Animal Spirits Podcast

Animal Spirits is a show about markets, life, and investing. Join Michael Batnick and Ben Carlson as they talk about what they're reading, writing, listening to and watching. Look for new episodes every Wednesday morning. See our disclosures here - https://ritholtzwealth.com/podcast-youtube-disclosures/

Business
Investing
News
701
The Nastiest, Hardest Problem in Finance (EP.114)
On this week's show we discuss scale in the asset management business, Robloncho and Cybertruck reviews, the biggest worries in the real estate market, the student loan-like problem for young people and much more. Find complete shownotes on our...
43 min
702
Talk Your Books: Value & Momentum with Jack & Wes
On this edition of Talk Your Book, we spoke with Alpha Architect's Wes Gray and Jack Vogel about value and momentum strategies and how they developed their investing process. Find complete shownotes on our blogs... Ben Carlson’s Michael Batnick’s...
40 min
703
Worst Call Ever? (EP.113)
On this week's show we discuss our initial thoughts on Disney+, staying bearish on Netflix since 2002, tech adoption, Google checking accounts, Armageddon calls, the social media era, influencer fraud, new customers from free trades,...
46 min
704
Talk Your Book: Defined Outcome Strategies with...
On this edition of Talk Your Book we had Jason Barsema from Halo Investing on to discuss the structured products market, how they're trying to make them more transparent, the pros and cons of structured products, best use cases for advisors and...
37 min
705
I've Never Used an Emoji (EP.112)
On this week's show we discuss the growth in auto loans, denominator blindness in debt statistics, experts on an earlier version of the world, the one-percenters, timing value stocks, infinite leverage, more surveys and much more. Find complete...
41 min
706
Talk Your Book: Coaching the Yankees
On this Talk Your Book we sat down with Dana Cavalea, former strength & conditioning coach for the New York Yankees to discuss his book Habits of Champion and how he got the job of a lifetime at age 23. Find complete shownotes on our blogs... Ben...
32 min
707
Talk Your Book: Greg Zuckerman on Jim Simons & ...
On today's Talk Your Book we talked with Greg Zuckerman about his new book The Man Who Solved the Market. We covered how Jim Simons built the greatest track record ever, lessons all investors can take away from Simons, how Ren Tech does it, the...
28 min
708
The World's Worst Investor (EP.111)
On this week's show we discuss the food delivery recession, demographic wars, why people are staying in their homes longer, why teens love TikTok, how Deadspin imploded, selling out at the top, Apple wearable growth, Ashton Kutcher's personal finance...
37 min
709
CEO Departures (EP.110)
On this week's show we discuss company performance after a CEO leaves, never-ending finance arguments, what would happen if we banned buybacks, Elizabeth Warren's plans to break-up big corporations, Tesla as a sentiment barometer, why China matters...
39 min
710
Talk Your Book: Crossing Wall Street with Eddy ...
On this edition of Talk Your Book we chatted with Eddy Elfenbein about his ETF, the buy list, passively investing in active stock picking, why it's so difficult to do nothing most of the time with your investments, fulcrum fees and much more. Find...
22 min
711
The Least Happy Age (EP.109)
On this week's show we discuss the never-ending death of the 60/40 portfolio, why it feels logical and irrational to invest overseas right now, why rich people continue to work, how Blockbuster blew it with Netflix, the Influencer bubble may be...
47 min
712
The Undies Indicator (EP.108)
On this week's episode we discuss the streaming wars, recession-proof businesses, the China-NBA clash, the power of Twitter, underwear economic indicators, credit vs. interest rates, the winner of the no-fee ETF war, Robinhood's foray into banking,...
44 min
713
Re-Kindled: Malcolm Gladwell (EP.107)
On this edition of Re-Kindled, Michael and Ben discuss Tipping Point, Blink, Talking to Strangers, pop psychology, and Malcolm Gladwell backlash. Find complete shownotes on our blogs... Ben Carlson’s Michael Batnick’s Like us on And feel free...
36 min
714
Winners of the Financial Crisis (EP.106)
On this week's show we discuss how private equity came out so well from the financial crisis, what's changed in the private tech markets, algos controlling trading, how allowance to give your kids, why anecdotes don't tell the story about the economy,...
40 min
715
Free Trading (EP.105)
On this week's episode we discuss momentum crashes, free trading for all, public vs. private markets, IPO performance, Goldman's foray into banking for the masses, healthcare inflation, rich people giving money to Ivy League schools,...
44 min
716
Stockpiling Cash (EP.104)
On this week's show we discuss Airbnb's need to IPO, WeWork's latest PR nightmare, rich people raising cash, why now is one of the hardest investing environments ever, do interest rates impact private markets, Disney Plus, why no one will ever buy...
44 min
717
Michael's Brain Fart (EP.103)
On this week's show, we discuss how to pass the CFA exam, the range of performance in S&P 500 companies, factor crashes, why quants matter more than index funds, influencer ghostwriters, understanding IRRs, what Amazon could do next, the best...
44 min
718
Economically Unattractive (EP.102)
On this week's show we discuss the passive bubble talk, private market bubble talk, credit cards, stocks vs the economy, people who own the market, Jeremy Renner's social media experiment, student loan forgiveness, and much more. Find complete...
37 min
719
Who Are the Losers? (EP.101)
On this week's show we discuss how flows affect the market, why there is no passive bubble, why small caps are always underfollowed, financial literacy differences between men and women, the Peloton IPO, why the Fed is not our savior, the Rock's...
48 min
720
Best Case Recession (EP.100)
On this week's show we discuss the finances of having kids, the best case scenario for the next recession, is anyone bullish right now, hedging out the end of the world, Michael's worst take ever, Ben's student loan story, Joe Rogan, trading options,...
33 min
721
Re-Kindled: Amusing Ourselves to Death (EP.99)
On this edition of Re-Kindled, Michael and Ben discuss Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman. Find complete shownotes on our blogs... Ben Carlson’s Michael Batnick’s Like us on And feel free to shoot us an email at with any feedback,...
23 min
722
Paycheck to Paycheck (EP.98)
On this week's show we discuss yield curve inversions, why everyone is always predicting recessions, RV indicators, bonds are expensive, who buys negative rate bonds, our new noobwhale t-shirts, VC pump & dumps, how many people live...
44 min
723
Talk Your Book: Invest like a Hedge Fund with T...
On today’s animal Spirits Talk Your Book, Michael and Ben talk to Clay Gardner of titan invest. Titan is on a mission to democratize hedge fund investing. Go to for more information. Find complete shownotes on our blogs... Ben Carlson’s Michael...
43 min
724
Business in a Box (EP.97)
On this week's show we discuss what to make of negative interest rates, who is buying these bonds with negative rates, the new Apple credit card, the growth in takeout food, why fly swatters can't be disrupted, how Planet Fitness hacked human nature...
41 min
725
The Bankrupt Barber (EP.96)
On this week's show we discuss how stocks have reacted to past Fed rate cuts, why is the stock market falling, why aren't there more unicorn companies in Japan, nature vs. nurture in your finances, why Michael bought a Peloton, Noobwhale t-shirts, can...
45 min