Alex Shahidi: Gold, Risk Parity & Why 60/40 Is Broken | Lead-Lag Live

Alex Shahidi, Managing Principal at Evoke Advisors and co-portfolio manager of the RPAR Risk Parity ETF and UPAR Ultra Risk Parity ETF, joins Michael Gayed on Lead-Lag Live to unpack why gold belongs at the core of a modern risk-parity portfolio — and why the traditional 60/40 keeps failing in inflationary regimes. In this first of a new series of narrower, single-topic risk-parity conversations, Alex walks through the three-step framework behind RPAR and UPAR, explains why correlation is a byproduct rather than a driver of diversification, and makes the structural case for gold as an anti-paper-money hedge against fiat debasement, sovereign debt monetization, and central-bank de-dollarization. Topics covered: (00:00) A different kind of Lead-Lag Live — post-close, single-topic risk-parity series with Alex Shahidi (00:57) The three-step risk-parity framework: diverse asset classes, risk-balancing, and rebalancing (02:15) Why the traditional 60/40 concentrates almost all risk in stocks (02:44) Correlation is a byproduct — the four economic environments that actually drive returns (04:26) Adding assets with the opposite inflation bias: gold, commodities, and TIPS (04:50) The growth-vs-inflation quadrant framework and reading market-implied environments (06:18) Gold as an investment: cutting through the gold-bug and gold-skeptic extremes (07:13) The 55-year track record — gold's return, low correlation, and diversification value (08:40) Inside RPAR: why gold is separated from commodity producers as its own bucket (09:53) How gold behaves like a bond in a downturn — the Q1 2020 case study (11:20) When gold doesn't outperform: the liquidity-tightening exception (12:17) The narrative around gold — why every asset needs a story for capital to flow (13:15) Fiat debasement, currency printing, and gold's structural tailwind (14:43) Central-bank de-dollarization since 2022 and the shift into gold reserves (16:08) The bear case: what would derail gold from here (16:33) "Why buy something that yields nothing?" — the pricing-power counterargument (18:24) Building a portfolio with meaningful gold exposure to balance equity risk (19:41) Bullish on diversification, not predictions — the discipline of rebalancing (20:39) Closing thoughts on the new single-asset-class series with Alex About Evoke Advisors: Evoke Advisors is a Los Angeles–based independent wealth-management firm. Alex Shahidi co-manages the RPAR Risk Parity ETF and UPAR Ultra Risk Parity ETF, applying a systematic risk-parity approach designed to balance exposures across the four macro environments — rising and falling growth, rising and falling inflation. Where to find Alex Shahidi: Evoke Advisors: evokeadvisors.com LinkedIn: Alex Shahidi, CFA, CIMA The Lead-Lag Report: Get Michael's institutional-grade macro research and market analysis. leadlagreport.com Sponsored by Evoke Advisors: Evoke's risk-parity strategies — RPAR and UPAR — offer diversified exposure across global equities, commodities, gold, and treasuries designed to perform across all four macro environments. Learn more at evokeadvisors.com. Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as personalized investment advice. Views expressed reflect the current opinions of Michael A. Gayed, CFA, and guests as of the date recorded, are subject to change without notice, and do not represent the views of any firm or entity. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Consult a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. Lead-Lag Media and its principals may hold positions in the securities discussed. Support the show