Barry Habib, CEO of MBS Highway and four-time winner of Zillow's Crystal Ball Award, joins Ed D'Agostino to answer a question that causes a lot of pushback: Is housing really harder now than it was for previous generations?

Yes—and also no. Barry makes the case that 45% of first-time buyers are sitting out over a down payment myth, walks the math on why a homeowner's net worth is 44 times a renter's, and explains why mortgage rates from here depend less on the Fed than on the price of oil.

Michael Howell of GL Indexes and Capital Wars joins Ed D'Agostino to explain how global liquidity is being drained by four converging forces—central bank tightening, surging oil, a rising dollar, and spiking bond volatility—just as a massive wall of COVID-era debt comes due for refinancing. He makes the case that the bull market is likely over, the traditional 60/40 portfolio is breaking down, and where investors should be looking.

Geopolitical strategist Jacob Shapiro breaks down the long-term implications of the US-Israel military campaign against Iran. Recorded in the middle of extraordinary oil price swings and a Strait of Hormuz disruption, the conversation moves beyond the daily headlines to explore what this conflict means for the Gulf states' ambitions as global financial hubs, the vulnerability of critical energy chokepoints, and the accelerating shift toward a multipolar world.

Eric Fine, an emerging markets bond portfolio manager at VanEck, discusses how EM bonds currently yield roughly double what you get in developed markets at lower volatility. And yet, almost nobody owns them. He also unpacks how Middle East tensions are creating winners among oil exporters, why the dollar will slowly share its reserve status, and what 13 years of outperformance says about where fixed income is heading.

Yields have every reason to go up—and they're not. Neil Dutta, Head of Economic Research at Renaissance Macro, joins Global Macro Update to explain what that signal means and why he's more cautious on the economy than the current consensus. Neil was among the few against the 2022 recession narrative and was proven right. Now he's watching the same four indicators, and the conclusion has flipped. Plus: tariffs, AI and the labor market, and a candid take on the Kevin Warsh Fed chair nomination.

Jan Stuart, one of the sharpest oil minds on Wall Street and global energy strategist at Piper Sandler, cuts through the headlines for a wide-ranging conversation on the state of global oil markets heading into 2026. Is there really an oil glut? What is China doing with all that crude? And is the US shale boom finally running out of steam? Jan answers all… and more.

Gavekal CEO Louis Gave is here this week to discuss emerging markets, China's manufacturing edge, Japanese bond yields, and the broken relationship between Canada and the US. If you're discovering emerging markets for the first time (or think you already understand them), this conversation is for you.

Marko Papic discusses the evolving landscape of GeoMacro analysis, emphasizing the integration of political and geopolitical factors into investment strategies. He highlights the rapid changes in market dynamics, the implications of dollar debasement, and the shifting focus of investors toward global opportunities, particularly in Europe. Papic also explores the structural reforms and economic potential within Europe, as well as the importance of defense spending in the current geopolitical climate.

George Friedman of Geopolitical Futures discusses the shifting global order in this essential conversation. He explains why the world is "re-anchoring" away from the Cold War framework, how Russia's failure in Ukraine has ended its status as a global power, and why the US-China relationship is now the defining geopolitical dynamic of our era.

Charles Schwab Chief Investment Strategist Liz Ann Sonders joins us to discuss why geopolitical events rarely move markets long-term, how AI investment themes are evolving, and why 74 stocks outperformed Nvidia in 2025. Plus, Sonders shares her jigsaw puzzle philosophy on investing and more.