Pickers Market

This week on the Picker's Market Podcast, we break down one of the biggest new trends in today's market: the explosive growth of leveraged ETFs. Assets in leveraged ETFs have doubled in just a few months as retail investors continue piling into technology, semiconductor, and single-stock products. While these funds can generate outsized gains over short periods, they also introduce risks...

The first half of 2026 is officially in the books – and what a six month it’s been! Major US indexes reached new all-time highs, the S&P 500 posted its best quarter since 2020, small-cap stocks had their strongest first half since 1991, and corporate America is on fire with earnings growth expected to exceed 20% for the full year. At the same time, inflation has reemerged as a major concern, g...

This week on The Pickers Market Podcast, we tackle one of Wall Street's most misunderstood topics: volatility. Is a spike in the VIX, the market's "fear gauge", something investors should fear, or does it create opportunity? We discuss why higher volatility can improve pricing for certain investment strategies and how uncertainty can sometimes work in investors’ favor. We also...

The Pickers Market Podcast goes international! 🌴☀️ This week, we're coming to you from the beautiful beaches of Mexico for a special edition of the podcast. We share why the Gradient family gathers in Mexico each year for the annual Gradient Gala - bringing together advisors, their families, and the Gradient team to celebrate another successful year and the relationships that make our commun...

The World Cup is officially underway, and while soccer fans are focused on the matches, investors are watching a different scoreboard. This week, we discuss a stronger-than-expected jobs report, the latest CPI inflation data, and what both could mean for the Federal Reserve's next move. We also break down Apple's WWDC announcements and ask whether the tech giant is falling behind in the...

This week, we break down Google's surprise $80 billion capital raise and what it signals about the future of artificial intelligence spending. After spending years buying back stock, Google is making a dramatic shift by tapping equity markets for the first major common stock issuance in nearly two decades. Is this simply smart financial planning - or evidence that the AI arms race is becoming...

This week, we break down NVIDIA’s blockbuster earnings - and why the stock still fell. Despite crushing expectations across revenue, EPS, and margins, the market reaction was negative. Are expectations simply too high… or is something shifting beneath the surface? Also, we dive into the SEC’s proposal to end quarterly earnings report requirements and what it could mean for companies and investors....

This week, we break down the semiconductor surge that has Wall Street buzzing. Chips now make up a sizable allocation of the S&P 500, the global market is surging this year and why its worth paying attention to, and NVIDIA reports earnings tonight. Is this the most important mega-trend of our generation or the most expensive one? We dig into the numbers, the risks, and what investors actually...

This week, we break down the growing world of private markets - from private credit to private equity - and what investors need to know about these strategies in the face of rising concerns around defaults, liquidity, and redemption pressure. Plus - we finish with our rapid-fire market/ stock picking segment! We discuss: • Traditional banking vs. private markets • Why investors are turning to priv...

Is this about saving humanity… or winning the AI race? This week, we break down the escalating feud between Elon Musk and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman - now taken to the courtroom in a lawsuit that could reshape the future of OpenAI and send ripple effects across big tech. What started as a nonprofit mission to benefit humanity has turned into a near trillion-dollar powerhouse, and a high-stakes clash ov...

In this episode, we break down blockbuster Q1 2026 earnings from Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, and Alphabet — four of the most powerful companies on the planet reporting in the same afternoon. We cover what AI is doing to margins, cloud growth, and capital spending plans that are now measured in the hundreds of billions. We also unpack why the market cheered Google and punished Meta, even as both poste...

Record highs. Cheaper tech stocks. Strong earnings - sounds too good to be true? Big Tech’s pullback has made valuations more compelling, while earnings continue to show resilience and the markets are setting new all-time highs. And despite fears around buying at new highs, history suggests those moments have often rewarded investors. This week we cover: • Is tech actually cheap again? • Valuation...

We’ve got a new face on the pod - welcome our Investment Analyst, John! Earnings season is off to a strong start, with banks leading the way - delivering standout results and pointing to continued resilience from the US consumer. Analysts are expecting double-digit earnings growth for Q1 2026. But here’s the disconnect: Consumer sentiment just hit its lowest level in over 70 years - below even the...

Episode 100. We made it. In this milestone episode, we look back through the full run of Picker's Market — the predictions that aged well, the ones that didn't, and the wild market moments we documented in real time. From Lisa calling gold's massive run in January 2025, to living through Liberation Day volatility in real time, to watching DeepSeek blindside the entire market — it&#0...

The first quarter of 2026 is officially in the books and it didn’t come quietly. Markets delivered a volatile start to the year, with the S&P 500 down around 4% year-to-date despite a massive rebound day to close out the quarter. Meanwhile, oil prices surged above $100, Treasury yields climbed, and the market narrative continues to shift quickly. We also touch on how volatility impacts markets...

Safe havens are supposed to protect investors during times of crisis… so why are they failing right now? In this episode, we unpack a market environment that’s breaking the usual playbook: • Gold is down about 20% from its recent highs • Treasury yields are surging instead of falling • Rate cut expectations have completely flipped We dig into what’s really driving markets right now - from inflatio...

The Fed takes center stage today — and AI is stealing the spotlight right alongside it. In this episode, we break down the Federal Reserve's rate decision, why markets aren't expecting much movement for the rest of the year, and whether the Fed is quietly keeping one eye on oil prices even when they say they're not. We also dive deep into AI — from the Citrini Research report that k...

Oil markets have been on a wild ride lately. Prices briefly surged toward $120 per barrel before retreating sharply, marking one of the largest one-day reversals on record and highlighting just how volatile energy markets can become during geopolitical conflicts. In this episode, we break down what’s driving the recent oil price swings and why events in the Middle East - responsible for roughly on...

Global conflicts are back at the center of financial markets. After initially shrugging off geopolitical tensions earlier in the week, markets quickly reversed as volatility surged. In this episode, we discuss how markets historically react during geopolitical crises, why oil supply and key shipping routes like the Strait of Hormuz matter for the global economy, and which sectors tend to benefit d...

This week, we break down the Supreme Court’s big ruling on U.S. tariffs - what it means for the $170 billion already collected, how the effective tariff rate drops, and why markets barely reacted. We also dig into the next steps: can tariffs return under different rulesets, and what that means for investors and portfolios. From a market perspective, we break down how this ruling shifts trade uncer...

We’ve entered the Year of the Fire Horse 🔥🐎 This week, we break down whether the Lunar New Year market effect is real and where it shows up most. We also dig into a surprising stat: older generations now spend more time on their phones than younger ones - is it productivity, changing habits, or doomscrolling? On the markets side, we tackle the AI-driven selloff, why it’s spreading beyond just so...

In this episode, we break down the sharp equity rotation sparked by rising AI disruption risk, with software and other data-intensive industries selling off across regions. The MSCI World Momentum Index delivered its 5th largest sell-off versus the market since 1995, while volatility gauges flashed warning signs beneath the surface. What does this all mean – we break it down! We’re joined by Chad...

In this special edition episode, we’re joined by the one and only Brian Belski to unveil Gradient Investment’s newly introduced SMID Cap Select portfolio. We break down why small and mid-cap stocks may be entering a new leadership phase, how the portfolio was designed, and where Brian sees the most compelling opportunities today. We also dive into Brian’s remarkable career, his framework for ident...

Fed policy is back in focus with the announcement of a new Fed chair – but what does it mean for interest rates, the bond market, and your portfolio? In this episode, we break down Fed leadership headlines, rate cut expectations, bond market risks, and how stocks, precious metals, and the U.S. dollar could respond in 2026. We also discuss historical market patterns, interest rate volatility, and r...

The investment word of the year so far is “broadening”. In this episode, we break down what’s driving expanding market breadth in early 2026 and whether it’s sustainable. We discuss why earnings growth ultimately drives markets, how declining correlations in mega-cap tech are reshaping opportunities and what market broadening could mean for sectors, styles, and portfolio positioning. We wrap up wi...