Small Caps Are Back (EP. 448)

Animal Spirits Podcast

The Compound

Business News, News, Investing, Business

4.7 • 2.1K Ratings

🗓️ 21 January 2026

⏱️ 65 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

On episode 448 of Animal Spirits, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael Batnick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ben Carlson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ discuss geopolitical risk in the markets, rising bond yields, why small caps are breaking out, running the economy hot, household balance sheets are in good shape, the end of money, the great real estate wealth transfer, the bottom 50% wealth gains, Netflix movies and more. This episode is sponsored by YCharts and ClearBridge Investments. To download YCharts’ Top 10 Visuals click here: https://go.ycharts.com/the-top-10-visuals-for-clients-and-prospects?utm_source=Animal_Spirits&utm_medium=Original_Research&utm_campaign=Top_10_Visuals_Deck&utm_content=Podcast And start your free YCharts trial through Animal Spirits (new customers only) at: https://go.ycharts.com/animal-spirits International and emerging market stocks outperformed the U.S. in 2025. At ClearBridge, we believe this momentum can continue. Find out more at https://www.clearbridge.com/ Sign up for The Compound newsletter and never miss out: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thecompoundnews.com/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Find complete show notes on our blogs: Ben Carlson’s ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠A Wealth of Common Sense⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Michael Batnick’s ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Irrelevant Investor⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Feel free to shoot us an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠animalspirits@thecompoundnews.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with any feedback, questions, recommendations, or ideas for future topics of conversation. Investing involves the risk of loss. This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be or regarded as personalized investment advice or relied upon for investment decisions. Michael Batnick and Ben Carlson are employees of Ritholtz Wealth Management and may maintain positions in the securities discussed in this video. All opinions expressed by them are solely their own opinion and do not reflect the opinion of Ritholtz Wealth Management. The Compound Media, Incorporated, an affiliate of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ritholtz Wealth Management⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, receives payment from various entities for advertisements in affiliated podcasts, blogs and emails. Inclusion of such advertisements does not constitute or imply endorsement, sponsorship or recommendation thereof, or any affiliation therewith, by the Content Creator or by Ritholtz Wealth Management or any of its employees. For additional advertisement disclaimers see here ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ritholtzwealth.com/advertising-disclaimers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Investments in securities involve the risk of loss. Any mention of a particular security and related performance data is not a recommendation to buy or sell that security. The information provided on this website (including any information that may be accessed through this website) is not directed at any investor or category of investors and is provided solely as general information. Obviously nothing on this channel should be considered as personalized financial advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any securities. See our disclosures here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ritholtzwealth.com/podcast-youtube-disclosures/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Today's Animal Spirits is brought to you by Y charts.
0:02.4	Client meetings move fast in Q1, but Y charts has you covered.
0:05.2	Their popular top 10 visuals deck is packed with ready-to-use charts that cut prep time and make client conversations easier.
0:11.0	The deck covers the conversations clients actually want to have from long-term investing to portfolio allocation and retirement and setting expectations early in the year.
0:18.1	That's right, Ben.
0:18.8	Everything is fully customizable, easy to brand with your firm's logo, and constantly updated
0:23.6	with new visuals and fresh materials as markets change, so you're never sharing something
0:27.8	outdated.
0:28.9	Instead of starting from scratch for every meeting, this gives you a simple way to stay prepared
0:33.2	and keep conversations focused.
0:35.6	Grab your free copy with a link in the show notes,
0:37.6	and you get 20% off your initial wide charts professional subscription.
0:42.0	When you start your free white charts trial through animal spirits, new customers only.
0:46.5	This episode is sponsored by Clearbridge Investments.
0:48.8	Earnings growth in the rest of the equity market is forecast to catch up with the
0:51.7	magnificent seven in 2026.
0:54.0	Position your investment portfolio for an expected broadening in performance with
0:57.7	fundamentally driven Clearbridge active equity strategies. ClearBidge, a Franklin Templeton
1:01.8	company. Go to clearbidge.com to learn more.
1:09.5	Welcome to Animal Spirits, a show about markets, life, and investing.
1:13.7	Join Michael Batnik and Ben Carlson as they talk about what they're reading, writing, and watching.
1:18.9	All opinions expressed by Michael and Ben are solely their own opinion and do not reflect the
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