Listen to 24 leading experts… and discover how to thrive in a Decade of Disruption and a market buffeted by recession, a meek Federal Reserve, startling new technologies, and worldwide geopolitical turmoil.
The Decade of Disruption is here.
Dizzying changes are happening, at a pace and scale comparable to the decade between the end of World War I and the Great Crash of 1929.
Chances are that in the next years, your life as you know it and the way you earn your income will transform in dramatic ways... and most people will be completely unprepared for what the economy has in store for us.
These changes will echo through this decade and far beyond. The only question? How you choose to meet them.
Here are some of the major events you can expect this decade...
As the battle for the White House heats up, it's becoming obvious that ideologically, Republicans and Democrats haven't been this far apart since the Civil War—and the gap is growing.
No matter who lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave in the Decade of Disruption, this polarization will continue to dog a dysfunctional Congress, potentially leading to economic grief—see 2013's fiscal-cliff melodrama.
By 2023, entitlement payments, military spending, and interest will consume 100% of tax revenues. The result? Trillions of dollars of spending cuts, tax increases, and runaway debt.
There have been few signals that candidates are willing to confront this impending crunch before their hands are forced—and all possible solutions will disrupt your life and convulse American society.
The Fed's plan to hike rates four times this year lies in the ruins of an ailing global economy. And this year, the Fed's annual stress test on banks incorporates a scenario in which the interest rate on the three-month US Treasury bill becomes negative in Q2 2016 and then declines to -0.5%, languishing there until Q1 2019.
Could this mean the Fed is going to impose negative interest rates in the face of ongoing market fragility? Add in another recession and worldwide currency wars, and the Decade of Disruption is set to pitch severe challenges at your retirement savings and investment returns.
The end of the American Century has been heralded before, but the coming decade could hold the moment the United States melts from global superpower to just one of many countries.
And as the US looks increasingly inward, there will be a steady, unrelenting push for power from nations and economies worldwide—as well as a ramping up of the Age of Terror.
New technologies promise to forever change your life—from your job, to your health, to how you spend your retirement.
And not all of these changes will be positive. For example, while new biotech innovations may defeat cancer, the victory could decimate swathes of the healthcare industry.
The Decade of Disruption is potentially perilous for investors, with a combination of new and old threats, a world order spinning off its axis, and changing safe havens in the markets.
But despite the unnerving environment we will all be operating in, you can experience disruption positively.
That's the theme of the 2016 Strategic Investment Conference—and it struck a nerve with everyone from hedge fund managers to individual investors to those simply concerned about their financial future.
This year's conference easily became the fastest-selling SIC of all time. The tickets, priced at almost $2,500, sold out in just over a month—four months before SIC 2016 opens on May 24.
A couple of dozen of the finest analysts, CEOs, strategists, forecasters, historians, and authors will gather in Dallas to take on the Decade of Disruption's most pressing questions, such as:
Will the US follow Europe and Japan into the mire of negative interest rates? (One of our speakers has figured out how to do 100-to-1 leveraged bets on whether there will be negative rates in the US. For some portfolios and companies, that could be a lifesaver.)
What can you do to protect your retirement savings and investment returns before another recession hits? (And here at Mauldin Economics, we believe it will hit.)
How will the market react if Trump takes the White House—and what are the long-term consequences?
What happens when government spending swallows up 100% of tax revenues in 2023?
Where can emerging-market investors find opportunity in the coming decade's shark-infested waters?
Will the US hang up its global sheriff's hat for good? And who (or what) will take its place?
How can investors choose winners in the burgeoning field of tech innovation?
Armed with key tools, actionable investment advice, and visionary insights from SIC, you can survive and thrive in the Decade of Disruption.
And with the SIC Virtual Pass, you can benefit from the heated debates, expert analysis, and revolutionary idea-sharing from the comfort of your own home.
Pre-order the Pass today and secure close to 20 hours of audio sessions recorded live at SIC, plus info-packed slide presentations from our speakers, and a special video featuring the highlights of the sold-out conference.
People say John Mauldin has the best Rolodex on Wall Street. Every year, he gives it a good spin and brings both old friends and new faces to his Strategic Investment Conferences—and this year the line-up of experts and thought leaders is truly exceptional.
To give you a taste of what you can expect, here are just a few highlights:
Richard W. Fisher was President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas from 2005 to 2015. In this role, Fisher served as a member of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), and as the chair of the Conference of Federal Reserve Bank Presidents. Currently, Richard is senior advisor to Barclays.
Since leaving the Fed, he has become one of its most outspoken critics, recently observing that the Fed used “cocaine and heroin” through the use of quantitative easing to stimulate the economy, and that the economy is today being maintained “on Ritalin.” Expect equally colorful commentary on the Fed from Richard at SIC.
James Grant is the founder and editor of the iconic Grant’s Interest Rate Observer, a twice-monthly journal of the investment markets. His latest book, The Forgotten Depression, 1921: The Crash That Cured Itself, won the 2015 Hayek Prize of the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research.
A famously eloquent analyst of markets since the 1970s, James’ unwavering skepticism and view of the markets as “predictably inefficient” led him to advise investors to short subprime mortgage securities before the housing crash. Today, he remains a strong advocate of the gold standard and a fierce critic of the Fed, which he recently accused of chasing an inflation target “it has pulled out of thin air, like so much of its productions.”
Niall Ferguson, MA, D.Phil., is Laurence A. Tisch professor of history at Harvard University, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, and a visiting professor at Tsinghua University, Beijing.
He is the bestselling author of fourteen books on economics, finance, and geopolitics, including The Cash Nexus, and an accomplished filmmaker, having won an Emmy for The Ascent of Money. His not-to-be-missed talk at SIC 2016 will reveal how economic, geographic, and cultural forces beyond anyone’s control are steering current generations in a new direction.
Dr. Pippa Malmgren is the founder of the DPRM Group and co-founder of H Robotics. She was a member of the National Economic Council in the White House where she served on the President’s Working Group on Corporate Governance and the Working Group on Financial Markets, helping to negotiate Sarbanes-Oxley and the PATRIOT Act. After 9/11, she was responsible for looking into terrorism risks to the economy on the National Economic Council.
Dr. Malmgren is the author of Signals: The Breakdown of the Social Contract and the Rise of Geopolitics and Geopolitics for Investors, and will dissect current and future geopolitical turmoil at SIC.
Dr. George Friedman is a leading expert in intelligence and international geopolitics. The founder of Stratfor, and most recently, intelligence service Geopolitical Futures, George has also authored several bestselling books, including The Next Decade and The Next 100 Years, which discuss his prescient predictions of the decline of the European Union and the rising tension between Russia and the West.
At SIC, he will discuss the rapidly changing geopolitical agenda and how it will affect us all in the Decade of Disruption. As Newsweek previously said of George: “Expect the unexpected... He can see without the crystal ball.”
Mark Yusko is the founder, CEO and chief investment officer of Morgan Creek Capital Management. He is a proponent of the Endowment Model of investing, and is a sought-after commentator on the alternative investment industry.
Last year, Mark called $30 oil. This year? He predicts a “messy bankruptcy” for at least one commodity company, speculates that the Fed “has maybe lost control,” and says that a recession is coming “as sure as the sun rises.” But amid the gloom, Mark sees plenty of opportunities for emerging-market investors—and he’ll be sharing them at SIC.
Dr. Lacy H. Hunt, is an internationally renowned economist who knows finance from all perspectives—the private sector (he served as chief US economist for the HSBC Group) as well as the government (from his former position as senior economist for the Dallas Fed). Currently, he is EVP of Hoisington Investment Management Company (HIMCO), a firm that manages $6.5 billion for pension funds, endowments, insurance companies, and others.
Just how much of the disappointing US output growth during the current economic recovery can be laid at the feet of the Federal Reserve? Expect Lacy to share his no-holds-barred thoughts on this contentious subject at SIC.
David Rosenberg is chief economist and strategist for independent wealth management firm Gluskin Sheff. David brings a top-down perspective to the firm’s investment management process. He was previously the chief North American economist for Merrill Lynch, where he was consistently ranked in the Institutional Investor All-Star Analyst rankings. Financial Post magazine named David one of the five most influential Canadians in investing, and Business Insider called him one of the 12 smartest people on Wall Street.
David has long been one of the biggest draws at SIC—and he’s drawn to SIC too, saying: “The faculty always consists of an impressive collection of the financial industry’s best. Each year I’m left with numerous thought-provoking insights and investing ideas.”
David Zervos, chief market strategist of Jefferies LLC and chief investment officer of the Global Macro Division of Jefferies Investment Advisers, is best known for his timely, insightful macroeconomic commentary and viewpoints. In his role as chief market strategist, he exchanges ideas with the world’s leading money managers, hedge funds, pension funds, and sovereign wealth funds. He appears regularly in financial media and is a frequent speaker at key industry conferences and events.
At SIC, you can expect him to talk about his self-described “old flame,” Janet Yellen, as well as why he recently recommended emerging markets for the first time while at Jefferies.
Dr. Gary Shilling has an analysis career spanning five decades and was Merrill Lynch’s first chief economist. Currently, he is president of consultancy A. Gary Shilling & Co., Inc, and publisher of INSIGHT, a monthly report of economic forecasts and investment strategy. He also has authored seven books, most recently The Age of Deleveraging: Investment Strategies for a Decade of Slow Growth and Deflation.
An in-demand speaker, Gary has twice been ranked by the Institutional Investor magazine as Wall Street’s top economist. In 2003, MoneySense magazine named him the third-best stock market forecaster in the world, right behind Warren Buffett.
John Mauldin is chairman of Mauldin Economics and author of Thoughts from the Frontline, one of the most widely read investment newsletters in the world. His books, including Endgame, Code Red, and Bull’s Eye Investing, have appeared on the New York Times best-seller list.
John has dedicated his career to helping investors better understand Wall Street, global markets, and the drivers of the world economy. Readers around the globe turn to John for his view on Wall Street, markets, and history.
Neil Howe is a historian, economist, demographer, and the founder of Saeculum Research. He writes and speaks frequently on generations, the economy, and social change. He is the nation’s leading thinker on who today’s generations are, what motivates them, and how they will shape America’s future.
Neil will be making a special first-time presentation at SIC. His speech will be entitled “The First Turning,” a preview of the book he is writing, which is a follow-up to one of the most prescient books ever written, The Fourth Turning.
Also sharing their insights, advice, and predictions at SIC are:
Juan Williams, Fox News political analyst and author of bestselling and critically acclaimed books including America’s Civil Rights Years, 1954-1965.
Michael Barone, senior political analyst for the Washington Examiner and a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.
Stephen Moore, an economic writer, political analyst, and former chief economist at the Heritage Foundation through 2014. He also has authored four books, including It’s Getting Better All the Time: The 100 Greatest Trends of the Last Century.
Brian Lockhart, the founder and chief investment officer of Peak Capital Management, LLC (PCM). With over 20 years of portfolio management experience, he has led the company through exceptional growth since its inception.
Stephen J. Cucchiaro, president, CIO, and chairman of newly-minted 3EDGE Asset Management. Stephen is known for his use of proprietary investment research methods including the application of concepts from engineering, system dynamics, and complexity economics in order to analyze the cause and effect relationships that drive the global capital markets.
Jason Hsu, CEO and chairman of Asia-focused investment firm Rayliant Global Advisors. As eyes move from West to East, his insights at SIC are highly anticipated.
Charles Gave, Louis-Vincent Gave, and Anatole Kaletsky, the powerhouse trio who founded Gavekal. As John Mauldin says, it’s a rare event for them to gather from around the world—and it’s always fireworks when they’re together.
Jared Dillian, editor of The Daily Dirtnap, Street Freak, and The 10th Man at Mauldin Economics. A die-hard contrarian with a razor-sharp mind and irreverent wit, Jared is the former head of ETF Trading at Lehman Brothers and a master of market psychology.
Patrick Cox, editor of Transformational Technology Alert at Mauldin Economics. Patrick Cox has lived deep inside the world of technology breakthroughs for the past 30 years, and has a clearer view than most of how technology will disrupt the upcoming decade.
Tony Sagami, editor of Rational Bear and Yield Shark at Mauldin Economics. Tony has worked in almost every part of the financial-services industry, and is one of the most widely read market writers of the last generation.
"[The Fed] are living in constant fear of a market reaction. That is not the way you manage central bank policy — it just puts you further out on the gangplank. "
— Richard W. Fisher, former President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, current Senior Advisor to Barclays
"There’s a defensible case to be made that a recession began [in the US] late [in 2015]. You don’t know until after the scorekeepers tally 18 months later."
—James Grant, founder and editor of Grant’s Interest Rate Observer
"Credit is going to continue to deteriorate. We haven’t even seen the beginning of the bankruptcies in the oil patch. I think capex is going to drop off dramatically later this year, a lot of companies are going to go [bankrupt] , and I think that’s going to lead to some really bad numbers economically."
—Mark Yusko, Founder, CEO and CIO of Morgan Creek Capital Management
Expect temperatures to rise and ties to be loosened as seasoned economists and analysts debate the most critical issues of the Decade of Disruption. To help you protect and grow your portfolio in the coming years, we're queuing up investment panels on:
The Federal Reserve's Next Moves: Can we expect QE4 in the event of another recession? And with nearly 40% of the "rich" world's economies operating under NIRP, is the US next in line?
2016 Election Year Bout: In this special, new political panel, Michael Barone of the Washington Examiner will lead Stephen Moore of the Heritage Foundation and Fox News commentator Juan Williams in what promises to be a spirited debate on the future of the Republic.
Finding Income in a Low-Interest-Rate Environment: Should you reach for yield? Look to emerging markets? Or simply wait for interest rates to rise?
Practical Portfolio Construction and Design: This new panel will see some of the most famous and successful portfolio strategists giving you their thoughts about investing in what will be a transformed world as we move through the Decade of Disruption.
And much more.
While SIC 2016 sold out in record time, you can listen to the insights and advice from the conference in the comfort of your home, car, or office.
Pre-order your Virtual Pass today, and you can look forward to:
Close to 20 hours of audio sessions: Prepare for the next decade with the help of top analysts, financial experts, CEOs, strategists, historians, and more
Information-packed slide presentations: Each speaker's session comes with their slide presentation, so you can peruse their key points and data at your leisure
SIC 2016 highlights video: Immerse yourself in the atmosphere SIC 2016 with this special highlights video
A hassle-free format: Your MP3 download means you can listen to SIC 2016 anytime, anywhere, and on almost any device
A relaxed way to experience SIC: Re-listen and analyze at your convenience, without the pressure of shuttling straight to another session.
The regular price for the Virtual Pass is $450... That's $450 for full audio access to the sold-out conference, as well as slide presentations from our speakers and a highlights video.
But if you pre-order now, you can take advantage of our early-bird offer of just $350—that's $100 off the price we'll start charging immediately after the conference has ended... and $2,150 less than the SIC ticket price
After the conference concludes, we'll master the audio to ensure it's of the highest quality, before uploading it to a buyer's only website for you. And course, we'll inform you when your virtual pass is ready to download.
The time to start preparing for the Decade of Disruption is now...
