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FICC Focus offers the latest market views on interest rates, corporate bonds, emerging market debt, commodities, and currencies by Bloomberg Intelligence analysts.
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The US-Iran ceasefire and associated relief in risk aversion and pullback in oil prices may be a first step out of the sterling-dollar bear cycle of the past few weeks. There will be cyclical relief as the market adjusts back to less hawkish Bank of England rate expectations, which were hurting the pound via the stagflation narrative. Structural relief may also emerge, as the expected monetary-fiscal policy mix implies less reliance on fiscal stimulus to support the economy and reduces fiscal credibility concerns that have become a constant consideration for sterling. In this episode of FX Moment, Bloomberg Intelligence’s Chief FX Strategist Audrey Childe-Freeman and Bloomberg Economics Chief UK Economist Dan Hanson discuss the U-turn in Bank of England rate and growth expectations in the context of the Iran conflict, fiscal policy, as well as how UK politics could shape sterling’s near- to mid-term dynamics.
Sovereign balance sheets should come under renewed pressure as the war-induced oil shock forces EM governments to take extraordinary measures aimed at actively defending their domestic economies. Fabio Natalucci, CEO of the Andersen Institute for Finance & Economics, joins Damian Sassower, Bloomberg Intelligence’s chief EM fixed income strategist, to assess the risks facing EM creditors as the war in Iran endures. Natalucci and Sassower differentiate between level and trend when discussing the medium-term impact on EM growth and inflation expectations, with potential for yields to decline once recession probabilities reach critical mass.
Wider spreads and credit enhancement causing upgrades in auto asset-backed securities reduces the sector’s risk against similarly rated and maturity corporate debt, says Rod Chadehumbe, Bloomberg Intelligence ABS Strategist. Chadehumbe joins host Ira Jersey, BI’s US Rates Strategist to discuss the findings from the first ABS Primer on available on the terminal. Though spreads are tight compared to the five-year average, inflation may not cause spreads to widen. The note also makes the case for Auto ABS against similarly rated and maturity corporate debt. Chadehumbe isn’t concerned about the current level of subprime delinquencies given the credit enhancement these structures have, but is concerned with the job market and what happens if delinquencies rise much further.
Cross-asset markets are under stress given the bi-modal risks of de-escalation vs. prolonged conflict. This edition of All Options Considered podcast discusses the probability distribution around the outcomes of the Iran war and markets. BI’s Chief Global Derivatives Strategist Tanvir Sandhu is joined by Edward Fishman, author of Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare and Senior Fellow at Council on Foreign Relations.
“Technicals for high yield post-Covid have been very strong, with pretty limited net new supply, minimal downgrades, strong demand given elevated base rates and pretty reasonable credit spread,” says John McClain, Goldman Sachs Asset Management’s global co-head of High Yield and Bank Loans. “We’re seeing some net new supply from areas like data-center debt,” and “large LBO bonds that are coming over the next couple of weeks, in conjunction with a couple of decent sized cap stacks migrating to high yield will probably lead to some indigestion in the marketplace.” McClain joins Bloomberg Intelligence’s Noel Hebert on the latest Credit Crunch podcast to discuss data-center vs. software issuance, private credit knock-on effects and where to find value in the current market.
The Credit Crunch podcast is part of BI’s FICC Focus series.
“The thesis of AI is very big. It’s probably one of the largest events in at least my lifetime,” says Monroe President Zia Uddin, discussing the creditor concerns about how AI may affect borrowers. “But what ends up happening is everyone kind of throws the baby out with the bathwater.” Uddin joins Bloomberg Intelligence’s Noel Hebert on the latest episode of Credit Crunch to talk about why not all software is created equal when it comes to AI exposure, as well as the benefits of originating deals and having navigated prior cycles when it comes to responding to market volatility. Uddin also discusses the large domestic opportunity, growth areas for the firm, the current interest rate climate, the varied risk profiles of large vs. mid-market lenders and retail vs. institutional needs.
The atmosphere around the Federal Reserve has evolved as Chair Jerome Powell has grown more comfortable in press conferences, even amid legal and political pressure. Michael McKee, Bloomberg News international economics and policy correspondent, joins Ira Jersey, Bloomberg Intelligence chief US interest-rate strategist, and Will Hoffman, BI US and Canadian rates strategist, on this Macro Matters edition of the FICC Focus podcast series to discuss this and other issues. The conversation explores the future of Fed communications, including debate over the SEP and dot plot, whether a Kevin Warsh chairmanship could bring fewer public remarks from officials, and what changes might be realistic for the balance sheet, bank regulation and the Fed’s broader mandate. They also examine dissents at the FOMC, how different types of policymakers adapt once inside the institution, and why this year’s semiannual monetary policy testimony may not occur before Powell leaves office.
“What’s different in private credit versus large broadly syndicated loans is in private credit they’re very focused on the ability to incur additional debt, the ability to distribute assets or distribute money through dividends or otherwise,” says Stephen Boyko, partner and co-founder of Proskauer’s Private Credit Group. “They’re also incredibly concerned about the flexibility of the documents.” Boyko joins Bloomberg Intelligence’s Noel Hebert on the latest episode of the Credit Crunch podcast to discuss the evolution of private credit and private credit documentation, why current headlines are inconsistent with market trends and lender protections. The two also discuss key covenants, the incidence of default and the growing bias toward higher-Ebitda borrowers.
“The theme that we’re seeing a lot of is, do we do the same old LME that we would have done six months ago or a year ago, or should we do more of a comprehensive fixing of the balance sheet once?” says Brian Resnick, a restructuring partner and head of Davis Polk’s Liability Management & Special Opportunities practice, discussing trends in liability management strategies as borrowers prepare for looming 2028 debt maturities. On this episode of the State of Distressed Debt podcast, Resnick joins Bloomberg Intelligence’s Negisa Balluku and Phil Brendel to explore the growing consideration of more aggressive, one-shot deleveraging transactions and the advantages for lenders within the “in-crowd.” They also discuss the implications of banks expanding into private credit, what happens if anti-cooperation language gains traction, and the increasing sophistication of disqualified lender provisions. The podcast was recorded at the 22nd annual Wharton Restructuring & Distressed Investing Conference.
The soaring short-term yields in the UK may be somewhat overdone, says Bloomberg Intelligence European Rates Strategist Huw Worthington on this Macro Matters edition of the FICC Focus podcast series. BI’s US Rates Strategist Ira Jersey and Bloomberg Economics Chief US Economist Anna Wong joined him on a webinar the morning of March 19 to discuss the Federal Reserve, Bank of England, and the European Central Bank meetings and the ramifications for rate markets. The trio also discuss some scenarios that were asked during the live Q&A portion of the webinar, and highlight how oil is currently forcing central banks to rethink inflation forecasts.
The Macro Matters podcast is part of BI’s FICC Focus series.
Emerging market central banks have adopted a hawkish bias following the war-induced oil shock, yet fiscal concerns could weigh on domestic currencies as local governments attempt to mitigate the negative impact of rising energy prices. Cem Karacadag, head of global sovereign debt at Barings, joins Damian Sassower, Bloomberg Intelligence’s chief EM fixed income strategist, on this episode of the EM Lens podcast to assess portfolio risk, country exposure and institutional interest in the wake of the war in Iran. Karacadag and Sassower discuss issues ranging from curve shape and currency volatility to spread resilience and safe-haven positioning.
“We traditionally have turned over about 60% of the portfolio per year,” says AGL Credit Management’s Chief Operating Officer Wynne Comer, discussing the company’s approach to managing collateralized loan obligations. “That’s 30% through prepayments, 30% through active management.” Comer joins Bloomberg Intelligence’s Noel Hebert on the latest episode of the Credit Crunch podcast to discuss the evolution of the CLO market past and present, her transition from banking into asset management, AGL’s extension into private credit and the outlook for continued growth. Comer also explores due diligence, the state of regulation, where bonds play in the CLO market and factoring for AI.
The Credit Crunch podcast is part of BI’s FICC Focus series.
Emerging market governments are implementing extraordinary measures to mitigate the impact of rising energy prices, as the war-induced oil shock stirs stagflation pressures and pushes most asset classes lower. Gustavo Medeiros, head of EM research at Ashmore Group, joins Damian Sassower, Bloomberg Intelligence’s chief EM fixed income strategist on this episode of the EM Lens podcast to assess underlying risks and potential opportunities should the war in Iran endure. Medeiros and Sassower focus on structural factors such as terms of trade and energy price pass-through when discussing the medium-term impact on EM growth and inflation expectations.
The yield curve may continue its steepening trend, with recent flattening just a cyclical retracement, Jason Granet, CIO of BNY says on this Macro Matter’s episode of the FICC Focus podcast series. Granet joins co-hosts Ira Jersey and Will Hoffman of the Bloomberg Intelligence US Interest-Rate Strategy team to discuss the state of the economy, how BNY assesses the outlook and how it thinks about sizing risk. The focus turns to Federal Reserve policy, the Treasury yield curve and funding markets.
The Macro Matters podcast is part of BI’s FICC Focus series.
Credit suffered a software loan wobble and private credit contagion before the war in Iran, but it’s been a safe haven vs. rates and equities since hostilities started. In this Credit Crunch podcast, host Mahesh Bhimalingam, global head of credit strategy at Bloomberg Intelligence and Sarah Harrison, senior portfolio manager at Allspring Global Investments, discuss their prognosis on the war, reflect on how various credit classes fared during the technology supply wave and software wobble and then contrast credit performance with rates and equities since the Iran war began. They also discuss supply and relative value across high grade, high yield and loan markets, along with the road ahead amid this volatility.
The Credit Crunch podcast is part of BI’s FICC Focus series. Listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
“The goal is to set the company up for longer-term success,” explained Rachel Murray, managing director at Moelis & Co. “If we’re solving quarter-to-quarter, you’re probably not investing in the business as you should; there’s distractions for management, it’s putting more pressure on the business, and frankly, probably their peers and competitors are going after their customers and creating noise.” In her conversation (7:40) with Bloomberg Intelligence’s Negisa Balluku and Phil Brendel at the 22nd annual Wharton Restructuring & Distressed Investing Conference, Murray explored how private credit’s growth and heavy dependence on relationships alter the restructuring dynamic, relative to traditional large cap leveraged finance workouts. This episode of the State of Distressed Debt podcast concludes (31:40) with BI’s Noel Hebert joining Negisa and Phil to discuss the latest developments in First Brands, Saks, Multi-Color Corp., Ardagh Group and Serta.
Prediction markets may revolutionize the municipal bond industry by improving credit transparency, trading efficiencies, hedging strategies and portfolio management. On the inaugural episode of the Masters of the Muniverse podcast, MMA founder Tom Doe and Bloomberg Intelligence’s new head of municipal research and strategy, Matthew Gastall, discuss the possibilities and promise of prediction markets. They also explore potential policy actions in regions exposed to the greatest infrastructure and energy risks.
The Masters of the Muniverse podcast is part of BI’s FICC Focus series.
It’s surprising that the Basel III Endgame proposal may raise bank capital requirements 3-7% given that President Donald Trump’s mantra is deregulation, says Nathan Dean, Bloomberg Intelligence senior policy analyst. Dean joins host Ira Jersey, BI’s chief US rates strategist, to discuss the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s stablecoin proposal implementing the Genius Act, along with open questions around rewards, yield and the Clarity Act. They also discuss the state of the Basel III endgame and related proposals that could reshape global systemically important bank capital through 2027, how tariff authority is shifting after a Supreme Court ruling — and why litigation may be the next battleground — and what the November midterms could mean for legislative gridlock, investigations and policy path dependence. There’s also a quick detour to Ira’s World Cup picks.
The Macro Matters podcast is part of BI’s FICC Focus series.
As conflict escalates across the Middle East, the dominant frameworks for reading Iran, its system, its strategy, and its staying power are widely misunderstood.BI's Chief Global Derivatives Strategist Tanvir Sandhu is joined by Professor Anoush Ehteshami, International Relations in the School of Government and International Affairs, Durham University, to examine the geopolitical backdrop and its transmission into financial markets. The podcast is moderated by Karima Fenaoui, BI's Research Content Officer.
The Iran war challenges Bloomberg Intelligence’s early 2026 dollar bear view via two key channels. First, the large-scale risk-off move over the past few sessions has revived the dollar’s safe-haven appeal, reinforcing that in a broad-based flight-to-safety backdrop the greenback comes out stronger. Second, if the recent oil-price surge persists, it could lift global inflation and force markets to rethink expected 2H Fed rate cuts, weakening the yield-driven case for a softer dollar.
In this episode of FX Moment, Bloomberg Intelligence Chief FX Strategist Audrey Childe-Freeman and BI’s Chief Asia FX and Rates Strategist Stephen Chiu discuss how higher oil prices can also support the dollar vs. the euro or yen through the net oil exporter vs. net oil importer dynamic. They also revisit BI’s strong Asia FX convictions from early 2026, including a still-supportive yuan outlook.
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