James Aitken has worked in financial markets since January 1992 and for the past twenty-two years, has been based in London. From March 2002 until June 2006, he worked for AIG Financial Products (AIGFP) ostensibly helping his clients structure long-term macro-directional bets across all asset classes: in reality, he learned everything he could about the plumbing of the global financial system, because AIGFP touched every part of it. In August 2006 James joined UBS’ Institutional FX Sales desk in London, & started doing presentations on everything he’d learned at AIGFP: over the following two years, James educated investors worldwide on the inner workings of the global financial system, and also became a key advisor to central bank governors, central bank board members and central bank market operations teams around the world. He remains a trusted advisor of financial policy makers, worldwide. During the tumultuous 2007-2008 period, James helped many investors not lose money, and helped some investors make a fortune. At his clients urging, in early 2009 James established Aitken Advisors LLP, his one-man, macro-financial strategy firm.
no
524445
00:00
start listening
Episode 383
James Aitken
Why the Fed’s Rate Decision Marks a Profound Shift in Monetary Policy | James Aitken
James Aitken has worked in financial markets since January 1992 and for the past twenty-two years, has been based in London. From March 2002 until June 2006, he worked for AIG Financial Products (AIGFP) ostensibly helping his clients structure long-term macro-directional bets across all asset classes: in reality, he learned everything he could about the plumbing of the global financial system, because AIGFP touched every part of it. In August 2006 James joined UBS’ Institutional FX Sales desk in London, & started doing presentations on everything he’d learned at AIGFP: over the following two years, James educated investors worldwide on the inner workings of the global financial system, and also became a key advisor to central bank governors, central bank board members and central bank market operations teams around the world. He remains a trusted advisor of financial policy makers, worldwide. During the tumultuous 2007-2008 period, James helped many investors not lose money, and helped some investors make a fortune. At his clients urging, in early 2009 James established Aitken Advisors LLP, his one-man, macro-financial strategy firm.
In Episode 383 of Hidden Forces, Demetri Kofinas speaks with James Aitken, a financial markets veteran and advisor to many of the world’s most powerful, sophisticated, and successful investors.
In the first hour, Demetri and James discuss all that has changed since Aitken was last on the podcast three years ago, which came just as the world had started to re-open from Covid and before the Fed began its very long and determined tightening cycle in the Spring of 2022.
They discuss the Fed’s recent 50 basis point rate cut, its renewed focus on supporting the labor market (possibly at the expense of inflation), and why James Aitken believes this is a profound shift in monetary policy that investors need to understand and incorporate into their investment frameworks going forward.
In the second hour, Aitken and Kofinas apply the framework they developed in the first hour to help listeners understand a set of interlocking macroeconomic, political, and geopolitical challenges facing investors. These include (1) the economic and national security policy changes underway in China, (2) the fiscal pictures in the U.S. and Europe, (3) and what a Trump 2.0 administration could mean for markets and the economy.
They also discuss the case for commodities, the implications of a multi-decade reversal in monetary policy by the Bank of Japan, how the Fed’s pre-emptive rate cuts might reignite inflation, and what all this means for the value of the dollar, commodities, and the role that Gold could and should play in people’s portfolios going forward.
You can subscribe to our premium content and access our premium feed, episode transcripts, and Intelligence Reports at HiddenForces.io/subscribe.
If you want to join in on the conversation and become a member of the Hidden Forces Genius community, which includes Q&A calls with guests, access to special research and analysis, in-person events, and dinners, you can also do that on our subscriber page at HiddenForces.io/subscribe.
If you enjoyed listening to today’s episode of Hidden Forces, you can help support the show by doing the following:
James Aitken has worked in financial markets since January 1992 and for the past twenty-two years, has been based in London. From March 2002 until June 2006, he worked for AIG Financial Products (AIGFP) ostensibly helping his clients structure long-term macro-directional bets across all asset classes: in reality, he learned everything he could about the plumbing of the global financial system, because AIGFP touched every part of it. In August 2006 James joined UBS’ Institutional FX Sales desk in London, & started doing presentations on everything he’d learned at AIGFP: over the following two years, James educated investors worldwide on the inner workings of the global financial system, and also became a key advisor to central bank governors, central bank board members and central bank market operations teams around the world. He remains a trusted advisor of financial policy makers, worldwide. During the tumultuous 2007-2008 period, James helped many investors not lose money, and helped some investors make a fortune. At his clients urging, in early 2009 James established Aitken Advisors LLP, his one-man, macro-financial strategy firm.
Demetri Kofinas is a media entrepreneur and financial analyst whose mission is to help uncover the hidden forces and pivotal patterns shaping our lives. His contrarian perspective and critical-thinking approach has helped hundreds of thousands of people make smarter, informed decisions. This same methodology has helped guide Demetri’s decision-making as an early-stage investor and as a creator of several innovative media properties and live events.
Demetri Kofinas is a media entrepreneur and financial analyst whose mission is to help uncover the hidden forces and pivotal patterns shaping our lives. His contrarian perspective and critical-thinking approach has helped hundreds of thousands of people make smarter, informed decisions. This same methodology has helped guide Demetri’s decision-making as an early-stage investor and as a creator of several innovative media properties and live events.
Demetri Kofinas is a media entrepreneur and financial analyst whose mission is to help uncover the hidden forces and pivotal patterns shaping our lives. His contrarian perspective and critical-thinking approach has helped hundreds of thousands of people make smarter, informed decisions. This same methodology has helped guide Demetri’s decision-making as an early-stage investor and as a creator of several innovative media properties and live events.
Demetri Kofinas is a media entrepreneur and financial analyst whose mission is to help uncover the hidden forces and pivotal patterns shaping our lives. His contrarian perspective and critical-thinking approach has helped hundreds of thousands of people make smarter, informed decisions. This same methodology has helped guide Demetri’s decision-making as an early-stage investor and as a creator of several innovative media properties and live events.
Demetri Kofinas is a media entrepreneur and financial analyst whose mission is to help uncover the hidden forces and pivotal patterns shaping our lives. His contrarian perspective and critical-thinking approach has helped hundreds of thousands of people make smarter, informed decisions. This same methodology has helped guide Demetri’s decision-making as an early-stage investor and as a creator of several innovative media properties and live events.
