Lead-Lag Live

Michael A. Gayed, CFA
  • 0.0 (0)
  • INVESTING
  • UPDATED DAILY

Welcome to the Lead-Lag Live podcast, where we bring you live unscripted conversations with thought leaders in the world of finance, economics, and investing. Hosted by Melanie Schaffer each episode dives deep into the minds of industry experts to discuss current market trends, investment strategies, and the global economic landscape.In this exciting series, you'll have the rare opportunity to join Melanie Schaffer as she connects with prominent thought leaders for captivating discussions in real-time. The Lead-Lag Live podcast aims to provide valuable insights, analysis, and actionable advice for investors and financial professionals alike.As a dedicated listener, you can expect to hear from renowned financial experts, best-selling authors, and market strategists as they share their wealth of knowledge and experience. With a focus on topical issues and their potential impact on financial markets, these live unscripted conversations will ensure that you stay informed and ahead of the curve.Subscribe to the Lead-Lag Live podcast and follow @leadlagmedia on X to stay updated on upcoming live conversations and to gain exclusive access to a treasure trove of financial wisdom. Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to learn from the best and brightest minds in the business.Join us on this journey as we explore the complex world of finance and investments, one live unscripted conversation at a time. Be sure to like, comment, and share the Lead-Lag Live podcast with your network to help others discover these invaluable insights.Stay tuned for the latest episode of the Lead-Lag Live podcast, and remember to turn on notifications so you never miss a live conversation with your favorite thought leaders. Happy listening!

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    Leverage Without Speculation: David Dziekanski on Return Stacking, Income ETFs, and Portfolio Risk

    This video is sponsored by Quantify Funds and contains discussion of exchange-traded funds sponsored by Quantify Funds. Quantify Funds paid the creator a flat fee for this endorsement and unscripted interview. This compensation gives the creator an incentive to recommend Quantify Funds, resulting in a material conflict of interest.   Quantify Funds did not produce, review, approve, or redistribute this content and is not responsible for the opinions or statements expressed by the content creator. The creator is not a client or investor of Quantify Funds.  Any views expressed are those of the creator and do not necessarily reflect the views of Quantify Funds. This content is provided for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal. Investors should consider a fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses carefully before investing. In this episode of Lead-Lag Live, I sit down with David Dziekanski, Founder and Portfolio Manager at Quantify Funds, to explain how return stacking reframes leverage from a short-term trading tool into something investors can actually buy and hold. From combining Bitcoin and gold to stacking income strategies on top of equities, Dziekanski breaks down how diversification, embedded rebalancing, and structural design can deliver income and exposure without relying on extreme yield or constant investor intervention. In this episode: – Why leverage is dangerous without diversification – How return stacking embeds rebalancing inside the ETF – Why ultra-high yield ETFs often destroy total returns – How income strategies can replace parts of fixed income – Where these products fit in modern portfolio construction Lead-Lag Live brings you inside conversations with the financial thinkers who shape markets. Subscribe for interviews that go deeper than the noise. #ETFInvesting #PortfolioConstruction #RiskManagement #Leverage #Bitcoin #Gold #StockMarket Support the show

    19 min

  2. 3 DAYS AGO

    Trust Is Gone: Ted Oakley on Inflation, Fed Failure, and Why Energy Looks Undervalued

    In this episode of Lead-Lag Live, I sit down with Ted Oakley, Founder of Oxbow Advisors, to break down why inflation remains sticky, why investors should be skeptical of Federal Reserve guidance, and where real value may be emerging beneath the surface of today’s market. With more than four decades of experience advising high-net-worth investors, Ted explains why mega-cap stocks now represent concentration risk, why energy is one of the cheapest areas in the market, and how separating base capital from investment capital helps investors survive volatile cycles. In this episode: – Why Ted says the Fed is consistently late and unreliable – What the latest CPI and PPI data reveal about persistent inflation – Why mega-cap stocks may carry more risk than reward – How energy offers income and value in an uncertain macro backdrop – Why separating base capital from risk capital matters in downturns Lead-Lag Live brings you inside conversations with the financial thinkers who shape markets. Subscribe for interviews that go deeper than the noise. #Inflation #FederalReserve #EnergyStocks #MarketRisk #IncomeInvesting #StockMarket #Macro #PortfolioStrategy #Investing Support the show

    15 min

  3. 3 DAYS AGO

    Commodities Are Back: John Love on Energy Shocks, Precious Metals, and the New Risk Premium

    In this episode of Lead-Lag Live, I sit down with John Love, President and CEO of USCF, to break down why commodities are re-emerging as a critical part of portfolios as markets face inflation uncertainty, geopolitical risk, and supply fragility. From a historic spike in natural gas driven by extreme weather to renewed risk premiums in oil, gold, and silver, John explains how commodity markets are being reshaped by geopolitics, tariffs, and structural supply dynamics and why broad exposure alone may not be enough. In this episode: – Why natural gas markets proved more fragile than expected – How weather shocks and infrastructure strain drive outsized moves – Why oil continues to carry an elevated geopolitical risk premium – What’s fueling record highs in gold and explosive moves in silver – How investors can think about targeted commodity exposure versus broad indexes Lead-Lag Live brings you inside conversations with the financial thinkers who shape markets. Subscribe for interviews that go deeper than the noise. Support the show

    18 min

  4. 5 FEB

    Discipline vs Mania: Seth Cogswell on 1999 Parallels, AI Excess, and Why Risk Is Being Ignored

    In this episode of Lead-Lag Live, I sit down with Seth Cogswell, Managing Partner at Running Oak Capital, to break down why today’s market feels increasingly speculative and why disciplined investing is being left behind. From meme-style factor leadership and zombie-company outperformance to extreme concentration and AI spending risk, Cogswell explains why chasing returns tends to end the same way and how investors can position for when the cycle turns. In this episode: – Why the last eight months looked like a speculative outlier – How high volatility and low quality leadership distorts portfolios – How AI spending can flip from narrative to accountability – Where discipline fits when clients still want growth exposure Lead-Lag Live brings you inside conversations with the financial thinkers who shape markets. Subscribe for interviews that go deeper than the noise. #stockmarket #MarketBubble #AI #RiskManagement #PortfolioConstruction #Macro #Investing  Sign up to The Lead-Lag Report on Substack and get 30% off the annual subscription today by visiting http://theleadlag.report/leadlaglive. Support the show

    32 min

  5. 5 FEB

    Diversification Is Misunderstood: Alex Shahidi on Inflation Risk, Portfolio Balance, and Investing Into 2026

    In this episode of Lead-Lag Live, I sit down with Alex Shahidi, Managing Partner and Co-Chief Investment Officer at Evoke Advisors, to break down why markets heading into 2026 are forcing investors to rethink diversification, risk, and portfolio construction. With inflation remaining sticky, political uncertainty rising, and stocks and bonds often moving together during inflation shocks, Alex explains why the traditional 60/40 framework falls short and what true diversification actually looks like in an environment defined by wide-ranging macro outcomes. Throughout the conversation, we discuss how his work around balanced asset allocation and risk parity has evolved from theory into practice, including the thinking behind the RPAR ETFs available at RPAR Risk Parity ETF. , the broader research and conversations he hosts each week on Insightful Investor , and how this framework is implemented in real client portfolios at Evoke Advisors . Alex also shares perspectives he’s written about through his Forbes Finance Council contributions and the ideas explored more deeply in his book: Risk Parity: How to Invest for All Market Environments and Balanced Asset Allocation: How to Profit in Any Economic Climate. In this episode: – Why inflation uncertainty changes how diversification actually works – How stocks and bonds can fail at the same time during inflation shocks – What investors misunderstand about risk parity and balance – Why assets like commodities and gold need meaningful weight to matter – How to think about portfolio construction when outcomes are highly uncertain Lead-Lag Live brings you inside conversations with the financial thinkers who shape markets. Subscribe for interviews that go deeper than the noise. Support the show

    12 min

  6. 21 JAN

    Equity Isn’t Ownership: Kaitlyn Walsh on Stock Options, Tax Traps, and the Mistakes Employees Regret

    In this episode of Lead-Lag Live, I sit down with Kaitlyn Walsh, Wealth Advisor and Equity Analyst, to break down what employees actually own when they receive stock options and why misunderstanding equity compensation can lead to costly mistakes. From incentive stock options and vesting schedules to fair market value, AMT exposure, and record-keeping errors, Walsh explains the decisions that matter most before, during, and after an equity grant and why timing, taxes, and planning can make or break outcomes. In this episode: – Why stock options are not the same as owning shares – How strike price and fair market value really work – The biggest vesting and exercise mistakes employees make – When stock options can trigger unexpected tax bills – Why poor record keeping can cost real money years later Lead-Lag Live brings you inside conversations with the financial thinkers who shape markets. Subscribe for interviews that go deeper than the noise. #StockOptions #Equity #PersonalFinance #WealthPlanning #TaxPlanning #FinancialEducation #Investing #Money Support the show

    15 min

  7. 21 JAN

    Global Rotation Underway: Hervé Van Caloen on Japan’s Revival, Semiconductors, and Defense Spending

    In this episode of Lead-Lag Live, I sit down with Hervé Van Caloen**, Owner and Portfolio Manager at **Mercator Investment Management, to break down why global markets outside the United States are entering a powerful new phase of leadership. From Japan’s aggressive stimulus and corporate reform push to structural dominance in semiconductors, defense technology, space, and energy infrastructure, Van Caloen explains how capital is rotating toward regions and industries aligned with long-term geopolitical and economic realities. In this episode: – Why Japan’s stock market continues to hit record highs – How semiconductors have become global oligopolies with pricing power – Why defense and space spending are entering a multi-year upcycle – How infrastructure and electricity demand are driven by AI growth – Why global diversification may matter more as U.S. valuations stretch Lead-Lag Live brings you inside conversations with the financial thinkers who shape markets. Subscribe for interviews that go deeper than the noise. Support the show

    14 min

  8. 21 JAN

    Inside Xtrackers XAIX: Why Most AI ETFs Get It Wrong and How XAIX Does It Better

    Artificial intelligence is driving one of the largest capital spending cycles in market history, yet most AI investment strategies focus on surface level exposure rather than true innovation. In this Lead-Lag Deep Dive, Melanie Schaeffer sits down with Aram Babikian of Xtrackers to examine how AI investing is evolving and why research intensity and patent activity may matter more than headlines. The discussion breaks down the structure behind XAIX, an AI focused ETF designed around companies that are actively building, protecting, and monetizing innovation. Babikian explains how patent filings and R and D spending act as forward looking signals, why unexpected companies like major banks appear in AI portfolios, and how this approach differs from more crowded thematic strategies. They also explore how XAIX fits alongside broader technology exposure, the tradeoffs between concentration and diversification, and how advisors think about incorporating AI into portfolios amid volatility, regulation, and rapid technological change. In this episode: Why AI investing is not the same as buying tech stocks How patent activity and R and D spending identify true innovators Why non tech companies can be major AI beneficiaries How XAIX differs from broader thematic AI exposure How investors think about sizing AI allocations responsibly Lead-Lag Deep Dive is a weekly series that breaks down the forces reshaping global markets. Each episode goes beneath the surface of one critical theme, examining how strategies are built, where risks hide, and what matters most for investors across cycles and asset sizes. Subscribe for research-driven insight beyond the noise. #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #ThematicInvesting #ETFS  #PortfolioStrategy #Finance #MacroTrends Support the show

    20 min
See All (897)

About

Welcome to the Lead-Lag Live podcast, where we bring you live unscripted conversations with thought leaders in the world of finance, economics, and investing. Hosted by Melanie Schaffer each episode dives deep into the minds of industry experts to discuss current market trends, investment strategies, and the global economic landscape.In this exciting series, you'll have the rare opportunity to join Melanie Schaffer as she connects with prominent thought leaders for captivating discussions in real-time. The Lead-Lag Live podcast aims to provide valuable insights, analysis, and actionable advice for investors and financial professionals alike.As a dedicated listener, you can expect to hear from renowned financial experts, best-selling authors, and market strategists as they share their wealth of knowledge and experience. With a focus on topical issues and their potential impact on financial markets, these live unscripted conversations will ensure that you stay informed and ahead of the curve.Subscribe to the Lead-Lag Live podcast and follow @leadlagmedia on X to stay updated on upcoming live conversations and to gain exclusive access to a treasure trove of financial wisdom. Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to learn from the best and brightest minds in the business.Join us on this journey as we explore the complex world of finance and investments, one live unscripted conversation at a time. Be sure to like, comment, and share the Lead-Lag Live podcast with your network to help others discover these invaluable insights.Stay tuned for the latest episode of the Lead-Lag Live podcast, and remember to turn on notifications so you never miss a live conversation with your favorite thought leaders. Happy listening!

Information

  • Creator
    Michael A. Gayed, CFA
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    897
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Lead-Lag Publishing, LLC
  • Show Website
    Lead-Lag Live

You Might Also Like