Ashok Varadhan
Showing 1–5 of 5 transcripts.
- Goldman Sachs8 min
Why US Stocks May ‘Grind Higher’
Ashok Varadhan, Mike Washington
Goldman Sachs co-head Ashok Baradhan forecasts equities will continue to "grind higher" despite recent volatility driven by war tensions, Fed rate concerns, and AI leverage unwinding, predicting a V-shaped tech recovery and S&P 500 new highs. Baradhan diverges from current market pricing by asserting interest rates will remain on hold through year-end as inflation recedes, while maintaining a constructive outlook on credit spreads and dismissing short-term currency interventions. The firm recommends investors stay fully invested with a target energy price below $70 per barrel to support U.S. yields and productivity gains, pending validation from upcoming jobs and inflation data.
- Goldman Sachs9 min
2026 Outlook: The U.S. Is the Place to Be
Market analysts project a 2026 economic landscape characterized by moderating inflation and a terminal federal funds rate near 3% amid a moderate easing bias. While artificial intelligence investment drives corporate capital expenditure and shifts narratives toward enterprise adoption, equity markets remain resilient with no identified frothiness despite potential credit supply pressures. Strategic guidance for investors emphasizes avoiding recency bias while anticipating policy stability from tariff adjustments and a historically swift execution of administrative priorities.
- Goldman Sachs8 min
Can the Rally Continue?
Ashok Varadhan maintains a constructive outlook on U.S. equities, projecting a policy interest rate normalization near 3% within the year and a market consolidation in the fourth quarter before a 2026 resumption. While advising investors to remain long and hedge downside risks through cheaply priced puts during a low-volatility environment, he identifies a structural shift away from fiat currencies into assets like Bitcoin and AI-driven stocks as a response to fiscal expansion. This strategy navigates potential Q4 risks from a government shutdown that delays critical economic data, ensuring the portfolio capitalizes on the enduring technological investment cycle while accounting for tariff absorption and crowded consensus positions.
- Goldman Sachs9 min
Staying long US assets
Economic analysts project a benign inflation trajectory toward the Federal Reserve's 2% target and a low probability of recession, supported by a resilient labor market and the current absence of significant tariff-driven price spikes. While market returns are expected to moderate from recent highs, the outlook remains anchored in a 65-70% allocation to US assets driven by hyperscaler competitiveness, complemented by a balanced approach to global currencies and fixed income within a stable 4.5% to 4.6% Treasury yield environment. Investors are advised to monitor upcoming budget reconciliation data for potential shifts in trade or deficit narratives, though current volatility is viewed as temporary as risk premiums gravitate toward a sensible baseline.
- Goldman Sachs10 min
Normalizing inflation: are ‘hard yards’ ahead?
Ashok Varadhan, Sam Grobart, Ashok Singhala
Goldman Sachs Chief Economist Jan Hatzihas lowered the U.S. recession probability to 15% as disinflation approaches 2%, yet the firm warns that the final steps to this target may require restrictive policy rather than natural market cooling. While investment-grade corporate debt remains resilient due to pandemic-era fixed-rate lock-ins, rising costs are projected to isolate distress within lower-quality credit segments. The economic outlook currently hinges on whether the Federal Reserve can achieve its 2% inflation goal via "gravity" without triggering the severe market turbulence associated with draconian intervention.