The Fed cut rates… again. And somehow mortgage rates said, “nah, we’re good.” This episode starts where most headlines stop—why markets stopped believing the Fed, why the 10-year Treasury is doing its own thing, and why this might be the last cut anyone feels confident about for a while. We say the quiet part out loud: inflation isn’t dead, liquidity is sneaking back in, and the bond market is signaling something policymakers don’t want to admit yet. Translation: the economy is being held together with optimism and FOMO.

➡️ Then we zoom out to the part no spreadsheet can explain—why people feel broke, burned out, and behind even when they’re “doing everything right.” Layoffs are rising, AI is cutting jobs under the banner of “efficiency,” home prices are slipping, and yet everything still feels more expensive. We talk career minimalism, side hustles, and the realization hitting a lot of Americans: you’re the CEO of your household now, whether you asked for the job or not. The system didn’t break overnight—but it’s asking more from you than it’s giving back.

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🔗 Resources:

Fed Cuts Rates Again, Is Divided Over Future Moves (New York Times)

Mortgage rates are surging ahead of the Fed’s expected rate cut. What gives? (Market Watch)

Home prices go negative for the first time in over 2 years (CNBC)

Where homes are losing value most (Axios)

This year’s layoff total is now highest since the pandemic (Morning Brew via Instagram)

HP to cut about 6,000 jobs by 2028, ramps up AI efforts (CNN Business)

Why The ‘Career Minimalism’ Trend Is Spreading Beyond Gen Z (Forbes)

⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note that the content shared on this show is solely for entertainment purposes and should not be considered legal or investment advice or attributed to any company. The views and opinions expressed are personal and not reflective of any entity. We do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information provided, and listeners are urged to seek professional advice before making any legal or financial decisions. By listening to The Higher Standard podcast you agree to these terms, and the show, its hosts and employees are not liable for any consequences arising from your use of the content.

The boys are back, and this time Jerome Powell shows up looking like he just stepped off the set of Terminator: Rate Cut Salvation. In this episode, Chris, Saied and Rajeil break down why markets are foaming at the mouth for a policy pivot… while conveniently ignoring every economic signal flashing bright orange. From exploding rate-cut odds to the consumer tapping out like they’re on their ninth round of BNPL debt, this one’s a full-speed sprint through the chaos the mainstream financial world desperately pretends isn’t happening.

➡️ Then we take a hard turn into the AI privacy nightmare no one seems ready for, and the kind of tech overreach that makes Skynet look spiritually grounded. You’ll hear why the job market looks strong on the surface but hollow underneath, how corporate America keeps skating by on vibes, and why the average investor is still totally unprepared for what’s coming. It’s sharp, it’s funny, it’s troubling... in other words, it’s The Higher Standard in peak form.

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🔗 Resources:

Why Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei spends so much time warning of AI's potential dangers (CBS News)

⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note that the content shared on this show is solely for entertainment purposes and should not be considered legal or investment advice or attributed to any company. The views and opinions expressed are personal and not reflective of any entity. We do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information provided, and listeners are urged to seek professional advice before making any legal or financial decisions. By listening to The Higher Standard podcast you agree to these terms, and the show, its hosts and employees are not liable for any consequences arising from your use of the content.

The melt-up economy isn’t a victory lap, it’s the part of the horror movie where everyone thinks the monster is gone because the music gets quiet. Markets keep ripping, consumers keep spending money they don’t have, and the Fed is out here pretending their “pivot” wasn’t telegraphed like an amateur magician revealing the trick before the reveal. And meanwhile, everyone’s acting shocked that AI is destroying jobs when we’ve been screaming for a year that replacing humans with silicon brains might come with a little collateral damage.

➡️ But sure... recession? “What recession?” That’s the vibe. America is basically stress-shopping its way through warning signs big enough to put on billboards. Confidence surveys are collapsing, savings are gone, debt is exploding, and the only thing holding this whole Jenga tower up is hope… and hope is not a strategy we endorse. If a soft landing actually happens, it’ll be the first miracle the Fed has pulled off without breaking something in the process. Buckle up because the data says there is turbulence ahead, even if the captain keeps smiling.

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🔗 Resources:

Polymarket.com

Special Edition: Economic Insight (Stifel)

Mortgage rates dropped this week amid fresh signs of job market weakness (Yahoo! Finance)

Beige Book - November 2025 (Federal Reserve)

US consumer confidence tanks in November as Americans see more financial pain ahead (Yahoo! Finance)

⚠️ Disclaimer: Please note that the content shared on this show is solely for entertainment purposes and should not be considered legal or investment advice or attributed to any company. The views and opinions expressed are personal and not reflective of any entity. We do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information provided, and listeners are urged to seek professional advice before making any legal or financial decisions. By listening to The Higher Standard podcast you agree to these terms, and the show, its hosts and employees are not liable for any consequences arising from your use of the content.