Macro Mondays: August 11, 2025
Macro Mondays: August 11, 2025
Podcast36 min 17 sec
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Note: AI-generated summary based on third-party content. Not financial advice. Read more.
Quick Insights

Ethereum (ETH) is a high-conviction investment due to new legal clarity that is expected to unlock significant institutional adoption. The current bull run could extend into the first half of 2026, with analysts seeing a potential 2x to 3x price increase as feasible. Consider a long-term position in Gold, which is benefiting from a de-dollarization trend as global central banks increase their holdings. The US Dollar is expected to enter a slow, managed decline, making it a strategic asset to hedge against. This weak dollar policy, combined with an expected dovish Federal Reserve, creates a bullish outlook for US Treasury prices.

Detailed Analysis

Ethereum (ETH)

  • The hosts are incredibly bullish on Ethereum, with one stating they hold a position in it.
  • A key driver for this bullishness is the recent "Genius Act," which provides a clear legal framework for large financial institutions to enter the crypto space.
  • This legal clarity is described as a "ChatGPT moment" for Ethereum, meaning it's the point where the technology moves from being a niche concept to having a tangible, widespread use case for major institutions.
  • The probability of institutional ETH staking being approved is considered to be "growing pretty fast," which would be another major catalyst.
  • The hosts believe the current bull run for assets like Ethereum may not peak until the first half of 2026.
  • A price prediction was mentioned, suggesting a 2x or 3x increase is "within the realm of the feasible outcome space" if institutional adoption widens as expected.

Takeaways

  • The investment thesis for Ethereum is shifting towards institutional adoption, driven by new legal clarity. This could unlock significant new capital flows into the asset.
  • Investors with a long-term horizon might consider the period leading into H1 2026 as a potential window for appreciation.
  • A potential risk factor to keep in mind is the forecast of a broader bear market in 2026, which could cap the rally.

Crypto Mining Sector (e.g., BitMine)

  • As a direct consequence of the bullish outlook on Ethereum, the speaker is also "incredibly bullish" on BitMine.
  • This is presented as a proxy investment to gain exposure to the growth of the Ethereum network and its utility. The success of the network directly benefits the companies that help secure and operate it.
  • The speaker disclosed that they hold positions in this area.

Takeaways

  • For investors looking for an alternative way to invest in the growth of Ethereum, companies involved in crypto mining could be an option.
  • The performance of these companies is closely tied to the price and adoption of the underlying cryptocurrencies they support.

US Dollar (DXY)

  • The current administration's "strong dollar policy" is interpreted as a policy that actually favors a weaker US dollar in terms of its exchange rate.
  • The policy's goal is to strengthen the dollar's utilization in global trade and as a reserve currency, not its price.
  • A weaker dollar makes it cheaper and easier for foreign countries, particularly large US debt holders in Asia like China and Japan, to buy US Treasury bonds. This reinforces the dollar's central role in the global financial system.
  • The administration is believed to be targeting a "slow, mature descent of the dollar value" rather than a sharp decline.

Takeaways

  • The long-term outlook for the US Dollar's exchange rate is bearish, according to this analysis.
  • This policy is designed to support the US Treasury market by making it more attractive for foreign buyers, which could help finance US deficits.
  • Investors should not confuse the "strong dollar policy" rhetoric with a belief in a higher dollar price.

US Treasuries

  • There is a strong link between the value of the US dollar and foreign demand for Treasuries. A weaker dollar encourages foreign buying.
  • The hosts anticipate that the Federal Reserve will continue its dovish pivot, with one speaker jokingly suggesting a 50 basis point cut could be on the table to win favor with the administration.
  • This "dove race" among potential Fed chair candidates is expected to push bond yields down.

Takeaways

  • The outlook is bullish for US Treasury prices (meaning yields are expected to fall), particularly for bonds on the shorter end of the curve that the Fed has more control over.
  • Falling yields are supported by both the Fed's expected dovish monetary policy and the administration's "weak dollar" policy aimed at boosting foreign demand.

Gold

  • The seizure of Russia's US dollar reserves following the Ukraine invasion was a pivotal event that increased the attractiveness of gold for central banks.
  • Nations like China and India likely reacted by increasing their holdings of physical gold, which cannot be frozen or seized in the same way as digital dollar assets.
  • This has triggered a slow but steady trend of central banks replacing US dollars with gold in their foreign exchange reserves.
  • The host notes that this "genie is out of the bottle," and rebuilding trust in the dollar as a reserve asset will be very difficult.

Takeaways

  • There is a long-term bullish case for gold driven by de-dollarization and geopolitical risk.
  • Central bank buying is a powerful, ongoing tailwind for gold, as nations seek to diversify their reserves away from assets that carry political risk.

Technology Sector

  • The hosts analyzed a Bank of America chart showing the ratio of the Information Technology sector to the S&P 500 at an extreme high, similar to past bubbles.
  • However, the analysis was heavily criticized as "absolutely terrible."
  • The reasoning is that technology is an exponential sector by nature, while other sectors like consumer staples are linear. Comparing today's tech-driven market to historical benchmarks from the 1970s is seen as a flawed comparison that ignores the fundamental change in technology's role and growth potential.

Takeaways

  • Investors should be cautious of simple historical valuation metrics when analyzing the technology sector.
  • The exponential nature of technological progress may justify higher valuations and a larger weight in the overall market compared to historical norms. This does not rule out bubbles, but it means traditional analysis may be misleading.

Inflation

  • The upcoming CPI report is expected to be the "last super soft inflation report" for a while.
  • The current soft inflation data is attributed to factors like falling rents, lower tourism, and other service-sector weaknesses, which are temporarily offsetting the impact of tariffs.
  • The full inflationary effect of tariffs is likely delayed, not canceled. An analysis from Goldman Sachs suggests that US companies have absorbed 64% of the tariff costs, which will likely be passed on to consumers eventually to protect profit margins.
  • The real impact of these absorbed costs and tariffs may not be fully felt until 2026.

Takeaways

  • The market may be in a temporary "soft window" for inflation, which could give the Fed more room to cut interest rates in the short term.
  • However, investors should be prepared for a potential resurgence of inflation in 2026 as delayed tariff effects work their way through the economy.
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Episode Description
Steno Research founder and CEO Andreas Steno and his co-host Mikkel Rosenvold, the firm's partner and head of geopolitics, are going live to break down the latest news and trends driving risk assets on this edition of Macro Mondays. 📣 This episode is brought to you by Bitwise Asset Management*. Bitwise has been all-in on crypto since 2017 and has more than 20 crypto-based products to help investors get the necessary access. Bitwise manages the world’s largest crypto index fund, one of the top Bitcoin ETFs, and one of the largest institutional Ethereum staking solutions. Bitwise has over $10 billion in assets under management and over 100 people in the US and Europe to help manage everything from ETFs to private alpha strategies to SMAs for large investors. 👉 Check out Bitwise at https://bitwiseinvestments.com and let them know that Real Vision mentioned them*. Carefully consider the extreme risks associated with crypto before investing 📣 Binance is a leading global blockchain ecosystem behind the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume and registered users. Binance is trusted by more than 280 million people in 100+ countries for its industry-leading security, transparency, trading engine speed, protections for investors, and unmatched portfolio of digital asset products and offerings from trading and finance to education, research, social good, payments, institutional services, and Web3 features. Binance is devoted to building an inclusive crypto ecosystem to increase the freedom of money and financial access for people around the world with crypto as the fundamental means. 👉 Learn more at https://realvision.com/binance 📣 Today’s sponsor is Plus500 US. Take your trading to the next level with cross-market contracts, from precious metals to key indices, and more. Whether you’re a seasoned trader in the Futures arena or brand new, Plus500’s user-friendly trading platform offers you the advanced tools, market insights, and quick execution you’ve been looking for. 👉 Get started with Plus500 for as little as $100 at https://us.plus500.com. Trading in futures involves the risk of loss. Elevate your brand with Real Vision. Connect with us at partnerships@realvision.com to explore advertising possibilities. Music license ID: WJ6TRPVHFD About Real Vision™: We arm you with the knowledge, tools, and network to succeed on your financial journey. Connect with Real Vision™ Online: Website: https://www.realvision.com/join Twitter: https://rvtv.io/twitter Instagram: https://rvtv.io/instagram Linkedin: https://rvtv.io/linkedin Disclaimer: https://media.realvision.com/wp/20231004185303/Disclaimer-1.pdf Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Real Vision: Finance & Investing

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