5-13-26 Q & A Wednesday: Real Answers. No Spin.
The Real Investment Show Podcast
Release Date: 05/13/2026
The Real Investment Show Podcast
Inflation pressures may be heating up again, and markets are beginning to notice. Rising prices can have major consequences for stocks, bonds, interest rates, and Federal Reserve policy. Lance Roberts & Michael Lebowitz discuss why persistent inflation is dangerous for both investors and the economy, how rising yields pressure bond prices, and why higher rates can challenge stock valuations — especially in high-growth and technology sectors. We also examine whether the recent market rally is underestimating the risk of another inflation wave. Here's a topical rundown of today's show:...
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Markets remain heavily concentrated in high-beta Momentum trades, especially in Semiconductors and large-cap Growth stocks. But when speculative momentum runs go parabolic, history shows the reversals can be just as sharp. In today’s pre-market update, we break down the difference between market sectors and investment factors, why the Momentum trade has gone vertical since April, and how rotations into Value, Quality, and Fixed Income could begin as investors reduce risk. We’ll also examine why high-beta names could face the biggest downside during a correction, what a retracement in...
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Q&A Wednesday is back. Markets are pushing record highs while oil prices surge on renewed Iran and Strait of Hormuz tensions, inflation concerns remain elevated, and the AI trade continues to dominate Wall Street headlines. Investors are also watching the Fed, tariffs, interest rates, retirement risks, taxes, and portfolio positioning as volatility quietly builds beneath the surface. Lance Roberts and Danny Ratliff answer your questions, live, with straightforward analysis and no spin. Bring your questions about markets, retirement planning, portfolio management, taxes, risk,...
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Markets are now approaching seven straight weeks of gains in one of the strongest buying stampedes since 1950. While bullish momentum, earnings growth, and corporate buybacks continue to support higher prices, markets are becoming increasingly stretched above long-term moving averages. We discuss why sharp advances like this often lead to short-term pullbacks, where key support levels may emerge, and why those corrections can create stronger opportunities for investors later in the year. Is this the start of a larger correction, or just a healthy pause before the next move higher? Watch...
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Should you pay off debt, invest more in your 401(k), or do both? Lance Roberts & Jon Penn walk through five real-world financial decisions that millions of Americans face every year. Using new Vanguard research and simple math, we break down how to prioritize credit cards, mortgages, student loans, retirement savings, and employer matches to maximize long-term wealth. We also discuss why the mathematically correct answer is not always the emotionally correct one, and how personal priorities, risk tolerance, and peace of mind factor into financial planning. Key topics include: 0:00 -...
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Technology stocks continue to dominate the market as XLK and momentum-driven trades surge higher, but the rally is becoming increasingly narrow. Financials, Healthcare, Industrials, Energy, and Materials are lagging badly while Technology pulls the broader indexes higher. In today's pre-market update, we examine the growing divergence between Technology and the rest of the market, why overbought momentum conditions matter, and how concentrated rallies can create hidden risks for investors. We also discuss sector rotation, portfolio diversification, and why maintaining exposure to lagging...
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Is the commodity supercycle the next great investment opportunity, or the biggest threat to the current bull market? Lance Roberts breaks down the growing Wall Street narrative that commodities are entering a multi-year boom driven by deglobalization, underinvestment in energy and metals, AI infrastructure demand, and concerns over long-term dollar dominance. But there’s a major problem with the thesis: commodity spikes are inflationary, inflation destroys demand, and higher commodity prices often strengthen the U.S. dollar instead of weakening it. We examine the reflexivity problem,...
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Markets are reacting to renewed Iran tensions as oil prices rise and stock futures weaken. Energy stocks are leading while the Mag-7 trades lower, but the bigger concern may be how stretched markets have become after weeks of relentless gains. This “Bull Stampede” rally has pushed sentiment back to extreme bullishness, volatility remains very low, and markets are now heavily extended above long-term trends. History suggests these setups often lead to fast reversions, with 3% to 5% pullbacks arriving quickly once a catalyst appears. Will it come from Iran, inflation data, or the Trump-Xi...
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Are annuities only for retirees, or can they play a role in building long-term financial security at any age? Richard Rosso & Jonathan "Smarty" McCarty break down the myths, costs, benefits, and risks of annuities, and how guaranteed income fits into a retirement strategy. We discuss how annuities can serve as bond substitutes, why fees vary so widely, how sales structures impact costs, and how to determine whether an annuity fits your personal retirement goals. Most importantly, we explore how to create a rules-based approach to guaranteed income that matches your lifestyle, risk...
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Semiconductor stocks continue to lead the market higher as the AI boom drives massive capital spending, soaring valuations, and relentless momentum in names like Nvidia, AMD, Broadcom, and TSMC. But are investors witnessing the next great technology revolution, or the early stages of another market bubble? Lance Roberts & Michael Lebowitz examine the semiconductor trade from both sides: Explosive AI demand, data center growth, and earnings momentum versus stretched valuations, narrowing market breadth, and growing concentration risk inside the S&P 500 and NASDAQ. Key topics include:...
info_outlineQ&A Wednesday is back.
Markets are pushing record highs while oil prices surge on renewed Iran and Strait of Hormuz tensions, inflation concerns remain elevated, and the AI trade continues to dominate Wall Street headlines. Investors are also watching the Fed, tariffs, interest rates, retirement risks, taxes, and portfolio positioning as volatility quietly builds beneath the surface.
Lance Roberts and Danny Ratliff answer your questions, live, with straightforward analysis and no spin.
Bring your questions about markets, retirement planning, portfolio management, taxes, risk, the economy, or whatever is on your mind.
Questions we answered on today's show include:
0:00 - INTRO
0:56 - CPI Checks In Higher Than Expected
5:02 - Duration and Velocity of Bullish Stampede
9:47 - Birthday Fishing Present
14:44 - Berkshire Hathaway Exposure to AI
17:30 - Investing Like Warren Buffett
19:12 - Why Aren't Swap Lines "Printing Money Out of Thin Air"?
22:03 - CPI Revisions
25:17 - Deflation in Rents
26:03 - GDP, Inflation, & Yields
27:00 - Hold Long-Dated Bonds or Sell?
28:04 - Are REIT's Over Extended?
29:41 - Should You Average into the S&P?
30:52 - Why is Stock-picking/Diversification So Hard Now?
32:30 - Stock Market Regimes & Asset Allocation
34:41 - CPI Data vs Fixed Income Allocations
41:06 - Church vs Casino Investing
42:03 - Long Term Investor: What's Your Personality?
46:37 - RSP vs SPY in Current Market Condition?
50:44 - What's a Good ETF for a Younger Person to Invest In?
52:34 - Space-X IPO Effects on Markets & Indexes
Hosted by RIA Advisors Chief Investment Strategist, Lance Roberts, CIO, w Senior Investment Advisor, Danny Ratliff, CFP
Produced by Brent Clanton, Executive Producer
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Articles Mentioned in Today's Show:
"Commodity Supercycle: The Enemy Of The Bull Thesis (Part 1)"
https://realinvestmentadvice.com/resources/blog/commodity-supercycle-the-enemy-of-the-bull-thesis-part-1/
"Earnings Estimate Revisions Are Very Optimistic"
https://realinvestmentadvice.com/resources/blog/earnings-estimate-revisions-are-very-optimistic/
"Parabolic Semiconductor Rally Is Pricing In 2028 Already"
https://realinvestmentadvice.com/resources/blog/parabolic-semiconductor-rally-is-pricing-in-2028-already/
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Watch today's "Before the Bell" feature, "Buying Stampede: Good News & Bad News." here:
https://youtu.be/hDeUW-rmwC4
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Watch our previous show, "Five Questions for Smarter Money Decisions"
https://youtu.be/rZ1lej68NvE
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