The Next Perfect Trade (And Why It Only Happens Once a Decade)
The Next Perfect Trade (And Why It Only Happens Once a Decade)
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Quick Insights

Invest in the massive AI infrastructure buildout by focusing on companies in semiconductors, data centers, and energy. Consider adding exposure to long-duration US Treasury bonds, as interest rates are expected to move much lower. Platinum (XPT) is presented as a compelling catch-up trade with significant upside potential relative to gold and silver. For the broader stock market, the recommendation is to reduce exposure and take profits after the recent run-up. This patient approach suggests waiting for a future cyclical downturn to re-enter the market at more attractive prices.

Detailed Analysis

AI, Robotics & Blockchain Technology

  • Raoul Pal and Alex Gurevich discuss this nexus of technologies as the most significant economic force, potentially the "largest economic shock of all time."
  • AI as a Deflationary Force: They posit that AI is a "deflationary nuclear bomb," arguing it is the biggest disinflationary force mankind has ever created. This directly challenges the consensus view that inflation will remain "sticky."
    • This deflationary pressure comes from AI making entire sectors of human activity (e.g., simple legal advice, second medical opinions) non-economic, effectively removing them from GDP calculations.
  • A "Supermassive Black Hole for Capital": The technology is described as an extraordinary flywheel. More intelligence leads to more efficiency and lower costs, which justifies pouring more capital into developing even more intelligence.
  • Massive Capex Cycle: The buildout of AI requires one of the biggest Capital Expenditure (CapEx) cycles in history. This includes:
    • Semiconductor chips
    • Data centers
    • Energy infrastructure (initially gas and solar, eventually nuclear) to power it all.
  • Game Theory: The speakers discuss the competitive dynamic between large language model (LLM) providers (like OpenAI, Anthropic, etc.). The theory is that no major player can afford to fall behind. If one were to fail, a competitor would acquire its assets (chips, data centers), instantly doubling their own capacity and gaining a massive advantage. This creates a "too big to fail" environment where continuous, massive investment is almost guaranteed.
  • Cryptocurrency Mention: The idea of allocating to cryptocurrency is briefly mentioned in the same context as investing in AI – as a necessary hedge against an uncertain future, specifically the potential for fiat currency debasement.

Takeaways

  • You have to be in the trade: The speakers view investment in this technological theme as an "inevitability" and a necessary hedge for knowledge workers whose jobs are at risk of being replaced.
  • Long-Term Bullish Conviction: This is a long-term, high-conviction theme. The core idea is to invest in the technologies that are creating the future.
  • Focus on the Infrastructure: The immediate, tangible opportunity is in the massive capex cycle. This suggests looking at companies involved in:
    • Semiconductors and chip design.
    • Data center construction and operation.
    • Energy production, particularly natural gas, solar, and eventually nuclear power providers.
  • AI is a Counter-Inflation Bet: A long-term position in AI-related technologies is an implicit bet against the "sticky inflation" narrative, as its primary economic effect is expected to be massive deflation.

US Treasury Bonds (Duration)

  • Alex Gurevich states that duration is a good trade right now.
  • He believes interest rates have room to go much lower.
  • Rationale: The inflationary effects of tariffs are "dissolving," and the labor market is showing signs of slowing down.
  • Contrarian View: He notes that "nobody believes that trade at all," which often makes for an attractive setup from a contrarian perspective.

Takeaways

  • Bullish on Bonds: This is a bullish call on US Treasury bonds (i.e., expecting prices to rise and yields to fall).
  • Actionable Idea: Investors could consider adding exposure to long-duration US Treasury bonds through ETFs or mutual funds.
  • Macro Rationale: This trade is a bet that inflation fears are overblown and that a slowing economy will force the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates sooner or more aggressively than the market currently expects.

Platinum (XPT)

  • Alex Gurevich identifies Platinum as a current investment opportunity with "a lot of space to run."
  • He describes it as a catch-up trade relative to Gold and Silver, which have already had significant price runs.
  • Precious Metals Cycles: He notes that precious metals move in long, powerful cycles that are not always synchronized. He believes that as Silver's rally potentially stalls, capital will rotate into the laggard, Platinum.
  • Sentiment: He states that Platinum is "only beginning to wake up."

Takeaways

  • Bullish on Platinum: This is a specific, bullish call on Platinum.
  • Relative Value Play: The investment thesis is based on Platinum's relative cheapness compared to Gold and Silver and the expectation that it will "catch up" to their performance.
  • Actionable Idea: Investors could consider gaining exposure to Platinum through physical metal, futures contracts, or ETFs that track the price of Platinum.

Equities (General Market)

  • The general sentiment towards the broad equity market is cautious.
  • Alex Gurevich's view is to "shrug with the market," believing that history shows "at some point you'll buy it cheaper." He feels the odds are "overwhelming" that a better entry point will present itself in the next few years.
  • Raoul Pal concurs, stating that he plans to be "peeling off the equity trades" he has held since the 2022 lows.
  • The strategy is to reduce exposure now and wait for a future "cyclical downturn" or "shock" to re-enter the market at more attractive levels.

Takeaways

  • Reduce Exposure / Take Profits: The insight for investors who have enjoyed the market run-up since 2022 is to consider taking some profits and reducing overall equity exposure.
  • Wait for a Better Entry: The speakers advocate for patience, suggesting that a better buying opportunity is likely to emerge in the coming years. This is not a call to short the market, but rather to be less aggressive on the long side.

Oil

  • Alex Gurevich mentioned he was previously long oil but cut the position because the price trend was not positive.
  • They discuss the political theory that influential figures want to suppress the price of oil because it is a critical input for the economy and a major driver of inflation.
  • The strategy mentioned is to free up global supply (e.g., from Venezuela) to keep prices down.
  • It's also noted that oil is too slow to scale to meet the immediate, rapid energy demand from the AI data center boom, which will likely be met by natural gas and solar first.

Takeaways

  • Cautious/Bearish View: The discussion suggests headwinds for the price of oil. The combination of a weak price trend and potential political pressure to keep prices low makes it an unattractive long investment at this moment.
  • Energy Alternatives Favored for AI: For investors looking to play the energy demand from AI, the conversation points more towards natural gas, solar, and nuclear rather than oil.

Japanese Yen (JPY) vs. Swiss Franc (CHF)

  • Alex Gurevich highlights the "extreme weakness of the yen" and the corresponding strength of the Swiss Franc.
  • While acknowledging that the current narrative and fundamentals are all against the Yen, he believes this extreme positioning "probably will not persist."
  • He introduces the concept that at some point, "location wins" over the prevailing story, meaning that an asset that has moved to an extreme level becomes a compelling contrarian trade, regardless of the negative narrative.

Takeaways

  • Contrarian Watch: This is not an immediate trade idea but a setup to watch. The extreme weakness in the Yen suggests a potential for a sharp reversal at some point.
  • Look for a Catalyst: Investors should be on the lookout for a change in the narrative or a technical signal that the trend is reversing. A long Yen position would be a contrarian trade against a very strong consensus.
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Video Description
🔥 *Download Raoul Pal's 5-year investing roadmap for free:* https://rvtv.io/41fVHWF Raoul Pal welcomes Alex Gurevich, founder and CIO at HonTe Investments, to discuss the second edition of his book, "The Next Perfect Trade." Raoul and Alex also explore how classic macro frameworks like risk parity and duration investing are colliding with a new era defined by AI, deflation, and massive liquidity responses. Recorded on January 19, 2026. ⚪ Follow Alex on X: @agurevich23 📣 This episode comes to you thanks to Figure Markets. Use Figure’s Democratized Prime and enter to win $25k USDC while earning ~9% APY. The more you participate, the better your odds! Start now and enter to win while earning money on your crypto with Democratized Prime. Enter here 👉 https://democratizedprime.pxf.io/7aRj4y Timestamps: 00:00 - Subscribe & Show Introduction 00:18 - Macro Focus & Investing Framework 00:52 - Introducing Alex Gurevich 01:05 - Sponsor Message 02:05 - The Journeyman Show Intro 02:24 - Alex Gurevich Background 03:22 - Books Overview 04:12 - Purpose of the First Book 04:53 - 2014 Opportunity & 2002 Trade Setup 05:57 - Risk Parity Explained 08:15 - Macro Conditions & Perfect Trades 10:41 - 2014 Dollar & Treasury Trade 12:20 - Trade Management & Discipline 14:21 - Silver Trade Lessons & Book Updates 16:02 - Learning from Mistakes 16:26 - Mid-Show Plug 16:42 - Soros, Macro Insight & Crisis Cycles 18:12 - Crisis Management & Portfolio Strategy 21:13 - Opportunity in Market Chaos 21:54 - First Rule in Crisis 23:04 - Portfolio Adjustments & Psychological Neutrality 24:49 - Post-2020 Market Changes 25:13 - Post-2022 Opportunities 26:21 - Liquidity, Stimulus & Tail Risks 27:29 - Rethinking Treasuries & Inflation 28:54 - AI & Economic Impacts 32:10 - Deflation & AI Transition 33:25 - Hedging & AI Investments 34:21 - AI, GDP & Productivity 37:12 - Productivity vs Economic Output 39:45 - Capex & AI Infrastructure 40:50 - Energy Constraints & Oil Policy 43:05 - Data Center Risks & Tech Obsolescence 44:08 - AI Competition & Winner-Takes-All 46:04 - Government & AI Control 47:08 - Exponentials & Singularity 49:11 - AGI & Technology Breakthroughs 51:23 - Robotics & Society Preparedness 52:00 - Current Macro Trade Opportunities 53:13 - Currency & Equity Positioning 54:29 - Book Release Announcement 54:59 - Why the Updated Book Matters 56:00 - Closing Thoughts Unlock the potential to showcase your brand to our global audience. Contact us at partnerships@realvision.com for advertising inquiries. 🍌 Get your Banana Zone swag at the Real Vision merch store: https://shop.realvision.com Connect with me: Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/RaoulGMI Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raoulgmi/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raoul-pal-real-vision/ My other work: Real Vision: https://rvtv.io/3LHYIaH Global Macro Investor: https://globalmacroinvestor.com The Exponentialist: https://realvision.com/thefuture EXPAAM: https://expaam.com Connect with Real Vision™: Twitter: https://rvtv.io/twitter Instagram: https://rvtv.io/instagram Get a FREE membership: https://rvtv.io/3Y4t5Pw Disclaimer: https://media.realvision.com/wp/20231004185303/Disclaimer-1.pdf #raoulpal #crypto #macro #macroeconomics #cryptocurrency #cryptonews #blockchain #web3 #nft #nfts #btc #eth #btcnews #bitcoin #bitcoinnews #bitcointoday #cryptotrading #cryptoinsights #cryptotips #cryptoinsights #macroinsights #realvision #solana #sol #solanasol #altcoins #bitcoinnews #btctoday #btcnews #sui #suicrypto #ethnews
About Raoul Pal The Journey Man
Raoul Pal The Journey Man

Raoul Pal The Journey Man

By @raoulpaltjm

Join me on my journey through macro, crypto and the Exponential Age of technology. The world is changing faster than ever ...