Curve Your Enthusiasm

Ian is joined by Jeremy Saunders this week, and the co-hosts begin the show discussing the manic week that was. There was not a lot of visibility to the moves in bond and equity markets over the prior few sessions, and Jeremy discusses his view on what was real and what was myth. Ian spends some time talking about the lack of evidence to support a few of the theories that markets are thinking about. The duo spend time talking about the level of interest rates going forward, disagreeing on the most likely direction of longer-term interest rates over the coming weeks. Ian provides his view on what the Bank of Canada is likely to do at their meeting next week, while Jeremy gives an update on his Fed views. The show completes with Ian and Jeremy discussing their favourite expressions of macro themes in the bond market.

In the first episode of 2025, Ian is joined by Aaron Carter from the financing desk to discuss recent adjustments in the short-end. The show begins with the duo discussing the importance of the Bank of Canada's move to change the way monetary policy is implemented, namely moving back into a corridor system. Aaron gives his ‘big picture' view on why this is a real game-changer for CORRA, and his expectations around the evolution of the spread to the target rate. Ian takes time discussing the various administered rates in the Canadian short-end and how to think about the subset of arbitrage opportunities. Aaron finishes the episode by describing the incoming tri-party repo system and how that will interact with monetary policy going forward.

In a very special edition of Curve Your Enthusiasm, Stephen Poloz joins Ian as co-host for this week's episode. The show begins by talking about the outcome of the U.S. presidential election, and what potential trade uncertainty means for the Canadian economy and monetary policy. Stephen spends time talking about the structural underperformance of the Canadian economy relative to other OECD countries, and provides some suggestions on how it could be fixed. The duo discuss R*, and why the actual neutral rate is not moving as fast as markets may think. In the balance of the episode, the duo discusses the impact of higher longer-term interest rates on monetary policy, the role of a flexible exchange rate and, how much the BoC can diverge from the Fed. The show finishes with a discussion on Stephen's new mandate with Canadian pension plans.

Ian is joined by Jeremy Saunders this week, and the duo begin the show discussing the spate of U.S. jobs data last week. Ian discusses the internals of the JOLTS and NFP reports, noting the trend for U.S. labour demand is a negative one. Jeremy opines on his view on the election, and how the best opportunities are to fade recent flattening in the U.S. curve. They take some time to discuss the BoC, noting that recent data provides no confidence the Bank will slow down the cycle anytime soon. Ian outlines his view for a steeper swap-spread curve while Jeremy paints a picture of a flatter one. The pair spend some time talking about the specific tenors of the spread curve, and end the show outlining their favorite trades for the week ahead.

Ian is joined by two guests this week, Paul Beaudry (Professor of Economics at UBC and Former Deputy Governor of the Bank of Canada) and Ali Jaffery from CIBC Economics. The episode begins with Paul giving his view on the 50.0bps cut from FOMC, and what the most recent strong NFP means for the November meeting (hint: 25.0bps not 50.0bps). In contrast, when thinking about the Bank of Canada, Paul outlines his views that the preconditions for getting administered rates to a much lower are setting have been met for Canada, and provides his views for the October meeting (hint: 50.0bps, not 25.0bps). Ian discusses the need for a smaller balance sheet, while Ali gives an update on what higher energy prices mean for the BoC reaction function.

Ian is joined this week by Ali Jaffery in CIBC Economics. The duo begin the episode by taking stock of the intense market volatility seen over the past week, and whether what triggered the moved has a real fundamental basis. Ali discusses the other pockets of strength in the U.S. economy, concluding that the U.S is slowing but not enough to warrant non-standard sized cuts, like 50.0bps. Ian discusses the triggering of the Sahm rule within the context of Okuns Law, and Ali spends time talking about the underlying dynamics of the U.S. labour market. Ian and Ali go back-and-forth on what a faster Fed means for the Bank of Canada, ultimately landing on the view that the Bank can slow down if the Fed is speeding up. Ian finishes the episode discussing his favorite trades, and the implication of what a faster Bank does to 5yr yields, and thus 5yr mortgage rates.

Ian is joined this week by CIBC Capital Markets' Brenden Donaher, Executive Director from the Short Term Interest Rate Trading (STIRT) desk. The show begins with Ian highlighting the three key takeaways from the Bank of Canada rate decision last week. The Bank sounds more dovish and that raises the risk of an easing cycle which takes policy rates below neutral. Brenden provides his view on current expectations from the BoC rate path, comparing and contrasting the distribution to the United States, United Kingdom and Australia. The duo discuss what has worked and what hasn't across the cross-currency curve, and why expectations of BA cessation never materialized in stronger short-end cross-currency pricing. Brenden gives his view on recent BoC actions to contain CORRA, and the pair give an overview of their expectations on the central bank meetings this week and how best to trade them.

Ian is joined this week by CIBC's Senior Economist, Ali Jaffery, and the focal point of the episode is to preview the upcoming Bank of Canada interest rate decision. Ali begins the episode outlining his view on forecast changes, and the likelihood that the Bank shifts from outcome-based guidance to forward-guidance. Ian talks about current market pricing for the BoC relative to the Fed, highlighting why he thinks there is too little priced in mid-2025. The pair do a deep dive on the impact of a 2025 trade war, specifically what it means for global growth and central bank responses. The episode finishes with Ian discussing reasons behind recent CORRA dislocations, and the need for a change in how QT is being managed.

Ian Pollick is joined by Nicholas Neary this week, Managing Director at DV Trading Group. The duo begin the episode by discussing the Bank of Canada interest rate cut, and what the near-term market implications are. Nicholas highlights his view on the threshold for policy divergence, which is considerably larger than most analyst estimates. The pair go on to discuss whether duration markets are safe, and what that means for the likely shape of the term structure. Ian talks about what is needed for the yield curve to sustainably steepen, while also discussing whether interest rate relief is really on the way for key borrowing rates in the economy. Nicholas provides his view on HQLA product, and why the provincial bond curve looks the way it does. The show completes with the pair talking about their favorite trades over the next two months.

Divergence is the most oct-cited narrative when it comes to Canadian macro right now and, for good reason. In this episode, Ian is joined by Andrew Grantham, and the duo begin the episode by dissecting the latest Canadian jobs report. Despite the eye-popping headline number, the reality is that ‘under the hood' there is ample evidence of a labour market that is slowing. Andrew spends time digging into this, and comparing/contrasting to the U.S. labour market. Ian gives his opinion on ‘where' this macro divergence is priced into the bond curve, and provides his favourite trades on this theme. They do a situational analysis on the pace of BoC cuts, and conclude that whenever the Bank starts easing, regardless how far they get ahead of the Fed, the upcoming cycle will be irregular and shallower than most think.

This past week demonstrated the largest amount of macro divergence over the past several years, with one major central bank hiking rates while another cut, at the same time the Fed straddles a dovish and hawkish message. This week, Ian is joined by Ali Jaffery in CIBC Economics, and the duo begin the episode by discussing these events. Ali makes the case that the macro story across developed markets is still linear, and monetary policy is moving to an easing cycle. But how deep that easing cycle will be is the ultimate question, and what it means for the bond market is what Ian tries to unravel. Ian discusses his view on the yield curve, suggesting that a lack of tradeoff between inflation and growth leads to higher longer-term yields for any given level of the overnight rate. Ian goes as far as to call the time of death of the flattener, noting we have firmly moved into a trend steepening cycle. The duo discuss the recent BoC speech on balance sheet normalization, and end the episode opining on the recent BoC Survey of Deliberations and what that means for the timing of the first cut.

Ian is joined by Andrew Grantham this week, and the show begins by discussing why the Canadian economy appears to be growing much faster in Q4 compared to BoC expectations. The impact of previous supply-side restrictions, like the tragic wildfires in 2023 and the port strikes, are starting to filter through the data. This means Canada is seeing low-hanging fruit on the supply side of the economy, which should not have a big impact on inflation. The duo also discuss recent labour market trends in North America, and why conditions look to be less strong under-the-hood. Ian gives an update on CORRA and the eventual QT cessation announcement, focusing on the recent announcement that the Bank will discuss balance sheet normalization at an upcoming speech. The pair tie everything together and discuss the policy path priced by the market, and why it feels too ‘light' given all the risks in the economy.

Ian is joined by Jeremy Saunders and the duo begin the show discussing recent central bank decisions. With four major central banks abandoning their tightening bias, the data has undermined the market reaction by showing a stronger underlying economy. Jeremy talks about the problem with short-end pricing in Canada versus the United States, while Ian shows why US and Canadian inflation is more comparable than meets the eye. Jeremy provides his view on the latest Treasury refunding announcement and the implications on QT, while Ian discusses why recent BoC measures to bring CORRA back to target won't work. The duo spend some time opining on the path of swap spreads, and have a friendly disagreement on whether the belly is cheap or rich in Canada.

Ian is joined this week by Josh Kay, and the show begins with a lookback at the Bank of Canada rate decision this week. Ian walks through the material differences between the statement and the updated forecasts, painting a more dovish outright picture. After talking through the most likely paths for the BoC, the duo discuss which asset class is likely to provide better total returns in 2024, rates versus credit. Josh discusses why credit is turning into a defensive asset class and why it is attractive at current levels, while Ian discusses the relative supply outlook to government bonds. The show finishes with both talking about their favorite trade ideas for the next few weeks.

Ian is joined by Craig Bell this week, and the duo begin the episode discussing the recent cheapening of the cash market relative to swaps. Craig discusses the specific factors in the cash market impacting relative valuations, while Ian provides an update on the fair-value estimates from his swap spread modeling work. The elephant in the room is the Canadian long-end, and the richness of 10s30s and cross market. Ian and Craig spend time discussing how we got here and, what needs to happen for this richness to be remediated. Craig and Ian discuss the upcoming Bank of Canada rate decision, and get into a friendly disagreement about the proximate trigger of rate cuts in 2024.

Ian is joined this week by Mike Larson, and the duo kick off the episode by discussing the elephant in the room – the level of interest rates. Ian discusses the mechanics behind the ungluing of global long-end interest rates, while Mike gives his view on swap spreads. The pair talk about why the level of swap spreads should continue to decline, especially given how much 10yr Canadian rates have underperformed the United States recently. Ian gives his view on the absurdity of trading the ‘higher for longer' and the ‘soft landing' narrative at the same time. The show finishes with Ian and Mike outlining their favorite trades and which positions are the most crowded.

Ian is joined this week by Avery Shenfeld, Chief Economist at CIBC. The duo begin the episode discussing the most recent North American jobs reports, with Avery highlighting why the Fed hasn't yet done enough to cool the hot jobs market. Ian outlines the reasons not to get too wrapped-up in Canada's recent wage gains, while Avery provides his view on the recent increase in the Unemployment Rate. The pair spend some time discussing the outlook for monetary policy, concluding that September is still very much in play for the Bank of Canada despite a string of weaker-than-expected activity data. The show finishes with Ian discussing the recent volatility in global long-bonds.

Ian is joined by Jeremy Saunders this week, and the duo begin the episode discussing the recent bond market selloff. They reach an interesting conclusion early in the episode, highlighting that the ‘way' in which the market is repricing has not been seen in all of 2023. Ian believes the market is pricing-in more inflation and lower growth in longer-dated yields, which Jeremy suggests is a function of where we are in the cycle. Jeremy discusses his view on the upcoming Bank of Canada meeting, while discussing the ‘big' global macro themes and what they mean to the bond market and swap spreads. Ian finishes the episode by opining on recent data from the labour market, and highlights his favorite trades for the week ahead.

Ian is joined by Andrew Grantham, and the duo begin the episode discussing the FOMC rate decision. Andrew lays out the logic behind his forecast for a July and September hike, while Ian walks through the implications for the Bank of Canada. Ian introduces his new bond forecasts and talks about why current market pricing for the Bank and the Fed looks so strange compared to prior cycles. Andrew talks about his economic outlook for 2024 and highlights the upcoming weighting changes for CPI next week.

The big news in Canada is the unexpected heat in the latest batch of CPI numbers. The reacceleration of Canadian prices may see the Bank of Canada respond with an interest rate hike later this summer. In this episode of Curve Your Enthusiasm, Ian is joined by Jonathan Guilford, and the duo begin the episode by taking stock of what happened over the past week. John opines on the ‘why' and the ‘how', while Ian discusses the risks surrounding ongoing repricing to continue. Ian discusses how a single hike from the BoC will not prevent a bond market rally later in the year, while John discusses why the curve is most likely to steepen after the summer. The duo end the episode discussing their favorite trades, and why Jonathan sees continued weakness in the 5yr sector of the curve regardless if the BoC hikes or not.

The most recent Debt Management Strategy (DMS) raised the possibility that the Canada Mortgage Bond (CMB) program may be terminated, and folded into the GoC market. This is an extremely important development to the Canadian fixed income market, and to speak on the potential implications, Ian is joined this week by Gianluca Gargano, Managing Director and Head of Government Credit at CIBC Capital Markets. The show begins with Gianluca framing the conversation outlined in the DMS, and discussing what just happened and why. Ian speaks on other contours of the DMS, in particular what government issuance looks like and how this announcement increases the impact on the belly of the curve. Gianluca spends the balance of the show talking about competing assets to CMBs, and how they may trade given the shocking announcement.

The extreme volatility this week warrants some serious discussion, and Ian is joined by Craig Bell for this episode. The duo begin discussing the rapid series of events that culminated in one of the most volatile days for interest rates since the 1980s. Craig provides his view on what this all means for monetary policy, while Ian introduces two potential shoes left to drop that suggest the coast is not entirely clear yet. The co-hosts spend some time discussing how Canadian interest rate derivatives are handing the benchmark transition towards CORRA, and finish the episode discussing their favorite trades in the weeks ahead.

Ian and Jeremy begin the episode by discussing the FOMC meeting from last week. Jeremy spends some time dissecting the disinflationary narrative used by Chairman Powell, while Ian discusses the extremely strong data which came out after the meeting. The duo do a victory lap as many of the trading themes discussed in the prior episode ended up working quite well, and the co-hosts discuss the driving forces of markets in an otherwise quiet week ahead. Ian discusses why the front-end of Canada remains very vulnerable to a repricing higher, while in the balance of the show the pair discuss why easing is priced the way it is for 2024 and what that means for long rates.

The first CYE episode of 2023 sees Ian joined by Jeremy Saunders, and the conversation starts with a discussion on global macro shifts. Stronger global growth outside the United States is an unexpected development, and the duo discuss what it means for global bond yields. Jeremy asks why the BoC spent so much optionality so early into the year, while Ian talks about the market implications of a conditional pause. The duo agree that spreads look toppy, though they disagree on whether or not market pricing for eases can realistically move from 2023 to 2024. The episode ends with both Ian and Jeremy speaking about their favorite near-term trades

Ian is joined this week by Brenden Donaher, and the duo begin the episode by discussing Bank of Canada pricing for the upcoming meeting. Ian walks through various scenarios around the meeting, and Brenden provides his view on what that means for 2023 pricing. Brenden introduces the idea that the USD still remains the most important factor driving Canadian short-end pricing, despite some idiosyncratic developments which will occur next year. Ian spends some time walking through his outlook for rates in 2023, while Brenden provides his view on the year-end turn as well as the reasons why CDOR-OIS looks too cheap compared to spot pricing.

Ian and Andrew discuss their expectations for the Bank of Canada interest rate decision next week. The duo walk through the reasons why the Bank will need to hike by another 75.0bps next week, and look at the most likely path of short-rates over the rest of the year. Ian talks about his favorite trades going into the release, noting that the forward expectations for BoC policy are too flat. Andrew spends some time detailing his expectation of forecast changes in the MPR, while the pair spend time talking about the impact that a weaker Canadian dollar has on both CPI and the stance of policy.

Ian is joined by Jeremy Saunders this week, and the duo begin the episode discussing the Bank of Canada rate decision this past week. Jeremy discusses his view on terminal rates becoming more ‘bounded', while Ian introduces the concept of a higher lower bound. Both have profound implications for the shape of the yield curve compared to prior cycles. The hosts take some time to walk through what trades worked well for them recently, and discuss the outlook for 5yr swap spreads. The pair finish the show by talking about why the Canadian dollar might just be the biggest swing factor when it comes a higher Canadian terminal rate.

Ian and Andrew discuss the latest Canadian GDP numbers, noting how the deceleration in growth is coming from all the ‘wrong' places when it comes to slowing inflation. Ian talks about how slowing growth impacts the yield curve, noting the differences between slowing from an above potential to a below potential rate. Andrew shares his view on the Bank of Canada rate decision next week, and provides the reasons why he thinks this is the final hike of the current cycle. The duo discuss what ‘higher for longer' means, and the implications to how low policy rates can be cut in the next recession and why longer-term yields will be higher than most think.

Ian is joined this week by Josh Kay, and the duo kick-off the episode discussing the Bank of Canada. With a 75 bps hike all but set in stone, the question is what should their next move be and should this matter given what is currently priced? Ian discusses his view on the ‘noncession/recession' which will be challenging to trade, while Josh provides his view on what the move in rates means for credit markets. Josh discusses why credit outflows create opportunity for structural credit investors, and provides his view on sector trends in CAD IG. Ian finishes the show by given his outlook for rates and the curve.

Ian is joined this week by Jeremy Saunders, and the duo start the episode by looking at the shape of the Canada and U.S. yield curves relative to what is priced for monetary policy in each region. Ian discusses why he views the recent bond market rally to be technical, while Jeremy provides his take on why it has been more fundamentally based. Over the balance of the episode the team discuss the outlook for swap spreads, the inflection point for a Fed pivot, and why CDOR cessation should a much less uncertain transition compared to the U.S. experience with LIBOR.

Ian is joined this week by Paul Jenkin, and the duo kick-off the episode discussing their take of the FOMC meeting. The largest hike from the Fed since the mid-90s didn't come entirely as expected, with a hawkish set of forecasts pitted against a dovish press conference. Paul discusses the reasons he expects policy rates to set higher than current market pricing, and what that means for bank portfolio behavior. The pair spend some time discussing asset-swap valuations, and what lower housing may mean for funding markets. Paul finishes the episode by providing his view on provincial spread valuations.

Ian and Andrew start the episode by discussing Friday's data deluge, particularly the red-hot inflation reading in the United States. Andrew talks about the implications for Canada based on the drivers of U.S. CPI strength, noting that both the near-term peak and the end-of-year resting spot have now increased. The duo spend a lot of time talking about the options for the Bank of Canada, and introduce CIBC's new forecasts for the target rate, which is higher as a result of the data. Ian talks about why CAD rates have been underperforming of late, and why he likes being long cross-market now. Andrew finishes the episode by looking at the odd type of recession he believes could transpire if rates are risen too high.

The scorching hot CPI report has created yet another shock for the market, and the probability of an even more ‘forceful' response from the Bank of Canada seems warranted. In this episode, Ian and Andrew do a deep dive on the latest report and talk about the many methodology adjustments StatsCan is making to the basket. The co-hosts take some time to go over the new forecasts presented in the MPR from last week, and unveil CIBC's new policy forecast. Ian discusses why back-end rates underperformed recently, as well as some of the risks to the Bank's QT implementation.

In the 50th episode of Curve Your Enthusiasm, Ian and Andrew begin the show discussing the strength in the recent Canadian GDP numbers. Ian talks about data sensitivity and the bond market, while Andrew highlights why he thinks the path to terminal matters. The co-hosts both outline why they think the Fed is more likely to take short-run terminal above long-run neutral, and Andrew discusses the work he is doing on Canadian NAIRU. The proximity to the federal budget sparks a conversation with the duo, and Ian outlines his expectations for bond issuance in the year-ahead.

The Bank of Canada (BoC) hiked interest rates for the first time since 2018, and the episode begins with a dissection of the statement. This week, Ian is joined by Andrew Grantham, Senior Economist in CIBC Economics. Once the pair establish what was surprising from the BoC, they spend some time discussing why C$100.0 oil in 2022 has a different impact than C$100.0 oil in 2014. Andrew discusses his upside view on inflation, while also discussing the latest trends in provincial economics. Ian and Andrew spend some time talking about what impacts terminal rates, and ultimately agree to disagree.

Ian is joined this week by Josh Kay, and the duo begin the episode talking about the benefits, and dangers, of a non-standard sized hike. Ian discusses the required trade off between a higher terminal rate and a faster pace of hikes and why the curve is currently ‘trapped'. Josh spends some time discussing how credit markets are reacting to higher interest rates, while also taking a look back at recent Canadian credit performance. The pair finish the episode talking about portfolio construction and whether or not credit spreads have already reached the lows for the year.

On this episode of CYE, Ian and Nick begin this episode discussing whether or not markets are priced for peak macro conditions. Ian talks about the importance of the BoE and ECB meetings on the global stock of negative yielding debt, and how that dynamic may interrupt traditional flattening trends into a hiking cycle. Nick discuss productivity trends within the context of where the market is pricing-in terminal policy rates in North America, while Ian gives a highlight on what to expect from Governor Macklem's speech this week. The pair end the episode by looking at the long-end of the curve.

Ian is joined this week by Jeremy Saunders from CIBCs XVA trading group. The duo kick-off the episode by discussing the Bank of Canada and Fed meeting this week, looking at the primary reasons why the Bank decided to delay the first hike until March. Jeremy discusses the importance of preserving forward guidance as a policy tool, and contrasts the messaging between the two post-meeting press conferences. Ian provides his view on the BoC balance sheet, and unveils the firms new central bank and interest rate forecasts. Jeremy throws cold water on the short 2yr swap spread narrative, and provides his favorite trades for the next few weeks. The pair finish the episode by looking at the difference between terminal and neutral rates in North America, and discuss the implications for longer-term forward rates.

Ian is joined this week by Craig Bell, and the duo cover a lot of ground heading into the Bank of Canada interest rate decision next week. The episode begins with an in-depth discussion on why the Bank can credibly delay rate hikes in January. Craig goes on to discusses the path ahead for swap spreads, while Ian spends some time walking through what balance-sheet rolloff will look like in Canada, and why it isn't as big a deal for the bond market as in the United States. The co-hosts spend some time discussing the misalignment in the front-end of the CAD curve, and Craig provides his favorite trading expressions over the next week.

Ian is on the hunt for a new co-host, and is joined this week by Nick Exarhos to discuss a host of themes that matter right now for the bond market. The duo begin their discussion on what quantitative tightening (QT) would look like from the Bank of Canada, and the key differences we should expect relative to the Fed. Nick discusses the impact of fiscal drag in the United States on the growth outlook, and questions whether excess savings is enough offset the slowdown. Ian spends some time talking about the upcoming BoC MPR and why he doesn't believe the Bank will hike rates this month. The pair discuss the evolution of the curve and have a friendly disagreement on the level of provincial spreads.

In the final episode of 2021, Ian & Royce discuss the widened uncertainty related to new COVID variants. Royce discusses his view on the recent Canadian data, both GDP & jobs, while Ian opines on the potential for the Bank of Canada to deliver earlier-than-expected rate hikes. The two hosts go back-and-forth about the most optimal policy sequencing, specifically whether or not central bankers should shrink balance sheets before delivering rate hikes. The potential for yield-curve inversion is growing, and that may ultimately harm the recovery. Royce finishes the show by discussing how falling energy prices will matter going forward for U.S. inflation.

Ian & Royce begin the episode this week discussing the most recent Labour Force Survey. They conclude that while the economy has reached a milestone in recovering all of the jobs lost during the pandemic, that's not a sign of “mission accomplished”. Ian then takes a deep breath and speaks about the recent move in Canadian short rates, and why the profile for the Bank of Canada has been so aggressively repriced in the past week. Royce agrees, and walks us through his view on the upcoming Bank of Canada announcement, while Ian throws in a surprise by noting that he doesn't believe the Bank will enter the reinvestment phase this month. The duo finish off the episode by touching on inflation and what the positive terms-of-trade shock does and doesn't mean for Canada.

The recent increase in COVID-19 cases is showing up in the data in different ways, in different regions. Royce describes why inflation surprises shouldn't be taken at face value, while growth surprises aren't as concerning as the bond market is suggesting. Ian walks through his expectation for the FOMC meeting next week, and provides a framework for thinking about how the Fed's taper will impact bond yields. Both Ian and Royce do a deeper dive on the recent communications from the Bank of Canada, and discuss why quantitative-tightening (QT) is an elegant solution for the BoC in the coming hiking cycle.

Royce and Ian take stock of the recent FOMC meeting, and discuss what new information they heard from the Fed.  Royce explains the key drivers of inflation differentials between Canada and the United States, while Ian vents his frustration over the lack of response in the bond market.  The new repo facilities are discussed within the context of how the sequencing of QE impacts the timing of U.S. rate hikes, and both Ian and Royce opine on what that means for the Bank of Canada.

Royce and Ian take the pulse of the reflation trade. Ian discusses the reasons that some investors are calling the trade dead. Royce talks about why the base case economic outlook remains bright for North America, despite some downside risks that are on the rise. They close the podcast by discussing the expected path for the Bank of Canada's balance sheet.

Royce and Ian dissect the recent US Federal Reserve meeting, calling it a reality check for the central bank. Royce talks about why the hawkish move makes Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem's life a lot easier. Ian then analyses the market reaction and how trading reflation has changed post-meeting. Royce and Ian debate transitory versus persistent inflationary pressures and talk about how that will affect fixed income pricing. Ian also convinces Royce to roll over their friendly wager on economic data.

Ian and Royce take stock of the divergence between strong inflationary signals and a bond market that just won't stop rallying. And keeping with the theme of divergence, Royce discusses why the compositional differences of the Fed and Bank of Canada's policy framework is contributing to perceived BoC hawkishness, noting too that AIT is creating too much uncertainty. The co-hosts also dissect the contents of the BoC meeting this week, and the Economic Update speech from Deputy Governor Tim Lane. As well, Royce and Ian decide to roll over their Canadian CPI bet.

Royce and Ian are back together after a few weeks off to dissect all of the conflicting economic data releases in the US. Royce talks about how some of the growing pains south of the border might be a precursor to future developments in Canada. Ian gives a rundown of how investors are digesting all of this new information, and flags some potential catalysts for market volatility in the coming months. The episode closes with Royce discussing new research on the neutral rate in Canada, which suggests that the economy might need rates to eventually rise higher than the Bank of Canada thinks and at a faster pace than the market is now pricing in.

Ian and Royce discuss what calls they got right and what surprised them in this week's Federal Budget and Bank of Canada announcement. They give their views on which central bank's outlook is more likely to be realized between the Bank of Canada and the US Federal Reserve. Ian discusses how the expected supply in the Government of Canada bond market this year will interact with the central bank's tapering plans. Royce talks about why market pricing for the terminal rate in Canada might not actually be that aggressive.

Royce and Ian discuss whether something is ‘off' in the recent jobs data, questioning whether the seasonal adjustment process has broken-down. Royce provides his view on what to expect in Budget '21 next week, while Ian looks ahead to the BoC rate-decision and the likelihood that a taper is announced.

Royce and Ian discuss the latest Fed announcement and how some of the accompanying projections seemed inconsistent with others. They talk about why the new forecasts could be subject to more change than usual, and how that fits in with the Fed's new reaction function. They conclude that this leaves more room for markets to ‘fight the Fed' dot-plot than in the previous cycle. The conversation then moves on to an analysis of the relative timing and magnitude of Bank of Canada and Fed rate hikes priced into markets. Royce asks Ian whether he expects any hints about BoC tapering from Deputy Governor Gravelle in next week's speech. Ian closes the show with a final question about Canada's housing market, seemingly unrelated to the rest of the episode.