SKEPTIC’S GUIDE TO INVESTING

Steve Davenport, Clement Miller
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Investing
  • Updated Bimonthly

Straight Talk for All, Nonsense for NoneAbout - Our podcast looks to help improve investing IQ.  We share 15-30 minutes on finance, market and investment ideas. We bring experience and empathy to the complex process of financial wellness.  Every journey is unique, so we look for ways our insights can help listeners. Also, we want to have fun😎Your Hosts - Meet Steve Davenport, CFA and Clem Miller, CFA as they discus the latest in news, markets and investments.  They each bring over 25 years in the investment industry to their discussions.  Steve brings a domestic stock and quantitative emphasis, Clem has a more fundamental and international perspective. They hope to bring experience, honesty and humility to these podcasts. There are a lot of acronyms and financial terms which confuse more than they help. There are many entertainers versus analysts promoting get rich quick ideas. Let’s cut through the nonsense with straight talk!Disclaimer - These podcasts are not intended as investment advice. Individuals please consult your own investment, tax and legal advisors. They provide these insights for educational purposes only.

  1. 2d ago

    Apple’s Next Act

    Please text and tell us what you like A new CEO at Apple is never just a leadership story, it’s an investing story. We talk through what it could mean now that Tim Cook is retired and Apple hands the reins to John Ternus, a longtime product development leader. If you’ve felt the iPhone cycle has turned into small upgrades and big marketing, you’ll want to hear our take on whether a product-first CEO can restart Apple’s innovation engine and lift the outlook for Apple stock. We dig into the biggest possible swing factor: a foldable iPhone. We debate who would actually pay $2,000 for a phone, why a larger screen could change how people handle video and Zoom, and whether foldables could become the next premium category Apple dominates. From there, we shift to AI strategy and Siri. Apple’s slower approach might protect the brand, but it also raises the question of who they partner with and how consumers are supposed to judge competing AI tools on accuracy, cost, and usefulness. Then we get practical about risk. We lay out what would make us sell, including supply chain concentration in China, diversification toward India, potential geopolitical shocks, and the quieter threat of talent leaving for richer AI salaries elsewhere. We close with a reminder of Apple’s biggest strength: the installed base and the service experience that keeps people locked in. If you’re thinking about buying more, trimming, or simply holding, this conversation gives you a clearer checklist. Subscribe, share this with a fellow investor, and leave a review, what would have to happen for you to change your Apple position? Straight Talk for All - Nonsense for None Please check out our other podcasts: https://skepticsguidetoinvesting.buzzsprout.com Disclaimer - These podcasts are not intended as investment advice. Individuals please consult your own investment, tax and legal advisors. They provide these insights for educational purposes only.

  2. 2d ago

    The Great White North Is Not A Bear

    Please text and tell us what you like Tariffs make great sound bites, but they get messy fast when your “target” is your closest trading partner. We dig into the sudden surge of U.S. hostility toward Canada and ask the question that matters for business owners, investors, and anyone watching North American supply chains: did we pick the right fight, or did we just tax ourselves with extra steps? We break down where the real trade tensions live, including dairy disputes, softwood lumber battles, and the deeply integrated auto manufacturing network built under NAFTA and reinforced by USMCA. We also talk about why blanket tariff threats are a poor fit for problems that are usually narrow and industry-specific, and why using tariffs as a political weapon can create blowback in border states that rely on two-way trade. Then we zoom out to Canada’s strategy. Canada is expanding options through the CPTPP across the Pacific and strengthening ties with Europe in ways that could reduce long-term dependence on the U.S. We also tackle the China question, from autos and consumer markets to the bigger strategic issue of energy, minerals, and rare earths, where allies matter if the goal is to reduce reliance on Beijing. We close by looking at the election timeline and what a rushed “declare victory” off-ramp might look like. If you found this useful, subscribe, share it with a friend who follows trade policy, and leave us a review with your take: is this tariff fight strategy, distraction, or both? Straight Talk for All - Nonsense for None Please check out our other podcasts: https://skepticsguidetoinvesting.buzzsprout.com Disclaimer - These podcasts are not intended as investment advice. Individuals please consult your own investment, tax and legal advisors. They provide these insights for educational purposes only.

  3. Sep 4

    Walker Cup At Lahinch: The Amateur Golf Standard

    Please text and tell us what you like The Walker Cup has a way of making golf feel urgent again. Put the best amateurs in the world on a true links course like Lahinch, add wind off the Atlantic, and suddenly every choice matters: club selection, shot shape, patience, and how you handle the moments when you’re not the one hitting the ball.  We’re joined by John Riley, co-writer of The Last Amateur, to talk about Jay Siegel’s place in golf history and why the Walker Cup fit him so perfectly. Jay played a record nine Walker Cups, but what sticks with us are the stories that explain the legend: the shift from struggling in match play to embracing a “sudden death on every hole” mindset, the quiet leadership that calms a nervous partner, and the personal code that refuses to win by rooting against an opponent. We also get into the tension every captain faces when choosing between raw talent and steady experience, and why alternate shot can turn “sure things” into surprises.  From Pine Valley showdowns to Peachtree heartbreak, and from Portmarnock’s massive Irish crowds to the scenery near the Cliffs of Moher, we connect Walker Cup tradition to practical lessons any golfer can use. If you love amateur golf, match play strategy, and the soul of links golf in Ireland, this one’s for you. Subscribe, share it with a golf friend, and leave a review with your favorite Walker Cup moment. For access to "The Last Amateur" please click below: https://sigelgolfbook.com/ Straight Talk for All - Nonsense for None Please check out our other podcasts: https://skepticsguidetoinvesting.buzzsprout.com Disclaimer - These podcasts are not intended as investment advice. Individuals please consult your own investment, tax and legal advisors. They provide these insights for educational purposes only.

  4. Sep 3

    Trump Accounts Explained

    Please text and tell us what you like A new savings idea for kids can be both smart and messy at the same time. We dig into the so-called Trump accounts, a proposal aimed at children born between January 2025 and December 31, 2028, and why the core concept is hard to argue with: get money invested early, let compounding growth work for years, and give families a real runway for college costs, a first home, and long-term financial security. Then we zoom in on the part that raises eyebrows. We talk through how the accounts are reportedly structured, including Treasury’s use of BNY Mellon and how Robinhood Securities ends up serving as trustee, custodian, and broker. That setup triggers the big questions investors should ask about any long-term vehicle: Who controls the plumbing? Is the selection process fair? Do families get meaningful choice later, or does the default create “stickiness” that keeps assets on one platform even when better options exist? We also tackle what’s actually inside the accounts today and what could show up tomorrow. Passive index funds and ETF-style investing sound sensible, but custody risk and platform risk can matter just as much as fund selection. From there, we explore the blurry boundary between investing and collecting, including crypto ETFs, stablecoin, meme coins, and how regulators like the SEC, CFTC, and FINRA influence what becomes “approved” inside retirement-style accounts. If you care about child investing, custodial accounts, IRA rules, and the real-world incentives behind financial products, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review, then tell us: would you take the free money and opt in, or stay away until the structure changes? Straight Talk for All - Nonsense for None Please check out our other podcasts: https://skepticsguidetoinvesting.buzzsprout.com Disclaimer - These podcasts are not intended as investment advice. Individuals please consult your own investment, tax and legal advisors. They provide these insights for educational purposes only.

  5. Sep 3

    Venezuela Oil Deal Reality Check

    Please text and tell us what you like “One fifth of Venezuela’s oil” is the kind of line that makes people stop scrolling, but it also hides the most important investing question we can ask: are we talking about reserves in the ground or production that can actually flow to market? We walk through why that distinction matters for oil prices, energy stocks, and anyone trying to make sense of geopolitical headlines without getting played by the framing. We also unpack what’s being reported about the players involved, including Venezuela’s state oil company and the role of regime-connected business interests. From money laundering allegations to the way international pressure and exemptions can distort incentives, we focus on what makes a deal enforceable or fragile. Then we get practical about the geology and engineering: Orinoco Basin heavy crude is not a simple “drill and ship” story, and the real constraints are processing capacity, infrastructure, and time. From an investor standpoint, we separate the headline deal from Chevron’s on-the-ground operations and explain why Venezuela is still just a slice of a global major’s portfolio. We close by questioning the “$100 billion investment” claim and exploring where financing could come from, from loan guarantees to government-backed capital, and why those details determine whether any of this becomes real production or stays political theater. If you value skeptical, clear-eyed market talk, subscribe, share this with a friend who follows energy news, and leave us a review with your take on how this plays out. Straight Talk for All - Nonsense for None Please check out our other podcasts: https://skepticsguidetoinvesting.buzzsprout.com Disclaimer - These podcasts are not intended as investment advice. Individuals please consult your own investment, tax and legal advisors. They provide these insights for educational purposes only.

  6. Aug 26

    Can The Treasury Really Lower Long Rates

    Please text and tell us what you like You keep hearing that someone in Washington wants lower interest rates. The real question is whether they can actually deliver them where it counts: the 10-year, 20-year, and 30-year Treasury yields that feed into mortgage rates and broader financial conditions. We take a skeptical look at the idea of using Treasury bond buybacks to influence long-term interest rates and ask whether that’s market savvy or a costly distraction. We unpack why long-term yields are driven less by slogans and more by inflation expectations, the yield curve, and the sheer depth of the U.S. Treasury market. Along the way, we clarify a term that matters for fiscal credibility: the primary deficit, or the budget balance before interest costs. If debt keeps rising and deficits stay large, investors may demand higher yields no matter how loudly policymakers signal “lower rates,” which is exactly why budget discipline keeps coming up in serious fixed income conversations. Then we shift to trust and information: if a major market voice uses AI to help write an opinion editorial, is it still an authentic personal view? And if government agencies that publish economic statistics appear politicized, how should investors weigh headline data like GDP prints? We close with the most actionable takeaway: focus on what you can control, build around your own time horizon and cash flow needs, and don’t let every media cycle dictate your portfolio. If this helped you think more clearly about rates, bonds, and data, subscribe, share the show, and leave a review. What’s your view: can buybacks really move long-term yields, or is the market too big to manage? Straight Talk for All - Nonsense for None Please check out our other podcasts: https://skepticsguidetoinvesting.buzzsprout.com Disclaimer - These podcasts are not intended as investment advice. Individuals please consult your own investment, tax and legal advisors. They provide these insights for educational purposes only.

  7. Aug 26

    Sector Bets Without Going All In

    Please text and tell us what you like The fastest way to blow up a portfolio is simple: get overly confident and shove a giant percentage into one “sure thing” sector. We take a calmer route and talk through how we actually weight industries when the market feels stretched, rates feel unpredictable, and every headline tries to pull you into an extreme. Our core point is discipline: stay mostly neutral across sectors, pick only a couple places to lean in, and keep your process tight enough that being wrong does not become fatal.  We dig into why healthcare stocks look compelling right now, especially pharmaceuticals and the ripple effects of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs. We also walk through the real estate and REIT math behind a lower-rate environment, then pressure-test it against inflation risk and a world where the market may tighten conditions before the Federal Reserve does. Along the way, we talk valuation signals like the Buffett Indicator and why we prefer phasing into positions instead of trying to nail the exact bottom.  Then we get concrete: Clem shares his current cash allocation and why he is underweight tech, plus his mix of healthcare, industrials, and a heavy slice of financials. We debate the hidden risks in consumer spending, the sensitivity of custodian banks to assets under management, and whether the AI data-center buildout will run into real-world constraints like permits, grid capacity, and water. We also compare views on energy stocks, oil prices, LNG exports, and the tech and semiconductor landscape from Google and Amazon to NVIDIA and TSM, including geopolitical risk around Taiwan.  If you care about stock market investing, sector allocation, and building a portfolio that can survive volatility, hit subscribe, share this with a friend who loves making big calls, and leave us a review with the sector you’re most skeptical of right now. Straight Talk for All - Nonsense for None Please check out our other podcasts: https://skepticsguidetoinvesting.buzzsprout.com Disclaimer - These podcasts are not intended as investment advice. Individuals please consult your own investment, tax and legal advisors. They provide these insights for educational purposes only.

  8. Aug 11

    SpaceX Stock Whiplash And What Could Move It Next

    Please text and tell us what you like SpaceX as a public stock looks like the future, right up until you try to price it. We open with the hard reality of volatility: a run from the IPO around the mid-100s to roughly 250, then a slide back near the low-100s. That swing forces a grounded investing question: what, specifically, drives value here over the next few years, and what is just narrative? We break SpaceX into the businesses investors are actually buying. Falcon 9 launches look like the established engine. Starlink satellite internet is a meaningful revenue generator, but profitability and durability still matter if you care about valuation instead of hype. Then there’s the massive, long-dated bet on bigger rockets and a Mars timeline, which can be inspiring while still being very hard to underwrite as “near-term commercialization.” If you’re searching for SpaceX IPO analysis, space stock catalysts, or Starlink profitability, this is the framework we keep coming back to. From there, we tackle the Musk wildcard: governance and structure. We debate the idea of combining SpaceX with Tesla, how voting control can tilt outcomes, and why constant reshuffling can feel like a shell game to shareholders who want stable expectations. We also connect the space thesis to something closer to cash flow: robots and autonomy. If self-driving data becomes the moat for humanoid robotics, does exposure become “defensive” even if you dislike the uncertainty? Subscribe for the upcoming conversations on energy and Iran and where we are with AI, and if you listen, share this with one investor friend and leave us a review. What would make you buy SpaceX, and what would make you walk away? Straight Talk for All - Nonsense for None Please check out our other podcasts: https://skepticsguidetoinvesting.buzzsprout.com Disclaimer - These podcasts are not intended as investment advice. Individuals please consult your own investment, tax and legal advisors. They provide these insights for educational purposes only.

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About

Straight Talk for All, Nonsense for NoneAbout - Our podcast looks to help improve investing IQ.  We share 15-30 minutes on finance, market and investment ideas. We bring experience and empathy to the complex process of financial wellness.  Every journey is unique, so we look for ways our insights can help listeners. Also, we want to have fun😎Your Hosts - Meet Steve Davenport, CFA and Clem Miller, CFA as they discus the latest in news, markets and investments.  They each bring over 25 years in the investment industry to their discussions.  Steve brings a domestic stock and quantitative emphasis, Clem has a more fundamental and international perspective. They hope to bring experience, honesty and humility to these podcasts. There are a lot of acronyms and financial terms which confuse more than they help. There are many entertainers versus analysts promoting get rich quick ideas. Let’s cut through the nonsense with straight talk!Disclaimer - These podcasts are not intended as investment advice. Individuals please consult your own investment, tax and legal advisors. They provide these insights for educational purposes only.

Information

  • Creator
    Steve Davenport, Clement Miller
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    169
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 SKEPTIC’S GUIDE TO INVESTING
  • Show Website
    SKEPTIC’S GUIDE TO INVESTING

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