The 40 CAPE Conundrum | Meb Faber on What High Valuations Mean for Markets

In this episode of Excess Returns, Meb Faber joins the show to discuss valuations, diversification, trend following, value investing, and the evolution of markets and investor behavior over the past two decades. Meb shares insights from his upcoming book, lessons from 400 years of market history, and how investors can position themselves for the next decade. The conversation covers everything from international investing and concentration risk to ETFs, managed futures, AI, and long-term discipline.Topics covered:The four historical periods of 15%+ annualized stock market returns and what followedWhy current U.S. valuations don’t necessarily mean an immediate crashHow global value stocks are now outperforming the S&P 500The role of international diversification and real assets in portfoliosTrend following and managed futures as the “premier diversifiers”The benefits of blending trend and valuation-based strategiesThe permanent portfolio and how managed futures enhance itConcentration risk in U.S. equities and what history teaches about market leadershipThe parallels (and limits) between today’s market and the dot-com bubbleAI’s potential role in investing and portfolio managementThe behavioral traps around performance chasing and when to sellLessons from launching and running ETFs and the 351 exchange structure for tax efficiencyThe future of markets, retail investors, and Meb’s upcoming book “Time Billionaires”Timestamps:00:00 Intro and market performance context04:00 Are U.S. valuations permanently higher?09:00 The spectrum of future returns and investor playbook12:00 International and value investing opportunities15:00 Trend following and managed futures19:00 The permanent portfolio and diversification25:00 Concentration risk and market structure28:00 AI’s impact on investing32:00 Comparing today’s market to the dot-com bubble37:00 The long-term case for value investing41:00 When to sell and investor behavior45:00 Lessons from running ETFs and industry evolution51:00 Understanding 351 exchanges and tax-efficient investing57:00 What’s changed most for investors over 20 years59:00 Meb’s new book “Time Billionaires” and closing thoughts