Opening Bid Unfiltered

It has been a very eventful year for stablecoin player Circle (CRCL). The company completed its IPO in June. Then, in July, President Trump signed the GENIUS Act, which is seen as a significant future tailwind to the crypto and stablecoin industries. While Circle’s stock price is well off its highs amid a broader pullback in the crypto space, it’s hard to deny the company’s business progress and how it sets it up for success in the years ahead. At the helm of Circle is CEO and co-founder Jeremy Allaire, who has been winning over industry critics, including those on Wall Street and in government, for years. Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi sits down with Allaire on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast to discuss what drives him to push Circle to new heights and what he has in store for 2026. If you are a believer in crypto and stablecoins — or not — then this is the conversation you need to hear for the best possible context! Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves, and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor, before the stock market opens. Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid Unfiltered at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Please email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered is hosted by Brian Sozzi and produced by Langston Sessoms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The market loves putting money to work on AI stocks; that much has been made clear in the past two years. The appetite to own AI plays is broadening to more under-the-radar names, including companies that are using the technology aggressively in the industrial sector. Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi sits down on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with C.H. Robinson (CHRW) CEO Dave Bozeman. Bozeman has led the 120-year-old logistics player for more than two years, following considerable stints in transportation operations at Amazon, Harley-Davidson, and Caterpillar. Since his arrival, C.H. Robinson has leaned hard into AI to drive improved operating profits. The company has delivered in a big way, sending the stock price up 55% in 2025. Bozeman shares what’s next in the company’s tech-driven overhaul, what the future of freight looks like, and whether the trade war stands to send the US economy into a ditch ultimately. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves, and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor, before the stock market opens. Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid Unfiltered at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Please email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered is hosted by Brian Sozzi and produced by Langston Sessoms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There has been one company at the very center of the AI trade this year. That is none other than OpenAI (OPAI.PVT)! OpenAI has won Yahoo Finance’s 11th annual Company of the Year award. Here is why. First, it undeniably led the market narrative for investors in 2025. When it announced big deals, stocks popped. When it issued a cautionary statement, stocks took a hit. Second, OpenAI secured scores of new, transformational deals with large public companies, including Nvidia (NVDA), AMD (AMD), and Oracle (ORCL). And three, its year of dealmaking will likely see the company end the year as the world’s most valuable private business — with an estimated valuation of $500 billion, according to Yahoo Finance data. Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi talked exclusively with OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar about the company’s path forward — from eventually turning profitable to a potential push into hardware. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves, and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor, before the stock market opens. Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid Unfiltered at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Please email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered is hosted by Brian Sozzi and produced by Langston Sessoms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The battle to analyze your health data has arguably never been fiercer. The Apple (AAPL) Watch has sold tens of millions of units, all of which are collecting health data. Whoop is eyeing an IPO. Not to mention, there are an array of other major players in the wearables space, such as Samsung (005930.KS) and Garmin (GRMN). Does there need to be one winner, though, as the longevity industry continues to grow in size? Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi sits down on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with Oura Health CEO Tom Hale. Oura — the maker of the popular health tracking ring — is fresh off raising $900 million from a series of investors. The proceeds are being earmarked for international expansion, and perhaps a foray into payments. Hale shares his ultimate vision for Oura Health, what he has learned about leadership three years into being CEO, and the dos and don'ts of health tracking. Megaphone Podcast Copy TemplateYahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves, and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor, before the stock market opens. Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid Unfiltered at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Please email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered is hosted by Brian Sozzi and produced by Langston Sessoms. Summarize this data   Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves, and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor, before the stock market opens. Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid Unfiltered at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Please email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered is hosted by Brian Sozzi and produced by Langston Sessoms. Turn on screen reader supportTo enable screen reader support, press ⌘+Option+Z To learn about keyboard shortcuts, press ⌘slash Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The driverless car race is well underway. While Waymo is seen as having a leadership position, Tesla (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk is aiming for robotaxi debuts likely in 2026. Thus far, the race to bring autonomous trucks to life to address driver shortages is a bit more open. Aurora Innovation (AUR) is seen as the leader at this juncture and is backed by Uber (UBER), boasting key partnerships with Paccar (PCAR), Nvidia (NVDA), and Volvo (VOLCAR-B.ST). The company has successfully debuted driverless commercial trucks on select routes in Texas, with plans to expand to more routes in 2026. Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi talks on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with Aurora Innovation co-founder and Chris Urmson. Urmson led Google's (GOOG) driverless technology unit for several years, which ultimately became Waymo. He shares his vision for Aurora Innovation, the 2026 product roadmap, and why autonomous technology is needed for commercial trucks. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves, and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor, before the stock market opens. Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid Unfiltered at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Please email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered is hosted by Brian Sozzi and produced by Langston Sessoms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The apparel retail industry has experienced its share of ups and downs this year. A focus by the Trump administration on tariffs has raised supply chain costs for most apparel manufacturers. In turn, those manufacturers have passed on price increases to shoppers. Consumers have responded by delaying purchases for deals or forgoing them altogether. The more positive end of the spectrum remains the high-end luxury space. The sector is selling higher-priced goods to consumers, allowing them to sit on another year of wealth gains through the stock market. Still, not everyone is winning. Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi talks on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with Mackage CEO Tanya Golesic. Mackage was founded in Montreal, Canada, in 1999 by Eran Elfassy. Today, the luxury brand is led by former executives from Jimmy Choo and Ralph Lauren, including Tanya Golesic. Golesic has expanded distribution while staying true to the brand’s luxury athletic DNA. She shares what has defined the brand’s year, her career, and what’s on tap for 2026. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spotting a legendary CEO amid a sea of titans. Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi talks on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with Hilton (HLT) CEO Chris Nassetta. Nassetta is one of Corporate America's longest-serving CEOs, having assumed the top position in 2007 after leadership positions at Host Hotels. He has managed through a host of major hotel industry challenges ranging from the aftermath of the Great Financial Crisis to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through it all, Nassetta has helped to significantly grow Hilton around the world. Today, it operates more than 9,000 hotels spanning 25 brands. Nassetta shares what’s next in the storied Hilton story, and how long he plans to stay leading the company. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves, and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor, before the stock market opens. Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid Unfiltered at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Please email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered is hosted by Brian Sozzi and produced by Langston Sessoms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just like that, the crypto bears have resurfaced. The fall has brought a bear market for bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Experts cite a range of factors. For one, the Fed's lack of enthusiasm for a December rate cut has reduced investors' risk appetite. Crypto is still one of the riskiest assets in the game. And two, a questionable presidential pardon of Binance founder Changpeng Zhao has cast new scrutiny on the cast of characters continuing to linger in the crypto space. How long will the bear market continue? Have institutions lost interest in crypto after a year of significant upside catalysts? Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi talks on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with Coinbase (COIN) head of institutional strategy John D’Agostino. D’Agostini takes Sozzi inside the latest thinking of institutions on crypto and stock, and what 2026 may hold for the industry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With more than $2.1 trillion in assets under management, BNY (BNY) remains one of the heavyweights in the financial services industry. It also has the distinction of being America’s oldest bank! As one might imagine with such a distinction, BNY has witnessed a range of market cycles and new technologies over the decades. Keeping the company at the leading edge of industry changes today, such as AI and cryptocurrency, will require nimble management and an unwavering focus on clients. Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi talks on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with Jose Minaya, Global Head of BNY Investments. Minaya stock his personal story from growing up in New York and his investment philosophy. He breaks down how BNY is spending on AI and the impact it will have on the future of investing. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves, and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor, before the stock market opens. Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid Unfiltered at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Please email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered is hosted by Brian Sozzi and produced by Langston Sessoms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Keeping the United States safe comes with its share of investment opportunities for the financial services industry. Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi talks on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with Capitol Meridian Partners co-founder Brooke Coburn. Coburn was a founding member of the tech, media, and telecom practice at private equity powerhouse The Carlyle Group. Coburn co-founded Capitol Meridian Partners in 2021 with longtime colleague Adam Palmer. Meridian aims to invest in companies across the defense industry, from aerospace players to those developing government software. Coburn shares his investment philosophy as the sector sees renewed interest amid investments by the Trump administration. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves, and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor, before the stock market opens. Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid Unfiltered at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Please email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered is hosted by Brian Sozzi and produced by Langston Sessoms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Doing the game of baseball differently. Think an 11-rule system, one of them being that if a player bunts, they are automatically out. If a fan catches a ball, the player is out. All-in-ticket pricing means that food and your seat are included in one price. Players dancing out of the blue in the outfield. A person pitching while being on stilts. A two-hour time limit for the game. If you think this all sounds ridiculous, you are right — the thing is, it's being done already! Enter the Savannah Bananas, an independent baseball team founded officially in 2016 by Jesse Cole. The Bananas have gone from a sports sideshow to the real deal, filling out stadiums reserved for pro teams and appearing on ESPN. Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi talks on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with founder and owner Jesse Cole. Coles shares why he views Walt Disney as one of his ultimate business inspirations and how he got a business like the Bananas off the ground in a competitive sporting arena. Cole also details what’s next for his company after a transformational 2025. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves, and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor, before the stock market opens. Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid Unfiltered at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Please email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered is hosted by Brian Sozzi and produced by Langston Sessoms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wikipedia has something in common with your local electric plant: both are utilities that are protected in their own right. Wikipedia was founded in 2001 by Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger. Since then, the site has operated as a nonprofit, with posts on people, places, and things edited by volunteers. Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, attracts billions of visits every month and has also increasingly come under attack for alleged left-leaning bias, as seen in comments from billionaire Tesla founder Elon Musk. So what does the future hold for this digital utility in the new norm of political backlash and AI proliferation? Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi talks on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales, who is out soon with a new book called The 7 Rules of Trust. Wales takes Sozzi inside the founding of Wikipedia and how he views the platform’s place in society today — and into the future. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves, and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor, before the stock market opens. Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid Unfiltered at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Please email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered is hosted by Brian Sozzi and produced by Langston Sessoms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the longest-serving CEOs in Corporate America is embarking on retirement, but not without imparting some wisdom to the next generation of leaders. Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi talks on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with former Royal Caribbean (RCL) CEO Richard Fain, who is out with a new book called ‘Delivering the WOW.' Fain served as the CEO of Royal Caribbean for 33 years, stepping aside in 2022. Fain helped grow Royal Caribbean into the world’s most valuable cruise line operator by building ever larger ships and doubling down on customer service. He also led the company through the COVID-19 pandemic, a historic time for the cruise industry that saw operations come to a sudden halt for an extended period. Fain shares his secrets to business success and reveals his predictions for the future of the cruise industry. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves, and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor, before the stock market opens. Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid Unfiltered at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Please email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered is hosted by Brian Sozzi and produced by Langston Sessoms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The business of pushing your physical max is lucrative. Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi talks on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with HYROX co-founder and CEO Christian Toetzke. HYROX was co-founded by Toetzke in 2017 and has grown rapidly ever since. The fitness competition isn’t for the week of mind and heart, and will test one’s endurance. That’s likely why alphas and the average Joe have taken to the sport to test themselves to the max. This year, the fitness competition will have 83 events that welcome 650,000-plus athletes. The events are held in 11 countries, and the company is on pace to post $140 million in sales. Toetzke takes Sozzi inside the HYROX business and looks at what may be next for the fitness brand. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves, and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor, before the stock market opens. Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid Unfiltered at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Please email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered is hosted by Brian Sozzi and produced by Langston Sessoms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Retail turnarounds aren’t easy. That’s especially the case now as the Trump administration tariffs weigh on apparel margins and consumer sentiment. Can one be pulled off successfully against this uncertain backdrop? Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi discusses the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with Stitch Fix (SFIX) CEO Matt Baer. Baer joined Stitch Fix in June 2023, after spending time in e-commerce leadership positions at Macy’s and Walmart. He arrived at a company with numerous challenges, including a bleeding market share, a recently ousted CEO, and poor employee morale after a material restructuring. Baer has leaned into technology to lay the groundwork for better days at Stitch Fix, such as AI stylist assistants and soon style visualization tools. While business trends have improved, Stitch Fix has a long way to go to reclaim the stock’s 85% value loss over the past five years. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves, and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor, before the stock market opens. Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid Unfiltered at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Please email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered is hosted by Brian Sozzi and produced by Langston Sessoms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

They were private companies before the hot 2025 class of IPOs like CoreWeave (CRWV) and Gemini (GEMI) came to market. These companies had leaders who had to raise capital to fuel their growth ambitions on what they believed to be bold industry opportunities. Much of that capital that flows into private companies comes from the coffers of venture capitalists who aren’t afraid of making big bets on upstarts. Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi talks on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with one of those risk-takers, M13 co-founder and partner Carter Reum. M13 has invested in over 200 companies with 52 exits and 15 unicorns like Coinbase (COIN), Lyft (LYFT), and ClassPass. The company boasts more than $1.3 billion in assets under management. Reum shares his perspective on a red-hot year for markets and where asset prices may be headed next. He highlights several key investing trends he is leaning into with his firm’s capital. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves, and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor, before the stock market opens. Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid Unfiltered at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Please email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered is hosted by Brian Sozzi and produced by Langston Sessoms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever wonder about the psychology driving the economy and stock market? Why do investors embrace weak companies? Why do inventors ignore some strong companies? What triggers the start of asset price bubbles, and what causes them to end badly? Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi talks on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with behavioral economist and co-author of the new book "The Winner’s Curse: Behavioral Economics Anomalies, Then & Now," Richard Thaler. Thaler has studied behavioral economics for over 40 years, winning the 2017 Nobel Prize in Economics for his work. The book explores economic puzzles found in markets, from the love of retail investors of meme stocks to the yawning popularity of cryptocurrency. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves, and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor, before the stock market opens. Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid Unfiltered at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Please email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered is hosted by Brian Sozzi and produced by Langston Sessoms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before it was known as Tapestry (TPR) and an owner of the Coach and Kate Spade Brands, Coach was just Coach — maker of handbags and accessories that dominated mall racks. But like with every retailer in business for decades, Coach has stories to tell. Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi sits on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with former longtime Coach CEO Lew Frankfort. Frankfort is out with a new memoir called Bag Man: The Story Behind the Improbable Rise of Coach. The book takes readers inside the history of the accessories maker founded in New York City in 1941. Frankfurt joined the company in 1979 with no background in the fashion industry. By 1985, he was the president of Coach, CEO by 1995, and then led the company’s IPO on the New York Stock Exchange in 2000. He departed Coach as CEO in January 2014, but has stayed close to the company and the broader retail industry. Frankfort shares his journey through the C-suite and the lessons he learned along the way. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves, and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor, before the stock market opens. Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid Unfiltered at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Please email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered is hosted by Brian Sozzi and produced by Langston Sessoms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It has been another money-making year for investors by and large. Crypto prices are near records, AI-exposed stocks continue to perform well, and Wall Street strategists have begun to come out more bullish for 2026 amid expectations for rate cuts. Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi talks on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with BlackRock’s chief investment and portfolio strategist for the Americas, Gargi Chaudhuri. Chaudhuri thinks investor portfolios are even riskier because of shifts in the foundational relationships between stocks and bonds. Despite more elevated valuations for stocks and expectations for slowing US economic growth, Chaudhuri still leans toward favoring growth stocks like those in the AI space. The veteran strategist also recommends having an allocation in digital assets such as crypto. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves, and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor, before the stock market opens. Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid Unfiltered at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Please email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered is hosted by Brian Sozzi and produced by Langston Sessoms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bringing a restaurant industry icon back to a fully caffeinated status. Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi talks on the Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast with Starbucks (SBUX) CEO Brian Niccol from Salesforce’s annual Dreamforce event. Niccol passed his one-year mark as CEO in September, and it has been a wild ride to say the very least. The company is closing underperforming restaurants, remodeling more than 1,000, has revamped the menu to include protein-infused coffee, and is knee deep in overhauling the mobile ordering tech platform. Niccol has been forced to make tough calls on employees and is undergoing a review of the Chinese business while also navigating a challenging spending backdrop at restaurants. Niccol shares where he thinks Starbucks is in the turnaround and measures he is taking to revitalize the coffee giant. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves, and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor, before the stock market opens. Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid Unfiltered at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Please email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid Unfiltered is hosted by Brian Sozzi and produced by Langston Sessoms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices