With so many assets at or near all-time highs, a rational investor might wonder how long can the good times last? And is now the time to consider an insurance policy for the inevitable pullback? And also, what sort of downside protection should you use, if any?

On this episode of Trillions, Eric Balchunas and Joel Weber speak with Bloomberg reporters Bernard Goyder and Suzanne Woolley about the spectrum of hedging strategies, many of which now involve exchange-traded funds. At one end are advanced approaches that involve the volatility index, or VIX, which can have big payoffs while also being as dangerous as juggling chainsaws. They also discuss more vanilla options such as Treasuries and gold, as well as buffer ETFs—aka “boomer candy.” 

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