The most played episodes among Podcast App listeners.

1. 1
   Number 1: Can Stocks Handle More Fed Rate Hikes?

   Markets are testing whether stocks can keep climbing through another rate hike cycle, especially with AI spending still driving much of the economy’s momentum.Chuck Zodda and Mike Armstrong discuss why Wall Street may be able to handle a few more Fed hikes, how AI investment has become the main engine behind the market, and why higher rates may affect housing, small businesses, and consumers very differently than the tech companies leading the rally. They also break down why many Americans lack confidence in meeting future financial needs, how to think about retirement projections, and Paul LaMonica of Barron’s joins to discuss Nike’s struggles, its possible removal from the Dow, and growing competition from On and New Balance.

   September 18, 2026·39min
   Play
2. 2
   Number 2: Diesel Prices Are Making Almost Everything More Expensive

   Diesel has climbed to $6.45 a gallon, and the ripple effects are starting to show up across shipping, food, construction, holiday retail, and home heating costs.Chuck Zodda and Mike Armstrong discuss why diesel inflation is different from higher gasoline prices, how rising fuel costs are feeding into interest rates and mortgage rates, and why AI data center spending may be harder to slow than the rest of the economy. They also break down the debate over a possible diesel export ban, why that could lower prices briefly but create bigger problems later, the latest legal trouble for OpenAI and Microsoft in their fight with The New York Times, and Warren Buffett stepping down as Berkshire Hathaway chairman.

   September 18, 2026·39min
   Play
3. 3
   Number 3: Fed Hike Calms Markets as Inflation Questions Remain

   Stocks and bonds are rallying after the Fed’s first rate hike in three years, but higher fuel prices and stubborn inflation risks are still complicating the path ahead.Chuck Zodda and Mike Armstrong discuss why markets are reacting more positively after Kevin Warsh’s latest Fed meeting, why short-term rate hikes do not directly control mortgage rates, and how flows and positioning can drive market moves more than simple headlines. They also break down why diesel prices remain a major economic problem, whether the global economy is running out of supply buffers, why AI spending is still reshaping markets, and how concerns around Anthropic, OpenAI, and AI safety could affect future IPOs.

   September 17, 2026·39min
   Play
4. 4
   Number 4: Fed’s Next Move Gets Murkier After CPI Report

   CPI came in close to expectations, but one noisy piece of the report is raising new questions about whether the Fed will actually hike rates next week.Chuck Zodda and Mike Armstrong discuss why August CPI may not give the Fed a clean answer, how wireless phone services distorted the super core inflation reading, and why diesel prices could make September inflation look very different. They also break down Oracle’s AI spending challenge, why Congress is waking up to AI risks, how bad actors are already misusing AI tools, the future of Social Security and retirement, NIL money flowing into college athletes’ real estate purchases, and Paul LaMonica’s look at a new UC Investments ETF strategy.

   September 11, 2026·39min
   Play
5. 5
   Number 5: Bond Market Tests Warsh as Energy Prices Keep Climbing

   Brent crude is back above $100, diesel is closing in on $6 a gallon, and bond investors are testing whether Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Fed Chair Kevin Warsh can keep yields under control.Chuck Zodda and Paul Lane discuss why diesel prices could keep rising, how Treasury buybacks and Bessent’s “I am the house” comments are being received by markets, and why next week’s Fed meeting could become a defining credibility moment for Warsh. They also cover growing AI safety concerns after an Anthropic researcher quit over out-of-control fears, why adjustable rate mortgage headlines may be overstated, LIV Golf’s bankruptcy filing, and Apple’s expected foldable iPhone launch.

   September 09, 2026·39min
   Play