Power Players with Brian Sozzi

Latest Episodes:

Google is a monopoly and here’s the best outcome: You.com founder Sep 25, 2024

Show notes

AI development seems like it’s moving at the speed of sound. If 2023 was about co-pilots, this year is shaping up to be about agents that work with humans to improve business performance. At the same time, AI chip giants Nvidia and AMD are racing to keep up with demand for their new chips. Yahoo Finance executive editor Brian Sozzi sits down for an extensive chat with You.com founder Richard Socher. Socher has pretty much seen and done it all in terms of AI development. He was chief scientist at Salesforce helping to develop many of the company’s advancements in AI. At You.com, he is using AI to better drive the company’s search engine business and take the fight to Google. You.com recently raised $50 million from the likes of Nvidia and Salesforce Ventures, valuing the business close to $1 billion. What’s next in AI? Socher is the guy to pontificate on it.

Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid, 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 at https://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/.

Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com.

00:00-Richard Socher joins Opening Bid

01:00-Talking AI agents

12:00-Competitive Google battles

16:00-AI represents a shift in humanity

21:00-Nvidia is second largest investor in You.com

Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid is hosted by Brian Sozzi, and produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky.

Richard Socher is the CEO and founder of You.com, the first chat-search assistant. He also invests in and mentors other startups at AIX Ventures where he's a founder and managing partner.

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Whole Foods CEO: we are no longer whole paycheck Sep 23, 2024

Show notes

Whole Foods CEO Jason Buechel has had his hands full since taking over as CEO from iconic founder John Mackey in 2022. He has guided the organic grocer through unprecedented levels of inflation, impacting how even his higher end shoppers shop. The competition in the organic grocery space has intensified. Meanwhile, the company remains a retailer inside the behemoth that is tech giant Amazon — which has gone on a stretch of financial belt tightening of late. Whole Foods and Buechel are looking to persevere, accelerating the pace of new store openings while staying true to the unique culture established by Mackey. So what’s next for Whole Foods? Yahoo Finance executive editor Brian Sozzi chats with Buechel about business, life and what his leadership future may hold.

Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid at https://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/.

Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com.

00:00-Jason Buechel joins Opening Bid

06:00-The vision for stores

10:00-Addressing inflation

14:00-Gen Z looking toward the future of food

18:00-Family farms to Fortune 500

Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid is hosted by Brian Sozzi, and produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky.

Jason Buechel serves as Chief Executive Officer at Whole Foods Market. Prior to his role as CEO, he served as Chief Operating Officer.

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Salesforce CEO on Disney, AI, Terminator, and the future of technology Sep 20, 2024

Show notes

Developments on the AI front are coming in hot and heavy. OpenAI is eyeing a huge capital raise. Microsoft is full steam ahead with a co-pilot for everything. Tesla CEO Elon Musk is whipping up humanoid robots. And bumbling lawmakers are still trying to figure out how to regulate the technology before the year 2040. And then there is a tech giant like Salesforce, which is going all in on “autonomous agents” to help unleash the power of businesses around the world. Salesforce says it’s agents could bring in big business, and usher in a whole new way of closing deals. Yahoo Finance executive editor Brian Sozzi sits down with Salesforce co-founder and CEO Marc Benioff – a champion of these agents – from inside the company’s annual extravaganza in San Francisco known as Dreamforce. How big is “Agentforce” going to be for Salesforce? Sozzi gets to the bottom of it!

Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid at https://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/.

Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com.

00:00-Marc Benioff joins Opening Bid

03:00-Salesforce agents vs Microsoft co-pilots

06:00-For the love of Disney

10:40-Is AI going to steal our jobs?

14:40-Terminator: biggest AI fear

20:27-Pay parity at Salesforce

Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid is hosted by Brian Sozzi, and produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky.

Marc Benioff is Chair, CEO, and Co-Founder of Salesforce and a pioneer of cloud computing. He is also a philanthropist, boosting healthcare and affordable housing in Hawai'i with major donations and land contributions, and has campaigned for gender and LGBTQ+ rights.

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Why the Fed's soft landing is in sight Sep 18, 2024

Show notes

All eyes are on the Federal Reserve as its highly-anticipated September meeting has finally arrived. The central bank is expected to cut interest rates for the first time in four years as it eyes a soft landing for the US economy in its battle against inflation. Dan Niles, Niles Investment Management founder and portfolio manager, joins Yahoo Finance anchor Seana Smith on Opening Bid to discuss how the Fed's rate-easing cycle could impact the market and why he believes a soft landing is in sight. Niles also discusses the state of AI and Big Tech as investors brace for a market rotation and look for returns on AI players' massive CapEx spending.

Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid at https://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/.

Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com.

00:00-Dan Niles joins Opening Bid

04:00-Looking at a soft landing

08:50-Why META is Nile's favorite

14:40-Apple is always a bit late

18:00-Revenue of AI stocks aren't aligned with spend

Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid is hosted by Brian Sozzi, and produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky.

Dan Niles is the founder and portfolio manager of Niles Investment Management serving institutional and high net-worth investors since 1990. Before the Wall Street bell called to him, launching a 34 year-long career, Dan was an engineer, having received a Bachelor of Science in Systems Engineering from Boston University and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University.

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Palantir co-founder talks big tech and backing Trump Sep 16, 2024

Show notes

If you know the name Joe Lonsdale, Founder and Managing Partner of 8VC, you’ll also know of his brand of bold—as he self-describes—and sometimes controversial stances across technology, politics, and social issues. But as a billionaire, Silicon Valley-turned-Texas venture capitalist, no one can deny the incredible success he’s seen in business. He co-founded Palantir Technologies (PLTR) alongside Peter Thiel and others. That company is about to celebrate a big milestone with the announcement that it will join the S&P 500 (^GSPC). Lonsdale joined Asking for a Trend anchor Josh Lipton on Opening Bid to discuss the state of the company, how to succeed in business, why he’s supporting former President Trump's reelection bid, and his hot takes on American society.

Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid at https://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/.

Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com.

00:00-Joe Lonsdale joins Opening Bid

00:40-Trump, Vance, and shifts in republican party

07:40-Advice to young people in tech

11:18-Shift in venture capitalist funding to defense

15:10-Talking Musk, Thiel, Zuckerberg, Levchin, Hoffman

20:55-Inaugural year of University of Austin

Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid is hosted by Brian Sozzi, and produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky.

Joseph Lonsdale is an American entrepreneur and venture capitalist. He co-founded companies including Palantir Technologies, Addepar, and OpenGov, and co-founded and serves as the managing partner at the technology investment firm 8VC.

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AI's main growth challenges live in US infrastructure Sep 13, 2024

Show notes

Behind popular AI tools like ChatGPT, DALL-E, and Gemini lies the vast, often overlooked realm of infrastructure. From chip manufacturing to massive data centers, these facilities form the backbone of our digital landscape. However, they consume huge amounts of electricity, land, and water— all while dealing with a shortage of construction companies and workers.

In today's episode of Opening Bid, Clayco executive chairman and founder Bob Clark sits down with Yahoo Finance anchor Julie Hyman to unpack the intricate world of AI infrastructure, the broader U.S. construction landscape, and what August's jobs report tells us about the industry. As Clark puts it, "When you're paying just $100 a day for people to show up, that is a sign of a topped out labor market."

Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid at https://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/.

Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com.

00:00-Bob Clark joins Opening Bid

02:00-Harris has picked up independents, but how is Trump's ceiling so high?

06:00-The struggle with regulators

13:00-Wall Street to building a street

16:00-AI chip infrastructure building constraints

Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid is hosted by Brian Sozzi, and produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky.

Bob Clark is the founder and executive chairman of construction firm Clayco, which he started in 1984 as a college dropout. Bob has grown Clayco into one of the top full-service building firms in North America while building Clayco's commitment to the communities in which they work.

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Why split power in Washington is better for markets Sep 11, 2024

Show notes

The debate Tuesday between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris was fiery, with both nominees hoping they won over voters with their arguments on everything from the economy to immigration. While Wall Street veteran strategist and former Wells Fargo Chief Investment Strategist Jim Paulsen, however, is more focused on the micro things, like what policies will affect individual sectors. Paulsen joined Yahoo Finance anchor Seana Smith on Opening Bid to break down what's happening in the markets, recession predictions, and expected Federal Reserve rate cuts. As far as politics go, Paulsen shared his hot take. He thinks investors should care more about split power instead of who sits in the White House. “It’s more harmful for one party to have all the power,” he explained, and would prefer a combination of parties across the three branches of government to benefit the market. All that and more on Opening Bid.

Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid at https://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/.

Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com.

00:00-Jim Paulsen joins Opening Bid

02:30-Soft-landing and recessions look the same

08:00-The fiscal juice

14:40-Post-debate recap

18:40-Feeling like a whole new bull market

Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid is hosted by Brian Sozzi, and produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky.

Jim Paulsen is a retired Wall Street Economist after 40 years, and Former Wells Fargo Chief Investment Strategist. We're also big fans of his substack publication “Paulsen Perspectives”

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Why Trump and Harris must reckon with expiring tax cuts Sep 09, 2024

Show notes

On the eve of the first presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, voters wait to see the two face-off. Some look for the presidential hopefuls to elaborate on policy plans, while others might tune-in for the drama and zingers; here at Yahoo Finance, we’re watching all things economics and markets. To bridge the gap between markets and the election, Evercore chairman emeritus Ralph Schlosstein joined Opening Bid, speaking with with Yahoo Finance's Julie Hyman, in for Brian Sozzi. As an avid democrat donor and a notable figure in investment banking for decades, Schlosstein explained that if Harris wins in the rapidly approaching November election, “there’s going to have to be a major discussion about taxes because all of Trump tax cuts expire in 2025.” He added, he thinks a Harris administration would have a modest effect on the markets, while the risk of market volatility is higher under another Trump administration.

Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid at https://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/.

Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com.

00:00-Ralph Schlosstein joins Opening Bid

03:00-Looking at Fed rate cuts

06:00-Uncertainty is the enemy of M&A

13:45-Corporate tax rates must still be competitive, globally

22:30-What it's like being husband to US Ambassador to the UK, Jane Hartley

Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid is hosted by Brian Sozzi, and produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky.

Ralph Schlosstein has been a notable figure in the field of investment banking for more than four decades. He is chairman emeritus of Evercore, a leading global independent investment bank in New York City.

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From Alexander Hamilton to crypto: Market review from the CEO of America's oldest bank Sep 06, 2024

Show notes

Not many banks can say they are America’s oldest bank. In fact the only one who could lay claim to that title is BNY, founded 240 years ago by Alexander Hamilton. BNY has gone from its storied lineage tied to Hamilton and banking titans in the Mellon family, to a financial institution that oversees $50 trillion in assets. The company is a powerhouse in the business of wealth management, and is the country’s largest custodian. Interestingly, it still doesn’t operate a retail bank – hence making it lesser known than JP Morgan, Citi and Bank of America. Yahoo Finance executive editor Brian Sozzi sits down for a chat with BNY CEO Robin Vince. Besides sharing a history listen on the storied bank, the British-born Vince reveals his biggest financial system concern and the impact to stocks as the Federal Reserve prepares to embark on interest rate cuts. As icing on the cake, Vince shares his thoughts on the impact of new artificial intelligence on the banking system and crypto – and likely your life.

Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid at https://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/.

Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com.

00:00-Robin Vince joins Opening Bid

04:00-What this company has learned in it's 240 years

08:00-Personal advice: don't try to have it all

12:00-Looking at interest rate cuts

16:00-Smaller banking institutions can serve some communities better

Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid is hosted by Brian Sozzi, and produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky.

Robin Vince is the President and Chief Executive Officer at BNY and a member of its Board of Directors.

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Why tech stocks are still darlings even as they get drilled Sep 04, 2024

Show notes

The year end is fast-approaching for investors, and the waters are getting rocky. Stocks experienced their first growth scare in early August as recession fears resurfaced out of the blue. Markets stabilized by month’s end. But the one-two punch of disappointing earnings out of AI darling Nvidia and weakening US economic data has markets back in a tizzy in September. Back top of mind with investors: will the economies low sharply in 2025, and how much. The fears around growth have investors clamoring for a 50 basis point rate cut from the Fed in September, which is unlikely to happen. Sprinkle in Election Day nearing, and investors look to be in a state of confusion. Yahoo Finance executive editor Brian Sozzi talks with State Street Global Markets head of equity research Marija Veitname in a bid to make sense of this confusion. Vietnam serves up her top investment strategies, and also walks investors through how to build success models in such a topsy-turvy backdrop for the markets.

Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid at https://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/.

Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com.

00:00-Marija Veitname joins Opening Bid

04:00-Looking at market volatility

07:30-What rate cuts mean for the stock market

14:30-Pushing US investors to think globally

18:30-The 'election factor' in data

Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid is hosted by Brian Sozzi, and produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky.

Marija Veitmane is a Head of Equity Research at State Street Global Markets. She has worked in the research team since its inception two decades ago.

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