All right, Brian, thanks very much. Welcome to closing bell. I'm Scott Wapner, live from Post 9 here at the New York Stock Exchange.

This make or break out begins with the big bounce in stocks, some positive trade headlines, along with Apple's new record high.

Very much the stories today. Here's the scorecard with 60 to go in regulation. Nasdaq leading the action today.

We'll discuss this renewed Apple run in just a bit.

There's your picture. S&P 500 having a good day as well. Zions is reporting earnings in overtime

today. Regional banks are in focus on those credit concerns. Yields, they're steady while both gold

and Bitcoin, they're shooting higher today. There's your picture now. Gold at 4377. Bitcoin back above 110,000. It does take us to our talk of the tape. Our stock's too stretched or about to take their next leg higher. Let's ask Rick Reeder. He is BlackRock's CIO of fixed income. He is also head of the global allocation team. And great for us. He's here at Post 9. Welcome back. Thanks for

Emily. What is your current view of these markets? We keep getting through these turbulent little

episodes, and here we are. What do you think? So, by the way, went viral when I was on your show.

We talked about, I think it was two times ago. This is a pretty good investment environment. You said it was like one of the best you've ever seen. That's what you're referring to that went viral. And listen, I think there's a couple things that apply. One, you've got an economy that's operating a pretty good level. And we just printed, or we think you're printed second quarter GDP 3.8. Third quarter, we think's running 3-3. You've got an economy is operating a pretty good level. And you've got a Fed that's got to bring rates down, and you've got a dynamic where corporate earnings are pretty good. I think people, one thing that I think is extraordinary. By the way, do I love multiples these levels? I don't. But these earnings, I mean the level of earnings and you're watching productivity

happen, everybody wants to talk about AI, but productivity that's happening. You see it in inventory

management, logistics, automation, customer procurement. I'm pretty blown away. When I go through

these earnings numbers and say, gosh, these are pretty impressive,

and you have the level of cash that's sitting out there that, you know, my guess is it continues to drive these markets higher. You and Tony Pascarello at Goldman seem to have this

simpatico of your belief on where we are and this ability to look beyond the noise,

tune some of it out, and focus on the big picture.

Today's note, he says, quote, if you want to be a serious bear right now, I suspect your

timing needs to be impeccable where the fundamental setup needs to change.

Otherwise, you're fighting the Fed and fiscal stimulus and U.S. mega-cap tech.

I mean, it sounds like you could have written that.

And, well, I mean, I agree. He's pretty smart guy. I agree, but you also have a couple other

things at play. The amount of cash on hand that's just got unnaturally and just normal earnings,

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