SI395: Finding Alpha in the Strait of Chaos ft. Andrew Beer

Markets are currently being shaped by geopolitical uncertainty, rapid technological change, and shifting investor behavior. In this episode, Andrew and Niels explore how these forces are influencing trend following and systematic investing. They discuss recent market volatility, the impact of global conflict on asset prices, and why traditional diversification assumptions are being tested. A key focus is the evolving structure of the CTA industry, including the rise of ETFs and the debate between complexity and simplicity in generating alpha. The conversation also examines replication strategies, implementation costs, and whether simpler approaches may deliver more efficient and consistent outcomes over time. ----- 50 YEARS OF TREND FOLLOWING BOOK AND BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEO FOR ACCREDITED INVESTORS - CLICK HERE ----- Follow Niels on Twitter , LinkedIn , YouTube or via the TTU website . IT’s TRUE ? – most CIO’s read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here . And you can get a free copy of my latest book “ Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio ” here . Learn more about the Trend Barometer here . Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.com And please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast. Follow Andrew on Twitter . Episode TimeStamps: 01:27 - Geopolitical uncertainty and parallels to past crises 03:13 - Why this crisis feels different from previous ones 04:24 - Ideology, negotiation, and unintended consequences 06:16 - AI, technology, and the changing global landscape 10:58 - Technology dependence and societal tradeoffs 12:37 - Market environment and trend following conditions 16:02 - CTA performance and the macro “do over” of 2026 21:11 - Traditional markets vs systematic strategies 22:39 - Hedge fund losses and dispersion across strategies 25:48 - CTA alpha, simplicity, and ETF performance 32:42 - Complexity vs efficiency in portfolio construction 39:40 - Hidden implementation costs in systematic trading 52:21 - QIS strategies and the illusion of beta 57:43 - Structural challenges in QIS products 01:03:12 - Index construction, research, and innovation constraints 01:08:47 - Fees, transparency, and real investor costs 01:12:41 - Product evolution and the future of systematic investing Copyright © 2025 – CMC AG – All Rights Reserved ---- PLUS: Whenever you're ready... here are 3 ways I can help you in your investment Journey: 1. eBooks that cover key topics that you need to know about In my eBooks, I put together some key discoveries and things I have learnt during the more than 3 decades I have worked in the Trend Following industry, which I hope you will find useful. Click Here 2. Daily Trend Barometer and Market Score One of the things I’m really proud of, is the fact that I have managed to published the Trend Barometer and Market Score each day for more than a decade...as these tools are really good at describing the environment for trend following managers as well as giving insights into the general positioning of a trend following strategy! Click Here 3. Other Resources that can help you And if you are hungry for more useful resources from the trend following world...check out some precious resources that I have found over the years to be really valuable. Click Here Privacy Policy Disclaimer

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SI395: Finding Alpha in the Strait of Chaos ft. Andrew Beer is an episode from Top Traders Unplugged by Niels Kaastrup-Larsen.

This episode is 01:16:03 long.

This episode was published on Apr 11, 2026.

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