Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Sosnoff / Ratigan - Truth or Skepticism from tastylive

Tariffs on. Tariffs off. They didn't even last a full 24 hours before Trump gave most countries a reprieve but raised tariffs on China to 125%. Markets rallied on the news and hopes that a disaster was averted. But is this type of movement good for a market? Is it good for trade? Tune into this week's episode as Tom and Dylan discuss the latest in the trade war.

When you change economic policy as dramatically as we have in the last two months, there are bound to be unintended consequences. What are those consequences? Time will tell. But already we're seeing the European Union discuss improving their financial markets so they're more accessible. Germany is rearming. The consequences of trade policies are leading to places we may not have expected. Tune in as Tom and Dylan discuss the unintended consequences of trade policies.

MicroStrategy was the first company to change their business model to rely on investing in bitcoin. Yesterday, GameStop became the second. At the same time, the Trump family is planning to launch a stable coin. We're seeing undue risk with assets and a threat to market integrity all at the same time. On this week's episode, Tom and Dylan cover this and more.

When Russia invaded Ukraine, there was a brain drain from Russia. The best and brightest left for better opportunities. The U.S. was a beneficiary of that just as we've benefitted from kids from other countries, where little academic opportunity existed, coming to the U.S. But now we're seeing the government pull back on funding and threatening other schools that graduates won't be hired if curriculums aren't in line with political objectives. Tom and Dylan discuss the repercussions of this on this week's episode.

Over the past year, crowdsourcing has increasingly replaced facts backed by proof, while regulatory enforcement has declined. This shift allows for new ideas but also threatens the integrity of institutions built on truth. In this episode, Tom and Dylan explore the value of truth, the dangers of subjective facts, and the consequences of lacking regulatory oversight. 

Can you put a successful CEO in the White House and get a good outcome? It's a fair question. And, it's one with which we're experimenting right now. The jury is out at the moment, but the early returns seem questionable. Maybe it's just early mistakes that will bring learning experiences and better outcomes. Time will tell. Tune in for this week's episode as Tom and Dylan talk about running a government vs. running a company.

This administration has too much regulation. This administration has too little regulation. Which administration is just right? That's the question Tom and Dylan are attempting to tackle on today's episode. Markets need regulation to have enough integrity that investors feel confident. But too much regulation and it markets can grind to a halt. Finding the sweet spot is always the challenge. This and more on this week's episode.  

One of the most important aspects of success is being able to tell a great story. Donald Trump is a great storyteller. Whether he's a good politician is open to debate. When success is dependent more on the ability to tell stories than delivering results, does it skew where we place our efforts? Tom and Dylan discuss the importance of being a good storyteller and more on this week's episode. 

Are monopolies something we need regulators to break up or can we rely on the marketplace to do it? The answer depends. According to Tom, if the market can maintain its integrity, then the market will draw competitors that prevent monopolies. Tune into this week's episode as Tom and Dylan discuss DeepSeek, market integrity, taxes and disruption.

Fires in LA are still burning, but as we begin looking forward and toward the rebuild, there are important things we need to consider. One is homeowners' insurance. Insurance companies will likely use this catastrophe to charge massive premiums. We also will have a need for labor. Where will that labor come from at a time when we're looking at mass deportations? All that and more on this week's episode. 

President-elect Trump nominated Paul Atkins for SEC Chairman. Atkins has previous experience with the SEC during the George W. Bush years. Could this be an opportunity for the SEC make trading more accessible to more people? What would Tom like to see Atkins push for? Also, we're seeing the highest level of CEO turnover that we've ever seen. Is that a function of CEOs being bad at what they do or is it the demand for success is becoming immediate? On this week's podcast, Tom and Dylan discuss SEC opportunities and what makes for a successful CEO.

Is Jake Paul a successful boxer? Or is he a successful promoter? Is Donald Trump a good politician or a successful promoter? It seems the traditional method of becoming successful, which was developing qualifications, has been supplanted by an ability to promote oneself. Whether that is good or not remains to be seen. Tune into this week's episode where Tom and Dylan discuss the path of success and how it's changed.

We're getting to crunch time with elections less than two weeks away. Interest rates are rising. Commodities are rising. Betting markets are saying one thing. What does it all mean? On today's episode, Tom and Dylan discuss what the market may be telling us about the upcoming election. 

What makes for a good leader? It's a fair question to ask and election cycles tend to bring that question to the forefront. Whether it's a political leader, business leader, or anywhere else, the process for selecting the next generation of leaders hasn't changed much over the years. Has the gotten us as far as we are or whether we haven't reached our potential is this week's discussion topic. Tune in and listen to what Tom and Dylan think about leadership. 

Throughout history, we've experienced periods of exponential growth as a result of technological advancement. AI stands to be the next revolution in growth. Advancement is good. Most of us agree on that. But that also means there will be lost jobs that are taken over by AI. We may not be able to protect the workers, but what is our obligation to the workers? Tune in as Tom and Dylan discuss this and more.

Our society is more polarized than ever. While it's been a growing problem, it has become exponentially worse since social media use grew. How do we get the most out of social media but limit the negative repercussions? Tune into this week's episode as Tom and Dylan discuss the impact of social media on humanity.

Pavel Durov, the CEO of Telegram was recently arrested on allegations he failed to adequately monitor the illegal activity taking place on the app. According to Facebook, they were asked to throttle certain information during Covid by the government. Should government be allowed to monitor and influence what is and is not posted on social media? Are there limits to the 1st Amendment we need to have in order to protect society or do those limits end up harming? Tune into this week's episode as Tom and Dylan debate this and more.

Video may have killed the radio star, but the internet killed print journalism. Google recently pledged to invest over a hundred million dollars to support journalism initiatives. Is this a good development for journalism or is it a way for Google to further its way into taking over an industry? Tune into this week's episode as Tom and Dylan debate what this move by Google may mean for journalism.

We're all familiar with the pie-in-the-sky promises of political campaigns. There may be no greater oxymoron than, campaign promise. However, while the promises made aren't always kept, campaigns are the one time, every four years, where we have total freedom to explore even the most fringe ideas to address challenges to society. This year, we're hearing talk about capping prices on volatile necessities like groceries. Tune in as Tom and Dylan explore some of the out-of-the-box economic ideas being touted this election cycle.

On Tuesday, Starbucks stock soared 25% on the news it was hiring Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol. The news sent Chipotle lower by nearly 10%. The notional value of the two moves was worth billions of dollars. That's billions with a "B". Is one person, even the CEO, worth that much money to a company? Tune into this week's episode as Tom and Dylan discuss what a CEO is worth.

Paris is in the spotlight as host of this summer's Olympic and Paralympic games. Over the course of several weeks, countless spectators will visit Paris to watch the games and much of the rest of the world will tune in to watch. It's an amazing opportunity for Paris to show itself off. But is it worth it? The cost to build the facilities. The congestion of additional travelers. It's a substantial investment. Tune into this week's episode to hear Tom and Dylan discuss the Olympics and if hosting is worthwhile.

The events of the last week are enough to last a year. The biggest news was the change at the top of the ticket for Democrats. Was the reason for Biden dropping out so close to the election unforeseen? Or was it done for more nefarious reasons? On this week's episode, Dylan argues Democrats subverted the will of the people by replacing Biden with Harris. Tom, on the other hand, argues it was done out of necessity. This and more on this week's episode.

We haven't seen many heavy selling days this year, making today a bit of an outlier. The question is, what's causing the today's action? Is it as simple as profit taking in what's been a very strong market? Or, with the U.S. election getting closer, are we beginning to see the impact of politics in the market. As platforms and issues become more in focus, markets need to digest what the different outcomes could mean economically. On this week's episode, Tom and Dylan discuss what is behind today's move in the market and what role elections might be playing.

One could argue the country has never put forth two less desirable candidates for president. The divide in politics has never been more polarizing. Turn on any mainstream media and you'd think the end of the world is near. Yet stocks have made 36 new all-time highs this year. How does one rationalize that? Maybe the answer is that markets see something we don't. Tune into this week's episode as Tom and Dylan discuss the disconnect between politics and markets.

When does "talking your book" cross over into stock manipulation? On this week's podcast, Tom and Dylan discuss the recent price action in GameStop and whether or not, Keith Gill (better known as Roaring Kitty) manipulated the stock's price or simply found and exploited a market inefficiency. Does the situation need to be investigated simply to avoid the appearance of impropriety? After all, this situation is taking place at the same time a baseball player was suspended for life after betting a relatively nominal amount of money on games he likely was unable to affect the outcome of. Are we more concerned about baseball's reputation than that of the market? Tune in and find out.

A good job, marriage, 2.5 kids, house, car and a trip to Disneyworld. That was the American Dream. Is it still? Have the things we want out of life changed and with that, has the dream changed? That's fine if that's the case. The deeper question is, has the dream changed because the original dream isn't attainable? Or, has it changed because what we want has changed? This week, Tom and Dylan discuss the proverbial American Dream, what it is and if it's attainable.

We thought the chapter on meme stocks was complete. It was written off as people fed up with being stuck at home from Covid, taking their government checks and bidding up stocks no one was watching. Essentially, it was something that was unlikely to happen under any other circumstances. So, what brought it back this time? Tom and Dylan discuss meme stocks, what allowed them to happen the first time and what the most recent renewed interest might mean.

Tenure is unique to academia. Teachers are afforded protection once granted tenure so they can research and discuss topics that might otherwise jeopardize job security. However, there is an unintended consequence that needs addressing. That is, when teaching jobs are protected, does it end up keeping out fresh blood with new ideas? On this week's episode, Tom and Dylan discuss tenure and whether it functions as intended.

We're unique. Or maybe special is a better way of putting it. Unconventional. We take the other side of what the general public thinks, says or does. It's not just about trading, it's a way of approaching life. Does it offer any advantages? We aren't really sure but it works for us and it's gotten us this far. On this week's episode, Dylan challenges Tom's philosophical approach to trading and life. Also, frankendogs. 

Was it a single shooter that killed Kennedy or were there more? What about the moon landing? Conspiracy theories have and always will exist. Improvements in technology mean even the most insane and destructive ideas can reach a wide audience and generate profits. Alex Jones is the poster child for that type of exploitation. At the same time, technology is what allows us to quickly disprove those types of people. On this week's episode, Tom and Dylan discuss conspiracy theories and how they play out in the market. 

If Patrick Mahomes were told the most money he could make playing football is $1 million, would he quit? If a net worth limit were imposed, what would be the repercussions? There's an argument to be made that the pursuit of money has diminishing returns. It doesn't lead to greater happiness. It does create wealth inequality and inflation. A new socioeconomic theory is emerging that some sort of net worth limitation may improve society. Does the idea have merit? Tune in to hear Tom and Dylan debate the concept.

Last week, news was made when a quadriplegic man with a chip implanted in his brain allowed him to manipulate the chess pieces on a computer game. Moving the pieces on a chessboard are one thing, but the implications go far beyond games. The potential for what these chips can do is virtually unlimited. That may seem fantastic in some instances, but what are the implications? What kind of personal control would be sacrificed? Tune in this week as Tom and Dylan debate the future of human chipping.

'The Front Page of the Internet' and the potential strengths and drawbacks involved in Reddit's upcoming IPO. On this week's episode, Tom and Dylan debate being bullish on the 'the best social media app, pound-for-pound' and if it's justified bringing new players to the table.

For many college graduates, they enter the workforce and are unable to land a job related to their field of study. The jobs they end up with often pay less. Starting out earning less than their potential sets them on a lifetime path of under-earning relative to their potential. In many instances, these graduates are also saddled with student debt. It's fair to ask if the cost of a college degree is actually worth it. Tom and Dylan debate the value and necessity of a college degree on this week's episode

You have to take risk to make progress or be successful. One of the unique aspects of success in the business community is the reliance it creates. Companies like Facebook, Google and X are incredibly successful in the social media space. The bring a utility billions of people are using. The flip side to that is, if any one of those companies is hacked or goes down for some reason, the repercussions are exponential. It's single point of failure risk. Is that just a function of how success works or is it something deserving of more concern? Tom and Dylan debate that on this week's episode.

There is no place in life where being passive leads to success. Finance is no different. However, there are plenty of people out there who will tell you different. Who will tell you it's too hard. Who will tell you financial media is going to hurt your finances. The truth is a little different because at a minimum, financial media generates engagement. It leads to discussion and hopefully, further learning. Tom and Dylan discuss the role of financial media on this week's episode.