The Master Investor Podcast with Wilfred Frost

What evidence do you use when weighing up an investing decision? In this masterclass on capital cycle investing, Wilf sits down with Django Davidson, founding partner and portfolio manager at Hosking Partners – an $8 billion global investment firm focused on the capital cycle approach, an investing philosophy which has led their firm to significant outperformance in recent years. Django breaks down their methodology; how high profits actually attract devastating competition, and in contrast why low returns on capital can provide fantastic entry points to stocks. The key is knowing how to spot the turning points before the crowd catches on. Moving beyond Wall Street's obsession with demand forecasts and growth narratives, Django shares why true contrarian outperformance relies on measuring supply, tracking replacement costs, and understanding industry consolidation. He explains why the era of zero interest rates was an aberration and how the return of a real cost of capital has revived two powerful forces:…

Jim Bianco, President and Macro Strategist at Bianco Research, sits down with Wilf for an in-depth look at global bond markets, central bank policy, and what it means for equities and your portfolio construction. After maintaining a bearish stance on bonds since 2020, Bianco reveals why he has finally stepped back from that call and now sees value in the bond market. With US yields crossing 5% and global rates surging, Bianco explains why bonds are offering fair value for the first time in years, and why strong nominal GDP growth justifies higher rates as opposed to sending warning signs. Despite that major pivot, Jim explains why he prefers long-term TIPS over nominal Treasuries to hedge ongoing inflation risks, and explores the risks to his call that come from surging bond yields in Europe and Japan, which could mean there is more downside to come. Wilf and Jim discuss the evolving nature of the Federal Reserve under Kevin Warsh including why the unanimous 12–0 September vote to hike rates makes it HARDER…

In this rare extended interview, Wilf sits down with the famed market contrarian and man who coined the phrase "Magnificent Seven", Bank of America’s Chief Investment Strategist Michael Hartnett. Hartnett unpacks the structural forces reshaping markets this decade, from ballooning fiscal spending and nominal growth, to the massive rotation away from sovereign debt. He explains why the AI trade now faces a twin threat: bond market discipline on Wall Street and pushback from voters on Main Street. From the Mag 7 shifting from cash-flow machines to spending $1.2 trillion on CapEx, to the historical warning signs from the 1880s railroad boom and the 1990s dot-com bubble, Hartnett provides an unvarnished playbook for navigating today's market regime. Hartnett breaks down the reasons why the equity market has not yet collapsed in the face of spiking bond yields and the importance of the Fed reestablishing its credibility. “Central Banks never run out of ammunition, but they can run out of credibility. The Fed has…

What happens if the invisible system feeding and fuelling our planet suddenly breaks down? In this episode of The Master Investor Podcast, Wilfred Frost sits down with Ed Conway, Economics & Data Editor at Sky News and bestselling author of Material World and Trade World. Drawing on Ed’s latest book, Trade World, they explore the enormous importance - and growing fragility - of global trade, and why the hyper-efficient, just-in-time supply chains that have delivered decades of cheap goods are increasingly vulnerable to tariffs, geopolitical friction and war. Ed offers some stark warnings about what could happen if the global trading system begins to break down: “So if we were to have a kind of breakdown in global trading system, God forbid, it would make the Global Financial Crisis look like a walk in the park because this is everything.” And, looking at the growing tensions between major powers: “It's not implausible that if things go south from here, people will look back and say this was the foothills for…

Thomas Peterffy is worth well over $100bn, making him one of the 20 wealthiest people in the world. He is a markets titan and the founder of Interactive Brokers, and joins Wilf on this week’s episode of The Master Investor Podcast. He breaks down how Interactive Brokers has grown both earnings and its share price by around 40% per year over the past five years, driven by its focus on building the products its customers want. He explains why he remains calm about the rise in bond yields, believes the Fed will hike rates, and disagrees with that decision. Peterffy is optimistic about AI, arguing that fears of a Hindenburg moment are overstated and that AI will overwhelmingly boost the economy and stock market. He points to companies such as Nvidia, which he believes are “cheap” when their earnings growth is taken into account. Wilf and Thomas also discuss prediction markets at length. Peterffy boldly predicts that they will eventually account for the majority of Interactive Brokers’ earnings, explaining the…

This week on The Master Investor Podcast, Wilfred Frost sits down with one of the world’s foremost commodities experts, Jeff Currie. After nearly three decades building and leading commodities research at Goldman Sachs, Currie shares an unvarnished masterclass on why we are only in the "second or third inning of nine" of a generational commodity supercycle that will see hard assets crush tech and the dollar this decade. At the heart of Currie’s thesis is a simple but radical shift: mounting sovereign debt, financial repression and the debasement of currencies will drive investors away from traditional financial assets and towards gold, energy, agriculture and other hard assets. Currie explains his bold $10,000 gold forecast, why he would rather own gold than the dollar or pound sterling, and why central banks - particularly in emerging markets - are continuing to de-dollarize and accumulate gold. He reveals why he favours his “Munificent Seven” energy giants over tech’s Magnificent Seven - Exxon Mobil,…

This week on The Master Investor Podcast, Wilfred Frost sits down with Liz Ann Sonders, Chief Investment Strategist at Charles Schwab, which oversees $13.4 trillion in client assets. Liz Ann begins with the surge in global bond yields and the growing tension between Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and the Federal Reserve. She argues that rising yields don't necessarily spell trouble for equities - provided the move remains orderly - and highlights 5% on the US 10-year Treasury as an important level to watch. She believes that Kevin Warsh and the Fed will have more impact than Scott Bessent and the Treasury, and ultimately believes Warsh, who she knows personally, is still a hawk at heart wanting to limit inflation, and expects a rate hike soon. She also examines what history tells us about equity-market performance during Fed hiking cycles, arguing that the key question is whether the Fed takes the "escalator or the elevator" approach to raising rates. The conversation then turns to the AI trade and the…

Wilfred Frost sits down with macro strategist Luke Gromen, founder of independent macro research firm Forest For The Trees (FFTT), for a wide-ranging conversation on the growing fragility of Western sovereign bond markets, the economic fallout from the Iran war, and why he believes gold is quietly replacing US Treasuries as the world's reserve asset. Luke argues that markets continue to underestimate the implications of the Iran war, while acknowledging he underestimated China's ability to reduce its short-term oil import needs. The conversation turns to why rising western bond yields – not oil prices – are the bigger threat, with Luke laying out his "variant perception" that future risk-off events will trigger only brief yield declines before yields spike even higher as equities fall, a pattern he says has repeated since 2020. He details Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's roughly 4.4%-4.9% "pain threshold" on 10-year yields and warns that repeated policy retreats are steadily eroding US credibility as the…

Wilfred Frost welcomes back legendary investor Jim Mellon for his fourth, and typically candid and outspoken, appearance on the podcast. Jim discusses investor fatigue with US mega-cap technology companies, noting the Magnificent 7’s 30% average drop since their June highs. He also highlights the recent struggles of SpaceX, characterising it as the "biggest short of all time", and a sign of a major tipping point for markets. While many investors fear a renewed Iran conflict could send energy markets soaring, Jim argues the world is adapting to the risk of disruption in the Strait of Hormuz. He outlines his active trading strategy for oil and his continued bullishness on North Sea oil and gas stocks, such as Ithaca Energy, but why he has faded many of his other long positions in the oil and gas space. He acknowledges that he has been wrong about his bullish position in the Japanese Yen, but doubles down on his call, recapping why he remains a believer that the Yen is incredibly cheap, and revealing that he…

In this episode of The Master Investor Podcast, Wilfred Frost sits down with the undisputed heavyweight champion of global finance: Jamie Dimon, Chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase. Leading the world’s largest bank through 20 years of global economic crises, Dimon brings unprecedented, unfiltered insights into the true state of the macroeconomy. From inflation and government debt to AI, geopolitics and market valuations, this is a masterclass in risk management, leadership and long-term thinking. Dimon's clearest market call is on long-dated government bonds: "I would not be a buyer." Drawing parallels with the inflationary spiral of the 1970s, he warns that investors may be underestimating the risks posed by record government deficits, rising interest rates and an increasingly unstable geopolitical backdrop. That said – he does think the world economy is more resilient in the face of oil price increases, and believes President Trump should pursue his goals in the Middle East regardless of its effects on the…

How do you separate genuine innovation from pure hype? That is perhaps THE question of the moment for investors when it comes to AI, and it is also the question Kara Swisher has thought about for her entire career as the premier tech journalist of our time. She is co-founder of Recode and the host of powerhouse podcasts like Pivot and On with Kara Swisher, and she brings her trademark candor – and the occasional swear word – to the latest episode of The Master Investor Podcast to break down the realities behind tech’s biggest narratives. Kara has interviewed every major tech CEO of the modern era, and reflects on the traits that lead to trillion dollar companies and those that destroy shareholder value. Ultimately she thinks society overestimates the intelligence of many tech innovators, reflecting on the failure of the Metaverse and Cyber Truck, and identifies the character traits to watch out for – losing your passion and focus for the original job; talking too much to the media; and spending money on…

Robinhood didn't just survive one of the sharpest reversals in fintech, it emerged bigger, stronger and more ambitious than ever. After its market value collapsed by 80% to around $6 billion in 2022, the fintech pioneer has rebounded to nearly $100 billion, cementing its place at the centre of the next generation of finance. In this episode of The Master Investor Podcast, host Wilfred Frost sits down with Robinhood co-founder, chairman and CEO Vlad Tenev to dissect the evolution of retail trading and look ahead to the next frontiers of finance. Vlad pulls back the curtain on the mechanics of the pandemic-era meme stock craze, debunks the myth of institutional "smart money", and shares his perspective on whether we are currently living through an artificial intelligence bubble. But this isn't just a look back at market history. Vlad lays out his blueprint for Robinhood’s next decade of growth, covering the ongoing path for more stock ownership in the US as penetration crosses 65% and heads for 90%, and for…

Wall Street veteran, SkyBridge Capital founder, broadcaster, author and former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci, aka “the Mooch” sits down with Wilf for a candid conversation about the painful market lessons that shaped his 38-year career, his bold transition into the digital frontier, and the importance of focusing on the long term. From the $14m he lost out on listening to Buffett over Bezos on Amazon, to how Trump took him to pieces on Brexit, and why he had to evolve from a crypto sceptic into a major institutional player, this is a grand lesson in learning from your mistakes, and coming out stronger for it. Anthony has advice for younger investors – pay yourselves first, put that into the markets each month, and don’t get distracted by short term fluctuations. He acknowledges that early in his career he was too impetuous, and how these learnings have influenced his approach to SpaceX, which he owns and is not selling. His view: don’t bet against Elon Musk . He also explains his…

Wilf is joined by Ned Naylor-Leyland, newly crowned Investment Week Precious Metals Fund Manager of the Year and manager of the nearly $3 billion Jupiter Gold & Silver Fund. Known for his characteristically contrarian, deeply analytical perspective, Ned breaks down why the true narrative surrounding gold and silver is heavily misunderstood by the investing public. Instead of viewing gold and silver through the lens of traditional commodities, Ned explains why they are fundamentally foreign exchange instruments and why gold is the true risk-free asset of the global financial system. “This is about being short the behaviour of your government.” Ned makes the case for physical gold as the ultimate safeguard against the long-term erosion of purchasing power caused by the inevitable debasement of paper currencies. But he disagrees with many fellow gold bulls when explaining the surge in price in 2025, and thinks that momentum and macro trend-following from leveraged investors, as well as changing real interest…

Powerhouse of business journalism and co-anchor of CNBC’s Squawk Box, Becky Quick, joins Wilf straight from live morning TV to break down a massive, fast-moving moment in the markets and share rare, deeply personal insights into both her career and family life. Over 20+ years Becky, who is Wilf’s former colleague and great friend, has become well known for her access to, and interviews with, legendary investor Warren Buffett. She shares what she has learned from her two-decade relationship interviewing and building trust with him, including the true source of his investing genius - unwavering patience, an extraordinary mathematical mind, and the complete absence of FOMO (fear of missing out). The discussion begins on current market movements, including Becky’s latest headline takes on the factors affecting markets, and why she is optimistic that the newly announced 60-day US-Iran peace framework can hold. She cautions that President Trump is less concerned about the upcoming mid-term elections in November…

In this special episode of The Master Investor Podcast we explore the upcoming IPO of SpaceX - the largest IPO of all time, set to begin trading on Friday 12 June, raising $75bn in fresh capital, valuing the firm at close to $1.8trn. Wilf is joined by CNBC’s Morgan Brennan to set up the details with a breakdown of SpaceX’s business model, all of the key numbers, and how we got to this point. Wedbush Securities’ Senior Research Analyst Dan Ives then gives the bullish take on the IPO. Followed by Nicolas Owens from Morningstar - a rare Bear on Wall St on this deal - who thinks the company is worth half the mooted listing price. Read Nicolas' Note here - https://www.morningstar.com/stocks/spacex-what-investors-need-know-about-its-enormous-upcoming-ipo Rounding things off, Wilf discusses the likely impact of the IPO on the broader markets with founder of The Bear Traps Report - Larry McDonald. If you are debating buying shares in the SpaceX IPO then this is a critical listen for you. Recorded 7th and 8th June…

What happens the day after ChatGPT launches? If you’re Dominic Rizzo, you take over the helm of the $8.7bn T. Rowe Price Global Technology Fund and embark on an incredible run, delivering an outstanding 43.6% per annum return. In this episode of The Master Investor Podcast, host Wilfred Frost sits down with Dom Rizzo to dissect the massive shifts reshaping the technology sector. Dom explains why he believes that the key question the market is grappling with is how much more AI CaPex spend there is to come, and why he believes we are only half way through a massive AI CapEx cycle, with Google’s recent $85bn capital raise is a proof point of that. Central to all of Dom’s thinking is that “compute equals revenue” and how that empowers the best AI companies (Anthropic and OpenAI) to deliver not just the highest raw intelligence but increasingly task completion too. The main reason we have seen such a strong market year to date is that the revenue is now following. “People didn't see Agentic taking off, but…

What separates a temporary market pullback from a systemic, catastrophic collapse? And how do the world’s greatest financial institutions build the resilience required to survive the absolute "end of times"? In this episode of The Master Investor Podcast, Wilfred Frost sits down with Tom Michaud, the CEO of banking and finance specialists Keefe, Bruyette & Woods (KBW). Tom has spent over 40 years at KBW studying the banking sector, leading KBW through its 2006 IPO and subsequent 2013 acquisition by Stifel Financial. As the head of the industry's premier financial services investment bank, Tom brings unique insight into what’s happening under the surface of markets today and where the next major "torpedo in the ocean" is hiding. Wilfred and Tom map out the critical warning signs of a banking crisis, tracing the common threads between the Global Financial Crisis of 2008 and the sudden collapses of Silicon Valley Bank and First Republic in 2023. Tom explains the danger of unbridled growth for a bank especially…

Are we in an AI bubble, or are capital markets correctly funding the largest infrastructure build-out in human history? In this episode of The Master Investor Podcast, Wilfred Frost sits down with Jan van Eck, CEO and owner of global asset management giant VanEck. Managing over $225 billion in assets, Jan has spent his career looking past daily market noise to focus on what he calls "10-year macro" trends. Today, he pulls back the curtain on the massive structural shifts that will define the global economy through 2036. Wilfred and Jan dive deep into the staggering performance of VanEck’s flagship Semiconductor ETF (SMH) – which has surged to $65 billion in AUM on a jaw-dropping 29% annualized return since inception in 2011. Jan explains why the construction of the ETF is different from some rivals, allowing the likes of Nvidia to rise to up to 20% of the fund, and why he thinks Nvidia holds a generational moat protecting it, but issues a stark, timely warning for investors chasing the recent "bubblicious"…

Lori Calvasina – Head of US Equity Strategy at RBC Capital Markets – has one of the highest SP500 forecasts on Wall St at 7900. In this episode of The Master Investor Podcast we explore why that is, and do a deep dive into the five key factors she considers when weighing up what her price target for the market should be. This is a rare window into the modelling strategy of one of Wall Street's most respected and closely followed US equity strategists, and a must-listen for anyone looking to understand what data points matter when analysing US equities. Lori’s Five-Model Approach includes investor sentiment, cross-asset tests (stocks vs. bonds), valuation/earnings, GDP, and the Federal Reserve. At 23.6x PE she thinks the market is “not cheap” but “has room to run”, and is much more attractive that the 28x multiple reached last Summer/Fall. In particular, despite very strong performance in recent weeks she assesses investor sentiment to still be neutral. She discusses the irony that one of the most bullish…

Legendary tech investor Dan Niles cautions investors to consider raising their cash ratings in this week’s episode of The Master Investor Podcast, just six weeks after he correctly called for a more aggressive risk-on approach at the end of March While he still thinks today is more like 1997/98 than 2000 and that the shift from chat-based AI to Agentic AI will sustain major earnings upgrades for the rest of this year, he warns that tech stocks are overbought, Iran War risks persist, and the challenges that will hit the AI trade either way by year end. SEMIS: “So in the short term, are semis at the most overbought they've been since 2000 or 1995 before they had horrific corrections? Absolutely.” IRAN WAR: “If this is going to take a lot longer for this situation at the Strait of Hormuz to get sorted out, then you're going to see stock prices collapse to catch up with where bond yields and oil prices are. I don't think that's the case. But, I'm viewing things as you should be sitting with a lot of cash.” MEGA…

Wilfred Frost is joined by Louis Gave, the founding partner and CEO of Gavekal, one of the world’s leading independent research firms. With a focus on the shifting geopolitical landscape, Gave outlines why traditional investment assumptions – from the safety of US Treasuries to the dominance of US tech & defence stocks – are being fundamentally upended, and why China is screamingly cheap. The Middle East & The Inflationary "Air Pocket": Louis analyzes the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, noting that even a diplomatic resolution will leave a two-month "air pocket" in global supply chains. He argues that the resulting inflationary shock is definitely coming, and while it might be priced into commodities it isn’t priced into equities and bonds. The US-China Reset: Amidst these dark clouds, Gave identifies a potential silver lining: the economic pressure of inflation may force a "positive reset" in US-China relations. He suggests that both nations are now "condemned to get along" to avoid simultaneous…

Stephanie Link, Chief Investment Officer and Portfolio Manager at Hightower Advisors, returns to The Master Investor Podcast to offer a constructive, theme-driven, bullish case for US equities. She explains why she has repeatedly “bought the dip” at moments of crisis – from the Silicon Valley Bank collapse and April 2025 ‘Liberation Day’ lows through to the recent March 2026 Iran war sell-off – arguing that investors who sell at such points historically miss out on very large subsequent gains. Her conviction rests on a still-resilient US consumer, a solid labour market, healthy bank balance sheets, and AI-driven capex – albeit with the clear caveat that a war lasting months rather than weeks could see higher energy and input costs eventually squeeze spending. The core of Link’s optimism is what she calls the AI “food chain”: a massive, multi-year capital-expenditure boom driven by the big tech platforms that ripples out through data centres, grid upgrades and power generation. She notes that the world will…

Jeremy Grantham is one of the greatest investors of all time, and is famous for correctly identifying the four major stock market bubbles of his 60 year investment career. He joins Wilf to discuss the key ideas of his new book The Making of a Perma Bear: The Perils of Long-Term Investing in a Short-Term World and what they mean for investors today. Jeremy and Wilf explore the factors that drove him to admire value stocks; what makes for good idea generation and decision making when it comes to investing; and the factors he identified that academics missed. In particular they explore why quality stocks and momentum remain persistent – and often misunderstood – market inefficiencies, and why this created the opportunity for the extraordinary outperformance he delivered at the firm he founded – GMO (Grantham, Mayo, & van Otterloo). But they also discuss why value is the ultimate gravitational market force that delivers performance over the long term. Looking at today’s environment, Grantham assesses the Iran…

Wilfred Frost welcomes back Larry McDonald, founder of The Bear Traps Report and bestselling author of “A Colossal Failure of Common Sense” (2009) and “How to Listen When Markets Speak” (2024), for a timely, in-person conversation in London. Larry thinks the SP500 is “a screaming sell” and would use the post Iran War ceasefire announcement as an opportunity to sell the index, especially Mag7 tech names, which he continues to view as wildly overpriced. But he would use the dip in energy stocks post-ceasefire as a buying opportunity. Larry explains why he believes we are still only in the “second or third inning” of the hard-asset super-cycle that has already seen outsized gains in precious metals, energy and other real-asset plays like copper since his latest book was published in March 2024, which called for buying hard assets over financial assets. If you’d like to attend the upcoming Master Investor Show in London on Saturday 25 April, where I’ll be interviewing Jim Mellon amongst others, with over 5000…

In this episode of The Master Investor Podcast, Wilfred Frost sits down with Peter Boockvar, CIO of OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners and editor of The Boock Report, to dissect what the Iran War means for markets - highlighting the stocks and commodities poised to benefit, and the rallies investors should be cautious of. Peter shares his view thesis on why inflation was proving far more persistent than markets and central banks were willing to admit even before the war, and explains why this Iran War energy shock and renewed supply disruptions threaten to push PPI and CPI higher and global growth lower, with shortages in everything from jet fuel to fertilizers which threaten to trigger COVID-style hits to GDP in multiple regions. He then lays out where he sees the most compelling opportunities and risks across asset classes. He sees gold as a “source of funds” in the short term, but still very attractive longer term; oil he doesn’t see settling back down to $65 regardless of when the war ends, and sees $80-85…

Rick Wurster, CEO of Charles Schwab – who have $12 TRILLION of client assets across 38 million accounts – joins Wilf to explain how the world’s biggest retail investment platform is trying to “democratise” every corner of finance, what has powered its long-term growth since Chuck Schwab founded the firm in 1971 and more importantly, what’s driving it today and shaping its future. Rick reflects on the many factors driving their growth, but in particular growing engagement in investment from younger generations, which has driven their average client age from 50s to 40s, leading to changing habits. However, he notes that when adjusted for AUM, the average age remains significantly older, predicting a major shift in wealth across generations to come, that could drive increased appetite for risk assets. He talks about new avenues like offering spot crypto trading and access to equity stakes in private giants like SpaceX and OpenAI, as well as how AI will let the firm deliver private-bank-style personalisation to…

Dan Morehead returns to The Master Investor Podcast for a timely update on why he still believes Bitcoin – and the broader digital asset space – remains “the most asymmetric trade” of his career, even after a 50% drawdown from the cycle peak in October 2025. The Pantera Capital founder and former Tiger Management and Goldman Sachs macro trader unpacks the current crypto cycle, and why this correction has been milder than past 75–85% busts. He also tells Wilf why he thinks we may already be close to the bottom in terms of level, though maybe not timing, admitting that it may be another 6-8 months before crypto rallies significantly again. The discussion ranges from the “debasement trade”; why central banks may have been drawn to buy gold of late but might pick bitcoin in future; the case for stablecoins and why crypto investors should celebrate the regulatory shift in the US even if there is currently a standoff around stablecoin legislation. Dan also explains why he thinks equities and AI in particular is…

Former Goldman Sachs chairman and CEO Lloyd Blankfein joins Wilfred Frost in London for a candid conversation about risk, resilience and what it really takes to survive multiple crises at the very top of global finance. In this episode of The Master Investor Podcast, Lloyd reflects on his journey from the Brooklyn projects to running Wall Street’s most famous firm, why he was initially rejected by Goldman, and how a scrappy commodity trading outfit called J. Aron reshaped the culture of an Ivy League-dominated investment bank – and how Lloyd embodied that transformation. Drawing on stories from his new memoir, Streetwise: Getting To and Through Goldman Sachs, Lloyd explains the trading lessons that truly matter: why the best traders are more like great poker players than economic forecasters (he can “barely predict the present, let alone the future”), know how to play the cards they’re dealt, and are the quickest to adapt to changing situations. He also dives into the long-running tension between traders and…

Wilf sits down with Tony Yoseloff, executive managing member and CIO of Davidson Kempner, to explore how one of the world’s most enduring alternative asset managers navigates today’s markets. Tony, who manages around 40 billion dollars across opportunistic credit and event-driven strategies, shares his macro framework for the current environment, comparing it to both the 1970s and the early 2000s, and discusses how market concentration, rate shocks and a potential Iran-driven oil spike could shape inflation, interest rates, recession risk and the opportunity set in credit. Tony also gives his take on the much-debated private credit boom and emerging unwind, and why he sees direct corporate lending as a only mid single-digit return asset class that has been oversold to investors. He thinks default rates have already risen to 5 or 6%, and reflects on which parts of private credit are most exposed, most notably software companies, which often lack hard assets to sell for recovery when things go south. Tony…

Scott Bessent, US Treasury Secretary and one of the most successful global macro investors of his generation, joins Wilfred Frost in the Cash Room at the Treasury for a rare, wide-ranging conversation that bridges markets, geopolitics and public service.​ In a gripping real-time interruption, Secretary Bessent is called to the Situation Room by President Trump in the middle of the interview, then returns to detail the administration’s response to the Iran war and the market turmoil it is creating. They start with the mindset that powered Bessent’s decades of outperformance at Soros Fund Management and his own firm Key Square: a healthy scepticism of elite opinion, the discipline to wait years for the right catalyst, and the ability to “imagine a different state of the world” – from betting against the ERM to riding the yen from sub-80 to 150 after spotting the policy and current-account shifts behind Abenomics. He explains how that same framework now shapes his decisions as Treasury Secretary, what it means…

Ruchir Sharma, Chair of Rockefeller International and Founder and CIO of Breakout Capital, joins The Master Investor Podcast for a sweeping tour of today’s markets, the fading of “American exceptionalism” and what he thinks investors are getting wrong about risk. After 25 years at Morgan Stanley, where he ran emerging markets and served as Chief Global Strategist, Sharma now splits his time between managing money and writing bestselling books including Breakout Nations, The Rise and Fall of Nations, Democracy on the Road and What Went Wrong With Capitalism.​ In this episode, Ruchir lays out his case that the long dominance of US equities is giving way to a multi‑year period of international outperformance, driven by better earnings growth, higher shareholder payouts and a turning dollar cycle – and why he sees the US share of global indices falling back toward 50% over time from the current 65% level. The bull case for US markets are “a good story that has gone too far.” Ruchir also digs into the Fed’s next…

In this special bonus episode, author, journalist and Founder and CIO of Breakout Capital, Ruchir Sharma, explores and interprets the market reaction to the US-Israel war with Iran so far. Ruchir, who is also Chairman of Rockefeller International, and former Chief Investment Strategist at Morgan Stanley Investment Management, argues the market reaction is relatively calm and that most of the negative reaction has been de-grossing of markets that had recently outperformed. He explains what he is looking out for that would suggest things are spinning out of control and warrant a deeper, longer lasting sell off. Wilf’s full conversation with Ruchir drops on Monday 9 March - make sure you hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss it! You can watch the full video on The Master Investor Podcast YouTube channel And follow @WilfredFrost on X and Linked In Sponsored by BNY Investments, Interactive Brokers - ibkr.com/masterinvestor and London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG). The Master Investor Podcast is produced by…

Greg Peters oversees $1.2 trillion of fixed income investment as the co-CIO of Fixed Income at PGIM, and in this episode of The Master Investor Podcast offers a bond investing masterclass from the basics to the factors driving his current positioning. Greg breaks down how he analyses long-term government debt – including debt sustainability, growth outlook, central bank independence and the rule of law – and why US Treasuries still enjoy a unique safe-haven status versus markets like the UK, France and Japan, even if he increasingly thinks the direction of travel is higher for long term US bond yields. Despite challenges for sovereign bonds, he sees more value there than in credit with spreads at historical lows. He outlines the key factors he looks for when assessing corporate bonds and how company analysis differs for an equity investor compared to a debt investor. He also explores the way in which an equity investor plays for the upside and bond investors limit the downside, and the key factor for a debt…

Aswath Damodaran, Professor of Finance at NYU Stern School of Business, joins Wilf to reveal that he is more cautious of the equity market today than at any point in his career. Because of this he has “more cash in my portfolio now than at any time in history”, and says this is a time to harvest profits gained in recent years as opposed to sowing more crops. He has recently sold his position in Nvidia accordingly. Aswath shares his core reason for market concern, including the erosion of trust in economic institutions, and the move from a post WWII economic world order to an as yet unknown future, which he argues the market is too relaxed about. He is sceptical of both the companies making AI who have overspent on CapEx, AND the companies due to use AI, arguing that rather than deliver greater efficiencies they will erode profitability – “if everybody has it, nobody has it”. However – he does not believe in trying to time the market, and he reveals his cash balance is 15% not 50%, and that he still holds 5…

Mason Morfit is the co-CEO and CIO of ValueAct Capital and in this incredibly rare extended interview he outlines the unique investment approach that defines ValueAct - “quiet” but highly engaged activism, using long-term partnerships with management teams to transform great but drifting companies like Microsoft in 2013 and Salesforce in 2022. Mason contrasts the short-term, transactional culture he saw as a young banker during the dot-com boom with ValueAct’s model of deep, long-term relationships focused on understanding management’s psychology and context rather than attacking them. According to Mason, ValueAct aims to provide a safe space for CEOs to pivot, avoiding berating or public confrontation, because that typically makes management defensive and less open to needed change. Mason talks Wilf through some of ValueAct’s key positions including their 2013 investment in an out-of-favour Microsoft, then trading on a low multiple and seen as having missed search, phone and tablet. From his board seat,…

Cameron Dawson, Chief Investment Officer at NewEdge Wealth, joins Wilf to explore whether recent market rotation away from mega-cap growth marks the start of a new “tectonic shift” or just a counter-trend rally. She compares today’s market to the Nifty 50 era and the dot‑com bubble, and the warning signs those moments provide today, plus what it means for growth versus value over the next several years. Cameron digs into the wealth effect and the “K‑shaped” US economy, laying out how elevated equity exposure among the top 10% of households is propping up consumption, and what could flip that positive feedback loop into a negative one. She also tackles liquidity, the prospect of a Treasury–Fed accord, and what the global liquidity cycle means for risk assets, gold and Bitcoin. Specifically on gold she warns of tougher times ahead given the extraordinary run last year, and how higher inflation might in fact hurt gold going forward because it is a “psychological commodity”. In equities, Cameron shares how she’s…

Sonali Basak joins the Master Investor Podcast to discuss her transition from Bloomberg anchor to Chief Investment Strategist at iCapital, a key player in democratising access to private markets. The former lead Wall Street correspondent at Bloomberg Television and host of "Bullish," shares insights on iCapital's role in this new age of retail investing, explaining how technology is lowering minimum investment levels without removing rigorous due diligence. Basak cautions on bond market risks, predicting fewer Fed cuts in early 2026 and potential upticks in long-end yields due to US fiscal pressures and global spillovers from Japan and Europe. In private credit, she highlights floating-rate benefits in a higher-rate environment but warns of vintage risks from low-rate deals and urges focus on proven managers. On equities, she welcomes market broadening beyond the Magnificent 7, favouring infrastructure software over vulnerable SaaS amid AI shifts. The episode traces Basak's path from broadcasting to…

Rene Haas is CEO of Arm Holdings, the British chip designer at the heart of the global AI race and the previous smartphone revolution. Haas explains to Wilf in plain English where Arm sits in the semiconductor value chain, why its CPU designs power virtually every tech device on the planet, and how its partnerships with giants like Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft and OpenAI are shaping the next decade of computing. They discuss Arm’s evolution from a low‑power chip design for the Apple Newton to becoming the “brain” inside billions of smartphones, to powering the data centres that are driving the AI revolution. He reflects on the company’s surging revenues as AI workloads explode, and as its revenue model evolves, including the possibility of whether Arm should move closer to full chip design in its own right. Haas also tackles big strategic themes: data centres versus AI-at-the-edge, the “valuation bubble” and “overinvestment bubble” that exists in the short term, but why mega-cap tech names like Apple, Nvidia,…

Helima Croft, one of Wall Street’s most influential energy strategists and Head of Global Commodity Strategy at RBC Capital Markets, unpacks the new geopolitics of energy in a world reshaped by wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, OPEC+ policy shifts, and the increasing but volatile drive toward decarbonisation. Helima, who began her career as a CIA analyst, explains how energy is once again a tool of statecraft. She discusses why the US and its adversaries are rethinking energy security, comparing the US approach of relying heavily on oil and gas to that of China, who are embracing all energy sources. She also reflects on conversations with senior Trump administration officials who think the scale of oil stockpiling pursued by China suggests they are preparing for potential conflict with the US. On Venezuela, Helima explains why the Trump administration’s moves are more geopolitical – wanting to remove Chinese and Russian influence – rather than economic, with the task of boosting Venezuelan oil production…

Tom Lee returns to The Master Investor Podcast to lay out his bullish – but bumpy – roadmap for markets in 2026. He is the co-founder and head of research at Fundstrat Global Advisors, chair of Ethereum treasury company Bitmine Immersion and CIO of Fundstrat Capital which runs the rapidly growing Granny Shots ETF suite (now $4.7bn AUM). In this episode Tom explains why he still thinks we are early in a 10‑year bull market that began in 2022, even as he forecasts a sharp pullback this year that will feel like a bear market, before equities finish 2026 strongly. He breaks down the three big transitions investors must navigate this year – a new Fed, a more interventionist White House and an AI narrative that is still being repriced – and sets out why he still likes the Magnificent 7 but thinks cyclicals, energy, basic materials, financials and small caps could be the more interesting trade from here. The conversation ranges across gold, crypto and demographics: Tom explains why he believes gold is under‑owned,…

As CEO of The World Gold Council, David Tait oversees the physical gold that backs one of the biggest gold ETFs in the world (GLD) – some $180bn of gold – and he brought along one 13kg bar to show Wilf during his appearance on this week’s episode of The Master Investor Podcast – worth a $1.8m. Sadly he asked for it back at the end. David outlines the six main drivers for gold’s recent surge – from a new wave of Japanese buyers to Chinese deregulation – but why the one that matters the most is the fear of a debt spiral, particularly in the US, which in particular is driving the enormous surge in buying from central banks around the world, who he has particularly close ties to. He also outlines the one thing he is watching that could lead to a top in the gold price – albeit he assigns a low probability to it – and that is if the US can successfully inflate and grow its way out of its debt problem in the next few years. He also talks about the future of gold – from digitalisation of gold for use as collateral…

To kick off 2026, Wilfred Frost is joined by billionaire investor and Chairman of The Burnbrae Group, Jim Mellon who shares his big investment calls for 2026. Jim reveals he is loading up on energy stocks; that he has reduced his gold and silver exposure by 80% following a phenomenal year in 2025; remains bearish the Magnificent 7 and AI stocks, but thinks Robotics is the way to play AI; and why he loves the Japanese Yen. “We’ve been loading up [on energy stocks], I mean literally loading up on oil and gas in November and December.” This is as clear and bullish a call from legendary investor Jim Mellon as you will hear – and Jim explains why – the sector is currently unloved by investors, yet critical to the AI and data centre build out. He discusses the US move to remove President Maduro from power in Venezuela and why the market reaction to it validates his bullish stance on the sector. Jim also shares the stocks he likes the most – including BP, Shell, Equinor, ADNOC and Santos. On gold and sliver, where…

Legendary UK fund manager Nick Train joins Wilfred Frost on The Master Investor Podcast to discuss why, despite recent underperformance, he remains relentlessly optimistic on equities, on the opportunities the UK market presents, and on his own highly concentrated portfolio.​ Nick lays out his philosophy of patient, conviction-led investing, highlighting that his portfolios typically turn over less than 5% a year and many of his top holdings have been owned for a decade or more, with his top 10 holdings accounting for more than 80% of his fund. Influenced by Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger, he argues that owning a small number of world-class businesses for very long periods is the most powerful route to wealth creation, and explains why every sale is, in his mind, “a confession of error.”​ Despite acknowledging decades of relative underperformance for the UK versus the US, Train makes a full-throated case that select London-listed companies are under-owned, undervalued and well placed to benefit from…

Dan Ives joins The Master Investor Podcast with Wilfred Frost for a high‑energy deep dive into the AI revolution, Big Tech’s next decade, and how to navigate the most powerful tech bull market of our lifetimes. From backing visionaries like Elon Musk, Satya Nadella and Jensen Huang early, to calling generational winners such as Apple, Tesla, Nvidia, Microsoft and Palantir, Ives explains why he believes we are still only in the “10:30pm” phase of a tech party that could run until 4am – and why fears of an AI bubble, overbuilt data centres, or cloud reversal are overdone. In this episode, Dan breaks down why only a small fraction of companies have truly embraced AI so far, why US tech is now ahead of China, and how hyperscalers and second‑ and third‑derivative names – from chips to cybersecurity and infrastructure – could drive years of earnings growth (including CoreWeave, Pegasystems and Iren Ltd). He digs into Nvidia’s dominance, the competitive landscape around Google’s Gemini and OpenAI, the future of…

Brian Moynihan, long‑serving Chairman and CEO of Bank of America and host Wilfred Frost sit down for a wide‑ranging conversation exploring what it takes to run one of the world’s most important financial institutions, the state of the US economy, and how is leadership lessons for finance and beyond. Moynihan explains how the “Bank of America” brand helps attract customers but also carries a deep responsibility and how his ‘customer in’ rather than ‘leadership out’ approach shapes their offering where they seek to empower clients to achieve their goals. He reflects on taking over as CEO in 2010 amid post‑crisis turmoil, why he never doubted the franchise would endure despite enormous challenges in his early years, and how a long runway allowed him to clean up legacy mortgage issues and embed his “responsible growth” framework before accelerating earnings in recent years. Drawing on his background as a lawyer, he describes how critical thinking, precision and an understanding of regulation have shaped his…

A special teaser episode with Bank Of America Chairman and CEO Brian Moynihan, who says he is absolutely committed to the UK regardless of the recent budget. Moynihan tells Wilf that the recent budget was “ok” and “fine” for Bank Of America, which has roughly 6000 people in the UK, with an extra 1000 coming to Belfast, compared to 1k in the Republic of Ireland and 2k in Continental Europe. But he told Wilf that businesses ask the question about why taxes are rising, and they have to pay attention to that, alluding that Prime Minister Starmer has been listening. Moynihan was late for the interview because he had just been with King Charles who he spoke very warmly of. The full conversation with Moynihan on the US economy, markets and AI, his career and company drops on Monday. You can watch the full video on The Master Investor Podcast YouTube channel And follow @WilfredFrost on X and Linked In Sponsored by Interactive Brokers - ibkr.com/masterinvestor The Master Investor Podcast is produced by Paradine…

Gregory J. Fleming, President and CEO of Rockefeller Capital Management, tells Wilf what it takes to build a great wealth management business, how to navigate a crisis under pressure, current market outlook, and the importance of optimism in leadership. Fleming reflects on three decades at the top of Wall Street, from leading Merrill Lynch through its sale to Bank of America during the financial crisis, to helping create Morgan Stanley’s powerhouse wealth management franchise, and now 10x‑ing assets under management at Rockefeller from roughly 18 billion dollars to close to 200 billion AUM. He explains why wealth management’s recurring, capital‑light, client‑aligned model has become the “crown jewel” of modern finance, the enduring power of brands like Merrill, Smith Barney, Morgan Stanley and BlackRock, and how the Rockefeller name and family office heritage from 1882 underpin his strategy serving high and ultra‑high‑net‑worth families across the US. The discussion then turns to the macro backdrop and AI.…

Jason Pidcock, manager of the Jupiter Asian Income Fund, reflects with Wilf on his 35 years of investing in the continent and how he has built his strategy over the last 20 years to be one of the most successful Asian equity strategies managed from London. Jason explains how a concentrated portfolio of 25 large, cash-generative companies across Taiwan, Australia, Singapore, India and South Korea has delivered strong long-term returns and outperformance. The conversation ranges from why he has zero exposure to China and Hong Kong despite their economic heft, why he embraces investing in Taiwan despite geopolitical fears, to why he sees India as the most attractive developing market in the world and why some of Asia’s tech hardware names are a better-value way to play the AI boom than richly valued US mega caps. Jason also unpacks his bullish stance on gold and Australian miners amid loose global monetary policy, shares his concerns about China’s demographics, politics and corporate governance and why he…

Harvey Schwartz, CEO of Carlyle, reflects on his unconventional journey from a challenging upbringing and early career uncertainties, to the peak of global finance, including senior roles at Goldman Sachs. Schwartz, who oversees over $450 billion in assets at Carlyle, dives deep into how private markets have evolved, the factors driving their extraordinary growth, and his perspective on the future of public versus private capital. As the conversation unfolds, Schwartz candidly addresses topics like mental health and personal adversity, sharing lessons on harnessing insecurity as a strength and the importance of mentorship and humility in leadership. The episode also explores the current economic environment, the resilience of US and global markets, the impact of fiscal and monetary stimulus, and the outlook for interest rates and credit markets. Listeners will gain unique insights into financial cycles, the maturation of global capital markets, and practical leadership advice from one of the investment…