Ben Carlson

Financial commentator and podcast host

Claims

As speaker

Mentioned in

Key positions and views

Maintains a bullish outlook for the US economy in 2026, predicting no recession and that the AI bubble will not pop, despite widespread public pessimism.

Believes a geopolitical conflict involving China and Taiwan is the most significant external risk that could trigger a bear market, particularly for the AI sector.

Views Apple as the least attractive long-term investment among the Magnificent Seven due to its high valuation of 32 times earnings and perceived lack of growth.

Argues that market leadership is shifting, highlighting the historic outperformance of international stocks in 2025 as a key indicator.

Identifies Netflix as the definitive winner of the streaming wars, citing its commanding share of viewership and strategic content acquisitions as evidence of its durable competitive advantage.

Podcast consensus on Carlson

Points of consensus

▶Ben Carlson consistently expresses a belief that basketball player Caitlin Clark will achieve massive commercial success with Nike, comparing her potential impact to that of Michael Jordan.Apr 2026

▶Across both podcast appearances, Carlson highlights the recent outperformance of international and emerging market stocks relative to the S&P 500 in 2025.Apr–May 2026

▶Carlson's analysis of the media landscape consistently points to Netflix's dominance in streaming, citing its high share of viewership and strategic acquisition of podcast video rights.Apr 2026

▶He repeatedly identifies Apple as a specific point of concern within the Magnificent Seven, citing its high valuation and perceived lack of growth as reasons for his bearish long-term outlook.Apr 2026

Points of debate

▶Carlson presents a personal forecast of no US recession in 2026, which contrasts sharply with a Gallup poll he also cites showing 70% of the public expects economic difficulty.

▶He predicts the Magnificent Seven will perform 'well, but not great,' a generally positive outlook that is contradicted by his specific, more bearish call on Apple being the 'least attractive' of the group.Apr 2026

▶Carlson highlights data showing the S&P 500's strong average annual returns since 2019, while also presenting evidence of significant international stock outperformance in 2025, creating a tension between past US dominance and potential future shifts.

▶He cites a Gallup poll where 55% of respondents believe the stock market will rise, which is at odds with the sentiment from another Gallup poll he mentions where a 70% majority anticipates a year of economic difficulty.Apr–May 2026

Key themes

▶Cautious Optimism on the US Economy

Carlson predicts the US will avoid a recession and the AI bubble will not pop in 2026. However, he tempers this optimism by citing public polling that shows widespread expectation of economic difficulty, creating a divergence between his forecast and popular sentiment.

This theme suggests that while Carlson sees fundamental strength, particularly in corporate earnings and productivity, he acknowledges that negative investor sentiment could be a significant risk factor.

▶Shifting Global Market LeadershipApr–May 2026

Carlson repeatedly highlights the significant outperformance of international and emerging market stocks in 2025. This is juxtaposed with his view that the 'Magnificent Seven,' particularly Apple, may face headwinds due to high valuations after a long period of dominance.

Investors following Carlson's analysis should consider re-evaluating their geographic allocations, as he is signaling a potential end to the era of overwhelming US market dominance.

▶The Streaming Media Power Law

Through analysis of viewership data and strategic moves, Carlson paints a picture of Netflix solidifying its monopoly-like position in streaming. He notes its 61% share of top-10 movie viewing time and its acquisition of podcast rights, while pointing to the stagnation of competitors like Disney+.

Carlson's focus indicates that the streaming wars may be entering a consolidation phase where scale and content strategy create a winner-take-most market, with significant implications for media investment.

▶The Next Wave of Tech Disruption

Carlson looks beyond current AI applications to future technological shifts, specifically focusing on autonomous vehicles. He highlights Waymo's milestone of 14 million trips in 2025 and NVIDIA's strategic plan to power robotaxi fleets by 2027.

This focus on the tangible deployment of autonomous technology suggests Carlson sees this as a major, investable trend that is moving from the conceptual to the practical stage.

Source episodes

Sentiment over time

Apr 2026

4 bullish, 1 bearish, 1 neutral(6 claims)

Ben Carlson believes Apple is the least attractive "Magnificent Seven" stock for...

May 2026

4 bullish, 3 bearish, 5 neutral(12 claims)

Ritholtz Wealth Management converted its tactical trend-following strategy from ...

Changes over time

2019-2025

Carlson notes a period of very strong performance for the S&P 500, which returned an average of 18% per year.

Feb 2020 - End 2025

He highlights a period where the 10-year Treasury yield more than doubled, yet the S&P 500's forward P/E multiple saw only a modest increase, indicating market resilience to rising rates.

2020-2025

Cites data showing record-high revenue per worker for US companies and identifies top streaming content like "NCIS" and "Ozark" during this period.

2025

Carlson emphasizes a turning point where international stocks (MSCI EAFE) had their largest annual outperformance against the S&P 500 since 1993. He also notes Waymo reaching 14 million autonomous trips.

2026 (Forecast)

Carlson makes several key predictions for the year, including no US recession, no AI bubble pop, a stagnant housing market, and moderate performance from the Magnificent Seven.

2027 (Forecast)

He discusses forecasts for S&P 500 profit margins reaching a record of nearly 16% and notes NVIDIA's target to be powering robotaxi fleets.

Suggested prompts

How does Ben Carlson reconcile his bullish forecast for the US economy with the pessimistic public sentiment and the recent, significant outperformance of international stocks? &nearr;What specific catalysts does Carlson foresee that would cause the Magnificent Seven to underperform expectations, and how does his bearish thesis on Apple fit into this broader view? &nearr;Beyond viewership metrics, what underlying business model strengths does Carlson believe allow Netflix to dominate competitors like Disney+ and successfully expand into new media like podcasting? &nearr;What is the connection Carlson draws between record-high revenue per worker, forecasted 16% profit margins, and the rise of AI and autonomous technology? &nearr;

Key concepts

S&P 500 / US Stocks 2 ep Magnificent Seven 2 ep International Markets 2 ep Streaming & Media 2 ep AI Sector 1 ep Economic Outlook / Recession 1 ep Autonomous Vehicles 1 ep Corporate Profitability 1 ep Nike / Athlete Endorsements 1 ep Housing Market 1 ep

Notable quotes

“The biggest one that like, okay, this is going to lead to probably a bear market is something with China and Taiwan.”

Ben Carlson · Tax the Billionaires | Animal Spirits 446

“NVIDIA announced plans to power robotaxi fleets with its chips and software by 2027.”

Ben Carlson · Tax the Billionaires | Animal Spirits 446

“Waymo completed 14 million autonomous trips in 2025 and was projected to reach 20 million lifetime trips by the end of that year.”

Ben Carlson · Tax the Billionaires | Animal Spirits 446

Report last updated: Apr 21, 2026

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