December 22, 2025 • 5 mins
LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE on:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i
WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:
https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured
Every year, the media rolls out its “hot stocks” lists—and every year, they’re wrong. Yet the same voices come back with new predictions, new hype, and the same goal: separating you from your money. Before you buy into 2026’s latest stock picks, try a simple exercise—go back and see how last year’s predictions actually performed.
This episode takes aim at the casino-style investing culture pushed by discount brokers like Robinhood, where trading is gamified, dopamine is engineered, and high-frequency traders profit while individual investors lose. Flashy platforms, Formula One metaphors, and nonstop alerts aren’t about helping you build wealth—they’re about getting you to trade more.
Real wealth isn’t built on shortcuts, hot tips, or hype. It’s built with discipline, time, effort, and a solid financial foundation. Ignore that truth, and Wall Street is more than happy to take advantage of you.
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watchdog-on-wall-street-with-chris-markowski/id570687608
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PtgPvJvqc2gkpGIkNMR5i
WATCH and SUBSCRIBE on:
https://www.youtube.com/@WatchdogOnWallstreet/featured
Every year, the media rolls out its “hot stocks” lists—and every year, they’re wrong. Yet the same voices come back with new predictions, new hype, and the same goal: separating you from your money. Before you buy into 2026’s latest stock picks, try a simple exercise—go back and see how last year’s predictions actually performed.
This episode takes aim at the casino-style investing culture pushed by discount brokers like Robinhood, where trading is gamified, dopamine is engineered, and high-frequency traders profit while individual investors lose. Flashy platforms, Formula One metaphors, and nonstop alerts aren’t about helping you build wealth—they’re about getting you to trade more.
Real wealth isn’t built on shortcuts, hot tips, or hype. It’s built with discipline, time, effort, and a solid financial foundation. Ignore that truth, and Wall Street is more than happy to take advantage of you.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
The Watchdog on Wall Street podcast explaining the news coming
out of the complex worlds of finance, economics, and politics
and the impact it will have on everyday Americans. Author,
investment banker, consumer advocate, analyst, and trader Chris Markowski.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
All Right, hot stocks for twenty twenty six. What's coming up?
What should you buy? What should it be? Yes?
Speaker 3 (00:21):
All sorts of lists are going to be put out,
the use of boilerplate crap that the media comes up with,
the business networks will come up with to get everybody excited.
Let me make a suggestion, why don't you go back
and take a look at all the predictions from last year.
See how they worked out. Huh, it's the same people
making this year and they're wrong again, at least at
(00:42):
football games. They tell you, you know that what their
record is every single week, and they make fun of
each other.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
But this is your money.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
And again you got to fully understand what again, who
are doing business with what their modus operandi is, which
is to get you all next say fool and his
money part. They want to remove you from your money
and to get you doing things that are not in
your best interests. I've been watching it for decades now.
Don't doubt me anyway. It's just another interesting story about
(01:11):
Robin Hood written by Eric Salzman, and he echoed Actually
many of the things that I've been saying. Actually talked
to Concept about. You know, hey, it's a casino and
they're not giving away free drinks.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
It was funny.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
We talked about how Robin Hood and their their little
what did they have conference out in Vegas and how
it was all Formula one was there was the backdrop
that was the theme and uh, you know Vla Tenev
the CEO came out like a Formula one outfit, explaining
how Robin Hood's tools is kin to a Formula one car.
(01:50):
Ask you a question, how many of you out there?
How many out there could get in a Formula one
car and race it?
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Not many? They know I wouldn't do it, wouldn't do it.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
Interesting to watch watch that movie f one, the Brad
Pitt movie, Good Summertime Flick. You know, I just saw
it recently because it didn't pay to go see it
was on my Apple thing. But anyway, I mean the
filming behind the wheel and what I mean, that's insane
how fast they're going around those turned they can't do that,
(02:26):
and neither can you. And Robinhood is touting all of
their formula you know, their formula one trading platform, and
you know they've been doing that for some time. EAT
Trades got their marketing plan there as well. The reality
is is that these discount houses have basically had hit
man looking for me for decades.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Now they do because I call them out, I call
them out.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
You will lose. You do what they want you to do.
You do what they want you to do, and that's trade.
Trade trade, trade trade. You understand something, Okay. The guys
who started robin you know where they came from. They
were high frequency traders, Okay, high frequency traders, and basically
(03:11):
what they did was they meshed. They meshed a trading
interface that they were putting together with a video game
coupled with dopamine hits. When they send you out those
little alerts on a regular basis, Oh you're doing great,
look at this stocks up, volumes up on this stock.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Better do this?
Speaker 3 (03:34):
They lied for how many years about how they made
their money. Yeah, they got a little smack on the
heini there and then they paid a fine and they
kept doing business.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
They say, you trades Okay, go to the New York
Stock Extende.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
They get all the trading platforms out there that can
trade a zillion times faster than you can, that can
front run your trades that I've already calculated a million
different possibilities and things like that before you know, you
could even blink an eye.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Okay, that's what they do.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
And you'll lose because if people were actually making money again,
they tell you, they'd fill you in, they'd say, hey, wow,
look at this. This percentage of our clients are kicking
ass and taking names.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
They're not. They're losing.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
You ever see a casino talent the winnings of the
people that come to the casino, they't even bother. Everybody
knows you're gonna lose. It's the same thing. Yeah, a
bit of a resolution this year. Okay, this is get
down to the resolution reality. Yeah, yeah, you know, do
(04:48):
the right thing, get rid of high interest credit card
that you know, get your your financial house in order.
Then stop looking for shortcuts to building wealth.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
I say it all the time.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
Everything in life that has meaning, value and worth involves
work time and if it don't look for shortcuts. Okay,
same way if a trainer again New Year. You want
to get yourself in shape. If a trainer comes you,
oh yeah, look at you. Split a few weeks, we'll
have you up in no time. And you haven't done
anything in you know, ten years, and you're out of
shape and you're soft, and you know it.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
No believe them, don't believe. It's not gonna be. It
takes time. It takes time. You gotta do the right things.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
You got to eat correctly, got to exercise properly, Gotta
do those right things.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
And then, hey, guess what, it works.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
If it's not gonna happen overnight, and you're not gonna
build wealth overnight, And as soon as you start looking
for shortcuts again, you're gonna put yourself further in that hole.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Watch Dog on Wall Street dot com
The Watchdog on Wall Street podcast explaining the news coming
out of the complex worlds of finance, economics, and politics
and the impact it will have on everyday Americans. Author,
investment banker, consumer advocate, analyst, and trader Chris Markowski.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
All Right, hot stocks for twenty twenty six. What's coming up?
What should you buy? What should it be? Yes?
Speaker 3 (00:21):
All sorts of lists are going to be put out,
the use of boilerplate crap that the media comes up with,
the business networks will come up with to get everybody excited.
Let me make a suggestion, why don't you go back
and take a look at all the predictions from last year.
See how they worked out. Huh, it's the same people
making this year and they're wrong again, at least at
(00:42):
football games. They tell you, you know that what their
record is every single week, and they make fun of
each other.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
But this is your money.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
And again you got to fully understand what again, who
are doing business with what their modus operandi is, which
is to get you all next say fool and his
money part. They want to remove you from your money
and to get you doing things that are not in
your best interests. I've been watching it for decades now.
Don't doubt me anyway. It's just another interesting story about
(01:11):
Robin Hood written by Eric Salzman, and he echoed Actually
many of the things that I've been saying. Actually talked
to Concept about. You know, hey, it's a casino and
they're not giving away free drinks.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
It was funny.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
We talked about how Robin Hood and their their little
what did they have conference out in Vegas and how
it was all Formula one was there was the backdrop
that was the theme and uh, you know Vla Tenev
the CEO came out like a Formula one outfit, explaining
how Robin Hood's tools is kin to a Formula one car.
(01:50):
Ask you a question, how many of you out there?
How many out there could get in a Formula one
car and race it?
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Not many? They know I wouldn't do it, wouldn't do it.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
Interesting to watch watch that movie f one, the Brad
Pitt movie, Good Summertime Flick. You know, I just saw
it recently because it didn't pay to go see it
was on my Apple thing. But anyway, I mean the
filming behind the wheel and what I mean, that's insane
how fast they're going around those turned they can't do that,
(02:26):
and neither can you. And Robinhood is touting all of
their formula you know, their formula one trading platform, and
you know they've been doing that for some time. EAT
Trades got their marketing plan there as well. The reality
is is that these discount houses have basically had hit
man looking for me for decades.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Now they do because I call them out, I call
them out.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
You will lose. You do what they want you to do.
You do what they want you to do, and that's trade.
Trade trade, trade trade. You understand something, Okay. The guys
who started robin you know where they came from. They
were high frequency traders, Okay, high frequency traders, and basically
(03:11):
what they did was they meshed. They meshed a trading
interface that they were putting together with a video game
coupled with dopamine hits. When they send you out those
little alerts on a regular basis, Oh you're doing great,
look at this stocks up, volumes up on this stock.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Better do this?
Speaker 3 (03:34):
They lied for how many years about how they made
their money. Yeah, they got a little smack on the
heini there and then they paid a fine and they
kept doing business.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
They say, you trades Okay, go to the New York
Stock Extende.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
They get all the trading platforms out there that can
trade a zillion times faster than you can, that can
front run your trades that I've already calculated a million
different possibilities and things like that before you know, you
could even blink an eye.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Okay, that's what they do.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
And you'll lose because if people were actually making money again,
they tell you, they'd fill you in, they'd say, hey, wow,
look at this. This percentage of our clients are kicking
ass and taking names.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
They're not. They're losing.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
You ever see a casino talent the winnings of the
people that come to the casino, they't even bother. Everybody
knows you're gonna lose. It's the same thing. Yeah, a
bit of a resolution this year. Okay, this is get
down to the resolution reality. Yeah, yeah, you know, do
(04:48):
the right thing, get rid of high interest credit card
that you know, get your your financial house in order.
Then stop looking for shortcuts to building wealth.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
I say it all the time.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
Everything in life that has meaning, value and worth involves
work time and if it don't look for shortcuts. Okay,
same way if a trainer again New Year. You want
to get yourself in shape. If a trainer comes you,
oh yeah, look at you. Split a few weeks, we'll
have you up in no time. And you haven't done
anything in you know, ten years, and you're out of
shape and you're soft, and you know it.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
No believe them, don't believe. It's not gonna be. It
takes time. It takes time. You gotta do the right things.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
You got to eat correctly, got to exercise properly, Gotta
do those right things.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
And then, hey, guess what, it works.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
If it's not gonna happen overnight, and you're not gonna
build wealth overnight, And as soon as you start looking
for shortcuts again, you're gonna put yourself further in that hole.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Watch Dog on Wall Street dot com
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