#452: Peter Atwater, an economics professor at The College of William and Mary and author of “The Confidence Map,” joins us to discuss how confidence shapes our financial markets. He explains how The Hunger Games relates to the Lehman Brothers collapse. He describes why you should “Buy Adele and Sell Pharrell.” From the Panic of 1857 to the patterns behind modern media consumption, Peter talks us through the intricate web of behavioral oddities that extend beyond finance. He talks about the “K-shaped recovery” – how different segments of the population are experiencing different economic realities. He touches upon economic, political, and social trends, and the hidden dynamics that shape market behavior and reveal the profound impact of consumer confidence. Our conversation will leave you with a deeper understanding of how behavioral patterns shape the financial landscape – including your investments. Enjoy! For more information, visit the show notes at https://affordanything.com/episode452 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#450: On the First Friday of each month, we roll out a bonus episode that’s totally different from what we usually produce. These bonus episodes are special, unique, and – we hope – round out a fuller, more multifaceted picture of what we think about. Today, I’m introducing you to a business and economics correspondent from Moscow who I’m honored to call a close friend. Her name is Andrea Palasciano. She’s covered business stories from Paris, Marseilles, Rome and Moscow. She’s fluent in Italian, German, Spanish, French, English and Russian. She’s covered stories ranging from diamond mining in Siberia to sleep deprivation. She’s close friends with Evan Gershkovich, the 31-year-old Wall Street Journal reporter who’s currently in a Russian prison. Today is his 100th day behind bars. Andrea and I were both Knight-Bagehot Fellows and bonded during our year of immersing ourselves into deeply understanding how to tell better stories about business and economics. She joins me in this special episode to talk about the stories she’s covered, the sabbatical experience, and why it’s critical to understand how a bond works (!!). Enjoy! For more information, visit the show notes at https://affordanything.com/episode450 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices