In this episode of The Wrap with Chris Whalen, Chris expects the Federal Reserve will deliver one rate hike before Labor Day despite Warsh's preference to delay—the White House has greenlit it to maintain Warsh's credibility as chairman, and this one hike will likely lead to more because incremental Fed policy changes don't stop at one when fighting inflation. The Iran ceasefire has shattered and won't be fixed: Iran has zero incentive to reach peace with the U.S., wants to tax Strait of Hormuz traffic, and will force Gulf states to build pipelines and avoid the strait entirely—oil refineries won't be rebuilt while shooting continues, causing permanent structural supply damage. U.S. oil stocks are at their lowest level in 20 years, diesel is up 30% this year and ripples through every part of the economy, and California is facing potential rationing after it runs down reserves and stops getting refined products from Asia. Whalen stands firm on his double-digit inflation call despite prediction markets showing lower odds, arguing the real economy—not market probabilities—determines consumer and producer behavior, and rising consumer inflation expectations (3.7% one-year) are changing psychology and forcing real estate hedging. Bank earnings next week will reveal whether credit costs continue rising as spreads widen between Treasuries and corporate bonds, signaling medium-term economic slowdown ahead as speculative companies lose financing access.Thank you to our sponsor, Monetary Metals. Learn more at https://www.monetary-metals.com/THEWRAP/Links:    The Institutional Risk Analyst: https://www.theinstitutionalriskanalyst.com/  The Wrap: https://www.theinstitutionalriskanalyst.com/post/theira866Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/rcwhalen    The Entropy Trap: https://www.amazon.com/Entropy-Trap-Physics-Knows-Markets/dp/B0H1ZP7NZX/ref=sr_1_1Use the code TheWrap2026 for 25% off your first year of The Institutional Risk Analyst https://www.theinstitutionalriskanalyst.com/plans-pricingTimestamps:0:00 Warsh slow walking rate cut, White House greenlit one hike1:32 FOMC divided, one rate hike likely before Labor Day2:35 White House supporting Warsh to maintain credibility3:39 One hike doesn't typically happen alone4:42 Warsh reducing Fed presence, pulling back on forward guidance5:10 Fed's 2% target won't change consumer behavior on inflation7:29 Oil stocks at 20-year low, diesel shortage critical11:40 Iran ceasefire fragile, no incentive for lasting peace13:41 U.S. must build pipelines, avoid Strait of Hormuz14:08 Physical oil stocks depleted, refined products in short supply15:26 Diesel is political issue - impacts economy, employment16:06 California facing potential rationing without supplies16:36 Diesel up 30% this year, ripples through entire economy17:32 Double-digit inflation thesis still stands despite market skeptics18:46 Prediction markets vs real economy - spreads tell story20:06 Consumer inflation expectations hit 3.7% one-year (3-year high)20:27 Psychology of inflation changes spending and investment behavior21:34 Real estate traditional hedge, prices skyrocketing22:20 Spreads widening, economy slowing medium-term23:35 Earnings season next week - credit costs key indicator24:19 Midterms - Democrats take House, Trump faces impeachment25:32 Politics won't change, nothing gets done26:41 Pfizer building conversion collapsing, structural problems29:17 Bunker Hill Mining penny stock opportunity, silver revival31:28 Banks earnings - watch credit costs, mortgage issuers follow

Danielle DiMartino Booth praises the FOMC minutes as "clean" under new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh—no manipulation of data like Janet Yellen did in 2013—and notes Warsh has successfully convened consensus around "less is more" Fed communications with an unusually quiet media environment. The real bombshell is the July jobs data: the unemployment rate fell to 4.2% only because 720,000 Americans gave up looking for work in a single month, representing a 50-year low in labor force participation since 1976, while 49% of adults under 30 now live with their parents as affordability collapses and job insecurity rises. Danielle warns the official narrative of economic strength masks a deteriorating real economy: revolving credit declined (a sign lenders are tightening), consumer confidence shows jobs are hard to get, and vacation spending has crashed to Great Recession levels—yet mainstream media remains fixated on an inflation narrative unsupported by broad data. The biggest systemic risk is the "too big to fail" stock market: 51% of global assets now sit outside the regulated banking system, asset managers hold assets larger than major banks, and the government can't allow equity market collapse when 401(k)s are the only retirement plans left, implying inevitable Fed monetization and the "end of capitalism." Her source of hope: summer interns aged 18-28 who are hungry, hardworking, and reject the "too big to fail" mentality—representing a generation determined to work their way out rather than accept billionaire UBI schemes designed to maintain inequality.Thank you to our sponsors: Kalshi - download the Kalshi app and use code JULIA to get $10 when you trade $10. http://kalshi.com/r/JULIA Monetary Metals - learn more at https://www.monetary-metals.com/julia/Links: Danielle's Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/dimartinobooth Substack: https://dimartinobooth.substack.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DanielleDiMartinoBoothQIFed Up: https://www.amazon.com/Fed-Up-Insiders-Federal-Reserve/dp/0735211655Timestamps: 00:00 Intro and welcome back Danielle DiMartino Booth 00:40 FOMC minutes from June - Clean, Warsh didn't manipulate data1:30 Warsh convened consensus, less is more communications working2:57 Forward guidance removal, Fed less visible, refreshingly quiet3:20 Elizabeth Warren defends bloated 12 district banks, Waller calling it out4:38 Warsh has convened consensus around leadership position5:13 Warsh refuses forward guidance, hints at ending dot plot6:23 Inflation cooling seen but Iran hostilities change calculus6:59 No press conference if nothing to say - Hail Mary move7:25 Mervyn King taking communications, five task forces with outsiders8:49 Kalshi traders: 79% hold rates in July, 76% expect no cuts 20269:36 Labor force participation 50-year low since 197615:35 720,000 Americans gave up looking for work in one month16:05 Unemployment fell to 4.2% but for wrong reasons16:59 Full-time jobs destroyed, replaced by gig workers17:36 Labor market called stable but disconnect with data18:18 Jobs hard to get at highest level, Americans aware19:30 Revolving credit down, unusual sign of lender tightening20:20 49% of adults under 30 living with parents21:12 Five of 20 K-Shiller metro areas below 2000 price levels22:35 Young people disenfranchised, AI destroying college degree value24:32 Stock market too big to fail - implies Fed buying equities25:01 Inequality gap - bottom 10% stock holdings fell 3% to 1%26:14 Top 0.1% holdings doubled, bottom K getting bigger26:33 Worry about social fabric fraying with K-shaped economy29:16 Billionaires pushing UBI while controlling AI benefits30:14 Work ethic is what made America great30:30 Writing piece on too big to fail for weekly flagship32:08 51% of global assets outside regulated banking system33:34 Summer interns give hope - bright, hungry, great work ethic34:45 Young generation rejects too big to fail narrative 

Michael Every, Global Strategist for Economics and Markets at Rabobank, presents a radical framework: everything is now about economic statecraft and geopolitics, not traditional monetary or fiscal policy, meaning central banks, interest rates, and economic structures are all subsets of national security objectives. Central bank models are broken because exogenous geopolitical supply shocks (Iran war, Ukraine, COVID) constantly disrupt equilibrium assumptions, and the old playbook of managing demand through one global interest rate no longer works in a fragmenting world with different sectors having different national security priorities. He warns the biggest risk is far more war ahead, specifically predicting Iran war will resume after the midterms because tolls, sanctions, uranium, and Lebanon remain unresolved—Iran is losing leverage as oil flows increase and the world moves on, so it will need to "rock the boat" to regain attention. Interest rates will trend higher due to massive fiscal pressures on defense spending, reshoring, supply chain security, and infrastructure investment, and differential interest rates will emerge where sectors critical to national security borrow cheaper than speculative sectors. He argues the private sector will be tasked with moonshot innovations (like AI and Manhattan Project-style programs) that governments can't afford alone, with government potentially taking stakes in critical companies like OpenAI and Intel. On the Strait of Hormuz, he dismisses markets pricing 45% chance of normalization before October 1 as too optimistic, noting ships run dark, ship-to-ship transfers hide traffic, and geopolitics will escalate after midterms—Hormuz will never fully normalize as countries build alternatives. America will retain primacy going forward but must completely reinvent itself economically and politically, with broader appeal to allies while accepting a world where other powers have their own sphere of influence, and whoever holds office will face the same underlying reality that American power projection equals American living standards.Thank you to our sponsors: Kalshi - download the Kalshi app and use code JULIA to get $10 when you trade $10. http://kalshi.com/r/JULIA Monetary Metals - learn more at https://www.monetary-metals.com/julia/Links: https://www.rabobank.com/knowledge/our-experts/011085368/michael-everyhttps://x.com/themichaeleveryTimestamps: 0:00 Everything now about geopolitics, not traditional economics2:00 Michael's background - 30 years, 9 countries, cross-border analyst5:20 Economic statecraft framework - national power is driving force6:06 Policymakers getting it, but many still don't understand8:16 Central bank models don't work, they never did8:40 Exogenous supply shocks (Iran, Ukraine, COVID) keep breaking models11:36 One interest rate doesn't work in fragmenting world15:33 Central banks being cagey about structural changes19:21 Geography matters - some countries will thrive, others fail23:20 Rates going higher, not lower for longer23:29 Massive fiscal pressures on defense, supply chains, infrastructure26:25 Differential interest rates by sector based on national security priority27:06 Biggest risk - far more war coming28:19 Iran war after midterms, not resolved yet31:59 Defense contractors won't make huge profits - government controls pricing34:40 AI is about national security, not making money35:31 Government may need private sector to fund moonshots they can't afford36:19 Government taking stakes in strategic companies (OpenAI, Intel, Trump)39:04 Strait of Hormuz assessment42:59 Iran needs to rock the boat, leverage slipping away44:19 Kalshi market too optimistic on Hormuz normalization45:08 Hormuz won't ever fully normalize again46:04 US still primary power but must reinvent itself49:15 America can retain primacy but it will look different50:09 Whoever's in office has to return to same arguments on American power

Chris Whalen kicks off the July 4th episode of The Wrap by diving into private credit implosion with BDCs turning unprofitable, using the acronym POOP (Principal on Outstanding Principal) to illustrate how debt is being converted to equity because companies can't pay—essentially turning investors into equity holders in insolvent companies. The June jobs report shocked with only 57K payrolls added (far below expectations) while household employment actually fell by 500K, making the data contradictory and unreliable despite the overall labor market still showing relative steadiness in many markets. Housing shows sharp bifurcation: sales above $1 million hit a record high while overall volume is down, revealing that only luxury properties are moving as the broader market softens. Goldman Sachs projects gold could hit $4,900, and Whalen is holding silver as a hedge against dollar debasement and inflation, noting the Chinese are aggressively buying silver in both futures and spot markets. Trump has profited handsomely from his various crypto ventures while most investors in those same ventures have lost significant money—a familiar pattern from Trump's business history. With the US national debt now at $39.35 trillion on America's 250th birthday, Whalen warns the Democratic Party will split between socialists and Republicans, with policies like New York's rent freezing turning cities into slums while hurting mom-and-pop landlords. He recommends watching interest rates, the Fed under Kevin Warsh, and expects another uptick in gold and silver prices after recent selloffs, while cautioning on BDCs and private credit exposure as the distress signals mount.Thank you to today's episode sponsor, The Entropy Trap by Mickey Maini. Order your copy: https://www.amazon.com/Entropy-Trap-Physics-Knows-Markets/dp/B0H1ZP7NZX/ref=sr_1_1 Links:    The Institutional Risk Analyst: https://www.theinstitutionalriskanalyst.com/The Wrap: https://www.theinstitutionalriskanalyst.com/post/theira864Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/rcwhalen    Use the code TheWrap2026 for 25% off your first year of The Institutional Risk Analyst https://www.theinstitutionalriskanalyst.com/plans-pricingTimestamps:00:00 — Intro and World Cup chat1:09 Gold rebounds, AI stocks slump1:38 Private credit - BDCs turning unprofitable2:40 POOP acronym - Principal on Outstanding Principal, crap debt4:07 POOP emoji Bloomberg article, Victor Hong invented term5:54 AI stocks slumping, pressure on private credit portfolios6:00 Market doesn't like it right now11:23 June non-farm payrolls - 57K added, much worse than expected11:44 May/June comparisons all over place, household employment down 500K12:21 Can't take a lot out of these numbers13:33 Labor market steady to extent we can rely on statistics14:12 Housing costs up, Americans work harder to compensate14:12 Goldman Sachs says gold could hit $4,90015:31 Chinese aggressive buyers of silver, not changing view16:06 Gold/silver hedge against dollar and inflation17:40 US national debt at $39.35 trillion on country's birthday18:12 Democratic Party gonna get torn in half18:50 Rise of democratic socialist candidates19:49 Rent freezing turning NYC into slum, mom and pop landlords hurt20:17 How much money to live in NYC reasonably? Way more than poverty level21:45 Trump crypto - Done well, investors lost a lot23:32 Book - Entropy Trap by Mickey Maini29:33 90% of mortgage market government insured, no systemic bailout needed32:43 Silver good play medium to long term as hedge34:13 Back half of year focused on interest rates35:13 Watching Fed, Kevin Warsh, uptick in gold/silver coming

Henrik Zeberg, head macro economist at SwissBlock and author of The Monetary House of Cards, returns for his quarterly update to argue that markets and the economy are telling two completely different stories. While equities keep melting up toward a likely blow-off top, his models show the "quiet hand" of the real economy — labor market deterioration, rising full-time job losses, record credit card delinquencies, and a struggling housing sector — already rolling over into what he calls a structural recession. He walks through his indicator framework, explains why he's not calling an imminent recession yet (two more liquidity and yield signals are needed), and lays out his "Zeberg Solomon Protocol" for when he'd fully rotate out of stocks into bonds. The conversation also covers his contrarian views on inflation (he thinks disinflation, not inflation, is coming), his skepticism on Bitcoin's long-term value despite expecting a short-term bounce, a near-term gold and dollar bounce followed by major dollar strength, and his boldest calls for a year from now — including a bursting AI bubble and Bitcoin below $20,000.Thank you to our sponsors: Kalshi - download the Kalshi app and use code JULIA to get $10 when you trade $10. http://kalshi.com/r/JULIA Monetary Metals - learn more at https://www.monetary-metals.com/julia/Links: X: https://x.com/HenrikZebergSubstack: https://henrikzeberg.substack.com/Book: https://buy.stripe.com/aFacN62DQdYFbZt9APaR201TEDx: https://youtu.be/DAmoawIOMbs?si=Infb0cLi8YPxdX4HTimestamps:00:00 – Intro: welcoming back Henrik Zeberg, head macroeconomist at SwissBlock01:05 – Recap: the rally he called last quarter played out as predicted01:36 – Stock market hasn't topped, but the real economy is quietly rolling over03:50 – The split between the "financial economy" and the "real economy"04:42 – His "structural recession call" — what it means and what's still missing05:25 – Kalshi's recession odds (10.4%) vs. what Henrik's model is showing06:25 – Why almost nobody sees a recession coming until it's already here07:06 – Breaking down GDP: why the consumer (70%) is the real signal to watch09:58 – Labor market red flags: falling participation, part-time vs. full-time jobs, long-term unemployment12:33 – The "avalanche" analogy — how a slow buildup becomes a sudden crisis14:59 – Credit card delinquencies now above 2009 recession levels16:04 – Why housing is the earliest domino to fall19:30 – Structural recession call, explained in full — and the two triggers he's waiting on24:45 – The market's "loud hand": no top yet, more melt-up ahead27:07 – Risk rotation theory — from mega-caps into small caps and speculative names29:16 – Why he thinks the inflation narrative is wrong (savings rate argument)32:57 – Stock vs. flow: the bathtub analogy for inflation vs. price levels33:28 – What could still push this "blow-off top" rally further34:32 – His own portfolio moves — how much cash vs. risk he's holding36:57 – The "Zeberg Solomon Protocol" — his signal for exiting stocks entirely into bonds39:37 – Bitcoin: why he's bullish on a short-term bounce but bearish long-term42:23 – Gold outlook tied to a weakening (then re-strengthening) dollar43:43 – Dollar forecast: DXY to 93–94 short term, then a run toward 120+44:56 – One-year-out contrarian calls: AI bubble bursting, Bitcoin under $20K, recession confirmed47:06 – Where to find Henrik's work47:25 – Parting thoughts: don't trust a crowded consensus trade

Andrew Pancholi, founder and CEO of the Market Timing Report, joins the show for his debut to explain his framework of mathematical cycles—repeating patterns spanning 36, 60, 90, 100, 144, and 250 years that he uses to forecast turning points across markets, commodities, and geopolitics. He argues we're broadly tracking the 1920s bull market toward a potential 2029 peak, but warns he's turned more bearish near-term after Friday's data showed smart money leaving US equities, eyeing the third week of July as a major turning point. Pancholi shares striking targets—$183 oil if Middle East conflict escalates, $6,900 gold by March 2027, and a continued bearish view on Bitcoin—while tying current events to historical cycles, including the 36-year anniversary of Saddam's invasion of Kuwait and the US 250-year empire cycle. A commercial Boeing 777 pilot, he closes by connecting aviation's risk management and situational awareness to disciplined trading, emphasizing incremental gains over any "holy grail."Thank you to our sponsors: Kalshi - download the Kalshi app and use code JULIA to get $10 when you trade $10. http://kalshi.com/r/JULIA Monetary Metals - learn more at https://www.monetary-metals.com/julia/Links:x.com/AndrewPancholilinkedin.com/in/andrewpancholiyoutube.com/@markettimingreportinstagram.com/andrew.pancholifacebook.com/markettimingcyclesanalysisTimestamps:00:00 – Intro: who is Andrew Pancholi01:21 – The big picture: mathematical cycles framework02:00 – The 100-year cycle & path to 202902:30 – 90-year geopolitical cycle & polarization05:29 – Equity markets: top or pullback?08:21 – Smart money leaving US equities10:43 – Kalshi prediction markets & 7,800 S&P target13:15 – Third week of July turning point explained14:12 – Charts: how the timing system works20:17 – "You can't time the market" — the pushback24:39 – The cycles explained: 30, 36, 45, 90, 144, 250 years27:40 – War & revolution cycles, US civil strife28:48 – The major war cycle nobody's talking about31:41 – Oil outlook: $183 target33:35 – Gold: bearish near-term, $6,900 target35:12 – Bitcoin outlook35:48 – The 250-year empire cycle & America's birthday40:03 – Zero Hour book & cycles that failed42:28 – From Boeing 777 pilot to cycles analyst43:51 – COVID pandemic forecasted by the 100-year cycle46:04 – Risk management lessons from flying51:35 – Parting thoughts & where to find his work

Chris Whalen joins Julia La Roche on this week's episode of "The Wrap with Chris Whalen" to break down what he calls a "slow motion train wreck" in private credit, where public and private funds alike are getting hammered with redemption requests just as the firms behind them sit on impaired assets like DSCR business-purpose loans. Whalen argues we're living through a replay of 2005 — high tide before the crack — and predicts a housing reset by 2027-2028 ("misery on the eights"), with home prices falling 10-20% and recent borrowers landing underwater. Along the way he covers double-digit inflation driven by energy supply shocks from the Strait of Hormuz, why Chair Warsh can't slow-walk rate hikes, the volatility added by agentic AI trading and ETFs, his long-term bull case for gold and silver, the unwinding of Wall Street's crypto trade, the futility of Mamdani's NYC rent freeze, and viewer questions on inflation measurement and Annaly's common vs. preferred shares. Links:    The Institutional Risk Analyst: https://www.theinstitutionalriskanalyst.com/  The Wrap: https://www.theinstitutionalriskanalyst.com/post/theira861Fred Ramberg interview: https://www.theinstitutionalriskanalyst.com/post/theira860 Signed copy of Seeing Around Corners: https://www.theinstitutionalriskanalyst.com/shopTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/rcwhalen    Use the code TheWrap2026 for 25% off your first year of The Institutional Risk Analyst https://www.theinstitutionalriskanalyst.com/plans-pricingTimestamps:00:00 — Intro01:09 — Private credit: the "slow motion train wreck" and redemptions02:24 — Rates higher-for-longer, double-digit inflation & the Strait of Hormuz04:02 — The hidden cost of war and inflation as a tax05:33 — Private credit shops buying insurers & DSCR loans06:46 — "It's 2005 again" and the road to misery on the eights07:46 — Signposts: institutional fraud in business-purpose loans08:45 — What a DSCR loan is vs. a residential mortgage11:55 — The private credit gates connection12:32 — Predicting the 2028 housing reset & price declines14:52 — How rising prices have masked defaults15:27 — A 10-20% home price reset explained15:46 — Which markets crack first (Florida, Miami, blue-state Northeast)17:10 — Mom-and-pop investors and fix-and-flips17:49 — Advice for homebuyers: stay below the conforming limit18:42 — AI & semiconductor stock volatility19:15 — Agentic trading bots and market manipulation20:35 — Precious metals: gold below 4,000, silver near 5722:37 — PCE data, sticky inflation & the gold-silver case23:13 — Crypto falling apart, MicroStrategy & BlackRock selling24:33 — CME suing over perps (perpetual futures)25:34 — The NYC rent freeze / Mamdani hot take26:49 — Viewer mail: changing the definition of inflation28:20 — Viewer mail: is the debasement trade over?29:08 — Viewer mail: Annaly common vs. preferred31:03 — What's ahead next week (plus World Cup talk)32:46 — Wrap-up

Veteran market analyst Peter Grandich of Peter Grandich and Company joins Julia for a mid-year macro check-in, and his message is decidedly cautious: after 42 years in finance, he believes the time has come to prioritize capital preservation over capital appreciation, especially in U.S. equities. Grandich lays out his bearish case across political, social, and economic lines—warning of a deeply divided Congress that couldn't manage another 2008-style crisis, a likely Democratic House sweep in the midterms that could derail Trump's agenda, runaway federal and state deficits, the looming threat of wealth and unrealized capital gains taxes, and the displacement of jobs by AI and robotics. He explains why he favors Asian equities over American ones, why he's cautiously back in gold (but not a "gold bug"), and why passive investing—once the market's biggest tailwind—could become its biggest risk. Closing with a vivid craps-table metaphor about a market overdue for a "seven," Grandich ultimately pivots to faith and family, reminding viewers that net worth shouldn't be confused with self-worth.Thank you to our sponsors: Kalshi - download the Kalshi app and use code JULIA to get $10 when you trade $10. http://kalshi.com/r/JULIA Monetary Metals - learn more at https://www.monetary-metals.com/julia/Links: https://x.com/PeterGrandichhttps://petergrandich.com/https://www.amazon.com/Confessions-FORMER-Wall-Street-Whiz/dp/B096LPRYW6Timestamps: 00:00 — Welcome back & catching up with Peter Grandich01:06 — Big-picture macro: "live chicken vs. dead duck"06:28 — Midterms outlook & the political divide10:54 — Echoes of 1929 and why this time is different12:00 — State deficits, surcharges & "revenue enhancement"13:11 — Taxes17:30 — Congressional & presidential stock trading20:20 — New Fed Chair Kevin Warsh & rate policy22:59 — Inflation: is the 2% target dead?25:07 — Wealth inequality & the jobs picture28:18 — Allocation strategy: why "cookie cutter" fails30:40 — Gold32:00 — Spend less than you make33:19 — Why look outside the U.S. market34:00 — Passive investing: the market's biggest risk38:38 — The craps table metaphor41:32 — Parting thoughts: faith, family & "what good is it to gain the world?"

Peter Schiff warns the bubble is popping as crypto leads the decline, while the bond market faces another breakdown with the 10-year potentially breaking above 5%. He emphasizes inflation is a choice—all Fed chairs chose it, and Warsh will too despite tough talk, because the alternative is politically unacceptable. He reveals the May deficit surged 30% while interest expense jumped 44%, with annual interest payments now hitting $1.6 trillion and will be $2 trillion by next year. Schiff identifies Japan as a looming harbinger with 250% debt-to-GDP, yields climbing above 4%, and the yen collapsing below 160 with potential for another 30-50% decline. His end game thesis: the US dollar loses reserve currency status, US assets get repriced down, and he's positioning to "have all the chips" at the finish line. Gold's pullback from $5,600 to $4,200 is a "buy the rumor, sell the fact" move, while silver at $65 is headed to $200 and Bitcoin at $64,000 should be sold. GDP growth is an illusion created by faulty deflators that understate inflation; the economy hasn't really expanded, just become more expensive, and stagflationary depression is locked in. Thank you to our sponsors: Kalshi - download the Kalshi app and use code JULIA to get $10 when you trade $10. http://kalshi.com/r/JULIA Monetary Metals - learn more at https://www.monetary-metals.com/julia/Links:https://x.com/PeterSchiffhttps://www.youtube.com/@peterschiffTimestamps: 0:00 Intro and welcome Peter Schiff 00:50 Air coming out of bubble 1:16 Markets too complacent on inflation risks1:45 Warsh has a problem - Hike or no hike, both bad3:36 Inflation is a choice - All Fed chairs chose it5:11 Warsh will choose inflation despite tough talk5:24 Bond market breakdown coming - 10-year to 5%, 30-year to 5.5-6%7:42 May deficit up 30%, interest expense up 44%8:13 Interest payments $1.6 trillion/year, will be $2 trillion next year9:39 Government spending up 50% since COVID, taxes reduced10:57 Inflation is hidden tax - Government prefers it11:52 Iran war costs through inflation, not direct taxation13:49 Wealth tax - Slippery slope, will hit middle class eventually19:56 Japan crisis - Debt to GDP 250%, yen collapsing below 16020:29 Japanese bond yields at 4% on 30-year, rising fast21:45 Japan could sell $1 trillion in US treasuries24:41 Japan harbinger for US crisis24:54 Treasury Secretary Paulson says crisis inevitable27:18 Gold warning sign - Pullback to $4,200 from $5,600 normal29:24 Silver at $65, headed to $20032:39 Stock market at highs but economy worse than Biden36:56 GDP illusion - Deflator too low, just prices not growth39:48 End game - Dollar won't be reserve currency40:40 Playing for end game, wants all chips at finish43:31 Contrarian predictions - Higher rates, higher oil, higher gold44:30 Japan crisis first domino, then dollar next45:01 Summary - Stagflation and end game thesis

Chris Whalen is back for The Wrap after his fishing trip in Maine, where he caught a 21-inch smallmouth bass! He's very positive on Kevin Warsh's "less is more" approach at the Fed—no forward guidance, likely removing the dot plot, and refocusing on letting the numbers speak for themselves rather than trying to control expectations through communication. Whalen argues the bond market has already delivered a rate hike on its own, and if he were Warsh, he'd wait and see how the Iran peace deal holds before making more moves, given that war inflation is transitory and external to Fed policy. He reveals the definition of inflation will likely be narrowed to minimize rate hikes and avoid tanking the economy, and he's watching a massive rebalancing from equities to bonds at record allocation levels. Whalen sold most of his AI stocks and locked in serious gains, but he's holding SpaceX as a long-term play given Elon's monopolies on space launch and global internet. He warns the AI bubble is going south with Mike Saylor and Bitcoin spiraling, sees gold and silver as a great entry point after being beaten down, and is adding to positions. He explains silver's manufacturing and technology demand while copper faces supply constraints. On Iran, Whalen argues the MOU doesn't solve underlying inflation drivers—diesel, fertilizer, energy ripple through the economy—so double-digit inflation is locked in with no Fed rate cuts coming. He's concerned about private credit festering with two-and-twenty fees still common, distressed debt exchanges now over 70% of defaults since 2022, and he likes Annaly as a mortgage REIT with government-insured assets and mortgage servicing rights providing protection. Whalen notes precious metals could still rise despite rate hikes because central banks will keep accumulating gold as reserve assets. Links:    The Institutional Risk Analyst: https://www.theinstitutionalriskanalyst.com/  The Wrap: https://www.theinstitutionalriskanalyst.com/post/theira858Inflated book (2nd edition): https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/inflated-r-christopher-whalen/1146303673Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/rcwhalen    Use the code TheWrap2026 for 25% off your first year of The Institutional Risk Analyst https://www.theinstitutionalriskanalyst.com/plans-pricingTimestamps:0:00 Intro and welcome back Chris Whalen1:47 Warsh sets different tone - No forward guidance, likely no dot plots3:33 Less is more approach - Fed was communicating too much5:43 Bond market has already done the rate hike6:50 War inflation is transitory - External factor Fed can't control7:19 Definition of inflation will be adjusted/narrowed9:10 Bond market doing tightening, not Fed funds rate10:34 Rebalancing from equities to bonds at record levels11:50 Sold most AI stocks, took profits, holding SpaceX12:07 SpaceX monopoly on space/internet - Long term play13:57 AI trade, Bitcoin15:57 Gold/silver beaten up but good entry, adding positions17:02 Silver manufacturing and technology demand17:49 Copper supply/demand - Not enough copper globally19:32 Iran MOU doesn't solve underlying issues21:45 Double-digit inflation locked in - Diesel, fertilizer ripple22:34 Fed can't fix war-driven inflation23:52 No rate cuts coming - Business banking on cuts won't get them24:48 Private credit festering problem - Two and twenty fees26:16 Distressed debt exchanges over 70% of defaults29:27 Annaly - Mortgage REIT with government insured assets30:00 Precious metals could rise despite rate hikes - Central banks buying31:43 Precious metals dollar strength question32:07 Next week