BIP Wealth CIO Eric Cramer on energy prices and maneuvering for the post-Trump era

Welcome to “Ahead in the Count,” presented by BIP Wealth. Our Baseball Division combines their collegiate and professional baseball playing experience with financial acumen to provide expertise in life on and off the field. We aim to give ballplayers and their families a better understanding about their unique lifestyle, the opportunities that come from playing this game, and insight into the complex financial world. This is “Ahead in the Count,” hosted by Nolan Alexander, from BIP Wealth.

In his last theme of 2026, BIP Wealth Chief Investment Officer Eric Cramer explains why energy prices touch every investor. Host Nolan Alexander and Kyle Schmidt of the BIP Wealth Baseball Division tie together the year’s themes, from rising rates to new trade deals, and show what they mean for pro ballplayers heading into the offseason.

Key topics

•      Fixed income gets riskier

◦       Why the “safe” part of a portfolio may hold hidden risks

◦       The federal government owes more than $40 trillion, and about $10 trillion comes due in the next 12 months

◦       Why government borrowing and the AI build-out could push rates higher

•      Trade deals without the U.S.

◦       Canada and other big economies sign deals that leave out the U.S., which could add to inflation

•      Using math to your advantage

◦       Locking in returns above inflation as rates rise

◦       Tax-free municipal bond strategies for high earners

◦       Taking some gains after three strong years to build a cash cushion

•      The midterms and the post-Trump era

◦       Prediction markets put the odds of a Democratic Senate at about two-thirds

◦       How a shift in power could change spending, debt, and policy

•      Why diesel drives inflation

◦       Low fuel stockpiles heading into winter

◦       Why global markets set U.S. prices, even though the U.S. makes extra diesel

◦       Diesel near $6.25 a gallon, with a possible climb toward $7