Episode Overview

Podcast: Becker Business
Host: Scott Becker
Episode: Goldman & BlackRock Surge + 5 Other Stories We Are Following
Date: January 16, 2026

Main Theme:
Scott Becker reviews the day’s top business stories, highlighting significant movements in major financial firms like Goldman Sachs and BlackRock, alongside updates on Oracle, Robinhood, Rivian, and personal reflections on discipline in finance and health.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Goldman Sachs Earnings Surge

• Insight: Goldman Sachs reported a 12% climb in profits, surpassing earnings estimates. This positive news led to a 4.7% jump in the company’s stock price.
• Perspective: Scott emphasizes Goldman's decade-spanning resilience and dominance in the financial sector.
  • Quote, [01:07]:

    “You don’t bet against Goldman Sachs. Not for a decade, not for a generation, not for a century.”
    — Scott Becker

2. BlackRock’s Asset Expansion

• Insight: BlackRock’s assets under management have grown to $14 trillion. The stock rose nearly 6% on the latest news.
• Commentary: Scott highlights CEO Larry Fink's ability to continually lead growth despite market fluctuations.
  • Quote, [01:39]:

    “Larry Fink, the CEO of BlackRock, must have nine lives. He’s like a cat. It’s amazing how he keeps on bouncing back and growing.”
    — Scott Becker

3. Oracle’s Uncertain Future

• Insight: Oracle’s stock has dropped 20% in the past six months. There’s uncertainty regarding its growth driven by cloud services and artificial intelligence.
  • Quote, [02:00]:

    “It’s hard to assess what its cloud and realized real AI driven growth is going to be.”
    — Scott Becker

4. Robinhood’s Volatility

• Insight: Robinhood experienced an 8% drop, despite being a top-performing stock the previous year.
• Reflection: The host notes the uncertainty about future performance after a volatile period.
  • Quote, [02:12]:

    “It was a huge winner stock last year. We’ll see what happens the rest of this year.”
    — Scott Becker

5. Market Reactions to Political Commentary

• Insight: Following some investor optimism and partial market recovery, the host observes that former President Trump’s comments about the Federal Reserve negatively impacted early trading.
  • Quote, [02:23]:

    "Now [markets] drop some as President Trump talks more about the Fed. That never seems to go well for the markets.”
    — Scott Becker

6. Rivian and the EV Plateau

• Insight: Rivian shares are down 14% year to date, and Scott shares a personal anecdote about a friend struggling with Rivian’s charging infrastructure.
• Broader Question: Raises the issue of whether the electric vehicle (EV) market has plateaued.
  • Quote, [02:38]:

    “Great question: Has the EV business hit a plateau?”
    — Scott Becker

7. Personal Reflection on Willpower

• Insight: Scott wraps up with a personal note about the challenge of self-discipline, linking behavior with weight management and financial habits.
• Humor & Motivation: He references famous Saturday Night Live fitness sketches to illustrate his point.
  • Quote, [03:05]:

    “Whenever my weight gets to where I want it to be, I just, I tend to splurge and eat too much. The same seems to happen when my net worth rises. I just tend to spend too much money. I ultimately need a therapist to stop these two behaviors.”
    — Scott Becker

  • Quote, [03:32]:

    “I think about the old Saturday Night Live trainer Chris Farley, who would say, or Hans and Franz would say, ‘We need to pump you up.’ But I do feel like, my God, as soon as I start going in the right direction, I lose discipline and I need to find that again.”
    — Scott Becker

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You don’t bet against Goldman Sachs. Not for a decade, not for a generation, not for a century.”
  [01:07] — Scott Becker
• “Larry Fink, the CEO of BlackRock, must have nine lives. He’s like a cat. It’s amazing how he keeps on bouncing back and growing.”
  [01:39] — Scott Becker
• “I ultimately need a therapist to stop these two behaviors.”
  [03:19] — Scott Becker

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:30] Episode starts: Introduction and today’s story headlines
• [00:37] Goldman Sachs earnings surge
• [01:12] BlackRock asset growth and commentary on Larry Fink
• [01:46] Oracle’s recent decline and future uncertainties in AI/cloud
• [01:55] Robinhood's 8% stock drop
• [02:13] Market reactions and political impacts
• [02:30] Rivian’s struggles and the broader EV market question
• [02:53] Personal reflections on willpower, financial, and health discipline
• [03:32] SNL motivational reference

Conclusion

This episode delivers a concise yet insightful roundup of key movers in business and finance, peppered with Scott Becker’s trademark blend of informed commentary and personal humor. In a rapid-fire rundown, listeners gain a high-level view of current market narratives—from powerhouse financial institutions to the electric vehicle sector—paired with relatable introspection on personal habits and staying disciplined when ahead.