Be Smart by Jared Dillian

In the first trading week of September, the S&P 500 fell 4.2%, the monthly jobs report showed the labor market added fewer jobs than expected, and weak manufacturing data led stocks to their worst day since early August. In episode 391, Jared discusses market volatility and economic data, as well as topics such as Apple's AI selling point for its new generation of iPhones, Donald Trump's proposed government efficiency commission headed by Elon Musk, and Kamala Harris's idea to introduce a 25% minimum tax on total income (including unrealized capital gains) for individuals with wealth over $100 million.

Jared and Cameron discuss Jared's upcoming short story collection, NIGHT MOVES, before diving into commodities and skepticism toward Goldman Sachs' copper forecast. They also discuss the recent decline in Nvidia's stock price and its implications, the outlook for stocks in September, the use of puts as an alternative to short selling, and the allocation of new investments in the Awesome Portfolio.

In this episode of the BE SMART podcast, Jared and Cameron discuss various topics, including key market headlines, such as the upcoming Jackson Hole Symposium in Wyoming, the VIX's unprecedented turnaround, and Kamala Harris's plan to stop price gouging. They also discuss the importance of teaching personal finance in schools before diving into the mailbag to answer a question about the Awesome Portfolio.

The collapse of the real estate market in 2008 nearly brought the global economy to its knees, but a few saw it as an opportunity to change their lives. Today, we're facing a similar moment—this time in private equity. While we might not sink as low as the near-depression levels of 2008, a downturn in private equity could still turn a recession into something much worse… but there's still an opportunity to get ahead of it. In this special edition of the BE SMART podcast, Jared and his co-host Cameron cover the problems surrounding private equity and the actionable, step-by-step moves needed to trade something of this magnitude.

On Monday, the Dow dropped 2.6%, the Nasdaq lost 3.43%, and the S&P 500 slid 3%. The Dow and S&P 500 registered their biggest daily losses since September 2022. On top of that, cryptocurrencies sank; the VIX skyrocketed; investors piled into Treasury bonds; and Japan's stock market posted its worst drop since Wall Street's Black Monday in 1987, contributing to fears of global turmoil in the markets.

In episode 387, Jared discusses recession fears, the importance of having short positions in a stock-based portfolio, and how traders can insure their portfolios against an extreme market crash. Plus, mortgage rates and the one thing younger generations should focus on when looking to buy a new home.

In episode 386, Jared breaks down various topics including market volatility, McDonald's earnings and consumer spending, Bitcoin, mortgage rates, personal finance questions from Reddit, and upcoming events such as the Federal Reserve meeting and the July jobs report. He addresses Reddit users' concerns such as how to prepare for your parents' golden years when they haven't, emergency funds, what to do with your savings, and investment strategies.

In episode 385, Jared discusses recent political developments, their impact on markets, and whether the Trump trade is still in play. He also follows up from last week's episode on the potential for a rotation into small caps… plus, company-specific headlines surrounding Verizon (VZ) and Delta (DAL), uncertainty and volatility in the market, and why his Strategic Portfolio makes sense as a "safe money" investing solution.

Following the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, Jared discusses the idea of the "Trump trade" gaining momentum as the US nears its 2024 election, how black swan events tend to cluster, and the mispricing of volatility. He also addresses declining inflation, the potential for the Fed to cut rates, and how small caps are showing signs of a comeback.

In today's episode, fresh off an interview at the Schwab Network in NYC, Jared reveals the weirdness of the New York Stock Exchange, as well as topics such as Nvidia's recent 10-for-1 stock split, California's bump in minimum wages, greedflation and rising fast food prices, and why it's a bad idea to finance used cars. He also addresses readers' questions, including his thoughts on the FDIC's $250K insurance limits and people's irrational fear that the US dollar will lose its status as the reserve currency.

In episode 382, Jared discusses why he thinks private equity is one of the biggest bubbles of all time, as well as Roaring Kitty's blatant market manipulation with GameStop, Donald Trump, where to begin your investment journey, and an outlet for market junkies. He also dives into the mailbag to tackle concerns such as cash positions, money market funds, and paying taxes on gains before addressing the week ahead, including payrolls and the upcoming Fed meeting.

Time stamps:

1:12 — Market headlines

5:01 — Investing: beginner to market junkie

7:52 — Private equity and gold

13:45 — The week ahead