First Principles with Andy Constan
Excess Returns
5.0from 2 ratings
- 7
- Episodes
- 2
- Ratings
- Monthly
- Cadence
- 2026
- First episode
About First Principles with Andy Constan
First Principles with Andy Constan examines the biggest developments in markets and the economy through the foundational frameworks that drive them. Each month, Andy breaks down the mechanics behind inflation, interest rates, liquidity, growth, and market structure to help investors understand not just what is happening, but how the underlying forces behind markets actually work.
- Publisher
- Excess Returns
- Category
- business
- Language
- en
- Explicit
- No
- First episode
- 13 May 2026
- Latest episode
- 21 Oct 2026
Latest episodes
7 episodes in the feed.
21 Oct 2026
Andy Constan on Who’s Funding the AI Boom, CoreWeave Contagion Risk and the Treasury’s Next Move
On this episode of First Principles, Andy Constan explains why strong AI demand can coexist with financing pressure and falling stock prices. The key distinction: a difficult funding environment can hurt investors without turning into a financial crisis. In this month’s First Principles, Andy joins Jack Forehand and Justin Carbonneau to examine CoreWeave, the commitments supporting the AI buildout, and how competition for capital affects asset prices. They also explore Treasury borrowing and buybacks, the upcoming quarterly refunding announcement, and the tension between strong earnings and ambitious expectations. Andy closes by explaining the bull case he takes seriously and why he is nevertheless positioned with some bonds and short equity exposure. Topics covered: AI’s shift from cash-generating, asset-light businesses toward capital-intensive infrastructure CoreWeave’s funding risks and why a rising bond yield does not immediately change an existing fixed coupon Customer commitments, financing backstops, and the difference between stock losses and systemic contagion How borrowing, spending, and savings interact with the price of capital Why the mix of Treasury bills and longer-term bonds matters for markets Treasury buybacks, off-the-run bonds, and Andy Constan’s argument about interest-rate suppression The 20-year Treasury and possible outcomes of the quarterly refunding announcement Strong earnings, market breadth, and the importance of challenging your own investment thesis Tax-driven year-end flows and the incentives behind performance chasing AI earnings expectations, persistent higher yields, and Andy Constan’s bond and equity positioning Learn more about Damped Spring Advisors (https://dampedspring.com/). Follow Andy Constan on X (https://x.com/dampedspring). Timestamps: 00:00 Why the AI boom needs more outside capital 06:48 CoreWeave and the cost of new financing 15:52 Stock-market losses versus a financial crisis 22:24 Why Treasury refunding announcements matter 26:48 Treasury buybacks and the funding behind them 32:16 The 20-year Treasury and interest-rate suppression 37:00 Refunding scenarios and their market implications 45:40 Policy support and challenging your own thesis 50:31 The bull case: earnings and market breadth 55:11 Year-end taxes, positioning, and return chasing 59:18 The bear case: financing, expectations, and higher yields 01:04:40 Closing remarks Learn more about the Excess Returns podcast network: excessreturns.co (https://excessreturns.co/) No information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.
19 Sept 2026
Inflation Falls When Stocks Do | Andy Constan on the Fed Hike, AI Capex and Why He Likes Bonds Again
On this episode of First Principles, we break down the Fed's inflation challenge, what drives Treasury yields, and why bonds may deserve a place in a diversified portfolio again. We also explore how AI capital spending and stock issuance affect markets, why Andy is warming to Japanese stocks and bonds, and how long-term investors can set a risk level they can live with. Topics covered: How consumer borrowing, asset prices, and AI spending are supporting demand. Why Andy viewed the Fed's rate hike as necessary and what would build inflation-fighting credibility. Why bringing inflation down may require lower asset prices. How Treasury buybacks and debt issuance can work against Fed tightening. Why a Fed rate hike does not automatically mean higher long-term Treasury yields. Andy's four tests for owning bonds, including risk premiums, real yields, and inflation compensation. How bonds can help diversify equity risk when growth disappoints. Why funding AI capital spending creates a stock issuance headwind. Why Japan's bond yields have changed Andy's view of its stocks and broader investment appeal. Why portfolio risk, global diversification, and staying invested matter more than political noise. Timestamps: 00:00 Consumer spending, AI investment, and stubborn inflation 05:20 Why Andy called the Fed hike a no-brainer 10:15 Fed communication and the limits of credibility 15:25 Why lower asset prices may be needed to tame inflation 20:49 Can Treasury buybacks suppress long-term yields? 25:14 How Fed hikes affect the yield curve 29:24 Are bonds offering enough return over cash? 34:53 Inflation risk and bonds as an equity diversifier 39:29 Choosing portfolio risk and funding the AI boom 44:57 Why Japan's stocks and bonds look investable 51:55 Why Andy thinks midterms matter less than investors expect 56:35 Long-term investing and diversification across economic conditions Learn more about the Excess Returns podcast network: https://excessreturns.co (https://excessreturns.co/) No information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.
20 Aug 2026
The AI Boom's Next Test Isn't ROI | Andy Constan on Whether Markets Can Fund $1 Trillion
Andy Constan joins First Principles to explain why record stock prices, rising long-term Treasury yields and sticky inflation can all coexist, and why the next major market risk may come from the financing behind the AI CapEx boom rather than the eventual return on that investment. We discuss Kevin Warsh and Fed balance sheet policy, Treasury issuance and the quarterly refunding announcement, corporate bond and equity supply, Nvidia's $500 billion financing structure, and Andy's "not enough pie" framework for comparing AI earnings expectations with GDP and productivity growth. Andy Constan on X https://x.com/dampedspring (https://x.com/dampedspring) Damped Spring https://dampedspring.com/ (https://dampedspring.com/) Damped Spring Substack https://substack.com/@dampedspring (https://substack.com/@dampedspring) Topics covered Why rising long-term interest rates can be consistent with strong economic growth and record stock prices Why Andy does not see higher government interest costs creating an imminent U.S. debt crisis The "script to kill inflation" and why reducing the wealth effect may require lower stock, bond and asset prices How the Fed, Treasury and other policymakers have suppressed long-term interest rates and risk premiums Why Kevin Warsh's comments about the Fed balance sheet and letting the bond market "do the work" could signal a policy shift How Treasury bill issuance, coupon issuance and the quarterly refunding announcement can affect stocks, bonds and financial conditions Why the AI CapEx boom is shifting from cash flow funding toward massive corporate debt and equity issuance Andy's "hamburger thesis" and why the ability to finance AI infrastructure may matter before anyone knows the ultimate AI ROI Why capital markets can suddenly close after issuance booms and what that could mean for the AI investment cycle How Nvidia's $500 billion financing structure expands the pool of capital available to data center projects The "not enough pie" problem: why projected corporate earnings may require extraordinary GDP growth, productivity gains or a larger corporate share of the economy What Andy watches in new stock and bond deals for signs that investors are becoming unwilling to absorb more supply Timestamps 00:00:08 Why stocks, long-term yields and inflation can all rise together 00:07:18 The "script to kill inflation" and why short-term rates may not be enough 00:12:48 How policymakers have suppressed long-term interest rates 00:16:53 The Warsh "drumbeat" and a possible shift in Fed balance sheet policy 00:21:56 Why markets may be underestimating Warsh's willingness to fight inflation 00:26:27 Treasury bills versus coupons and the limits of current financing policy 00:31:33 The "hamburger thesis" behind the massive AI CapEx funding shift 00:38:41 Why AI financing may matter more than AI ROI in the short run 00:42:55 Breaking down Nvidia's $500 billion data center financing structure 00:47:51 The "not enough pie" problem for AI earnings and economic growth 00:52:03 Demographics, productivity and the limits on future GDP growth 00:56:14 What issuance prices reveal about capital market stress Learn more about the Excess Returns podcast network: https://excessreturns.co (https://excessreturns.co/) No information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.
18 Jul 2026
It Only Happens at Bottoms | The Options Extreme That Showed Up at the Highs
On the Latest First Principles, Andy Constan explains what the options market is signaling about the AI and semiconductor boom, why he believes earnings expectations have outrun the size of the economy, and where the next risks may emerge. We discuss speculative call buying, single-stock volatility, AI capital spending, consumer dissaving, the Fed put, Kevin Warsh's monetary policy framework, and the looming reset of US tariffs. Andy Constan on X https://x.com/dampedspring (https://x.com/dampedspring) Damped Spring Advisors https://dampedspring.com (https://dampedspring.com/) Topics covered: Why parabolic moves in AI infrastructure and semiconductor stocks may reflect a speculative bubble What rising single-stock volatility and unusually low market correlations reveal beneath a calm index Why out-of-the-money calls became more expensive than puts and what that says about investor positioning How investors can hedge concentrated stock gains by selling calls and buying protective puts Why the AI bubble may be hiding in earnings expectations rather than traditional valuation multiples Andy's economic pie framework and why projected corporate profits may exceed the GDP available to support them How AI competition, open-source models, job displacement and subsidized token usage affect the return on AI investment Why capital spending and consumer dissaving are supporting economic growth, and where those drivers could weaken Whether the Federal Reserve could eventually buy equity ETFs and the inflationary consequences of a permanent Fed put How lower short-term rates and a smaller Fed balance sheet could rebalance Main Street and Wall Street Why expiring Section 122 tariffs could create a near-term shift in inflation, growth and the federal deficit Timestamps: 00:02 Why the options market is flashing a warning on AI stocks 04:02 Extreme stock dispersion beneath a calm market 08:49 The signals of a speculative call-buying frenzy 13:00 How to hedge a stock position without calling the top 18:36 Why earnings expectations may be the real AI bubble 23:00 The economic pie cannot support every company's forecasts 27:00 AI job displacement and the widening gap between winners and losers 31:59 How capital spending and consumer dissaving are sustaining growth 36:00 When the return on AI investment starts to matter 40:26 Could the Fed buy stocks in the next financial crisis? 44:53 How Kevin Warsh might respond when markets and employment collapse 48:58 Lower rates, a smaller balance sheet and wealth inequality 52:59 The tariff deadline investors may be overlooking Learn more about the Excess Returns podcast network: https://excessreturns.co (https://excessreturns.co/) No information discussed in this podcast should be construed as investment advice. Securities discussed may be held by the hosts and guests, their firms or their clients.
16 Jun 2026
The $700 Billion Shift | What Happens When Buybacks Turn into Issuance
In this episode of First Principles, we break down the changing structure of markets as the IPO window reopens, AI CapEx accelerates, and corporate buybacks shift toward new equity supply. We discuss what the SpaceX IPO says about capital markets, whether AI spending can create disinflationary growth, why the consumer is still holding up, and what could challenge the current market bubble. Andy Constan on X https://x.com/dampedspring (https://x.com/dampedspring) Damped Spring https://dampedspring.com/ (https://dampedspring.com/) Damped Spring Substack https://substack.com/@dampedspring (https://substack.com/@dampedspring) Topics covered: Why IPOs are central to the purpose of public markets How Andy evaluates whether the SpaceX IPO worked Why issuers may want IPOs to trade higher after pricing The shift from stock buybacks to new equity issuance Why AI CapEx is changing the supply and demand for shares How hyperscaler spending is being funded through cash, bonds, and stock The economic test for whether AI investment pays off Disinflationary productivity growth versus labor displacement Why the current economy is still supported by consumption The role of wealth effects and consumer dissaving Why falling oil prices may not eliminate inflation pressure What Andy is watching in Fed policy, tariffs, AI CapEx, and equity issuance How Kevin Warsh could approach rates, QT, and the Fed balance sheet Timestamps: 00:00 Intro and key themes 04:18 How Andy reads the SpaceX IPO 08:27 Why underwriters and regulators want IPOs to work 13:00 Why issuers may want IPOs to trade higher 17:05 From stock buybacks to new equity supply 21:06 The 600 to 700 billion dollar shift in share supply 26:42 The economic test for AI tokens 32:09 Can AI create disinflationary productivity growth? 38:10 Is AI CapEx holding up the economy? 41:00 Wealth effects, dissaving, and the consumer 45:52 Oil prices, war, and inflation 49:07 Jalen Brunson, incentives, and long-term value 52:00 Fed policy, tariffs, and what matters this summer 55:36 Kevin Warsh, QT, and the Fed balance sheet 58:42 Closing thoughts
21 May 2026
How to Invest During a Bubble Regime - Practical Lessons from Market History
In this episode of First Principles, Andy Constan explains how investors should think about portfolio construction, risk management and alpha during a bubble regime. We discuss why bubbles create FOMO, why low volatility can make investors take the most risk at the worst time, and how long-only and active investors can prepare for the other side without trying to call the top. Andy Constan on X https://x.com/dampedspring (https://x.com/dampedspring) Damped Spring https://dampedspring.com/ (https://dampedspring.com/) Main topics covered: Why bubble regimes require a different investor mindset The phases of a bubble: change, escalation, parabolic move and pop Why calling something a bubble does not mean calling the top How FOMO and buyer’s regret lead investors into major mistakes Why investors should know whether they are more vulnerable to chasing or panicking How Andy thinks about the market portfolio beyond just stocks and bonds Why stocks-only portfolios are less diversified than many investors realize How low-volatility uptrends cause investors to lever up at the wrong time Why rebalancing rules may need to change in a trending bubble market How cash, dollar-cost averaging and lump-sum investing should be evaluated through investor behavior Why many alpha strategies stop working as well in bubble regimes Why momentum can work better than mean reversion during bubbles How contagion spreads after bubbles pop and where future alpha may appear Timestamps: 00:00 Why bubble regimes feel low risk 00:59 Setting up part two on bubble positioning 02:07 The phases of a bubble 05:23 Why a bubble regime is different from a normal bull market 07:23 How investors should shift their mindset 10:29 Why knowing yourself is harder than it sounds 14:00 Can a bubble resolve without popping? 17:13 Why long-only investing should mean more than stocks 24:21 Lowering maximum exposure in a bubble regime 30:23 How 60/40 investors should think about rebalancing 33:20 Cash, lump sums and dollar-cost averaging 42:31 How active investors should adjust alpha strategies 46:16 Why mean reversion can fail in bubbles 49:41 How contagion spreads through markets 54:06 Preparing for post-bubble opportunities without calling the top
13 May 2026
Root Conditions. Escalation. Peak | Andy Constan on What Investing Through Five Bubbles Taught Him About AI
First Principles with Andy Constan launches with a deep dive into market bubbles, AI, semiconductor stocks, and the financial conditions that can turn powerful technological change into a dangerous investment regime. Andy explains how bubbles form, why they are almost impossible to time, how today’s AI boom compares to past episodes like 1987, the dot-com bubble, housing, and the bond bubble, and what investors should watch as expectations, financing, and FOMO build. Andy Constan on X https://x.com/dampedspring (https://x.com/dampedspring) Damped Spring Advisors https://dampedspring.com/ (https://dampedspring.com/) Topics covered: Why bubbles are easy to identify in hindsight but nearly impossible to define in real time The difference between an expensive market and a true bubble regime How new technologies, easy money, regulation, and exogenous shocks can create bubble conditions Why AI may rhyme with the internet boom without being an exact repeat The role of ChatGPT, Microsoft’s OpenAI investment, and semiconductor earnings expectations What the 1987 crash, Japan, housing, bonds, and dot-com bubble can teach investors today Why human nature, FOMO, and “keeping up with the Joneses” make bubbles so powerful How the late-1990s Fed response to Long-Term Capital Management helped fuel the final phase of the tech bubble Why tech’s current size in the economy and market may limit how far the AI boom can grow How AI capex, hyperscaler spending, buybacks, debt issuance, and IPO supply could determine what happens next Timestamps: 00:00 Intro and the challenge of identifying bubbles 04:32 Expensive markets vs true bubble regimes 09:57 The five bubble episodes Andy compares to today 14:35 Root conditions, escalation events, and the peaking phase 19:20 Why the 1987 crash may also have been a bubble 24:25 The late-1990s setup and the Netscape Navigator moment 28:00 Crisis analogs, easy financial conditions, and today’s AI parallels 32:20 Long-Term Capital Management and rocket fuel for the tech bubble 36:11 Why tech’s market share matters more today than in the 1990s 43:18 Policy mistakes, subsidies, and how governments feed bubbles 47:42 Semiconductor earnings expectations and valuation risk 53:45 The AI capex chain and where the money has to come from 58:42 IPOs, corporate debt, and the financing risk behind the AI boom 01:02:27 What investors should do differently in a bubble regime
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