In this episode of Market Matters, Lauren Goodwin and Michael LoGalbo explore four black swan scenarios from the 2026 Swan Lake report, including disruptions to U.S. public economic data, a potential U.S. state split, political upheaval in Eastern Europe, and a rethink of Asia’s “dollar recycling”.

Headline economic data can look steady, even when real strain exists beneath the surface. On Market Matters, Julia Hermann and Michael LoGalbo break down the K-shaped economy, examining who is driving U.S. growth, how wealth effects are shaping consumption, and why market moves themselves have become a key transmission mechanism for economic strength or weakness.

Why does Federal Reserve independence matter, and how would markets respond if it weakened? On Market Matters, Julia Hermann and Sarah Hirsch break down the Fed’s mandate, its structure, and the early market signals investors would likely see if independence risks grow.

After a week of conversations with our U.S. wealth teams, a few themes stood out as especially “sticky” for 2026. Lauren Goodwin and Julia Hermann discuss how they’re thinking about AI as a megatrend, what potential challenges to Fed independence could mean for markets, and why developed ex-U.S. equities are becoming a more compelling diversifier.

With nearly $8 trillion sitting in money market funds, investors face a familiar challenge: how to deploy capital when entry points feel scarce. Lauren Goodwin and Julia Hermann share their latest thinking on deploying new funds in 2026, highlighting marginal shifts in allocation views across small caps, ex-U.S. equities, private markets, and income-oriented credit, all through the lens of diversification and quality.

‘Twas NYLI before Christmas… and the perfect moment to unwind with our final episode of 2025. Join Julia Hermann as she reads her annual holiday verse, capturing the year’s market highs, lows, and everything in between.

Is gold becoming the next bubble or just catching up to years of structural demand? In this Market Matters episode, Julia Hermann and “Macro” Mike LoGalbo dissect the drivers behind gold’s outsized move in 2025 and the risks of chasing performance. They discuss why gold works best as a diversifier, not a growth engine, and offer a framework for sizing positions as 2026 approaches.

Policy support, AI innovation, and profitability are extending the U.S. cycle, but not without risk. This week on Market Matters, Lauren Goodwin and Julia Hermann outline the 2026 Outlook from New York Life Investments’ Global Market Strategy team and how investors can position across equities, credit, and alternatives.