Ahern, Chief Investment Officer at KraneShares, to break down how this transformation is unfolding and what investors need to understand about both broad EM strategies and single stock levered ETFs.Ahern explains the mechanics of daily leveraged ETFs, why fundamentals for companies like Alibaba, Mercado Libre, Pinduoduo, JD and others may be misunderstood, and how concentrated growth exposure differs from traditional EM allocations. He also discusses how investors should think about volatility, sizing, and the macro factors that create both opportunity and risk across emerging markets.In this episode:- How single stock levered ETFs actually work and why daily resets matter- Why EM fundamentals are shifting toward internet platforms and tech enabled services- The temptation and the risk in overweighting individual EM growth names- How KWEB and KEMQ isolate growth that broad EM indices miss- How to size and risk adjust aggressive EM exposures inside a diversified portfolioLead-Lag Live brings you inside conversations with the financial thinkers who shape markets. Subscribe for interviews that go deeper than the noise.#LeadLagLive #EmergingMarkets #Stocks #Investing #TechGrowth #ETFStrategies #MarketOutlook #Finance #MacroTrendsSupport the show