Top Traders Unplugged

Alle afleveringen

980 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud

  1. GM100: Central Banks in the Dark: Inflation, AI, and the Limits of Control ft. David Beckworth

    13 mei 2026 · 1 uur 4 min

    Afspelen
    Today, we are joined by David Beckworth, Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center and host of Macro Musings, for a deep dive into the biggest macro questions shaping markets right now. David explains why central banks struggle to respond to supply shocks, why inflation expectations are more fragile than policymakers admit, and how frameworks like nominal GDP targeting could offer a more robust path forward. We explore the collision between geopolitical shocks and AI-driven productivity, the hidden consequences of quantitative easing, and the growing tension between monetary policy and fiscal sustainability. From stablecoins and the future of the dollar to the Fed’s balance sheet and financial system plumbing, this episode unpacks the forces quietly reshaping the global economy, and why policymakers may be less in control than we think. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Alan on LinkedIn.

    Follow David on X.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 - Stablecoins, financial stability, and uncertain impact

    01:00 - David Beckworth’s path into macroeconomics

    05:43 - How central banks should respond to supply shocks

    08:56 - Why policymakers struggle to separate supply vs demand

    11:58 - Inflation expectations and post-COVID sensitivity

    14:46 - Are central banks over-reliant on flawed inflation m…

  2. SI399: AI, Inflation and the Portfolio That Refuses to Sit Still ft. Alan Dunne

    9 mei 2026 · 1 uur 12 min

    Afspelen
    Today, Niels and Alan examine a market shaped by two forces pulling in opposite directions: AI’s promise of higher productivity and the inflationary pressure of geopolitical stress. From distorted economic data and shifting rate expectations to energy shocks, fiscal pressure, and the changing role of trend following, this conversation explores why traditional portfolios may need more flexibility than they once did. Alan also shares a world exclusive on the launch of his Regime Adaptive Fund, built around the idea that portfolios should not simply sit through changing regimes, but adjust as markets, inflation, and correlations evolve. A timely discussion on risk, resilience, and the limits of old playbooks. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Alan on Twitter.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 - Introduction to Top Traders Unplugged

    00:36 - Niels welcomes Alan Dunne back to the Systematic Investor Series

    01:31 - How AI is distorting economic data, earnings, and construction trends

    06:13 - UK council elections, Reform UK, and pressure on political assumptions

    09:00 - Trend following update and the shift in fixed income exposure

    13:35 - Why recent macro shocks have created a favorable backdrop for trend followers

    16:45 - AI, Iran, and the collision between positive and negative supply shock…

  3. OI22: Inside the Next Generation Market Wizards ft. Jack Schwager & George Coyle

    7 mei 2026 · 45 min

    Afspelen
    What does it take to become a true Market Wizard, and why do so many of them fail before they find their edge? In this special episode, Moritz Seibert sits down with Jack Schwager and George Coyle to discuss The Next Generation of Market Wizards, the sixth book in the series that began in 1989. Together, they explore how extraordinary traders are found, how their records are verified in an age of AI, and why many of the most remarkable returns still come from discretionary traders. From blown-up accounts and shorting small caps to the psychological cost of sitting in front of screens for 14 hours a day, this is a rare look at the craft, pressure, and persistence behind exceptional trading. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Moritz on Twitter.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 – Why single trading systems rarely produce “wizard-level” returns

    01:17 – Introduction to the new Market Wizards book

    02:37 – George Coyle’s background and path to co-authoring

    05:00 – What makes this new book different (focus on solo traders)

    06:00 – How top traders are discovered

    10:46 – Verifying extreme performance claims in the AI era

    13:26 – The most surprising trait: repeated early failure

    15:54 – New-generation strategies that break “classic” rules

    19:02 – Timeless trading principles that still hold

    21…

  4. GM99: Gold, Trust, and the Return of Real Assets ft. Philip Diehl

    6 mei 2026 · 1 uur 6 min

    Afspelen
    Today, we are joined by Philip Diehl, former Director of the United States Mint and President of U.S. Money Reserve, for a timely conversation about gold’s renewed role in a world shaped by inflation, geopolitical stress, central bank demand, and uncertainty around fiat currencies. Philip explains why gold’s recent rise is not simply a speculative move, but part of a broader shift in how governments, institutions, and individuals think about wealth preservation. From central bank buying and Chinese retail demand to Bitcoin, ETFs, physical coins, and the limits of the U.S. dollar system, this episode explores why gold is once again moving from the margins of portfolios toward the center of the macro conversation. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Alan on LinkedIn.

    Follow Philip on LinkedIn.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 - Why Philip Diehl believes investors should “buy the dip” in gold

    01:14 - Philip’s career from public policy to the U.S. Mint

    06:08 - What U.S. Money Reserve does and why physical gold matters

    08:08 - The forces behind gold’s powerful multi-year rally

    13:08 - Central bank buying, dollar risk, and portfolio diversification

    19:05 - Why some central banks may sell gold during stress

    22:18 - Chinese demand, cultural memory, and the role of retail buyers

    28:32 - Why P…

  5. SI398: Navigating a VUCA World ft. Mark Rzepczynski

    2 mei 2026 · 1 uur 8 min

    Afspelen
    Today, we explore what it means to invest in a world defined by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA). We discuss why geopolitical shocks... especially supply-driven ones... are creating persistent trends across markets, and why trend-following strategies are thriving despite strong equity performance. The conversation dives into how investors process information (or fail to), the limits of central bank responses to supply shocks, and why markets may not be fully pricing in current risks. Mark also shares new research comparing hedge fund strategies under different volatility regimes, highlighting why managed futures stand out as a robust diversifier. The episode closes with a forward-looking discussion on AI, replication strategies, and the growing role of narrative versus data in investment decision-making. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Mark on Twitter.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 – Introduction: Preparing for the unpredictable

    00:36 – Entering a VUCA world: volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity

    02:00 – “Uncharted territory” in markets and beyond

    05:30 – Central banks, leadership changes, and policy uncertainty

    07:16 – Oil markets, OPEC shifts, and geopolitical tension

    10:16 – Trend-following performance update and market context

    14:06 – Revers…

  6. IL48: The Misunderstood Economics of Africa ft. Joe Studwell

    29 april 2026 · 1 uur 1 min

    Afspelen
    In this episode Kevin Coldiron is joined by bestselling author Joe Studwell who speaks about his new book How Africa Works: Success and Failure on the World’s Last Development Frontier. We discuss why many of our perceptions about Africa are wrong - why one big problem has been too few people, not too many and why the continent isn’t as resource-rich as we think. Joe talks us through some surprising success stories - like Rwanda’s emulation of Singapore and Botswana’s success in avoiding “the resource curse”. This is the time to begin researching and understanding the opportunities in a continent that has more land mass than the US, China and India combined and will eventually be home to the majority of the world’s young people. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Kevin on SubStack & read his Book.

    Follow Joe on LinkedIn and read his book.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:01 - Introduction to the episode and guest

    02:04 - Why the book was written and initial motivation

    05:50 - Outsider perspective and reactions in Africa

    07:22 - The core idea: population density and development

    08:22 - Why Africa’s growth lagged historically

    14:23 - Population growth and changing economic potential

    15:39 - Colonialism in Africa vs Asia

    20:14 - Land, agriculture, and development differences

    23:55 - Rise…

  7. SI397: The Market Isn’t Free Anymore, It’s Being Managed ft. Cem Karsan

    25 april 2026 · 1 uur 12 min

    Afspelen
    Today Cem Karsan and Niels Kaastrup-Larsen examine a market environment where politics, geopolitics and liquidity are becoming harder to separate. Cem argues that recent market strength is not just a reaction to better news, but part of a broader effort to manage risk, support collateral values and prepare for deeper geopolitical stress. From rising military spending and the Strait of Hormuz to treasury demand, QIS growth, AI and the next inflation wave, this conversation is about what happens when markets stop being passive observers and become tools in a larger strategic contest. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Cem on Twitter.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00:01 - Introduction to Top Traders Unplugged

    00:00:35 - Niels and Cem reconnect and set the stage

    00:01:51 - Truth, narratives and the blurring of reality

    00:04:15 - Fed independence, politics and credibility

    00:07:45 - The rise of QIS and demand for alternative strategies

    00:12:52 - Trend following update and current market performance

    00:15:23 - Framing the disconnect between markets and reality

    00:20:09 - Liquidity, market rallies and strategic positioning

    00:25:08 - Are markets being actively managed

    00:34:51 - The real geopolitical battle and the role of China

    00:40:32 - What investors may be underpricing

    00:52:55 - …

  8. UGO11: Fiscal Dominance, Dollar Power, and the Politics Driving Markets ft. Lyn Alden

    22 april 2026 · 1 uur 11 min

    Afspelen
    Today, Cem Karsan sits down with Lyn Alden for a wide-ranging conversation on the forces quietly shaping markets beneath the surface. From the persistence of fiscal dominance to the role of populism, demographics, and global power shifts, they explore why the current macro regime may be far harder to reverse than many expect. The discussion moves beyond economics into politics, examining how inequality, globalization, and technological change feed into inflation dynamics and policy decisions. They also tackle the future of the dollar, the risks to its global dominance, and the complex role of crypto in a system defined by power, incentives, and control. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Cem on Twitter.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00:00 - Introduction to the episode and trading floor setting

    00:01:28 - Cem introduces Lyn Alden and frames the macro discussion

    00:02:23 - Lyn outlines her framework and the rise of fiscal dominance

    00:05:31 - Multipolar world and shifting reserve currency dynamics

    00:06:20 - Why debt cycles lead to persistent fiscal expansion

    00:13:42 - Debate on debt, modern monetary theory, and dollar privilege

    00:18:29 - Populism, inequality, and political drivers of inflation

    00:24:25 - Trade deficits, globalization, and domestic consequences

    00:30:20 - What happe…

  9. SI396: Markets Look Calm… But Are They? ft. Rob Carver

    18 april 2026 · 1 uur 21 min

    Afspelen
    Today, Rob Carver joins us to reflect on a market environment that appears calm on the surface but feels increasingly fragile underneath. From oil market distortions and muted reactions to geopolitical risk to the steady resilience of equities, the conversation questions whether price action is telling the full story. Rob shares insights from his own performance, including why slower trend signals have recently dominated and why he is running lower risk despite positive returns. The discussion moves into portfolio construction, return stacking, and the growing role of ETFs, alongside a candid look at where complexity adds value in systematic investing and where it does not. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Rob on Twitter.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 - Intro & current market backdrop

    04:30 - Oil market dislocations and futures vs physical pricing

    10:00 - Equities hitting highs despite geopolitical tension

    13:30 - ETFs, fees, and structural shifts in investment vehicles

    17:00 - Trend following performance update and April results

    20:30 - Rob’s year-to-date and 12-month performance breakdown

    25:00 - Why slow trend signals outperformed

    27:30 - How to evaluate large CTA managers

    31:00 - Where PhDs add value in systematic investing

    43:00 - Signal weighting, crisis alpha, and portf…

  10. TTU152: Where is the Open? ft. Toby Crabel

    15 april 2026 · 1 uur 5 min

    Afspelen
    Markets are not stable systems. They evolve, adapt, and quietly erode the edges traders rely on. In this episode, Toby Crabel reflects on decades of experience navigating that reality, from the early days of Opening Range Breakout strategies to today’s fragmented and highly competitive landscape. He explains why momentum behaves differently now, how liquidity has shifted across sessions, and why execution has become a defining edge. The conversation also explores the limits of AI, the persistence of technical principles, and the importance of adapting without overfitting. At its core, this is a discussion about humility, uncertainty, and staying relevant as markets change. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Alan on Twitter.

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

    Find out more about DUNN Capital

    Follow Crabel Capital Management on LinkedIn.

    Episode Timestamps:

    00:00 - Markets are probabilistic and inherently uncertain

    01:40 - Introduction to Toby Crabel and his career

    03:01 - From tennis to trading and early market exposure

    06:10 - Opening range breakout and early momentum edge

    08:04 - Why momentum strategies have deteriorated over time

    14:21 - The disappearance of the “open” in modern markets

    17:53 - Are markets changing or just the participants

    20:34 - Liquidity ev…

  11. SI395: Finding Alpha in the Strait of Chaos ft. Andrew Beer

    11 april 2026 · 1 uur 16 min

    Afspelen
    Markets are currently being shaped by geopolitical uncertainty, rapid technological change, and shifting investor behavior. In this episode, Andrew and Niels explore how these forces are influencing trend following and systematic investing. They discuss recent market volatility, the impact of global conflict on asset prices, and why traditional diversification assumptions are being tested. A key focus is the evolving structure of the CTA industry, including the rise of ETFs and the debate between complexity and simplicity in generating alpha. The conversation also examines replication strategies, implementation costs, and whether simpler approaches may deliver more efficient and consistent outcomes over time. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Andrew on Twitter.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    01:27 - Geopolitical uncertainty and parallels to past crises

    03:13 - Why this crisis feels different from previous ones

    04:24 - Ideology, negotiation, and unintended consequences

    06:16 - AI, technology, and the changing global landscape

    10:58 - Technology dependence and societal tradeoffs

    12:37 - Market environment and trend following conditions

    16:02 - CTA performance and the macro “do over” of 2026

    21:11 - Traditional markets vs systematic strategies

    22:39 - Hedge fund losses and dispersion acro…

  12. OI21: The Hidden Edge in Markets No One Is Trading ft. Tom Babbedge

    8 april 2026 · 48 min

    Afspelen
    What if the real edge in markets is not in adding more assets, but in choosing fundamentally different ones? In this episode, Moritz Siebert speaks with Tom Babbedge about why alternative commodity markets offer a distinct source of diversification and trend. They explore how structural supply and demand imbalances create persistent price moves, why many financial markets behave as one during stress, and how capacity constraints shape portfolio construction. The conversation also examines how markets are selected, how execution differs from traditional CTAs, and why understanding who trades a market may matter more than any backtest. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Moritz on Twitter.

    Follow Tom on LinkedIn.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 - Introduction to the episode and guest

    02:04 - Why focus only on commodity markets

    03:59 - The myth of diversification through more markets

    05:01 - Structural differences within commodity markets

    06:22 - Why financial markets behave as one in crises

    07:57 - Capacity constraints and portfolio construction

    11:18 - Adding and removing markets from the portfolio

    13:28 - How to identify truly alternative markets

    16:40 - Trend quality vs trend quantity explained

    19:11 - Structural drivers behind commodity trends

    20:01 - Case study European carbon…

  13. SI394: The Quarter That Tested Every Trend Follower ft. Katy Kaminski & Harry Moore

    4 april 2026 · 1 uur 14 min

    Afspelen
    Markets rarely offer clarity when it matters most. In this episode, together with Katy Kaminski and Harry Moore, we reflect on a first quarter defined by sharp reversals, energy shocks, and rising dispersion across strategies. They explain how trend following adapted as leadership flipped across asset classes, and why results varied more than many expected. The conversation moves beyond performance to examine portfolio construction, from market selection and speed to the growing relevance of portable alpha. Along the way, they revisit periods of drawdown, investor behavior, and the role of liquidity in crisis environments, offering a grounded perspective on how systematic strategies respond when conditions change quickly. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Katy on LinkedIn.

    Follow Harry on LinkedIn.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 - Introduction and episode framing

    01:38 - Market backdrop and Q1 volatility

    07:29 - Trend following performance through Q1

    09:36 - Diversification vs equities and bonds

    11:21 - Dispersion across managers explained

    14:32 - Trend vs non trend strategies

    18:40 - A month that tested every component of trend

    21:17 - Optimal market mix and research insights

    30:00 - Macro factors and what trend captures

    35:57 - Portable alpha and cash efficiency

    42:23 - Risk…

  14. GM98: Powerlessness Is Rising and Nobody Is Ready ft. Peter Atwater

    1 april 2026 · 1 uur 13 min

    Afspelen
    What happens when confidence fades and power becomes concentrated in fewer hands? Together with Peter Atwater we explore a world dividing along lines of control and vulnerability. From geopolitical conflict and energy dominance to rising inequality and generational pressure, they describe a system under strain. The discussion connects investor behavior, policymaking, and social dynamics through a single lens: confidence. As those at the top grow more assertive and those at the bottom feel increasingly powerless, tensions build in ways that history suggests rarely resolve smoothly. This is an important and timely conversation about imbalance, reaction, and what may come next. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Cem on Twitter.

    Follow Peter on X.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    01:13 - Introduction and framing the confidence discussion

    02:53 - The K shaped world and rising vulnerability

    04:43 - Behavior at the top vs nihilism at the bottom

    06:48 - Confidence and policymaker decision making

    09:27 - From hubris to desperation in global systems

    12:23 - Iran, energy, and geopolitical motives

    17:05 - Leadership confidence and timing of conflict

    19:09 - Affordability crisis and consumer pressure

    22:43 - War priorities vs economic priorities

    25:53 - Control, drafts, and growing tension

    29:11 - …

  15. SI393: The Illusion of Control in Modern Markets ft. Yoav Git

    28 maart 2026 · 1 uur 5 min

    Afspelen
    Markets often appear logical in hindsight, yet behave unpredictably in real time. In this episode, Niels and Yoav explore how recent events, from geopolitical shocks to shifting narratives, reveal the limits of traditional explanations. They discuss why assets like gold and bonds no longer react as expected, how flows and positioning can dominate price action, and why dispersion across managers increases during periods of stress. The conversation also examines the role of machine learning, the impact of volatility on execution, and the challenges of managing risk in fast moving markets. At its core, this is about navigating uncertainty when structure and narrative begin to diverge. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Yoav on LinkedIn.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 - Introduction to the series

    01:19 - What is on the radar: markets and recent developments

    01:19 - The EM algorithm and its relevance to machine learning

    04:12 - Election narratives and unpredictability in real world outcomes

    06:51 - Gold, war, and why markets react unexpectedly

    09:07 - Inflation narrative vs risk off reality

    14:13 - Bond equity correlation breaking down

    17:29 - Fixed income volatility and regime uncertainty

    24:58 - Oil curve dynamics and supply constraints

    27:39 - Risk management differences between di…

  16. IL47: The AI Revolution That Will Redefine What It Means to Be Human ft. Craig Mundie

    25 maart 2026 · 1 uur 1 min

    Afspelen
    In today’s episode we talk to Craig Mundie, formerly the Chief Technical Officer at Microsoft and a leading advocate for responsible development of artificial intelligence. He joins Kevin Coldiron to discuss his book, Genesis: Artificial Intelligence, Hope, and the Human Spirit co-authored with Eric Schmidt and Henry Kissinger. Mundie believes the timeline for AI’s impact on the economy is extremely compressed, with dramatic breakthroughs in energy and work happening in the next few years. We also discuss the long-term implications of AI-generated knowledge and solutions that will likely be beyond our understanding. What questions should we ask and what preparations should we make - both individually and collectively as citizens - to prepare this future? Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Kevin on SubStack & read his Book.

    Follow Craig on LinkedIn and read his book.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:06 - AI as a collaborator and the end of traditional human evolution

    01:41 - Introduction to the Ideas Lab series and Craig Mundie

    03:48 - How the book Genesis came together

    09:52 - AI vs human learning and the rise of machine polymaths

    17:40 - When machines discover things humans cannot understand

    20:36 - The future of the scientific method in an AI-driven world

    25:48 - From tools to a new s…

  17. SI392: The Hidden Cracks in Systematic Strategies No One Talks About ft. Nick Baltas

    21 maart 2026 · 1 uur 5 min

    Afspelen
    Markets have shifted quickly in 2026, forcing systematic investors to reassess what is signal and what is noise. In this episode, Niels and Nick explore recent drawdowns, volatility in commodities, and how geopolitical shocks ripple through quantitative strategies. They unpack the role of QIS, the evolving structure of energy markets, and why some trends are holding while others fade. The conversation also challenges common assumptions about diversification, model design, and the growing influence of options markets. Rather than reacting to headlines, this episode focuses on how systematic investors interpret changing conditions and adapt without abandoning discipline. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Nick on Twitter.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:01 - Introduction to systematic investing and current market backdrop

    01:03 - 2026 sentiment shifts from optimism to uncertainty

    03:04 - Commodity curve trades and recent QIS drawdowns

    08:34 - Why gas and oil behave very differently in markets

    11:17 - Media narratives vs actual CTA performance

    14:03 - Rising stagflation concerns and interest rate volatility

    18:08 - Trend following performance and positioning update

    27:06 - Do options markets impact trend following models

    38:28 - Core vs broad market universes in trend strategies

    48:46 -…

  18. ALO34: Building an Asset Owner Mindset in Modern Pension Investing ft. Dan Mikulskis

    18 maart 2026 · 1 uur 8 min

    Afspelen
    In this episode, Alan Dunne speaks with Dan Mikulskis, CIO of People’s Partnership, about the evolution of large pension funds and what it means to think like an asset owner. Managing over £40 billion for millions of members, Dan explains how scale changes the way portfolios are constructed, managers are selected, and partnerships are built. The conversation explores the balance between passive and active strategies, diversification beyond equities, and the growing role of private markets. Dan also shares insights on governance, investment philosophy, and why humility is essential when making asset allocation decisions in complex global markets. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Alan on Twitter.

    Follow Dan on LinkedIn.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    01:33 - Introduction to the global macro series

    02:18 - Introducing Dan Mikulskis and his background

    03:38 - From actuarial science to investment consulting

    05:45 - The history and growth of People’s Partnership

    08:18 - Auto-enrolment and the rise of large UK pension schemes

    11:12 - What it means to operate as an asset owner

    13:24 - Building the investment team and ownership model

    18:34 - Scale advantages in manager relationships and partnerships

    23:24 - How large asset owners select external managers

    28:58 - Balancing core partnerships a…

  19. SI391: Why Trend Following Works... the Evidence ft. Richard Brennan

    14 maart 2026 · 1 uur 7 min

    Afspelen
    What if trends in financial markets are not anomalies, but the natural consequence of how markets function? In this episode, Niels and Richard explore the structural foundations of trend following. Drawing on research spanning 68 futures markets across four decades, Richard explains why markets exhibit persistent trends, fat-tailed returns, and volatility clustering. The discussion moves from oil market shocks to deeper questions about feedback loops, participant behavior, and regime shifts in financial markets. The conclusion is striking: trend following does not rely on fragile patterns. It aligns with fundamental structural properties embedded in how markets actually evolve. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Rich on Twitter.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 - Introduction to the Systematic Investor Series

    02:08 - Oil market shock and the structural setup behind the spike

    06:10 - Why calm markets can hide explosive potential

    11:47 - How oil shocks ripple through inflation and the global economy

    15:29 - Why trend followers focus on process, not predictions

    22:15 - A changing regime that may favor trend following

    24:43 - The research behind The Fractals of Finance

    25:25 - Market memory and the meaning of the Hurst exponent

    31:22 - Why trends are structural rather than random patter…

  20. ALO33: The Psychology Behind Better Asset Allocation ft. Aoifinn Devitt

    11 maart 2026 · 1 uur

    Afspelen
    In this episode, Alan Dunne speaks with Aoifinn Devitt about what it really means to build resilient portfolios in a world of shifting regimes and competing narratives. Drawing on experience across pensions, hedge fund advisory, and private wealth, Aoifinn reflects on how institutional lessons translate to individual investors. The conversation explores the role of diversification, the evolving case for private markets, and the limitations of labels such as hedge funds, factors, or alternative assets. Along the way, they discuss the behavioral traps that influence allocators, the challenges of manager selection, and why outcome based investing may offer a clearer framework for navigating uncertain markets. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Alan on Twitter.

    Follow Aoifinn on LinkedIn.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    02:16 - Introducing Aoifinn Devitt and her background

    03:14 - From corporate law to a career in finance

    05:16 - Institutional vs private wealth portfolio construction

    09:47 - How macro regimes influence asset allocation

    12:53 - Rethinking the endowment model and private markets

    15:32 - Private credit and diversification challenges

    18:13 - Total portfolio approach vs traditional allocation

    21:27 - Bonds, equities, and changing correlations

    27:52 - Concentration risk and the d…

  21. SI390: When Narratives Change Faster Than Markets ft. Alan Dunne

    7 maart 2026 · 1 uur 10 min

    Afspelen
    Markets can shift direction faster than the narratives used to explain them. In this episode, Niels and Alan unpack the sharp reversal in bond markets, the geopolitical tensions shaping energy prices, and the role of options flows in keeping equity indices pinned despite rising uncertainty beneath the surface. The conversation moves through recent hedge fund industry discussions in Miami, renewed interest in portable alpha and the total portfolio approach, and the growing influence of AI on economic thinking and policy debates. Along the way, they revisit the core role of trend following in portfolios, explaining why its value often appears precisely when traditional allocations struggle most. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Alan on Twitter.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 – Introduction to the Systematic Investor Series

    01:38 – Bond market reversal and shifting macro narratives

    03:29 – Options flows and the pinning of equity indices

    10:13 – AlphaQuest closure and pressures in short term trading strategies

    15:14 – Crisis alpha and how trend differs from a 60/40 portfolio

    23:18 – Recent CTA performance and trend opportunities across markets

    25:23 – Key takeaways from the Miami hedge fund conference

    37:48 – AI, productivity, and the policy dilemma for the Fed

    46:40 – Political dyn…

  22. UGO10: The Fourth Turning Is Here: How to Trade the Regime Shift ft. Neil Howe

    4 maart 2026 · 1 uur 5 min

    Afspelen
    Cem Karsan sits down with Neil Howe to examine what a true regime shift means for markets and society. Howe argues that we are deep into a Fourth Turning, a generational winter that historically brings institutional fracture, geopolitical strain, and inflation that reshapes debts, assets, and political power. Cem ties that arc to today’s realities: the exhaustion of the 40 year tailwind from falling rates, record valuations meeting refinancing risk, and the uncomfortable truth that 60/40 has failed for long stretches before. Lees meer

    They explore the growing divide between capital and labor, the pivot from globalization to industrial policy, and the rising appeal of commodities, cash, and convex hedges in a world where outcomes are less linear. Howe also details how his Fourth Turning ETF reflects that view, pairing thematic equities with real assets and disciplined tail protection.

    This is a conversation about preparing, not predicting, when history starts to rhyme a little louder.

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Cem on Twitter.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    01:28 - Introducing Neil Howe and why this conversation matters now

    03:37 - What the Fourth Turning is and how the cycle works

    10:26 - “The Fourth Turning Is Here” and the practical question: what do we do?

    16:42 - Rates, inequality, and w…

  23. SI389: The Market Is Pinned, But Risk Is Growing ft. Cem Karsan & Alan Dunne

    28 februari 2026 · 1 uur 3 min

    Afspelen
    In this episode, Alan Dunne and Cem Karsan explore a market that appears calm on the surface yet increasingly unstable underneath. As indices move sideways, they discuss how options flows and structured products are reshaping market behavior, driving rotation rather than direction. From the weakening of former leaders to the rise of defensives, the conversation turns to what these shifts may signal about a broader topping process. They also examine the growing influence of AI narratives, political incentives, and global tensions, not as isolated shocks but as forces building pressure within the system. The result is a discussion about how markets evolve when structure, policy, and sentiment begin to move out of sync. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Alan on Twitter.

    Follow Cem on X.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 Intro to the Systematic Investor Series

    00:23 Performance check: CTAs strong, trend tailwinds

    03:13 Range-bound indices, but big dispersion and rotation

    03:45 Why options pin the index: dealer flows and vol compression

    05:42 Dispersion mechanics: idiosyncratic risk, falling correlation

    07:32 Rotation as a topping process: leaders fade, defensives rise

    09:54 OPEX and quarterly expiries: why timing windows matter

    11:56 The March support effect, then weaker flows into Apri…

  24. IL46: The Business Model Trap: Why Short Ideas Start in the Real World ft. Mark Roberts

    25 februari 2026 · 1 uur 2 min

    Afspelen
    In today’s episode we talk to Mark Roberts, founder of Off Wall Street, a legendary provider of short selling research to hedge funds. Seven months before Enron became the biggest bankruptcy in US corporate history, Off Wall Street published a report recommending the shares be sold. The success of this call made Mark and Off Wall Street synonymous with original and rigorous research. We talk to Mark about his unusual personal background, how being a hippie in Berkeley in the 1960s prepared him for identifying overvalued companies two decades later. He explains why questionable accounting and high valuations are the “symptoms, not the disease” and compares today’s markets with those of the Dotcom era. His new book, Off Wall Street How To Win At Short Selling By Betting Against The Crowd was just released in February 2026. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Kevin on SubStack & read his Book.

    Follow Mark on LinkedIn and read his book.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    01:41 - Introducing Mark Roberts, Off Wall Street, Enron, and the book

    03:35 - An unconventional path: French literature, skepticism, and early life choices

    07:40 - The first “short sale”: selling a failing steel business and learning risk firsthand

    11:10 - Fidelity, Peter Lynch, and the origins of independent short research

    16:48 …

  25. SI388: Peak Bubble? Why Markets Feel Different in 2026 ft. Mark Rzepczynski & Alan Dunne

    21 februari 2026 · 1 uur 3 min

    Afspelen
    Today Alan and Mark step back from the noise to examine a market environment that feels subtly but meaningfully different. From AI euphoria giving way to harder questions, to gold’s steady rise and a surprising divergence between US and emerging market inflation, the conversation centers on rotation, uncertainty, and shifting assumptions about safety. They explore whether Treasuries still anchor portfolios the way they once did, how fiscal pressures could reshape monetary policy, and why regime thinking matters for systematic investors. Beneath it all is a reminder that correlations change, narratives evolve, and adaptability remains the most durable edge in uncertain markets. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Alan on Twitter.

    Follow Mark on LinkedIn.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 – Introduction & market check-in

    02:52 – February performance: CTAs, trend following & commodities

    04:53 – Peak bubble? AI, metals & speculative excess

    07:10 – Gold demand, central banks & safe-haven flows

    10:40 – The AI narrative shift & tech repricing

    13:22 – Global rotation: US vs Europe & emerging markets

    15:22 – EM inflation now lower than US — why it matters

    21:48 – Why macro still matters (regime thinking vs stock picking)

    31:49 – Fiscal vs monetary dominance explained

    41:59 – $700B in Treasur…

  26. GM97: Why Isn’t Anything Breaking? ft. Steen Jakobsen

    18 februari 2026 · 53 min

    Afspelen
    The global order is shifting in plain sight. In this Global Macro conversation, Steen Jakobsen, inventor of the Outrages Predictions, joins Niels Kaastrup-Larsen and Alan Dunne to examine the slow grind reshaping productivity, debt, currencies, and political stability. From dollar regime risk to state capitalism, from market concentration to commodity repricing, the discussion moves beyond headlines to structural fault lines. Is gold signaling debasement? Can the U.S. sustain its debt path? Does AI lift productivity or hollow it out? Rather than predict collapse, Jakobsen outlines a drawn-out transition where capital reallocates, volatility hides beneath the surface, and political systems are tested long before markets finally react. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

    Follow Alan on LinkedIn.

    Follow Steen on LinkedIn.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    01:38 - Introducing Steen Jakobsen

    03:45 - From trading floors to outrageous predictions

    06:32 - Dollar hedging and regime shift signals

    08:06 - Davos as a macro catalyst

    12:11 - The K shaped U.S. economy

    14:50 - State capitalism and fiscal dominance

    17:30 - What could invalidate the bearish dollar view

    21:37 - Fed independence and policy credibility

    24:49 - AI productivity or structural disinflation
    …

  27. SI387: The Cost-Benefit of Being Trendy ft. Andrew Beer & Tom Wrobel

    14 februari 2026 · 1 uur 14 min

    Afspelen
    Today, we examine a year that looked chaotic but felt familiar to trend followers. Gold surged, equities rotated globally, and non-US markets quietly gained momentum. Yet beneath strong returns lies a deeper debate about model design, short versus long horizon signals, and whether innovation in liquid alternatives serves investors or sales desks. From AI disruption to product engineering and allocator behavior, this episode explores where systematic strategies truly create value and where structural incentives distort outcomes. In a changing macro regime, clarity of purpose may matter more than ever. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Andrew on Twitter.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 - Introducing the Systematic Investor series

    01:17 - AI disruption and systematic investing

    06:52 - The shifting perception of US risk

    09:21 - Winter Olympics and market metaphors

    12:59 - Hedge funds versus private equity

    19:23 - 2025 review and the importance of risk allocation

    22:17 - Why CTAs did not fully capture gold

    29:48 - Short term versus long term trend models

    35:27 - Letting risk run versus investor palatability

    44:43 - The problem with liquid alternatives

    51:21 - Product design versus fiduciary duty

    59:06 - QIS, innovation and investor sophistication

    01:04:41 - Model risk and the myth …

  28. GM96: The End of the Hedge: When Bonds Stop Protecting Portfolios

    11 februari 2026 · 1 uur 1 min

    Afspelen
    A familiar portfolio map is being redrawn. Ian Harnett traces the regime shift from disinflation and reliable bond hedges to a world where inflation pressures linger, supply chains shorten, and capital becomes a policy tool. The conversation moves from China’s exported deflation to Europe’s structural constraints, then into America’s strategy of attracting investment with tariff leverage. Beneath it all sits a political question: what happens if the governing coalition fractures ahead of the midterms. Harnett argues that is the moment the dollar turns from anchor to risk. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Alan on LinkedIn.

    Follow Ian on LinkedIn.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 - The gray swan: political fracture and the point to sell the dollar

    00:37 - Show intro and risk disclaimer

    01:33 - Setting the frame: global macro, geopolitics, and regime change

    04:34 - The new regime: inflation risk and the stock-bond relationship breaking

    06:39 - Structural inflation drivers: deglobalization, trade weaponization, China’s deflation export

    09:14 - Capital as a battleground: surcharges, controls, and Europe’s capital markets problem

    12:02 - Europe’s catalyst problem: why it may take a crisis to build a true safe asset

    14:44 - America’s playbook: inbound capital, tariff bargaining, and “neo…

  29. SI386: When Position Sizing Saves You ft. Rob Carver

    7 februari 2026 · 1 uur 9 min

    Afspelen
    Today, we are joined by Rob Carver to unpack one of the most volatile weeks seen in commodity markets in years. The conversation centers on silver’s sharp rise and sudden collapse, using it as a case study in volatility targeting, liquidity risk, and disciplined position sizing. From Freaky Friday to broader dislocations across assets, they examine why systematic risk management matters when markets move faster than narratives. The discussion expands into diversification, correlation assumptions, alternative markets, and new research on trend portfolio construction, offering a grounded reminder that survival often matters more than precision. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Rob on Twitter.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 - Introduction to the Systematic Investor Series

    03:56 - Freaky Friday in precious metals

    04:29 - How Rob trades silver in a volatility adjusted framework

    10:25 - When volatility forces position reduction

    12:38 - Liquidity myths in hot commodity markets

    16:25 - Risk management lessons from silver’s collapse

    22:28 - Dislocations across assets beyond metals

    24:54 - Fed chair speculation and muted market reactions

    31:33 - Discretionary versus systematic decision making

    34:03 - Trend barometer and market breadth update

    37:34 - Estimating portfolio correlation from…

  30. UGO09: Playing the Players in a Narrative Market ft. Ben Hunt

    4 februari 2026 · 1 uur 1 min

    Afspelen
    Cem Karsan sits down with Ben Hunt, founder of Epsilon Theory, to explore how narratives shape markets, politics, and decision making itself. Drawing on decades of experience across academia, hedge funds, and applied AI, Ben explains why stories, not data, increasingly drive outcomes in modern markets. The conversation spans unstructured data, inference, common knowledge, and the mechanics of narrative momentum. Together, they examine consumer expectations, inflation silence, geopolitical signaling, and the slow shift away from US dominance. What emerges is a framework for understanding markets as reflexive systems, where perception often matters more than reality. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Cem on Twitter.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 - Introduction to U Got Options and the trading floor setting

    02:18 - Ben Hunt’s background and Epsilon Theory origins

    04:11 - Markets as the ultimate multiplayer game

    06:15 - Inference, unstructured data, and narrative analysis

    08:18 - Why sentiment and word counts miss the real signal

    11:16 - Mapping meaning and truthy stories

    15:00 - LLMs as operating systems, not oracles

    18:01 - Giving money back and when models stop working

    21:16 - Applying narrative tools beyond markets

    24:10 - Consumer weakness versus bullish expectations

    30:43 - …

  31. SI385: When Volatility Becomes the Signal ft. Katy Kaminski

    31 januari 2026 · 1 uur 5 min

    Afspelen
    Katy Kaminski joins us to assess the early signals shaping markets in 2026. The conversation explores the resurgence of commodity trends, the role of volatility estimation, and why diversification across markets and speeds matters more than ever. Drawing on new research, they examine dispersion within the CTA universe, the limits of replication, and how volatility targeting quietly determines outcomes. From precious metals to currencies, from crisis alpha to geopolitical risk, this episode offers a grounded look at why trend following thrives during disruption and why regime change remains its natural habitat. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Katy on LinkedIn.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 - Introduction to the Systematic Investor Series

    00:39 - Weather disruptions and market perspective

    02:31 - Precious metals and extreme commodity moves

    04:28 - Gold, central banks, and monetary regime shifts

    07:43 - Replication versus full CTA diversification

    09:47 - Liquidity differences across metals

    12:03 - Metals leading trend performance in 2026

    15:01 - Multi-sector trends and diversification benefits

    20:13 - Media attention and the return of trend following

    23:29 - Research insights on speed and dispersion

    31:44 - Trend speed and timing tradeoffs

    40:59 - Market concentration and narr…

  32. GM95: When Consensus Gets the Cycle Wrong ft. Dario Perkins

    28 januari 2026 · 1 uur 4 min

    Afspelen
    In this episode, Alan Dunne is joined by Dario Perkins to examine why the global macro consensus may be fundamentally misreading the current cycle. The conversation moves from US fiscal stimulus and Federal Reserve credibility to the limits of the K-shaped economy narrative. Perkins challenges prevailing assumptions around AI-driven productivity, labor market weakness, and falling inflation, arguing that policy choices are pushing economies toward overheating rather than stagnation. The discussion extends to bond markets, term premia, Japan’s normalization, Europe’s fiscal pivot, and China’s rebalancing dilemma. What emerges is a picture of renewed growth, rising risks, and a cycle whose ending is now becoming visible. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Alan on LinkedIn.

    Follow Dario on Twitter.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 - Opening remarks and context

    02:25 - Global uncertainty and growth expectations

    05:00 - The K-shaped economy under scrutiny

    08:12 - Fiscal stimulus, tariffs, and timing effects

    11:07 - Fed independence and political pressure

    17:06 - The race to appoint the next Fed chair

    26:35 - Productivity data and the AI narrative

    35:51 - Labor market stall speed debate

    39:56 - Bond markets, term premia, and inflation risk

    46:03 - Japan’s normalization and demographic m…

  33. SI384: Building an Inflation-Proof Portfolio ft. Yoav Git

    24 januari 2026 · 1 uur 1 min

    Afspelen
    In this episode, Niels hosts Yoav Git to explore inflation risk, bond fragility, and the changing role of trend following in a world defined by supply shocks and declining trust. Drawing on recent research and market behavior, the conversation examines why traditional bond allocations struggle during inflationary regimes and how commodity trend strategies may offer structural resilience. The discussion spans geopolitics, deglobalization, energy markets, fixed income autocorrelation, and the limits of forecasting macro outcomes. Rather than predicting inflation’s path, the episode focuses on portfolio construction that can endure multiple regimes. What emerges is a disciplined argument for robustness over precision in an increasingly unstable global system. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Yoav on LinkedIn.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 - Introduction and series context

    01:08 - Inflation back on the radar

    02:38 - Recent podcast influences and inflation narratives

    06:56 - Geopolitics, trust, and market fragmentation

    08:52 - Commodities, volatility, and supply driven moves

    10:48 - Trend performance and early 2026 conditions

    11:30 - Fixed income, FX, and emerging market trends

    17:26 - The all weather portfolio problem

    18:18 - Bonds, inflation regimes, and correlation breakdowns

    22…

  34. IL45: Where Markets Reveal Human Error ft. Alex Imas

    21 januari 2026 · 54 min

    Afspelen
    Today we discuss one of the most popular and influential economic books of the last few decades - The Winner’s Curse. Originally published in 1994, a new version has just been released and we are joined by co-author Alex Imas who wrote the new edition alongside Nobel Prize winner Richard Thaler. When are we likely to spend a windfall and when are we likely to save it? When is it most dangerous to bid for business against competitors? And are ‘arbitrage’ opportunities in markets really a free lunch? Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Kevin on SubStack & read his Book.

    Follow Alex on X.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 - Opening remarks and framing the law of one price

    01:42 - Introducing the Ideas Lab series and Alex Imas

    03:44 - From pre med to behavioral economics

    08:15 - Mental accounting and how people really treat money

    10:45 - Housing wealth, illiquidity, and self control

    15:39 - Savings behavior, capital gains, and inequality

    17:11 - Attention, salience, and why nudges work or fail

    22:07 - Nudges versus incentives and policy confusion

    25:18 - The winner’s curse and common value auctions

    30:01 - Auctions, IPOs, and competitive overbidding

    33:44 - The law of one price and market mispricing

    36:50 - Limits to arbitrage and hidden risks

    39:32 - Why mispricing persists even wit…

  35. SI383: When Signals Matter More Than Stories ft. Nick Baltas

    17 januari 2026 · 1 uur

    Afspelen
    Today, we are joined by Nick Baltas to examine how narratives, signals, and structural design are reshaping trend following at the start of 2026. The conversation moves from investor storytelling and information digestion to a sober review of what truly drove dispersion in 2025. We explore why speed and universe choice mattered more than expected, why recent outcomes may be misleading, and why reacting to performance is often a mistake. The discussion then turns technical, unpacking new academic research on nonlinear momentum, signal construction, and the deeper mechanics behind trend following’s defensive behavior during stress. The episode closes with a reminder that discipline, not prediction, remains the strategy’s core advantage. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Nick on Twitter.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 - Introduction and welcome

    01:05 - A disrupted start to 2026

    03:10 - Narratives, information, and price formation

    07:06 - Why stories often fail to move markets

    09:31 - Recurring themes and market attention

    10:59 - Strong early conditions for trend following

    12:01 - Dispersion across strategies in 2025

    15:06 - Familiar patterns in an unfamiliar year

    18:42 - Speed versus universe in trend design

    23:17 - Why recent outperformance can mislead

    31:08 - Institutional views…

  36. GM94: When Capitalism Reboots and Crashes Again ft. Mark Blyth

    14 januari 2026 · 1 uur 8 min

    Afspelen
    As the long era of neoliberal certainty frays, Mark Blyth argues that we are drifting back toward a 19th century world of rival blocs, imperial habits and dangerous illusions. In this conversation, he traces how repeated “software crashes” of capitalism produced inflation, austerity, populism and now a return to industrial policy and great power confrontation. He connects deficits, demographics, migration, and housing with the lived reality of stagnant wages and rising prices. Along the way, he questions central bank mythology, challenges deficit obsession, and asks whether politics can adapt before events force a far harsher reset. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Alan on LinkedIn.

    Follow Mark on Twitter.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 - Cold open and warning on a return to 19th century style imperialism

    00:23 - Niels and Alan introduce Mark Blyth and set the macro context

    02:24 - From Scottish childhood to monetarism and the politics of macro ideas

    08:33 - Capitalism as hardware and software and the recurring crashes of each regime

    15:32 - The slow death of neoliberalism and the rise of populist reactions

    18:57 - Deficits, austerity, bond vigilantes and why the house is on fire anyway

    23:49 - Affordability, grocery prices, housing and the disconnect in elite dashboards

    29:02 -…

  37. SI382: The End of Globalization, the Rise of Trends ft. Richard Brennan

    10 januari 2026 · 1 uur 8 min

    Afspelen
    The new year opens with a shift hiding in plain sight. As globalization recedes and the world fractures into spheres of influence, Rich argues this isn’t just a political story - it’s a structural shift that favors trend following. In this episode, he challenges the illusion of control baked into most trading systems: why backtests offer comfort, not readiness; why precision breeds fragility; and why the future isn’t something to predict, but something being built in real time. This is a conversation about trading with humility, designing for persistence, and letting go of the need to know. The signal is now. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Rich on Twitter.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 - Opening and the start of 2026

    03:21 - A fragmented global order and what it means for trend following

    08:55 - Why coordination fades and imbalances persist

    12:41 - Early market signals and unusual positioning

    14:34 - 2025 in review, concentration and recovery

    17:36 - Familiar pain and familiar payoffs in trend following

    23:00 - Timeframes, diversification, and ensemble thinking

    28:37 - Brakes and acceleration, trading the now

    40:58 - The future as unfinished, not hidden

    49:54 - Prediction versus participation

    53:53 - Optimization, comfort, and hidden fragility

    01:02:49 - Predetermined resp…

  38. GM93: The Calm Before a Systemic Reckoning ft. William White

    7 januari 2026 · 1 uur 5 min

    Afspelen
    William White returns to assess a world edging closer to systemic stress. Drawing on decades advising central banks, he describes a macro regime defined not by temporary shocks, but by a deep reversal of the forces that once kept inflation low and debt manageable. From de-globalization and demographic decline to energy constraints and fragile supply chains, the conversation traces how rising costs collide with record public and private leverage. White warns that policy makers are trapped between inflationary pressures and debt sustainability, with no clean exit in sight. The discussion closes on AI, currency fragmentation, and the uncomfortable possibility that today’s stability masks a far more dangerous future. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Alan on Twitter.

    Follow William on LinkedIn.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 - Why unchecked booms become more dangerous over time

    01:37 - Setting the stage for a new global macro regime

    03:53 - From disinflation to persistent inflation pressure

    07:10 - Supply side forces reversing after decades of support

    12:07 - Debt accumulation and unintended policy consequences

    13:03 - Why higher rates did not trigger an immediate crisis

    18:53 - Debt dynamics and the problem of sustainability

    19:57 - Tipping points and the psychology of market breaks…

  39. SI381: Process Over Pain: Trend Following in an Unforgiving Market (Group Conversation Part 2)

    3 januari 2026 · 1 uur 4 min

    Afspelen
    In part two of our year-end roundtable, the Systematic Investor team goes beyond performance to ask harder questions about the path forward. Are today’s drawdowns a signal of structural change? - or just the cost of staying disciplined in a low-volatility regime? As allocators repackage old ideas under new acronyms and model drift tempts even seasoned managers, the conversation turns to what still holds. From AI and capital efficiency to the quiet value of doing less, this is about defending process when the payoff isn’t obvious - and knowing what not to change when pressure mounts. We close off with our 2026 Outrages Predictions... don't miss them! Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Nick on LinkedIn.

    Follow Alan on Twitter.

    Follow Katy on LinkedIn.

    Follow Andrew on Twitter and LinkedIn.

    Follow Cem on Twitter and LinkedIn.

    Follow Richard on Twitter.

    Follow Mark on Twitter.

    Follow Rob on Twitter.

    Follow Yoav on LinkedIn.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 - Opening and recap of the year end roundtable format

    02:05 - Introducing AI in systematic investing and total portfolio approaches

    04:00 - Will TPA meaningfully increase allocations to CTAs or just rebrand 60/40

    06:30 - Practical uses of AI in research, coding and client communication

    08:50 - Process stability in changing regimes…

  40. IL44: From AI Hype to Transformative AGI ft. Aubrie Pagano

    31 december 2025 · 1 uur 3 min

    Afspelen
    In this Ideas Lab episode, Kevin Coldiron speaks with venture capitalist and former founder Aubrie Pagano about what stands between today’s AI hype and a truly transformative AGI economy. Rather than treating AI as destiny, Aubrie maps the frictions that hold it back: hard power limits, fragile industrial data, and agents that still cannot coordinate with humans or each other. She explains why we may be a full capital cycle or two away from real AGI and why that delay is precisely where the best opportunities lie. The conversation then widens into the “Aquarius Economy,” a possible future in which human agency, not algorithms, becomes the scarcest and most valuable asset. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Kevin on SubStack & read his Book.

    Follow Aubrie on LinkedIn.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 - Why agent coordination is still clunky and unreliable

    00:38 - Intro to Top Traders Unplugged and performance risk framing

    01:34 - Kevin sets up the Ideas Lab and today’s focus on AGI

    02:59 - Aubrie’s background as founder, researcher and VC shaping her lens

    06:04 - Why she wrote about AGI and the Aquarius Economy

    07:21 - AGI as the last cycle built on labor scarcity

    10:41 - The blockers framework and why AGI may be a cycle or two away

    12:58 - Blocker 1: energy constraints and the rac…

  41. SI380: Dispersion Is the Story This Year (Group Conversation Part 1)

    27 december 2025 · 1 uur 13 min

    Afspelen
    Niels is joined by all 9 amazing co-hosts, to discuss a year that refused to behave. In part one of the annual "roundtable", Niels and the group map why 2025 produced such striking dispersion across trend followers. They revisit the Liberation Day shock and the uncomfortable truth it exposed: results often came down to unglamorous choices like market selection, time horizon, and how quickly risk is resized after clustered volatility and sharp reversals. The conversation then widens to a structural theme: the rapid growth of strategies investors hope will sit outside stocks and bonds, from managed futures and multi strats to structured products, gold, and crypto, plus the liquidity, reflexivity, and selection challenges that follow when everyone reaches for the same diversifier. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Nick on LinkedIn.

    Follow Alan on Twitter.

    Follow Katy on LinkedIn.

    Follow Andrew on Twitter and LinkedIn.

    Follow Cem on Twitter and LinkedIn.

    Follow Richard on Twitter.

    Follow Mark on Twitter.

    Follow Rob on Twitter.

    Follow Yoav on LinkedIn.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 - Opening and introduction to the Systematic Investor Series

    02:24 - Setting the agenda for the year-end group discussion

    06:04 - Return dispersion and the shock around Liberation Day

    10:41 - Market sel…

  42. OI20: Why Commodities Refuse to Trend Forever ft. Doug King

    24 december 2025 · 48 min

    Afspelen
    Moritz Siebert speaks with Doug King about what it really means to trade commodities through cycles, distortions, and stress. Drawing on decades at Cargill and more than twenty years running a commodities hedge fund, Doug explains why innovation keeps scarcity narratives in check, why commodities resist buy and hold logic, and how real edge comes from cash markets rather than futures screens. He reflects on defining trades in oil, nickel, and agriculture, the limits of volatility targeting, and the discipline required to survive violent squeezes. The result is a grounded account of conviction, risk control, and why commodities reward patience more than prediction. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Moritz on Twitter.

    Follow Doug on LinkedIn.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 - Opening remarks and introduction to Top Traders Unplugged

    01:24 - Introducing Doug King and his background

    04:49 - From Cargill to hedge funds and the pull of commodities

    07:05 - Why the fund is purely discretionary and fundamentals driven

    09:50 - Team size, selectivity, and waiting for the right trades

    10:45 - Why commodities are cyclical and innovation breaks scarcity

    13:46 - Electrification and where long term excitement may lie

    15:37 - Defining edge in commodities trading

    18:12 - Physical delivery, converg…

  43. SI379: The Illusion of Safety in a Fully Invested Market ft. Cem Karsan

    20 december 2025 · 1 uur 11 min

    Afspelen
    Niels and Cem reflect on a year marked by concentration, confidence, and growing structural fragility beneath calm markets. They examine extreme positioning, record low cash levels, and the quiet dominance of reflexive flows over fundamentals. Cem challenges common readings of volatility, explains where real fear hides in options markets, and outlines why tail exposure becomes critical late in cycles. The discussion broadens into portfolio construction, questioning the legacy of 60/40 investing and the illusion of diversification built during falling-rate decades. Grounded in history, market structure, and political cycles, this conversation offers a disciplined framework for navigating regimes where leverage, policy, and inequality quietly redefine risk. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Cem on Twitter.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 - Introduction to the Systematic Investor Series

    00:49 - Geopolitical tensions beneath the surface of markets

    02:07 - Extreme bullish sentiment and record low cash levels

    04:12 - Margin use, positioning, and why this setup is fragile

    06:07 - Why the VIX fails as a true fear indicator

    11:48 - Buffett’s concentration and risk management through quality

    16:27 - Leverage, Sharpe ratios, and misunderstood diversification

    21:02 - Trend following performanc…

  44. GM92: Politics in an Age of Hard Borders and Rising Hegemons ft. Gary Gerstle

    17 december 2025 · 1 uur 10 min

    Afspelen
    In this conversation, the veneer of political continuity is stripped back to reveal a world drifting toward harder borders, sharper identities and a reshaping of power once thought unthinkable. Gary Gerstle traces the erosion of the neoliberal order and the rise of a political logic that places national strength above universal norms. He examines how affordability stress, authoritarian impulses and fragmented parties are redrawing economic life and democratic expectations. The discussion widens into a global map of competing hegemons and the uneasy choices facing Europe and the United States. What emerges is a portrait of a century unsettled, yet not without agency. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Alan on LinkedIn.

    Follow Gary on Twitter.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 - Opening remarks on a shifting world and national security visions

    00:44 - Introduction to Top Traders Unplugged and context for the discussion

    01:40 - Framing the global macro environment and the need for deeper perspectives

    02:24 - Introducing Gary Gerstle and his work on political and economic orders

    04:00 - Defining the end of the neoliberal era and what has replaced it

    07:02 - The tension between authoritarian forces and liberal democratic hopes

    08:17 - Democracy under strain and the implications of Trump’s …

  45. SI378: When Prices Stop Making Sense ft. Mark Rzepczynski

    13 december 2025 · 1 uur 3 min

    Afspelen
    This episode examines markets through the lens of uncertainty rather than prediction. As the Federal Reserve delivers a rate cut amid dissent and conflicting signals, Alan and Mark explore what it means for systematic investors navigating noisy data, fragile liquidity and shifting regimes. The conversation moves from Fed credibility and term premia to bubbles, leverage and the limits of valuation in an environment shaped by narratives as much as fundamentals. Along the way, they return to a core question at the heart of systematic investing: when uncertainty rises and explanations multiply, should prices remain the final arbiter of risk, signal and portfolio design? Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Mark on Twitter.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 - Introduction to the Systematic Investor series

    00:23 - Market context and recent CTA performance

    02:41 - Initial reactions to the Fed decision and rate cut

    03:12 - A messy Fed and the problem of dissenting signals

    06:48 - Inflation, growth projections and policy uncertainty

    08:31 - Signal versus noise in systematic trading models

    11:22 - Employment data revisions and confidence in fundamentals

    13:10 - Bond valuation, term premia and the question of safe assets

    16:30 - Fiscal dominance, inflation risk and portfolio fragility

    19:29 - Pr…

  46. TTU151: What Comes After 60/40? Systematic Thinking, BlackRock Style ft. Jeff Rosenberg

    10 december 2025 · 1 uur 14 min

    Afspelen
    Niels and Alan sit down with BlackRock’s Jeff Rosenberg to examine how the post Covid shift from too little to too much inflation is reshaping portfolios. Jeff explains why bond and equity correlations have changed, why fixed income is drifting back toward income rather than pure diversification, and how fiscal pressure and soft financial repression may influence rates. They explore what systematic really means at BlackRock, from trend ETFs and defensive alpha to market breadth and execution. The conversation ends with the rise of liquid alternatives, whole portfolio thinking and growing equity concentration risk. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Alan on Twitter.

    Follow Jeff on LinkedIn.

    Find out more about DUNN Capital

    Episode Timestamps:

    00:00 - Introduction, Jeff’s role at BlackRock Systematic and setting the agenda

    04:09 - From too little to too much inflation and the end of divine coincidence

    09:32 - Wage dynamics, “prices are too high” and persistent, not resurgent, inflation

    14:48 - Bond equity correlation, the changing role of fixed income and income versus diversification

    19:55 - Fiscal dominance, debt loads and the risk of soft financial repression

    25:21 - What “systematic” means at BlackRock across beta, factors and pure alpha

    30:44 - Trend as a systematic return…

  47. SI377: What's New in SG Indices in 2026? + The Regime-Adaptive Portfolio ft. Alan Dunne

    6 december 2025 · 1 uur 9 min

    Afspelen
    Niels and Alan explore how a fragile macro regime reshapes systematic investing, from a politicised Fed succession to widening cracks in a debt-laden, equity-dependent economy. A shifting bond landscape, rising capital demands from AI and renewed tariff risks challenge the old 60/40 orthodoxy. Listener questions on US policy shocks and the Yen carry trade open a deeper look at when trend helps and when it hurts. The episode culminates in a world exclusive of SocGen's 2026 index changes and the first public reveal of Alan’s new paper: The Regime-Adaptive Portfolio, for genuinely resilient, opportunity-aware global wealth compounding intelligently, prudently over the decade ahead. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Alan on Twitter.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 - Voiceover and introduction to the Systematic Investor Series

    00:23 - Niels and Alan open, what is on their radar this week

    01:27 - Fed succession as a political risk factor and betting markets

    03:33 - Crypto moves, Vanguard’s platform shift and MicroStrategy index pressure

    05:53 - Listener questions: can constant US policy shocks break trend?

    06:33 - Trouble for trend or just another regime to endure and adapt to

    08:55 - Short-term CTAs, Liberation Day and when speed becomes a handicap

    11:11 - How CTAs are positioned for a …

  48. ALO32: AI Booms, Fiscal Strains and the New Macro Regime ft. Joe Little

    3 december 2025 · 1 uur 5 min

    Afspelen
    Alan Dunne speaks with HSBC Asset Management’s Global Chief Strategist, Joe Little, about what happens when the old macro rules stop working. Joe traces the shift from a demand led, low inflation world to a supply constrained regime of sticky and spiky prices, where 2 percent becomes a floor rather than a target. He explains the “reverse bond conundrum,” rising term premia and the quiet return of fiscal dominance. The conversation explores AI as investment boom, not yet productivity cure, the maturing of emerging markets, the fate of the dollar and how to build truly multipolar portfolios. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Alan on Twitter.

    Follow Joe on LinkedIn.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 - Opening clip, long bonds misbehaving and the “reverse bond yield conundrum”

    00:55 - Introduction and risk disclosure for Top Traders Unplugged listeners

    01:50 - Joe’s path from economist to global chief strategist and house view author

    05:16 - From post crisis disinflation to a supply constrained, sticky inflation regime

    10:32 - Why 2 percent looks like a floor, tariffs, profits and delayed inflation effects

    13:34 - 2026 baseline: muddle through growth, positive policy impulse and inflation nuance

    16:42 - AI as capital expenditure boom, echoes of the 1990s and the missing productivity surg…

  49. SI376: What They’re Only Now Starting to See ft. Andrew Beer

    29 november 2025 · 1 uur 6 min

    Afspelen
    In this week’s Systematic Investor episode, Niels and Andrew Beer explore how a broken 60/40 paradigm is forcing wealth managers into a new world of “other” diversifiers. Andrew reflects on the Goldman Sachs report about private wealth flows, the rise of liquid alts and why big houses are suddenly launching trend ETFs. The conversation dives into replication versus traditional CTAs, the true cost of complexity, and Simplify’s new index-based product built on Andrew’s strategy. Along the way they debate pods, Bitcoin, and Andrew’s evolving metaphor of managed futures as a cloudy, but occasionally crystal-clear, macro crystal ball. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Andrew on Twitter.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 - Intro and Thanksgiving reflections, gratitude and mood after the holiday

    01:14 - Goldman report: trillions from wealthy investors and a seismic shift away from 60/40

    03:38 - Why bonds stopped diversifying and the growth of the “other” bucket in portfolios

    05:44 - Liquid alts vs illiquid alts and the timing of big firms launching trend ETFs

    08:25 - Odd Lots, pods and Dalio’s skepticism on multi-strats’ future

    09:22 - Bitcoin’s volatile run and rumors of a manipulated pullback

    10:59 - November performance: zigzags in trend indices and short-term traders’ struggles

    12:55 - …

  50. IL43: The Land Trap: How Property Shapes Power ft. Mike Bird

    26 november 2025 · 1 uur

    Afspelen
    In today’s episode we talk about the world’s oldest, and still most important asset: land. Our guest is the Economist’s Wall Street Editor Mike Bird. Mike is the author of a newly released book The Land Trap: A New History of the World’s Oldest Asset. We discuss the properties that make land unique as an asset and why it serves as collateral for almost two-thirds of all bank loans, making it the backbone of the world’s money supply. Mike explains what the “land trap” means and why China is caught in its grip like no other country. We also discuss the one country in the world that seems to have escaped the trap and whether their lessons can be applied elsewhere. Lees meer

    -----

    JOIN THE TREND FOLLOWING MANIFESTO BOOK LAUNCH LIST TO GET SPECIAL LOW PRICE ON OUR UPCOMING BOOK DURING THE FIRST WEEK!

    - CLICK HERE

    -----

    Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.

    IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.

    And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.

    Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.

    Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com

    And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.

    Follow Kevin on SubStack & read his Book.

    Follow Mike on X and read his book.

    Episode TimeStamps:

    00:00 - Opening and setup

    00:00:49 - Disclaimer and show introduction

    00:01:45 - The premise: land as humanity’s oldest asset

    00:04:18 - Defining the “land trap” through Hong Kong’s model

    00:09:01 - Three defining traits: scarcity, immovability, endurance

    00:18:17 - Why technology can’t replace geography

    00:23:29 - Land as collateral and the rise of mortgage finance

    00:28:31 - Lazy banking and the limits of innovation

    00:35:17 - Dead capital, human potential, and access to credit

    00:39:37 - Ch…