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One of the biggest challenges retirees face is balancing the need for portfolio growth with the need to protect hard-earned savings. With markets near record highs, valuations elevated, and investor sentiment increasingly optimistic, when should retirees consider reducing portfolio risk? Lance Roberts discusses the principles of risk management for retirees and why successful investing is often more about protecting capital than maximizing returns. Here's a topical rundown of today's show: 0:00 - INTRO 0:50 - End of Quarter - Looking forward to June & July 3:24 - Hurricane Season Fun 4:51 - Easy Market Breeds Investor Complacency - No One Wants Insurance 11:47 - RIA Website...

After nine straight weeks of gains, investor optimism is running high, money flows remain elevated, and portfolio protection has become an afterthought. But history suggests that periods of extreme complacency often precede at least a short-term market reset. In this morning's market update, we review the surge in money flows since April, the growing divergence from long-term moving averages, and why markets may be increasingly vulnerable to a pullback. While the bullish trend remains intact, momentum and relative strength indicators are stretched, raising the risk of a reversion toward more normal levels. We discuss practical ways investors can think about...

Semiconductor stocks continue to dominate market leadership as AI spending, data center demand, and investor enthusiasm push valuations higher. But is the semiconductor trade becoming dangerously overcrowded? Lance Roberts & Michael Lebowitz examine whether the current AI-driven semiconductor boom is sustainable or if markets are entering another phase of excessive speculation. We discuss narrow market breadth, concentration risk inside major indexes, memory chip pricing, Korea's growing importance in the global semiconductor supply chain, and whether investor optimism is outrunning economic reality. Here's a topical rundown of today's show: 0:00 - INTRO 1:02 - End of Quarter prep; Triton Joins $-Trillion Club 5:59 - Market...

Markets continue to grind higher, but the rally is becoming increasingly dependent on one sector: Technology. While technical trends remain bullish overall, the acceleration in semiconductors and mega-cap tech is creating extreme deviations from long-term moving averages and historical norms. Lance Roberts examines why overbought markets can stay overbought, why narrow market leadership matters, and what history says about parabolic advances in speculative sectors. We also discuss why a 20% correction would not necessarily break the long-term bullish trend, what types of events could trigger a broader reversal, and why risk management becomes critical when momentum accelerates too quickly. We review...

Markets, retirement, inflation, taxes, the Fed, portfolio risk, and financial planning — nothing is off limits during this week's Q&A Wednesday. Lance and Danny answer viewer questions live and break down what matters most to investors right now, from market volatility and interest rates to retirement income strategies and long-term wealth planning. Join the conversation and get straightforward insights from real advisors dealing with real-world financial challenges every day. Here's a topical rundown of today's show: 0:00 - INTRO 1:09 - Markets Set New Highs, Iran Talks Continue 5:46 - Markets' Rising on One Sector 9:54 - When Will the Market Correct? 15:16 - Inflation St...

Markets continue pushing to new highs, but the rally is becoming increasingly dependent on one sector: Technology. With XLK and Semiconductor stocks driving the majority of gains, market breadth remains weak beneath the surface. Communications, Financials, Energy, and Materials are telling a very different story than the headline indexes. In today's Before the Bell, we break down the growing disconnect between Technology and the rest of the market, why diversified portfolios are lagging benchmarks, and how hedge fund positioning in Semiconductors is fueling the momentum chase. We also discuss why this narrow leadership can continue longer than expected, what warning...

Wall Street still defines a "bear market" as a 20% decline, but does that rule still apply in today's market environment? Lance Roberts & Jon Penn break down why traditional definitions of corrections and bear markets may be obsolete after 17 years of Fed intervention, massive liquidity injections, and historically elevated valuations. We also answer one of the biggest questions investors are asking right now: how do you balance staying invested while also remaining defensive? We discuss risk management, position sizing, portfolio hedging, and how investors can recognize when it may be time to become more cautious without abandoning long-term investment discipline. The...

Markets continue to climb after eight straight weeks of gains, but the rally is becoming increasingly narrow and overextended. AI, semiconductors, and mega-cap technology stocks continue to drive most of the upside while broader market participation weakens beneath the surface. Lance Roberts examines why sharp angles of ascent often lead to stronger reversions back toward long-term support levels, even when momentum remains bullish. We also discuss why overbought conditions alone do not end bull markets, but why slowing momentum, narrow breadth, and excessive concentration risk are worth monitoring as we head into summer. We'll cover the risks tied to a...

Markets finally pulled back after a relentless momentum-driven rally, but history suggests parabolic advances rarely end quietly. Lance Roberts & Tom Thornton break down the growing signs of a speculative bubble forming beneath the surface of the market, from DeMark Exhaustion Sell Signals and narrow market breadth to surging semiconductor inflows, Korean market speculation, and rising energy-driven inflation risks. We examine why tech leadership is becoming dangerously concentrated, how crude oil and gasoline prices could reignite CPI pressures, and why the Fed may be effectively finished with rate cuts. We also discuss the "immediate gratification economy," emerging market weakness, fertilizer and...

Qualified Charitable Distributions, or QCDs, can be one of the most tax-efficient strategies available for retirees with IRA assets. But are they always the right move? Richard Rosso and Jonathan McCarty break down the pros and cons of QCDs, including how they interact with Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs), adjusted gross income (AGI), Medicare IRMAA surcharges, Social Security taxation, Roth conversions, and estate planning strategies. Here's a topical rundown of today's show: 0:00 - INTRO 0:19 - Texas Tree Roaches & Market Commentary 4:08 - AI Data Centers & Anti-AI Mentalities & Other Observations 16:23 - How AI Tools Can Help 19:04 - Qualified Charitable Distributions 21:13 - Falling Into...

The AI economy looks unstoppable on the surface, but what is really happening underneath? Lance Roberts and Michael Lebowitz break down the massive surge in AI infrastructure spending, the role of hyperscaler CapEx in driving GDP growth, and whether AI is creating a stronger economy or masking deeper structural weaknesses. Here's a topical rundown of today's show: 0:00 - INTRO 0:53 - NVIDIA, AI, & Streamlining Workforce 5:41 - Market Sell Signals and Chances for Summer Correction 10:10 - Weakness in Economic Data is Transitory 14:53 - Oil Price Economic Impact - When Does it Hit? 16:36 - The AI Economy -Beyond the Hype 19:52 - How Will...

Markets triggered a short-term momentum sell signal, but that does not automatically mean a major correction is underway. The bigger question is whether stocks can hold key support at the 20-DMA while working off overbought conditions driven by the recent momentum chase. Oil prices, tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, and rising margin debt are all contributing to increased volatility risk near-term. However, if markets can consolidate through June without breaking key support levels, the setup for a stronger July rally could remain intact. In today's Before the Bell, we discuss why the real correction risk may not emerge until...