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Markets Bend but Don’t Break as Investors Watch Key Levels and Fed Signals

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Jay Woods, Chief Market Strategist of Freedom Capital Markets joins the conversation to break down the latest movements in the markets, describing the current environment as a “bend but not break” scenario. With the S&P 500 hovering around key technical levels, including the closely watched 100 day moving average, Woods explains how the market is holding critical support while the trading range continues to tighten. Despite headline-driven volatility and investor uncertainty, the market has remained resilient, with rotation occurring across sectors from beaten-down technology and software names seeing renewed interest to pullbacks in previously surging assets like gold, silver, and international markets. As the range narrows between key resistance and support levels, Woods notes that the market appears poised for a potential breakout, though the catalyst remains uncertain.

The discussion also turns to individual stocks and upcoming catalysts. Woods shares his technical outlook on Target, highlighting signs of a potential turnaround under new leadership after years of underperformance, with the possibility of further upside in the months ahead. 

Crypto Regulation, Stablecoins & the Future of Finance

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Patrick Witt, Executive Director of the President’s Council of Advisors for Digital Assets at the Trump White House, joined us from Washington, D.C. to discuss the latest developments in U.S. crypto regulation and digital asset policy. Speaking from the New York Stock Exchange, Witt provided an update on market structure legislation currently making its way through Congress, noting that the portion related to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission has already passed the Senate Agriculture Committee. Lawmakers are now working to move the bill forward in the Senate Banking Committee, where discussions continue around a key sticking point: whether digital asset service providers should be allowed to offer rewards or yield on stablecoins.

Witt explained that negotiations between crypto firms and traditional banks have intensified in recent weeks, with the White House convening meetings to help broker a compromise. Crypto companies have already made concessions, particularly around limiting passive interest on idle balances, while preserving activity-based rewards programs similar to credit card incentives. According to Witt, reaching a resolution is critical, as the administration believes the legislation will unlock broader regulatory clarity and encourage trillions of dollars in institutional capital to enter the digital asset space. He also emphasized the importance of protecting software developers and fostering innovation in decentralized finance, arguing that clear regulations could bring crypto talent and investment back to the United States after years of companies moving offshore.

Ad Spending Trends: A New Era of Political Campaign Financing

Tyler Goldberg, the Political Strategy Lead at Assembly, joins Remy Blaire to provide insights into the current political landscape. We dive into the rapidly approaching 2026 midterms, which are projected to be the most expensive in U.S. history, with political advertising expected to reach $10.8 billion—over 20% more than in 2022. We discuss the early primaries in Texas, North Carolina, and Arkansas, highlighting how Republican candidates are centering their messaging around Trump, while Democrats are focusing on key issues like inflation, taxes, health care and education.

We analyze the recent Democratic primary victory of James Talarico, who emphasized affordability, and the tight race for incumbent Senator John Cornyn, which underscores the Republican Party’s struggle with its focus on Trump rather than economic issues.

Tyler shares staggering figures on political ad spending, noting that as of now, $705 million has already been placed this year, with expectations to exceed $10.5 billion. We discuss the implications of this spending, particularly how Democrats have historically performed better when centering their campaigns on the economy.

As we navigate the volatility in the markets and rising costs of living, we explore how these factors are influencing voter sentiment and the challenges facing President Trump and the Republican Party. Tyler emphasizes the importance of addressing affordability to avoid missed opportunities in the political arena.

Finally, we touch on the increasing trend of early ad spending in campaigns, predicting that future election cycles will consistently exceed $10 billion.

The Future of Finance: Exploring Tokenization with Carlos Domingo

Carlos Domingo, co-founder and CEO of Securitize, joins Remy Blaire to discuss the rapidly evolving world of tokenization in traditional finance (TradFi). Carlos shares his insights on the significant advancements in the tokenization space over the past 18 months.

We discuss the impact of regulatory changes, the entry of major asset managers like BlackRock, and how these developments are reshaping the financial landscape. Carlos explains the advantages of tokenization, including improved operational efficiency, reduced risk, and enhanced transparency in capital markets.

Additionally, we explore Securitize’s recent announcements, including their SPAC merger and the innovative approach to tokenizing their own equity. Carlos also sheds light on an exciting partnership to tokenize the Trump International Hotel and Resort in the Maldives, offering unique investment opportunities.

Finally, we touch on BlackRock’s Buidl token, which allows for 24/7 trading and instant settlement, providing a solution for trading during off-market hours.

Energy Sector Resilience: Insights on Commodities and Market Diversification

Mark Newton, Managing Director and Head of Technical Strategy at Fundstrat, joins Remy Blaire to discuss the current state of the markets amidst significant volatility, particularly due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Mark expresses skepticism about the sustainability of market rallies in the near term, noting that while there are attempts for negotiations, historical patterns suggest caution.

We delve into the implications of rising oil prices, which have pushed the national gas price average above $3 a gallon, potentially impacting inflation in the U.S. Mark highlights the resilience of sectors like materials, energy, and industrials, despite the challenges faced by technology stocks, particularly semiconductors.

As we explore the energy sector, Mark points out that while energy stocks have outperformed, there are signs of potential consolidation ahead. He emphasizes the importance of diversification in investment strategies, especially as commodities show strength this year.

We also touch on the impact of AI disruption on software stocks, particularly following Nvidia’s earnings report. Mark suggests that while software is stabilizing, investors should be cautious with semiconductor investments at current levels.

Looking ahead, Mark provides his outlook for the S&P 500, predicting a choppy year with potential drawdowns but ultimately a strong rally towards the end of the year. We conclude our discussion by addressing the current state of cryptocurrencies, where Mark sees a short-term bullish cycle but remains cautious about the overall crypto winter.

Market Turbulence: Navigating the Impact of Middle East Conflict on U.S. Equities

Eric Criscuolo, Market Strategist at the New York Stock Exchange, joins Remy Blaire to delve into the recent volatility in U.S. equity markets, which have experienced significant swings due to ongoing uncertainty surrounding the conflict in the Middle East. We discuss the impact of crude oil prices, which dipped following President Trump’s announcement of U.S. Navy escorts for commercial tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.

We explore the current state of the markets, noting that while oil prices surged due to the conflict, equities showed resilience as buyers stepped in at key support levels. Eric highlights the unusual movement in treasuries, with yields spiking, likely influenced by inflationary pressures from rising oil prices and a flight to the dollar.

We also touch on the Federal Reserve’s ongoing monitoring of inflation and labor market data, particularly in light of the recent ADP jobs report. Eric points out that while oil prices may pose a temporary challenge, the Fed is likely to look past this spike in the long term. We discuss the mixed signals in the labor market and the potential for differing opinions within the Fed, especially with a new chair expected to take the helm soon.

Additionally, we examine the performance of major U.S. stock averages in 2026, considering concerns about AI disruption and issues in private credit. Eric notes a recent reevaluation of software company valuations, driven by uncertainty about future growth and the impact of AI.

Navigating the Future of Global Payments: Insights from Payoneer’s John Caplan

John Caplan, the CEO and Director of Payoneer, joins Remy Blaire to discuss the exciting developments in the global payments industry, particularly the rise of stablecoins, which achieved over $10 trillion in transaction volume in January alone—surpassing the combined monthly volume of Visa and Mastercard.

John shares his insights on the current state of global payments infrastructure, highlighting the importance of regulatory frameworks that support compliant cross-border trade. He discusses Payoneer’s adoption of stablecoin infrastructure, which is already being utilized by their first customers through the Payoneer multi-currency wallet. This shift from viewing stablecoins as mere tradable assets to essential utilities marks a significant moment in the payments landscape.

We also explore the anticipated regulatory changes in the U.S., particularly with the Genius Act, which aims to foster stablecoin innovation. John mentions Payoneer’s recent application for a stablecoin bank charter, which could enhance their ability to facilitate cross-border B2B payments, especially in emerging markets.

Additionally, we touch on the role of artificial intelligence at Payoneer, where the company is leveraging AI to boost productivity and streamline operations for its talented workforce. John emphasizes the importance of using technology to empower employees and enhance their capabilities.

Finally, we discuss Payoneer’s partnership with Bridge, a stablecoin infrastructure provider acquired by Stripe, which has allowed them to rapidly expand their stablecoin offerings.

Scaling Developer Clouds: From Startup Code to Millions of Users

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Anurag Goel, CEO of Render gives an in-depth look at the fast-growing cloud platform for developers. Render provides application developers with an easy, reliable, and secure way to deploy and run their applications in the cloud, including AI-native applications, without the complexity of traditional hyperscalers like AWS. With nearly 5 million developers on the platform and almost 300,000 new developers joining every month, Render has quickly become one of the fastest-growing developer clouds in the world. Anurag explains that while writing code has never been easier, developers often face challenges around scaling, security, collaboration, and application observability. Render removes these bottlenecks, helping teams grow from small projects to millions of users. A prime example is Base44, a leading AI coding platform that started with a single founder on Render and now reaches massive audiences, even running Super Bowl ads, all while relying on Render for seamless scaling and reliability. Anurag shares insights on how Render continues to support developers at every stage, making cloud deployment simple, secure, and scalable.

Why ICE is Betting Big on Prediction Markets

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Scarlett Sieber with Money 20/20 breaks down the explosive rise of prediction markets and why they’re capturing so much attention right now. With the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), owner of the NYSE, reportedly investing or preparing to invest $2 billion into Polymarket, these markets could be poised to rival equity markets in the coming decade. Prediction markets allow participants to buy and sell contracts tied to the outcome of future events from elections and economic data releases to sports and pop culture. Most contracts are simple yes/no bets, trading between $0 and $1, paying out $1 if the event occurs. Scarlett unpacks why ICE is taking such a bold stance, the potential business model behind these markets, and what this could mean for the future of finance. Stay tuned for a deeper dive into Polymarket and the rapidly evolving world of prediction markets.

AI Disruption, The Future of Work & Why Companies Must Reinvent Themselves

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Saikat Chaudhuri, Professor of Innovation, Strategy and Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, for a wide-ranging conversation on how companies and workers are navigating the AI disruption. As headlines focus on job losses and rapid technological change, Chaudhuri explains that many established firms are struggling not just to keep up with evolving AI models, but to define what their actual AI strategy should be. Instead of asking, “What’s your AI plan?” executives should be asking how AI can fundamentally transform their business. The real challenge, he argues, isn’t just data or automation, it’s strategic and organizational: What will the company of the future look like, and how must it reinvent itself to thrive?

Chaudhuri offers an optimistic view of the job market, drawing parallels to the early days of the internet. While many feared the collapse of brick-and-mortar businesses, the digital revolution ultimately created more jobs than ever before. Similarly, AI may eliminate certain tasks, but it will also unlock entirely new roles and industries that are difficult to imagine today. The most valuable skills in this new landscape won’t just be coding or technical know-how, but judgment, prioritization, critical thinking, and creativity. From reimagining insurance products with real-time, customized coverage to redesigning entire business models, AI opens the door to innovation if leaders are willing to rethink their approach.