The Dividend Cafe

David Bahnsen recaps a major market day following the first FOMC meeting chaired by Kevin Warsh, where the Fed left rates unchanged but offered a notably brief statement with little forward guidance. The dot plot implied higher rates ahead, though Warsh declined to submit his own projection, reinforcing his opposition to forward guidance as a policy tool. In his first press conference, Warsh announced five task forces covering Fed communications, the balance sheet, data sources, productivity and jobs, and inflation frameworks, and emphasized focusing on what data says about the economy rather than predicting the Fed’s reaction. Markets so...

David Bahnsen recaps Tuesday, June 16 market action with the Dow up 329 points (+0.64%) while the S&P fell over 0.5% and the Nasdaq dropped 1.15% as big tech/AI names sold off. Oil fell another 4.5% with WTI around $77, and the 10-year yield declined three basis points to 4.437%. Financials rallied about 1.5% (helping the Dow), with strength also in some healthcare names, while energy mostly continued lower. Bahnsen argues Monday’s rally was less about Iran/Strait of Hormuz headlines and more a return to AI-tech momentum, which reversed Tuesday, framing the key market tension as AI momentum and valuations versus more fundamental sectors li...

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David Bahnsen covers a broad “around the horn” Monday Dividend Cafe, highlighting extreme SpaceX IPO trading volume as evidence of IPO mania rather than price discovery. Markets rallied on weekend news of a forthcoming U.S.-Iran agreement and a planned signing, with the Dow up 469 points, the S&P up 1.65%, and the Nasdaq up over 3%; technology led while energy fell, small caps continued to outperform, and the 10-year yield held near 4.47%. He notes key unknowns in the Iran deal (Hormuz terms, enforcement, uranium, funds). Economic and policy updates incl...

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David Bahnsen returns Dividend Cafe to its normal market focus and records Thursday to avoid being influenced by SpaceX’s anticipated IPO trading. He discloses he and some clients own SpaceX via an SPV and will be locked up for a year, after which he expects to sell. Using SpaceX’s planned $75B raise with a very small public float and huge valuation, plus prospective trillion-dollar IPOs from Anthropic and OpenAI, he argues public markets face unprecedented IPO valuation “indigestion.” He challenges the belief that IPOs are easy money driven b...

Brian Szytel recaps a sharp market reversal after a broad sell-off tied to Iran war rhetoric gave way to gains on news of progress toward a deal, with the Dow up about 900 points, the S&P 500 up 1.7%, and the Nasdaq up 2.25%. He notes meaningfully lower interest rates (10-year down 9 bps to ~4.45%) and oil’s reduced sensitivity to Strait of Hormuz headlines as shipping reroutes and supply adjustments develop. Economic data included a hotter-than-expected headline May PPI (1.1%) but cooler core PPI (0.4%) alongside slightly worse initial jobless claims (229k). He highlights earnings growth concentration in energy (+117%) and technology (~60%) versus weak growth in...

From The Bahnsen Group’s West Palm Beach office on June 10, Brian Szytel recaps a broad market sell-off driven by a continued rotation out of overvalued tech/semiconductors and later by news the U.S. would resume strikes on Iran, after an initially encouraging CPI report helped markets rebound mid-morning. The Dow fell 953 points (1.87%) to session lows, with the S&P 500 down 1.6% and Nasdaq down 2%. Headline CPI for May was 0.5% (4.2% year over year), while core CPI was cooler at 0.2% (2.9% year over year), which he views as encouraging amid strong growth and employment. He notes oil rose but markets seem mo...

Brian Szytel reports from West Palm Beach on a volatile market stretch driven by stronger-than-expected jobs data, renewed tech weakness, and Middle East uncertainty. The Dow rose 86 points while the S&P 500 fell 0.25% and the Nasdaq dropped 1%, as equal-weight S&P outperformed cap-weighted by over 100 bps and the 10-year yield fell to 4.52%. He notes the tech sector’s nine-week 47% rally is seeing froth and sharp daily swings, alongside widening market breadth and sector rotation. Szytel urges investors to focus on fundamentals rather than popularity and dismisses warnings of simultaneous “cycle” peaks as largely unknowable and hindsight-driven. Economic updates include slight...

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Brian Szytel fills in for David on Dividend Cafe, recapping a mixed market day: the Dow fell about 80 points while the S&P 500 rose ~0.3% and Nasdaq ~0.8%, reflecting a rebound in tech after Friday’s sharp chip-led selloff following a nine-week, 47% tech rally. A much-stronger-than-expected May jobs report (172,000) pushed bond yields higher (10-year ~4.57%) and shifted Fed futures toward pricing possible rate hikes, with inflation still elevated and employment resilient, though labor participation remains low at 61.8% and small business hiring plans are weak. He reviews Middle East escalation and oil around $91, no...

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At Pacifica Christian High School of Orange County’s 2026 commencement, Sadie Bahnsen introduces her father, David Bahnsen, praising his character, sacrifices, and role in building a company and co-founding Pacifica. Bahnsen, a parent of a graduate and school co-founder, reflects on the school’s mission to teach students to think well and live well through a biblical worldview, including his emphasis on economics and the question “Compared to what?” He warns graduates against a pervasive culture of negativity, fatalism, victimhood, and being defined by trauma, urging them to embrace agency, optimism, and hope in Christ...

Brian Szytel recaps a market recovery day after a prior sell-off, with the Dow up 874 points, the S&P modestly higher, and the Nasdaq slightly lower due to a broad semiconductor decline led by a major custom AI chipmaker falling about 15% despite revenue growth of roughly 200% year over year, as guidance failed to meet lofty expectations. He puts the AI boom in context, citing about $1 trillion in annual hyperscaler and global AI capex—far exceeding the late-1990s fiber buildout pace—and notes additional spending needed in utilities to power data centers, emphasizing the U.S. lead in capital and...

Brian Szytel of The Bahnsen Group recaps a broad market sell-off (Dow -620, S&P -0.7%, Nasdaq -0.9%) after nine straight weeks of gains, noting there was no major new catalyst beyond slightly higher rates, higher oil, and ongoing Middle East tensions involving the U.S. and Iran. Year-to-date performance remains positive (Dow ~+6%, S&P ~+10%, Nasdaq ~+15%), and economic data was generally strong, including better-than-expected ADP private payrolls (122 vs. 110) and solid services readings. He highlights continued resilience in labor demand and some increased entry-level and AI-related hiring. Historically, nine-week winning streaks have often been followed by positive returns over 3, 6, and 12...

Brian Szytel shares a late-day market update with the Dow up about 250 points, the S&P slightly higher, the Nasdaq flat, and the 10-year yield unchanged at 4.45%. He highlights a stronger-than-expected JOLTS report showing roughly 731,000 more job openings than consensus, lifting openings to about 7.6 million, the highest in two years, with gains notably in consulting and professional services—countering fears that AI is collapsing hiring. He argues AI may shift entry-level skill requirements but supports productivity and investment over time. Addressing a question about younger investors relying on Bitcoin for retirement, he cites Ned Davis Research (1973–2025) showing dividend growers comp...

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This Monday Dividend Cafe reviews a mostly routine market update: after May’s strong gains (S&P 500 up over 5% in May and 10.7% YTD), stocks opened lower but finished higher with tech leading and utilities selling off; the 10-year yield ended flat at 4.46%. The episode highlights record household equity allocation, elevated valuations across large and small caps (Russell 2000 up 70% from its 2025 low), and a Goldman index showing concentration/valuation/rally conditions similar to 2021 and 2000. It notes inflation-adjusted IPO fundraising plans from SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic exceeding 300 combined internet IPOs from 1999–2000. Iran...

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From the Reagan Library during a week of speeches, David Bahnsen discusses the politicized debate over Federal Reserve independence following Kevin Warsh’s confirmation as Fed chair and the recent Trump–Powell conflict. He argues the Fed is not constitutionally independent: Congress created it in 1913, set its mandate (including via Humphrey-Hawkins), requires semiannual reporting, and presidents appoint governors who serve staggered terms and cannot be fired without cause. Bahnsen notes monetary policy is inherently political because it affects prices, employment, and government borrowing, and he cites historical Fed–Treasury coordi...

In this Dividend Cafe market update, Brian Szytel reviews a rotation day where the Dow rose 182 points while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq were flat, with the 10-year yield around 4.48% and Brent crude down nearly 5%, easing inflation and rate expectations amid ongoing US-Iran deal speculation. With little new economic data ahead of a heavier slate tomorrow (including PCE), he compares today’s AI-driven enthusiasm to the late 1990s internet boom, noting similar multiple expansion themes and index concentration, but also differences in valuations and how closely recent market returns have tracked earnings growth after the 2022 selloff. He urges vigilance as...

Brian Szytel recaps the first trading day after Memorial Day as markets mostly rose despite fluid US-Iran geopolitical headlines, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq closing at fresh record highs while the Dow finished slightly lower after recovering from deeper losses. He notes strong rallies in semiconductors and AI-related tech, warning of potential exuberance as charts look parabolic, alongside lower oil prices and a drop in the 10-year yield to 4.49%. Economic updates included consumer confidence at 93 (above expectations) and a modest softening in the Case-Shiller Home Price Index, which he attributes to affordability pressures but suggests a 2006-style collapse...

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In this Friday Dividend Cafe, David Bahnsen explains why data centers have become a major economic story, tracing their evolution from 1990s CPU-based server facilities to 2010s cloud-driven hyperscale warehouses and today’s AI-focused GPU centers that require far more power, cooling, and infrastructure. He argues data center construction and related spending may have accounted for roughly 80% of last year’s GDP growth, even as other real estate and industrial activity has been muted, drawing an analogy to the shale/fracking boom. Bahnsen supports data centers and future productivity pote...

Brian Szytel recaps a positive market turnaround from Miami Beach after Hightower leadership meetings, with the Dow up about 280 points, the S&P up ~15 bps, and the Nasdaq up ~10 bps; year-to-date, the Dow is up ~5%, the S&P ~9%, and the Nasdaq ~13%. Rates were little changed with the 10-year around 4.56%, and WTI oil was slightly down amid reports of a potential Saudi-linked development in the Iran conflict. He discusses persistent core inflation across CPI, PPI, and PCE as demand growth outpaces supply growth alongside rising money supply, while maintaining the thesis of a 1% real Fed funds rate but with higher...

From Miami Beach at a Hightower summit, Brian Szytel recaps a broad market rally (Dow +645, S&P 500 +1%, Nasdaq +1.5%) driven by falling interest rates (10-year down 8 bps to 4.58%) and oil (WTI down ~5%) amid hopes for progress in the U.S.-Iran conflict around the Strait of Hormuz. He focuses on how expectations moved from ~60 bps of Fed cuts this year to pricing closer to a potential hike, a global shift also seen in Europe, and notes the tight correlation between oil prices and rate expectations. With markets up ~7–8% and earnings up ~13–14%, multiples have compressed, and higher-rate expectations reduce the chance of r...

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David Bahnsen records Monday’s Dividend Cafe from Miami, noting a prior deep dive on U.S. national debt and then reviewing markets after an S&P 500 “melt up” led by semiconductors, the Mag Seven, and AI, followed by a pullback tied to sharply rising bond yields, with the 10-year near 4.6% and higher yields a potential catalyst for equity weakness. He flags poor market breadth, mentions a $67B Dominion–NextEra utility merger connected to data-center power demand, and highlights AI’s dominance in new high-yield, investment-grade, and venture funding plus global ind...

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David Bahnsen discusses U.S. national debt after total federal public debt surpassed 100% of GDP, defining it as $31.27T in Treasury securities versus $31.22T GDP, distinct from state/local debt, intergovernmental debt, and unfunded liabilities. He explains who holds Treasurys (foreign holders, the Fed, U.S. households, and banks/pensions/insurers) and why Treasurys serve as the global risk-free rate, rooted in confidence in repayment supported by U.S. economic strength and taxing authority. Bahnsen argues the key problem is persistent deficits (~6% of GDP) growing faster than the economy...

On Thursday, May 14, Brian Szytel recaps a broad market gain (Dow +370, S&P 500 +0.7%, Nasdaq +0.9%) with the 10-year Treasury closing near 4.48% and argues the 4.50% level is not a meaningful “line in the sand,” noting rate pressure tied to oil above $100 amid Iran-deal uncertainty. He summarizes Trump’s two-day meeting with China’s President Xi as generally positive, with Xi raising Taiwan and Trump not engaging. Markets continue a “wall of worry” melt-up driven by an AI capex/productivity boom, while Q1 tax refunds ($202B vs. $179B last year) and about $100B in refunded tariffs (about one-third already returned) add stimulus, though both...

Brian Szytel recaps a mixed market day on Wednesday, May 13: the Dow fell about 67 points while the S&P rose nearly 0.6% and the Nasdaq gained 1.2%, led by semis even as many software names sold off; rates and energy prices ticked higher amid ongoing Middle East unrest and uncertainty around a ceasefire. The key economic event was a much hotter-than-expected Producer Price Index, with headline PPI up 1.4% (vs. 0.7% expected) and core PPI up 1.0% (vs. 0.3%), leaving year-over-year headline at 6% and core at 5.2%, driven largely by services and broad demand, with tariffs, stimulus, and lower interest rates also cited. He notes these...

Brian Szytel recaps a modest down day in markets after recent all-time highs, noting the Dow slightly positive while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq fell, with year-to-date gains still strong. He explains that high-momentum semiconductor and tech names sold off as longer-duration stocks reacted to higher interest rates, driven partly by rising energy prices; the 10-year yield moved up to about 4.45% and expectations for a Fed rate cut this year have faded. He reviews the latest CPI report: headline inflation came in as expected at 0.6% month-over-month and 3.8% year-over-year, while core CPI was slightly above expectations at 0.4% and 2.8%, with a...

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From New York City, this Monday Dividend Cafe covers markets’ growing desensitization to Iran-related news even as oil nears $98.50, the 10-year yield rises to ~4.41%, and major indices sit at all-time highs. The S&P 500 appears expensive across valuation metrics, with dividend yield near a historic low (~1.08%), highlighting reliance on price returns versus cash income. The host argues earnings are currently driving markets, but notes a caveat: “other income” was 34% of net income, boosted by hyperscalers marking up private AI holdings. He reviews sector performance (energy best, communication services worst), policy...

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David Bahnsen analyzes Rupert Murdoch’s 2019 sale of major 21st Century Fox entertainment assets to Disney for $71.3B, emphasizing not the politics of the parties but the business logic and investing takeaways. He contrasts Disney’s struggles since the deal with Fox’s stronger stock performance, arguing the outcome reflects capital intensity and duration risk: Disney bought scale and IP to compete in streaming, requiring heavy reinvestment amid intense competition and limited margin of safety, while Murdoch kept Fox’s news and sports assets (Fox News, Fox Business, broadcast and sports r...

Brian Szytel reports a modest market pullback with the Dow down 313 points, the S&P 500 down about 0.3%, and the Nasdaq slightly lower, alongside a small rise in yields (10-year around 4.38%) and oil up about 1%, while year-to-date gains remain strong. He highlights the ongoing impact of stimulus via legislation enabling advanced expensing, encouraging corporate investment with lasting effects on profitability. Economic updates include initial jobless claims rising to 200k from 189k but still very low, Q1 productivity at 0.8 versus 1.4 expected, and construction spending up 0.6% in March. In Q&A, he explains high margins through index composition toward higher-margin firms, a...

Brian Szytel reports a strong market follow-through day, with the Dow up 612 points, the S&P 500 up 1.5%, and the Nasdaq up 2%, driven largely by a ~7% drop in WTI oil on positive Iran deal developments, which also pushed the 10-year yield down 7 bps to about 4.35%. Earnings season is going better than expected with positive CapEx/AI themes, dividend increases, and upbeat guidance; private credit results have also beaten expectations despite negative media narratives. He notes the market’s year-to-date gains (Dow ~4.25%, S&P ~8%, Nasdaq ~11%+) and observes that only about half of S&P names are above the 200-day moving average, th...

Brian Szytel reports stocks higher (Dow +356, S&P +0.8%, Nasdaq +1%) with bonds quiet and the 10-year at 4.42%, drifting up on Middle East turmoil and higher inflation expectations tied to energy prices. Oil continues to whipsaw amid geopolitical risk between the U.S. and Iran, including limited U.S. military escorts through the Strait of Hormuz and some fire exchanged. He says equities are holding up because S&P 500 earnings are strong: about 60% have reported with revenue growth near 10%, earnings growth around 27%, and record margins above 20% helped by a more tech-heavy index. Economic data was mostly positive: JOLTS job openings at 6.8...

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David Bahnsen reviews a modest market pullback amid escalating Iran-related rhetoric and Strait of Hormuz risks: the Dow fell 557 points, the 10-year yield rose to 4.4%, and oil jumped above $105 while energy was the only S&P 500 sector up. He notes the unusually fast rebound from March volatility and points listeners to prior analysis on corrections vs bubbles and AI. In policy news, Spirit Airlines failed to secure a rescue and may face Chapter 7 liquidation. He discusses midterm dynamics favoring GOP Senate odds, very low initial jobless claims (190k), steady ISM...

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David Bahnsen discusses why market drawdowns are normal and distinct from bubbles, using 2026 S&P 500 moves (down ~9% peak-to-trough, then a sharp rebound to up ~5% YTD) to argue markets are behaving typically despite war-driven narratives. He distinguishes frequent corrections from rarer bubble bursts and critiques the incoherent swing from “apocalypse” to “mania” framing. Bahnsen outlines three investor responses—market timing (impractical), buy-and-hold (endure), and embracing volatility through dividend growth and reinvestment—emphasizing asset allocation built for investor temperament and cash-flow needs. He applies historical bubble psychology (Kindleberger’s stages) to AI, predicting...

Brian Szytel reviews a strong Thursday market rebound, with the Dow up 850 points and the S&P 500 and Nasdaq up about 1%, driven mainly by earnings, including a “Mag Seven” report that lifted the world’s largest search engine about 9% (a roughly $400B one-day market-cap gain). Economic data were supportive: initial jobless claims printed 189 versus 214 expected, personal spending was in line, personal income beat expectations, and March PCE inflation matched forecasts at 3.5% (3.2% ex-energy). GDP came in at 2.0% versus 2.3% estimated, with expectations for revisions and a Q1 composition heavily driven by equipment spending and IP investment tied to data centers and AI. He...

Brian Szytel recaps a mixed market day with the Dow down 280 while the Nasdaq and S&P 500 were flat, as blue chips lagged and tech was positive. Treasury yields rose (10-year up 7 bps to 4.42%; 30-year briefly above 5%) alongside higher oil prices (WTI up ~8%, Brent up ~1%) amid Middle East tensions. He highlights three crosscurrents: the UAE leaving OPEC and its implications for oil-price control and potential benefits to U.S. shale; the FOMC holding rates with Powell signaling no cuts this year, inflation risks, unusual four dissents, and Kevin Walsh set to lead the Fed starting May 16; and “Mag Seven” earn...

Brian Szytel recaps a mixed market close on Tuesday, April 28, with tech and the NASDAQ down about 0.9% while the Dow was flat and the S&P 500 fell about 0.5%, driven by AI concerns and competition after OpenAI missed numbers amid market-share losses to Gemini and Anthropic. He notes the importance of sector divergence and warns that semiconductors alone are about 17% of the index, nearing the combined weight of several major sectors. Treasuries were flat, while oil surged (WTI up ~3.7%, Brent over 104 and WTI near 100) on ongoing Middle East tensions and the Strait of Hormuz remaining closed, potentially weighing on GDP...

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David Bahnsen delivers a “normal” Monday Dividend Cafe covering the weekend’s major news—an assassination attempt tied to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner that ended without fatalities and had no market impact—then recaps mostly flat markets (Dow -63; S&P/Nasdaq slightly up) amid unusually extended semiconductor trading. He notes the 10-year yield near 4.3%, sector moves, and elevated oil closing near $97 alongside an Iran proposal involving reopening the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for delaying nuclear talks. Bahnsen highlights M&A skewed toward mega-deals, retail ETF flows chasing rece...

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The episode focuses on the Federal Reserve as Jerome Powell’s chair term approaches its May 15, 2026 end and President Trump’s nominee, Kevin Warsh, nears confirmation. The main hurdle had been a DOJ criminal investigation into alleged cost overruns at the Fed building renovation, which Senator Thom Tillis and other Republicans cited as grounds to pause Walsh’s nomination; the attorney general later dropped the criminal probe and referred the matter to the Fed inspector general, clearing the way for Senate Banking Committee action and a full Senate vote. Predic...

Brian Szytel hosts Dividend Cafe on Thursday, April 23 from West Palm Beach, noting a modestly lower, directionless stock market (Dow down a few hundred points, S&P down 0.25%, Nasdaq down 0.5%), flat bonds with 10-year yields around 4.30, and oil up about 1.5% amid ongoing Middle East tensions. Economic data was mostly good: jobless claims were slightly higher, services flash PMI came in at 51.3 vs. 51, and manufacturing flash PMI beat expectations at 54 vs. 52, a nearly four-year high with new orders strongest in about four years. With about 15% of the S&P reporting Q1, roughly 88% beat expectations with an average 13% beat and revenue...

Brian Szytel from Dividend Cafe recaps a broad market rally with the Dow up 340 points, S&P up 1%, and Nasdaq up 1.6%, led by prior momentum/AI, semiconductors, and crypto, following a ceasefire extension announcement from the Trump administration. He notes oil also rose, suggesting energy markets aren’t pricing a near-term reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, while investors shift back toward strong fundamentals: ~18% expected year-over-year EPS growth, record-high margins near 19%+, and a lower S&P multiple (~20.5 vs. ~22–23 earlier), implying upside if multiples revert. With no economic data released, he addresses a question on early-20th-century dividend yields, arguing the...

From West Palm Beach on April 21, Brian Szytel recaps a broadly lower market close near the day’s lows (Dow -293, S&P 500 -0.6%, Nasdaq -0.6%) amid ongoing Iran–U.S. tensions, which lifted oil, inflation expectations, and interest rates (10-year up 4 bps to 4.30%). He reviews economic data: March retail sales beat expectations (1.7%; 1.9% ex-autos), pending home sales rose 1.5% vs. 0.5% expected, and business inventories were slightly higher but dated. Szytel discusses Kevin Warsh’s Senate Banking Committee testimony, potential committee gridlock tied to a DOJ investigation into Jay Powell, and the possibility of an interim Fed chair if confirmation stalls past P...

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From Newport Beach after returning from New York, David explains how rapid news flow from the Iran war has repeatedly made weekend research obsolete, citing futures swinging from down ~500 points to a nearly flat Dow close (-0.01%) amid conflicting reports on the Strait reopening, peace talks, and ceasefire timing. Oil fell sharply last week (~13–14%) then rebounded ~5.8% Monday to near $89; an Iranian ship was seized and shipping disruptions continue, with air cargo rates up 40%. Markets were modestly lower in S&P/Nasdaq, the 10-year yield held just above 4.25%, materials led, and co...