The Confluence Mailbag –  The End of Hegemony, the Iran Stalemate, and the AI Bubble (5/26/26)

The Confluence Mailbag – The End of Hegemony, the Iran Stalemate, and the AI Bubble (5/26/26)

May 26, 2026 · 35 min · Episode 313

About this episode

Bill O'Grady and Mark Keller discuss the decline of US hegemony and its implications for investors, alongside economic risks related to the Iran conflict and the AI bubble.

In the latest Confluence Mailbag, Bill O'Grady and Mark Keller revisit their long-held forecast that US hegemony is in decline and consider what a return to a multipolar world order could mean for investors, outlining the shifts and surprises that may shape the evolving geopolitical landscape. The discussion examines the underappreciated economic risks of the Iran conflict, the implications of a 100% debt-to-GDP ratio, and the factors that could challenge their bullish commodity outlook, before closing on a cautionary read of narrowing market breadth as a signal that AI momentum may be nearing its peak.

People in this episode

Hosts: Bill O'Grady, Mark Keller

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Places: US, Iran

More episodes of Confluence Podcasts

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Confluence Podcasts podcast page.