KunstlerCast 439 — Alex Krainer on Disturbances in the Geopolitical Field

KunstlerCast 439 — Alex Krainer on Disturbances in the Geopolitical Field

Author: James Howard Kunstler March 7, 2026 Duration: 1:20:50

Alex Krainer is a Croatian-born market analyst, author, and former hedge fund manager based in Monaco. Coming of age in socialist Yugoslavia, Krainer's unconventional path took him from serving in Croatia's war of independence to becoming one of the few fund managers to generate positive returns (+27-percent) during the 2008 financial crisis. He founded his own investment management firm in 2007 and later joined Altana Wealth, where he developed systematic portfolio allocation strategies bridging technology and finance. Krainer is the author of Mastering Uncertainty in Commodities Trading"(ranked #1 by Financial-Expert.co.uk), The Grand Deception, and Alex Krainer's Trend Following Bible. A sought-after voice on geopolitics, commodities markets, and global finance, he publishes regular market analysis through TrendCompass and his Substack, offering sharp, unconventional insights shaped by his unique background navigating both socialist regimes and Western financial markets.

The KunstlerCast theme music is the beautiful Two Rivers Waltz written and performed by Larry Unger


Each week, author and social critic James Howard Kunstler sits down with host Duncan Crary for a series of frank discussions that form KunstlerCast-Conversations: Converging Catastrophes of the 21st Century. The dialogue, grounded in Kunstler's seminal works like "The Geography of Nowhere" and "The Long Emergency," moves beyond simple critique to explore the deep interconnections between the crises shaping our time. Listeners will find these conversations delve into the enduring consequences of suburban sprawl, the societal costs of disposable architecture, and the profound shifts awaiting us as the age of cheap oil recedes. This isn't a lecture, but a dynamic exchange that examines how these forces collide within our culture, economy, and daily lives. The podcast serves as an ongoing, thoughtful autopsy of the American built environment and the unsustainable habits it fosters, while also casting a wary eye on the news of the day. For anyone perplexed by the fragility of modern systems or curious about the roots of our social discontent, these episodes offer a coherent, if challenging, narrative. Kunstler's distinctive perspective, honed over decades of observation and writing, provides a lens through which the chaos of current events begins to form a clearer, if unsettling, picture. Tune in for a consistently provocative analysis that connects the dots between place, energy, and the future of community.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

KunstlerCast - Conversations: Converging Catastrophes of the 21st Century
Podcast Episodes
KunstlerCast 407 — Eugyppius on the Political Crises of Europe [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:00
"Eugyppius" is a former academic who blogs about the pandemic aftermath and the pathological politics of modern Germany. He spent much of his life abroad and over a decade in American universities as a grad student and a…
KunstlerCast 406 — Reinventing Dmitry Orlov in Russia [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:48
Dmitry Orlov is a Russian-American engineer and author of many books on culture and politics. He emigrated to the US with his parents at age 12 and as a young adult sojourned in Russia, where he witnessed the aftermath o…
KunstlerCast 405 -- Helena Norberg-Hodge on Relocalizing Economies [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:01
Helena Norberg-Hodge, linguist, author, filmmaker and pioneer of the new economy movement, is the founder and director of Local Futures, and the convenor of World Localization Day and the Planet Local Summit. She is auth…
KunstlerCast 403 -- Lt. Col Steve Murray and the Chaos Ahead [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:26
Steve Murray is Chief Information Security Officer of a large medical company. He was a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army commanding a Cyber Defense Battalion, providing offensive and defensive cyber operation…