Introduces thesis that the US economy is running on AI sectors, boosting capex and the S&P 500, and questions what to do with investments given current valuations.
Speaker2
Jim Bianco
Confirms a concentration and valuation bubble in AI stocks, with the top 8 stocks dominating indices. Argues not every AI company can win, yet all are priced as winners, similar to the dot-com bubble.
References Jason Furman's analysis that GDP growth would have been just 0.1% without AI/data center investment, suggesting this explains market highs despite labor market cracks.
Speaker2
Jim Bianco
Acknowledges Furman's numbers but calls them misleading due to inventory adjustments. States AI investment is adding 1% to GDP, a historically high level comparable to internet and PC adoption booms, but stronger and shorter.
Asks what to do about the concentration bubble.
Speaker2
Jim Bianco
Says everyone is involved in the bubble whether they want to be or not. 45 AI-related stocks account for 71% of S&P gains; broad index investors have ~45% exposure to AI. The economy and investments are tied to it.
Asks what's driving the 'everything rally' in stocks, Bitcoin, gold, and silver.
Speaker2
Jim Bianco
Identifies retail investors as the primary driver, with $100B invested in September (all-time high). This market is more retail-driven than any in decades. Retail is flooding into indices, AI, and precious metals.
Notes rising unemployment (4.3%) and asks if it's concerning, given the Fed's pivot.
Speaker2
Jim Bianco
Not yet concerning. Attributes high unemployment reading to rounding. The bigger issue is 80-year low population growth due to reduced immigration. The breakeven job growth rate is now 0-25k/month, so recent ~29k jobs are sufficient.
Asks about Jamie Dimon's 30% correction probability and whether the rally will continue given bubble conditions.
Speaker2
Jim Bianco
Over the short term, the rally will continue due to retail momentum. However, valuations are high (even ex-AI), requiring companies to beat the highest earnings estimates. The AI productivity thesis is long-term (2035), not near-term.
Asks what's driving the precious metals rally and if it will continue.
Speaker2
Jim Bianco
Dismisses dollar debasement narrative. Says rally is driven by a small cohort of retail investors seeking safe havens, moving money between crypto and metals. Precious metals markets are tiny, so small flows have large impact.
Asks where to rotate investments in 2026 or whether to hold.
Speaker2
Jim Bianco
Advocates for realistic return expectations: 4% cash, 5% bonds, 6% stocks ('456 market'). Suggests bonds offer compelling risk-adjusted returns. Chasing AI is rolling dice; not all will win.
Asks about rotating into small/mid caps (Russell 2000).
Speaker2
Jim Bianco
Small caps have more realistic valuations but lack AI exposure. Rotating there is a bet on a stable economy and reasonable rates. They are more economically sensitive.
Asks 'What's next for silver?' given its historical spikes and retreats from ~$50.
Speaker2
Jim Bianco
In the near term, precious metals will continue higher. We'll take out $50 in silver and keep moving towards $75-$100. However, metals are very speculative; parabolic moves often reverse sharply when everyone takes profits.
Asks about Bitcoin and whether it's just following Nasdaq.
Speaker2
Jim Bianco
Still thinks Bitcoin follows Nasdaq. Notes shift in crypto towards ETH due to stablecoins, DeFi, and real-world asset tokenization narratives, which Bitcoin lacks. Bitcoin remains a store of value.
Asks for best performers for the last quarter into 2026.
Speaker2
Jim Bianco
Momentum is in precious metals and AI stocks. They will probably continue to be the best performers over the next 2-4 months. It's a momentum play but high-risk.