Investing Unscripted

First Fridays 32. July 2026

Investing Unscripted

Show Notes

In this midyear live stream, Jason and Jeff look back at a chaotic first half of 2026, dissecting how the broader market continues to push ahead despite global geopolitical tensions. The hosts dive into a data-backed re-evaluation of their personal portfolios, checking in on massive year-to-date winners like Datadog and Texas Instruments, while reflecting on painful laggards like The Trade Desk. They outline exactly how to value speculative, pre-revenue plays like QuantumScape following its fresh Honda partnership, crown a new winner in the monthly portfolio contest, and deliver a harsh warning on consumer-packaged goods like Celsius as they face private-label replication from big-box competitors.

01:21 Welcome and Community Chat

03:27 Today’s Agenda Midyear Check

06:25 Market Vibes and Sector Moves

17:41 Top Portfolio Winners YTD

23:49 Adding to Winners Debate

30:21 Worst Performers

39:04 QuantumScape Buy Debate

47:03 Portfolio Contest Winner

52:58 Celsius Stock Breakdown

Companies mentioned: ASML, CELH, COST, CRWD, DDOG, FTNT, HMC, ISRG, LLY, META, MRNA, NOW, NVO, PEP, QS, TTD, TXN

Find where to listen & subscribe, portfolio contests, and contact information at https://investingunscripted.com

*****************************************

To get 15% off any paid plan at fiscal.ai, visit https://fiscal.ai/unscripted

Listen to the Chit Chat Stocks Podcast for discussions on stocks, financial markets, super investors, and more. Follow the show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube

*****************************************

Join our Patreon

Subscribe to our portfolio on Savvy Trader. Use code Unscripted2026 for 30% off a one-year subscription! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More from Investing Unscripted

Oct 21, 2026

In this October 2026 Mailbag, Jason and Jeff tackle listener questions on portfolio management, sector consolidation, and the psychology of holding laggards while the broader market sits near all-time highs. They evaluate whether Zeta Global's business intelligence tools pose a threat to TJX Companies' off-price retail moat, debate how to narrow down starter positions across housing and renewable energy stocks like Meritage Homes, Enphase, and First Solar, and dissect what to do when former long-term winners like MercadoLibre, Netflix, and Axon go through painful drawdowns. Plus, Jeff breaks down how doubling down on Texas Instruments at the bottom of the semiconductor cycle turned a 30% loser into a market-beating position.

Oct 14, 2026

In this episode, Jason and Jeff tackle the often-misunderstood world of fixed income to answer a critical question: Should you still own bonds? The hosts break down exactly why bond funds were decimated in 2022, the mechanics of the inverse correlation between interest rates and bond prices, and the vital difference between holding bond funds versus holding individual bonds to maturity. Finally, they explore why the current 5% yield environment makes fixed income a compelling wealth-preservation tool for investors looking to lock in their gains from the AI stock boom.

Oct 7, 2026

In this completely unscripted episode, Jason and Jeff tackle the broad economic vibes surrounding the market’s resilience despite mounting geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainty. The duo debates whether the normalization of sports betting and prediction markets is quietly threatening the culture of long-term stock investing. Plus, they unpack the complicated psychology of adding to massive winners, analyzing why Jason is considering a starter position in Broadcom despite its stretched valuation, and evaluating whether QuantumScape’s latest manufacturing pivots are a sign of commercial maturity or a yellow flag for a cult stock.

Oct 5, 2026

In the October 2026 First Fridays live stream, Jason and Jeff explore the broader macro vibes surrounding corporate fraud and regulatory boundaries, contrasting today's headlines with the Wild West of 1920s Wall Street. The duo unpacks CareTrust REIT's massive $1.2 billion expansion into the UK, evaluating the enduring power of the "aging baby boomer" demographic tailwind. Later, they debate how quickly "agentic AI" will disrupt e-commerce habits for companies like Amazon and Airbnb, and dissect why Zoom's shrinking enterprise base makes the stock virtually uninvestable despite its free cash flow.

Sep 30, 2026

In this September 2026 Mailbag, Jason and Jeff tackle listener questions on when it makes sense to "average up" on massive winners, analyzing David Gardner’s contrarian approach to building a Rule Breaker portfolio. The hosts then explore the specific valuation and counter-cyclical margin arguments behind Jason's recent purchase of The TJX Companies, and debate the psychology of co-managing spousal IRAs. To close the episode, the duo reviews listener submissions for a "5 Stocks for 10 Years" portfolio, ultimately drafting their own hypothetical decades-long portfolios from the audience's picks.

See all episodes →