November 17, 2025 | Season 7 | Episode 42
Markets don’t wait for your plan to catch up. We open with a clear framework for year-end positioning that blends mindset with mechanics—how identity-based habits and focus can keep you from selling lows, chasing highs, or ignoring life changes that matter more than headlines. From there, we map the macro forces likely to shape returns over the next few quarters and what to do about them.
China’s deflation is no longer a blip; it’s a loop. With broad price declines, soft wages, and pressure on multinationals, the ripple effects are reaching U.S. margins and global pricing power. We break down why zombie firms appear when prices fall faster than costs and what a real Chinese stimulus—monetary or fiscal—would mean for cyclicals, luxury, autos, and U.S. brands tied to Chinese demand.
On the home front, the AI buildout is massive, but so is the debt financing it. We connect the dots between data-center capex, falling hardware costs over time, and the unforgiving math of credit. Equity investors can spread bets; bond investors cannot. With credit default swaps flashing caution and the Fed signaling less certainty on cuts, balance sheets, cash generation, and pricing power move to the top of the checklist. We share practical steps: tiered cash buffers, laddered fixed income, disciplined rebalancing, and a focus on businesses that earn their keep at higher discount rates.
We also zoom out to your “life portfolio,” including the rise of concierge medicine. It won’t guarantee longevity, but it can improve access and coordination—now with limited HSA support. The real lesson is integration: healthcare, liquidity, and goals belong in the same plan as your asset allocation. Finish with a punch list for 2026: update goals, retest risk tolerance, stress test for higher-for-longer rates and China-driven disinflation, and trim exposures that only work if everything goes right.
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** For informational and educational purposes only, not intended as investment advice. Views and opinions are subject to change without notice.
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