1-13-26 The Economic Reflation Narrative Is Back
The Real Investment Show Podcast
Release Date: 01/13/2026
The Real Investment Show Podcast
Lance Roberts & Danny Ratliff take your real-time questions directly from our YouTube live chat window, and break down today’s most important money, market, investing, and retirement topics. 0:00 - INTRO 0:19 - Big Banks' Earnings & Trading Revenue 4:00 - Markets Decline off All-time Highs 9:05 - Fun with Charts - Understanding Market Dynamics 16:17 - Contributing to Roth in Retirement? 20:27 - SimpleVisor Alerts 21:10 - Determining Percentage of Assets to Own vs Sell 26:15 - Thoughts on Trump Plan to use Retirement Money for Home Purchases 30:01 - You never Own Your House 33:48 -...
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Markets pulled back from all-time highs, not in a bearish way, but through tightening consolidation. Price is compressing between a rising support line and a clearly defined ceiling, creating a narrowing trading range that historically resolves with a decisive move. The key question now is direction. A downside break could bring a retracement toward the 100-day moving average, while an upside resolution could push prices toward the 7,100 area. Over the next two to four weeks, a downside resolution would not be surprising—but any move will still require a catalyst. Market breadth continues to...
info_outlineThe Real Investment Show Podcast
The economic reflation narrative is back—but is it durable or just another market storyline driven by optimism and liquidity? Lance Roberts explains what investors mean by “economic reflation,” why markets are once again pricing in stronger growth, and which data points are reinforcing the bullish case. We examine the role of monetary policy shifts, fiscal spending, labor market dynamics, and commodity trends that are supporting expectations for improving earnings and profitability. Just as importantly, we address the risks to the reflation narrative. Sticky inflation, slowing global...
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With earnings season underway and markets stretched, conditions suggest rising market turbulence as price discovery accelerates. JPMorgan Chase kicked things off with a technical earnings miss after an extraordinary multi-year rally, highlighting how stretched both individual stocks and the broader market have become. While markets remain on a buy signal and continue to hover near all-time highs, deviations from key moving averages and increasingly overbought conditions suggest a near-term pullback would be healthy—and not unexpected. Financial heavyweights such as Goldman Sachs and...
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Markets opened 2026 with early gains, improving breadth, and a rotation toward value—but mixed fundamentals and elevated expectations remain beneath the surface. Lance Roberts reviews key investor lessons from 2025 that matter most as we head into 2026. We review what worked, what failed, and why market narratives once again misled investors. Topics include value versus growth, volatility versus risk, the role of cash, earnings-driven returns, portfolio rebalancing, and why discipline—not prediction—remains the foundation of long-term investing. We also examine the technical backdrop for...
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Markets closed at new highs but are flashing short-term overbought signals. Unexpected weekend headlines around a potential investigation tied to the Fed introduced a volatility catalyst markets were not pricing in—especially at elevated levels. While the issue itself is unlikely to become a long-term concern, surprises are often what trigger near-term selling pressure. With earnings season approaching, volatility risk is more likely to come from corporate results than headlines. We discuss why managing risk, rebalancing portfolios, and preparing for routine pullbacks matter when markets are...
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The 2026 tax season is shaping up to look very different—especially for retirees, near-retirees, and late-career workers. Richard Rosso & Jonathan McCarty break down some major tax changes tied to the “One Big Beautiful Bill” and recent retirement legislation that could materially impact your tax planning strategy. From higher standard deductions and new age-based write-offs to expanded SALT limits, auto-loan interest deductions, and larger 401(k) catch-up contributions, these changes create both opportunities and planning traps. 0:00 - INTRO 0:19 - The Big D in the OBBB 3:52 -...
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Every year, Wall Street rolls out confident forecasts for where the S&P 500 will end the year—and every year those projections are treated as actionable insight. For 2026, analyst expectations cluster around modestly positive returns, even as valuations sit near historical extremes and macro risks continue to build. Lance Roberts & Michael Lebowitz explain why year-ahead market forecasts are largely an exercise in false precision. Instead of offering a price target with zero confidence, we walk through the key forces that are likely to shape markets in 2026—including stretched...
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Markets pulled back modestly Wednesday after reaching an intraday all-time high, as afternoon selling trimmed gains. While overall market trends remain constructive and prices are well above key moving averages, leadership is beginning to shift beneath the surface. Healthcare—one of the most oversold sectors back in September—has now rotated into the most overbought territory, with standout strength from names like Google and Eli Lilly. Meanwhile, traditionally defensive areas such as Staples, Utilities, and Real Estate are now among the most oversold sectors, suggesting potential...
info_outlineThe Real Investment Show Podcast
Markets are hitting all-time highs, earnings expectations are rising, and investors are navigating everything from oil prices to Roth conversions. Lance Roberts & Danny Ratliff take live viewer questions and explore the themes investors are most focused on right now. Topics discussed include why earnings may be the primary market driver this year, what recent all-time highs signal for forward returns, and how capital flows are shifting across sectors and asset classes. We also examine oil markets—WTI pricing, energy stocks, Venezuela supply dynamics—and what the “sweet spot” for...
info_outlineThe economic reflation narrative is back—but is it durable or just another market storyline driven by optimism and liquidity?
Lance Roberts explains what investors mean by “economic reflation,” why markets are once again pricing in stronger growth, and which data points are reinforcing the bullish case. We examine the role of monetary policy shifts, fiscal spending, labor market dynamics, and commodity trends that are supporting expectations for improving earnings and profitability.
Just as importantly, we address the risks to the reflation narrative. Sticky inflation, slowing global growth, tighter financial conditions, and policy missteps could all challenge the assumption that reflation is sustainable. Markets often price in best-case outcomes long before the data confirms them—and that gap can matter for portfolio risk.
We close with practical investor considerations, focusing on risk management, diversification, and how to think about portfolios when markets are caught between reflation optimism and late-cycle realities.
This discussion is designed for investors seeking context, not predictions, and a disciplined framework for navigating shifting macro narratives.
Visit RealInvestmentAdvice.com for daily market commentary, portfolio strategy insights, and risk-management tools.
0:00 - INTRO
0:19 - One Dad on Money - The Reflation Narrative preview
2:03 - Markets Rally Despite Powell Probe
7:33 - JPMorgan performance & Q4 Earnings Structure
12:33 - Optimism for 2026 - Rate of Inflation Slowing
14:42 - Goldman Survey: Everyone is Bullish About Everything All at Once
16:31 - The Premise of Economic Reflation - Three Reasons
19:01 - The Flaw in the Reflation Narrative
23:14 - Good Consensus for High Market Returns in 2026
24:19 - Why Valuations Matter
28:17 - Wilshire 5000 vs GDP Ratio Explained
29:50 - Why Cut Rates if Economy is Growing?
30:57 - The Biggest Risk to Economy - Geopolitics
33:55 - Sectors to Benefit from Reflation Narrative
36:20 - Risks from the Reflation Narrative
37:24 - The Nirvana of Reflation is Driving Markets
40:23 - Top Ten Percent vs the Rest of Earners
42:18 - What Does the Reflation Narrative Mean for the Average Person?
43:28 - The Risk from the Reflation Story
Hosted by RIA Advisors Chief Investment Strategist, Lance Roberts, CIO
Produced by Brent Clanton, Executive Producer
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Watch Today's Full Video on our YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LT4dfHthMSY&list=PLVT8LcWPeAugpcGzM8hHyEP11lE87RYPe&index=1
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Articles Mentioned in Today's Show:
"Investor Lessons From 2025 For 2026"
https://realinvestmentadvice.com/resources/blog/market-outlook-for-2026-copy/
"2026 Earnings Outlook: Another Year Of Optimism"
https://realinvestmentadvice.com/resources/blog/2026-earnings-outlook-another-year-of-optimism/
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Watch our previous show, "Investor Lessons From 2025 for 2026" here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIPCj5xEG0c&list=PLVT8LcWPeAugpcGzM8hHyEP11lE87RYPe&index=1
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The latest installment of our new feature, Before the Bell, "Market Turbulence - Earnings Test Ahead," is here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dcg2Jj73T5U&list=PLwNgo56zE4RAbkqxgdj-8GOvjZTp9_Zlz&index=1
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