FICC Focus

The Federal Reserve may cut faster and to a lower interest rate then the market is pricing, Bloomberg Intelligence Chief US Interest Rate Strategist Ira Jersey says on this Macro Matters edition of the FICC Focus podcast series. Jersey flies solo on this episode, discussing his takeaways from the June FOMC meeting, his view on the timing and pace of rate cuts and what it would mean for the Treasury yield curve.

As cross-asset volatility resets following peak tariff fear, the geopolitical risk premium in the oil options market has moved higher. In this edition of the All Options Considered podcast, Bloomberg Intelligence's Chief Global Derivatives Strategist Tanvir Sandhu is joined by Matt King, founder of Satori Insights, to discuss the impact of changes in central-bank reserves, liquidity and flows on markets.

“We are sourcing, identifying misunderstood, high-quality middle-market companies where we have a real edge...,” said Sandor Hau, Managing Director & President, Credit, at Charlesbank, who oversees the company's opportunistic credit investment team. Hau joined Bloomberg Intelligence's Noel Hebert on the latest episode of the Credit Crunch podcast to discuss cutting teeth on the ground in the Asian financial crisis, missing out on the dot.com boom, a private equity approach to credit investing and tradeoffs between primary- and secondary-market investments. He also spoke about valuing heritage, leveraging learnings across the firm and portfolio companies and much more. The Credit Crunch podcast is part of BI's FICC Focus series.

Sentiment is improving across the emerging-market investment landscape, but it takes local expertise to manage risk and crystallize returns. Thea Jamison, Founder and Managing Director of Change Global Investment, joins Bloomberg Intelligence Chief Emerging Markets Credit Strategist Damian Sassower to break down the opportunities and risks facing emerging-market equity practitioners across the globe. Jamison and Sassower touch on performance dispersion, market catalysts and idiosyncratic opportunities across a broad range of EM countries, from Greece and Poland to Nigeria and Vietnam. The EM Lens podcast is part of BI's FICC Focus series.

"If you've got [a company] that just doesn't have a logical strategic long-term owner or the industry's consolidated in a way that nobody can regulatorily do it, you're buying into a problem...And so we try to be very thoughtful about that coming in. And sometimes that means you can't do a deal. Sometimes that means you have to do it even cheaper to account for a discount on the backend too."David Geenberg, Head of Strategic Value Partners' North American Investment Team, explained to BI's Noel Hebert and Phil Brendel why contemplating exit strategies up front is part of SVP's investment process. Geenberg detailed how SVP's global investment team blends complementing skill sets to help it tackle all facets of its portfolio companies' investment cycle, including sourcing paper, restructuring, litigation, identifying corporate leaders, M&A, and strategic planning (6:25). Prior to that, BI's Noel Hebert and Phil discussed the return of risk appetite in May as tariffs were reeled back. The podcast concludes with BI's Negisa Balluku joining them for a roundtable discussion on Hertz, Serta, Azul, Sunnova, and WeightWatchers (1:12:45).

This week we're talking economics and finances of the world's game with professor, author and podcaster Kieran Maguire of University of Liverpool. (We apologize in advance for those who thought this show was about gridiron football, but with the Club World Cup beginning June 14, we thought it would be interesting to discuss football/soccer finance and some economic implications of the 2026 World Cup in North America.) Maguire joins Macro Matters podcast host Ira Jersey, Bloomberg Intelligence's chief US rates strategist, and Business of Sports co-host and EM Lens host Damian Sassower, BI's chief emerging market fixed income strategist. The group discusses football club valuations, the economic benefits (or pitfalls) of hosting the World Cup, and how clubs used debt to finance player transfers and club operations. The Macro Matters podcast is part of BI's FICC Focus series.

Credit globally recovered to nearly where it was as trade tensions eased, with various trade deals or tariff pauses while rate cuts are priced for central banks, especially the ECB and BOE but not the Fed. The big question is how to play credit after this recovery. In this episode of our Credit Crunch podcast, Mahesh Bhimalingam, Global Head of Credit Strategy at Bloomberg Intelligence, and Craig Scordellis, CIO of Credit at CQS UK, discuss how alternative credit and leveraged finance offer opportunities after the spread rally. They discuss tariffs, their effect on global inflation and currencies, central bank policy and outlook, state of credit fundamentals and default views for the next year across Europe and the US.

“I'm an entrepreneur, I'm a capitalist. I love growth, I love to back entrepreneurs,” said Ted Koenig, founder, chairman and CEO of Monroe Capital, on how he sees the firm's expansion to over $20 billion in assets under management from its founding in 2004. Koenig joins Bloomberg Intelligence's Noel Hebert and Sam Geier on this episode of Credit Crunch podcast to discuss the company's founding, attracting capital, identifying partners for growth and the market landscape. The three talk about diversification and CLOs, how big is too big and giving back to the community.

The structural dollar bearish case is holding into 2H, though fiscal considerations are what dollar bears may lean on going forward after  being driven mainly by tariff uncertainty and the impact on the de-dollarization narrative. Bloomberg Intelligence's Chief G10FX Strategist Audrey Childe-Freeman talks to Stuart Paul, US and Canada economist at Bloomberg Economics, about the US debt dynamics and how the fiscal outlook could shape and drive the dollar view into 2H. Stuart and Audrey also touch on the narrow path to a potential dollar recovery via short-term cyclical dynamics should the US economy prove more resilient than expected. This isn't Bloomberg Intelligence's central working assumption, but it's a scenario worth acknowledging.

“I'm just waiting for the T-bill tsunami to come, and it can't come soon enough,” says Sue Hill, senior portfolio manager and head of the Government Liquidity Group at Federated Hermes. Hill joins Macro Matters hosts Ira Jersey, Bloomberg Intelligence chief US rates strategist, and Will Hoffman, BI's senior associate US-Canada rates strategist, to discuss the state of the money-market complex amid debt-ceiling-induced supply scarcity. The trio examine the limits and nuances of alternative liquidity-management wrappers, where individual needs and mandates dominate asset compositions. They discuss the debt ceiling, and how her team manages allocation decisions around low but non-zero default risks, as well as unattractive yields relative to alternatives. Also addressed was how the Federal Reserve's RRP facility may have a permanent home as part of the money fund ecosystem, and the industry's slow but steady push toward central clearing as the mid-2027 deadline inches closer.

Commercial real estate lending remains highly sensitive to US interest rates, yet it also offers a much wider complexity premium than competing fixed income asset classes, with potential for outsized investor returns. Robin Potts, chief investment officer of Real Estate at Canyon Partners, joins BI chief fixed income strategist Damian Sassower to discuss her firm's approach to risk management, recovery mechanisms, loan origination and product evolution. Potts and Sassower discuss financing structures, liquidity trends, operating expenses and the broader landscape for institutional capital.

Market uncertainty can create its own opportunity, and when it comes to investing, “rules are meant to be broken in terms of finding attractive situations.” That's according to Jeffrey Kivitz, chief investment officer for Canyon Capital Advisors, who joins Bloomberg Intelligence's Noel Hebert and Sam Geier on this episode of Credit Crunch to discuss the firm's approach to distressed and opportunistic credit. We talk about pricing risk amid uncertainty, solving for borrower needs, why the ingredients may be in place to see and more traditional, elongated credit cycle, and much more.  The Credit Crunch podcast is part of BI's FICC Focus series.

Municipal bonds scored a win in President Donald Trump's “big, beautiful bill” passed by the House earlier this week. They didn't lose tax-exempt status, though the bill now moves to the Senate, where it can be changed and sent back to the House for another vote. BI analysts Eric Kazatsky and Karen Altamirano are joined by BI tax analyst Andrew Silverman and BI policy analyst Nathan Dean to discuss the legislation. The team discusses the legislation's impact on the tax-exempt municipal market, federal spending and the bond market's signaling of displeasure with deficits. 

“I think ultimately the bond market is the disciplinarian for fiscal policymakers” says Mike Medeiros, macro strategist at Wellington Management. Medeiros joins Macro Matters hosts Ira Jersey, Bloomberg Intelligence chief US rates strategist, and Will Hoffman, BI's senior associate US-Canada rates strategist, to discuss all things US and Canadian rates. The trio has one foot on each side of the border on this episode, unpacking the recent bond-market moves and their drivers. They cover the developing state of fiscal budgets and potential stimulative impacts on these economies, as well where monetary policy and yield curves may be headed as price-sensitive investors demand additional premium for long-dated sovereign debt. The Macro Matters podcast is part of BI's FICC Focus series.

“The cat-and-mouse game will continue,” says Scott Greenberg, the global chair of Gibson Dunn's Business Restructuring and Reorganization Practice Group, referring to sponsors using “sneaky” nondisclosure agreements and anti-cooperation provisions to combat lender coordination in “three-dimensional” liability management. In a conversation with Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Negisa Balluku at Beard Group's Distressed Investing Media Night, Greenberg discussed his extensive involvement in the evolution of cooperation agreements, the flexibility of larger lenders with “more skin in the game,” and drawbacks of organizing too early. He also delved into the impact of reputational risk in the enforceability of co-ops, cultural differences that influence lender dynamics in European and US markets and his definition of “success” in liability management. The conversation took place on May 6. The State of Distressed Debt podcast is part of BI's FICC Focus series.

Credit recovered from the tariff rout with trade war easing with many deals across US, China and UK while the new government takes shape in Germany and rate cuts priced for central banks - especially the ECB and BOE - adding momentum. The big question is whether this strength will continue? In this episode of our Credit Crunch podcast, Mahesh Bhimalingam, Global Head of Credit Strategy at Bloomberg Intelligence, and Amir Fergani, Head of Credit LDI at Generali Asset Management, discuss tariffs, fiscal policies German and French politics and their effect on inflation, growth and central bank policy, the dollar weakness and its impact on global credit and the challenges of taking a directional view after big rates moves.

Carronade Capital Management Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer Dan Gropper expects the US to be in for a “rough ride.” “If I were today sitting on the board of a major corporation, I'm not sure I'd build my new factory or start a new division or open 14 new restaurants. You'd want to know what's going to happen with the economy. And so even the uncertainty without the second- and third-order effects that can and will occur from tariffs, even before that happens, I think you're already seeing people starting to pull back,” said Gropper, when he joined Bloomberg Intelligence's Phil Brendel at the Beard Group's Distressed Investment Media Night on May 6. He detailed his firm's investment approach, which is rooted in deep distressed investing experience and a collaborative DNA (6:35). Prior to that, BI's Noel Hebert and Brendel discussed the sharp widening of spreads in the energy sector and credit's gloomy outlook. The podcast concludes with BI's Negisa Balluku joining them for a roundtable discussion on Serta, Hertz, GOL, Incora, Ardagh, CommScope, WW International and Rite Aid (28:20).

Andy Constan, chief investment officer of Damped Spring Advisors, said a combination of potential expenditure cuts, which he estimates at around $300 billion per year, represents the largest fiscal tightening of his lifetime. Constan joins Bloomberg Intelligence's Ira Jersey, chief US strategist, and Will Hoffman, US/CAD senior rates strategy associate, on this episode of Macro Matters to discuss all things interest rates. They talk about some of the biggest bond market myths as well as the path forward for the Fed's balance sheet as quantitative tightening downshifted into low gear. The trio also discuss the likelihood for shifts in Treasury issuance as well as where monetary policy and bond yields may be headed. The Macro Matters podcast is part of BI's FICC Focus series.

Bitcoin's volatility (currently 40%) is declining as adoption increases and the options market expands. In this edition of All Options Considered, Bloomberg Intelligence Chief Global Derivatives Strategist Tanvir Sandhu is joined by Dan Tapiero, founder and CEO of 10T Holdings and 1RoundTable Partners, to discuss how to navigate volatility in digital assets.

There's a case to argue that peak tariff headlines negativity is behind for Canada and that can be associated with improved fortunes for the currency. In this episode of FX Moment, BI's Chief G10 FX Strategist Audrey Childe-Freeman talks to Jeremy Stretch, Chief International Strategist at CIBC World Markets, about Canada's economic and political dynamics, for a Canadian dollar focus episode. The Bank of Canada will probably end up being more dovish than expected in 2025, but it isn't alone and combined with more expansionary yet credible fiscal dynamics under Mark Carney's leadership, that should all help the growth narrative and the currency. Jeremy and Audrey also discuss the longer-term increased Canadian dollar appeal in a context of de-dollarization and global reserves diversification strategies.

Though we've covered the coming (and in some ways already here) technology revolution for the municipal space in many prior episodes, our latest focuses more on the practical application of Artificial Intelligence. In other discussions with vendors, AI has been used to help scale businesses to prime them for growth. In this instance, AI is being used to hopefully generate alpha and provide an edge to the market. In this episode of Masters of the Muniverse, Eugene Grinberg, CEO and co-founder of SOLVE, joins Bloomberg Intelligence's Eric Kazatsky and Karen Altamirano. 

Tariff-induced uncertainty has rapidly altered the cost of capital for companies across all sectors, with potential for wider spreads to persist. Carlos Mendez, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Crayhill Capital Management, joins Bloomberg Intelligence's Noel Hebert and Sam Geier on this episode of Credit Crunch to dive into the firm's focus on commercial finance and renewable infrastructure asset-based lending, and the insulation its defensive approach provides. We discuss Crayhill's recently announced oversubscribed fund, market dislocations and private credit competition, along with technological adoption and tools for dealing with stress.

The dollar and equity markets remain expensive even after the recent declines, says Sonal Desai, chief investment officer for Franklin Templeton Fixed Income, on this Macro Matters edition of the FICC Focus podcast. Desai joins host and BI chief US rates strategist Ira Jersey and associate North American rates strategist Will Hoffman for a discussion about the recent extreme volatility. She thinks focusing on the broader economic outlook and market valuations is a way to stay focused on longer-term returns. Desai examines why the dollar isn't likely to lose its reserve-currency status.  The Macro Matters podcast is part of BI's FICC Focus series.

“I don't think that we've seen the full potential of these deals. What we're going to see … in the coming years [is] sponsors and companies actually needing to execute on these third-party deals,” says Natasha Tsiouris, a partner at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, about keeping the threat of the “deal away” alive in evolving liability management transactions. Tsiouris, in a conversation with Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Negisa Balluku and Phil Brendel at the Wharton Restructuring & Distressed Investing Conference, shared her perspective on the future of liability management, the mounting pressures on the “deal away,” the shift toward lender consensus and the arrival of private credit restructurings.  The State of Distressed Debt podcast is part of BI's FICC Focus series.

Wide intraday-trading ranges across markets highlight risks on the downside and sensitivity to any positive news on the upside. In this edition of the All Options Considered podcast, Tanvir Sandhu, Bloomberg Intelligence's chief global derivatives strategist, discusses tariff-led cross-asset volatility. Measures of equity convexity have spiked and spot-volatility reactivity has increased. Rates volatility has surged, but it's still below 2022-23 hike-cycle levels.

Building relationships is fundamental to turning around middle-market companies, according to SierraConstellation Partners (SCP) Founder and CEO Lawrence Perkins, as employees are “in the center of the bullseye [and] doing the work every day, taking the calls from the vendors, taking the calls from the analyst, the private equity sponsor...the direct lender.” In his feature interview with Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Noel Hebert and Phil Brendel (7:36), Perkins shares he's encountering more “distressed by accident” lenders these days, courtesy of the private credit boom, than the “distressed on purpose” ilk. He delves into the differences between Chapter 11, Article 9 sales, and Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors (“ABC”). Prior to that, Hebert and Brendel open up with thoughts on April's market whiplash. The podcast concludes with BI's Negisa Balluku joining them for a roundtable discussion on Hertz, J&J, Ardagh, Franchise Group, Yellow Corp and Telesat (67:28). Links mentioned in the podcast: https://www.distressedinvestingconference.com/media-night.html

Given inflation may be a feature of economy in the coming years, real estate and public infrastructure may be places for investors to consider, saysSeema Shah, chief global strategist for Principal Asset Management. On this Macro Matters edition of the FICC Focus podcast, Shah joins host and BI chief US rates strategistIra Jerseyto discuss investment ideas and regions in the midst of market volatility stemming from the tariff war.

The mortgage market may be on the brink of major transformation amid freshly implemented tariffs, proposed deregulation and the potential privatization of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. In this episode of Credit Crunch, Bloomberg Intelligence's Noel Hebert and Sam Geier are joined by Deepak Narula, founder and co-chief investment officer of Metacapital Management, to explore emerging opportunities in mortgage-backed securities (MBS). They discuss the negative convexity profile for the asset class, prepayment impacts, stagflation scenarios, utilizing machine learning models, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac going private and more.

Global markets are struggling to digest the unprecedented economic and financial stability challenges posed by an all-out trade war. Dr.Fabio Natalucci, CEO of the Andersen Institute for Finance & Economics, joins Bloomberg Intelligence's Damian Sassower, chief emerging market fixed income strategist, to break down his growth and inflation outlook for developed and emerging markets across the globe. Natalucci and Sassower touch on issues ranging from central bank stimulus and de-dollarization to the risks posed by private credit and shadow banking.

High yield had good first quarter gains with default rates low but cracks started developing in March even before Liberation day which led to a substantial rout with spreads selling off at record speeds. Will 2Q be a huge loss or will there be a turnaround and why? Mahesh Bhimalingam, Bloomberg Intelligence's Global Head of Credit Strategy, discusses the results of the BI 2Q25 High Yield Investor Survey, along with the market outlook, with Per Wehrmann, Head of European high yield at DWS Investments GmBH. The podcast covers investor positioning, sentiment, key return drivers, default and supply forecasts and relative-value across asset class (high grade vs. junk), geography (Europe vs. US), ratings and sector.

Copper and uranium may be well-positioned as economies seek to balance energy needs against social demands. Oskar Lewnowski, Founder and Group CEO of Orion Resource Partners, joins Bloomberg Intelligence's Noel Hebert and Rob Barnett on the latest episode of the Credit Crunch podcast to discuss supply-demand dynamics across the commodity landscape, themes (including energy and technology) incentivizing new investment and the structural positioning of various minerals. They also explore funding the construction phase of new mines, investment horizons, the geopolitical climate and the alliance between environmental and mining interests.

The risk to bondholders is that the 2% inflation target becomes unbearable for the Fed, says Jim Grant, founder of Grant's Interest Rate Observer. Grant is joined by Bloomberg Intelligence's chief US rates strategist Ira Jersey and senior US and Canada rates-strategy associate, Will Hoffman to discuss the outlook for US financial markets following a sweeping US tariff announcement. The trio discuss the rise of economic uncertainty and the extent to which recession risk may be priced in markets. They also unpack the role of US exceptionalism and persistent goods disinflation in the context of long-term market trends and how it may shift in a world leaning away from free trade. The Macro Matters podcast is part of BI's FICC Focus series.

It may be all about US tariffs in early 2Q, with the April 2 US tariff announcements and possible retaliation from trading partners risking to entertain increased risk aversion, which bodes well with our bullish view for defensive FX such as the yen. In this episode of FX Moment, Bloomberg Intelligence's chief G-10 FX strategist Audrey Childe-Freeman talks to Bloomberg Economics Chief Trade and Climate Economist, Maeva Cousin, about what tariffs are in place already, what may come next and what are the likely implications - growth and inflation - for the US economy and its key trading partners. In particular, Maeva shares her latest model findings and how the long list of US grievances with the international trade system could turn into hefty tariff hikes and a sizable stagflation risk for the US.

Real estate private credit is uniquely positioned amid the recent wave of loan maturities and reduction in bank capital. Ricardo Gennari, managing director and head of US Real Estate Credit at Leste Group, joins Damian Sassower, Bloomberg Intelligence's chief fixed-income strategist, to discuss his firm's approach to loan origination, liquidity maintenance and portfolio management. Gennari and Sassower assess the potential for alpha generation in real estate private credit, from traditional office and multifamily to data centers and self-storage.

Factor-driven, trend and pure alpha are among the sleeves within systematic investing that can fuel returns. Jeffrey Rosenberg, managing director and senior portfolio manager for BlackRock Systematic, has spent years identifying and mining such returns. He joins Bloomberg Intelligence's Noel Hebert on Credit Crunch to discuss the evolution of systematic investing, defensive alpha, the opportunity in high-dispersion markets, the evolving microstructure of credit and BlackRock's “glass box” approach. That and more in this latest episode. Credit Crunch is part of the FICC Focus podcast series.

There has been growth in the product offering in the crypto options market, which often has a right-tail skew and exhibits spot-up, vol-up dynamics. This edition of All Options Considered is the recording of part of the Bloomberg Volatility Forum 2025 held in London on March 18. The panel discussion on the crypto adoption curve was moderated by Anna Edwards, Boomberg News' Anchor, with Carol Alexander, Professor of Finance, University of Sussex and Exponential Science Foundation, Catherine Clay, Global Head of Derivatives, Cboe Global Markets, and James Harris, CCO, Zodia Custody.

A comfortable environment of US exceptionalism has been replaced by noise around tariff risks, the EU's fiscal bazooka and US policy pivots, which has supported cross-asset volatility. This edition of All Options Considered is the recording of part of the Bloomberg Volatility Forum 2025 held in London on March 18. Bloomberg Intelligence's chief global derivatives strategist Tanvir Sandhu gave an opening speech on macro and volatility across markets. A panel discussion on the options market was moderated by Noel Hebert, BI's global director of FICC strategy, with Dennis Davitt, CEO at Millbank Dartmoor Portsmouth, Pierre-Henri de Monts de Savasse, senior portfolio manager at RBC BlueBay and Pierre de Saab, Former Partner at Dominice & Co Asset Management.

With municipal bond exemptions potentially endangered and credit risks on the horizon, some may consider this to be a transformational time in the muni market. This month we welcome Patrick Haskell, managing director and head of the Municipal Bond Group at BlackRock, to discuss why he thinks it's a “generational opportunity to capture income” within the muni market. In this Masters of the Muniverse podcast, hosts and Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Eric Kazatsky and Karen Altamirano talk with Haskell about the opportunities in high yield, the rise of active ETFs and the outlook for munis amid the backdrop of tax-policy uncertainties.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell rehabilitated the word “transitory” and injected it into our understanding of where the economy and inflation are now, says Tim Horan, in this Macro Matters edition of the FICC Focus podcast. Horan, the chief investment officer of fixed income at Chilton Trust, joins host and Bloomberg Intelligence chief US rates strategist Ira Jersey and senior US and Canada rates strategy associate Will Hoffman to discuss the economy and fixed-income markets. Horan said he is avoiding longer-maturity Treasuries, but notes that he finds municipal bonds attractive for investors in some states.

Direct lending remains a pillar of private credit, providing companies with new and flexible sources of financing in today's high interest-rate environment. Laura Holson, Chief Operating Officer of Credit and Managing Director at New Mountain Capital, joins Bloomberg Intelligence's Noel Hebert and Sam Geier on Credit Crunch to discuss the firm's focus on “defensive growth” direct lending, and expansion into other areas of the private credit markets, including BDCs and CLOs. The conversation touches on collaboration within New Mountain, deal sourcing, the addressable market, direct lending risk premiums, secondary market viability, and more.

Government bonds sold off in the past weeks, due to tariff news from the US and the debt brake being eased soon in Germany and this has increased the probabilities of rate cuts by central banks, including the Fed. Credit rallied through this mayhem and the big question is, will this strength continue? In this episode of our Credit Crunch podcast, host Mahesh Bhimalingam, Global Head of Credit Strategy at Bloomberg Intelligence, and Pierre Krief, Head of Credit at CDC (Caisse Des Depots ET Consignations) discuss tariffs and debt brake effect on inflation, growth and central bank policy, its impact on global credit and the challenges of taking a directional view after the big rates moves. They discuss rates, yields and credit spreads along with curve steepening, the dollar weakness and their impact on credit.

“Even if we hear rumblings that NDAs are out there with third parties and private lenders are looking at assets,... we're still in a position where — why wouldn't they come back to us — because we have more to give,” said Patrick McGrath, partner at Anchorage Capital. “If I've invested in a structure and I have a group, I can give them more time. That's valuable. I can address interest rates. I can probably provide the money a little bit cheaper and I can give them certainty as opposed to them saying I'm going to finance the business away.” McGrath sat down with Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Phil Brendel and Negisa Balluku at the Wharton Restructuring & Distressed Investing Conference last month (8:00). He dove into the intricacies of liability management exercises, including the asymmetry of information, discerning whether “deals away” are credible, and the importance of institutional reputation. Prior to that, BI's Noel Hebert and Brendel discuss how March may shake up complacent high yield and syndicated loan markets. The podcast concludes with a BI roundtable discussion covering J&J, Franchise Group, Spirit Airlines, Yellow, Ardagh, WW International, and Serta Simmons (1:14:20).

It's back to the future in emerging-market debt, and creditors should look to the Cold War when analyzing geopolitical risk in global fixed-income portfolios. Michael Cirami, Managing Director at Artisan Partners and a portfolio manager for EMsights Capital Group, joins Bloomberg Intelligence Chief Emerging Markets Credit Strategist Damian Sassower to discuss his company's approach to investing across the emerging and frontier debt markets. Cirami and Sassower assess the potential for alpha generation in EM fixed income, from off-benchmark positioning and idiosyncratic risk to shifting inflation dynamics and deteriorating growth expectations.

The weakening path recently observed through US survey evidence has yet to be confirmed by a sustained turn in the core economic news flow, but if confirmed, this could entertain a more bearish dollar outlook than envisaged at the start of the year. In this episode of FX Moment, Bloomberg Intelligence's chief G-10 FX strategist Audrey Childe-Freeman and Valentin Petrescou, senior portfolio manager at Lombard Odier Investment Managers, discuss the US dollar outlook amid an ever-evolving tariff narrative, with Petrescou arguing that a trade war scenario may not be all that dollar bullish in the current economic cycle. The two also discuss the merits of yen exposure in FX diversification strategies and conclude a euro-dollar parity scenario is fading.

Hybrid capital solutions may aid small and medium enterprise companies confronting balance-sheet challenges amid persistently high borrowing costs. Ari Lefkovits, managing partner at Delos Capital, joins Bloomberg Intelligence's credit strategists Noel Hebert and Sam Geier on this episode of the Credit Crunch podcast to discuss trends in private credit markets, and Delos' advisory and principal investment approach. The conversation digs into the adoption of co-op agreements between lenders, transformations in the default process, hybrid capital benefits as well as inflation and tariff impacts. 

A spate of economic and political headlines has traders working harder than usual to assess US indicators for clues on interest rates and property markets. In this episode of the Bloomberg Intelligence Macro Matters Podcast, Lisa Pendergast, president and CEO of CREFC, joins host and BI chief US rates strategist Ira Jersey, senior REIT analyst Jeffrey Langbaum and senior US and Canada rates strategy associate Will Hoffman to discuss all things commercial real estate. They discuss changes in sentiment post-Covid-19 and relative value across market segments. They also examine the potential for continued office-space conversions, and how the industry is approaching its maturity wall with the Federal Reserve on hold. The Macro Matters podcast is part of BI's FICC Focus series.

Atanas Bostandjiev, founder & CEO of Gemcorp Capital Management, joins BI chief emerging markets fixed-income strategist Damian Sassower to discuss his firm's approach to engineering performance and mitigating risk in emerging and frontier markets. Securitization expertise is critical when extending private credit to local operators across emerging markets, with heavy focus on principal protection and repayment. Bostandjiev and Sassower examine loan structuring, deal flow, exit strategies and currency risk, as foreign creditors' appetite for incremental carry extends to EM.

There has been a lot of information for the market to digest so far this year and rates volatility has drifted lower with the Fed on hold for now, while elevated US economic policy uncertainty has helped support VIX. In this edition of the All Options Considered podcast, BI's Chief Global Derivatives Strategist Tanvir Sandhuis joined byChris Murphy, Co-Head Derivative Strategy atSusquehanna, to discuss cross-asset volatility and flows. 

Catastrophe bonds offer issuers additional capacity for underwriting risk, while providing investors with a stream of uncorrelated returns. Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Noel Hebert and Sam Geier are joined by Tarek Abou Zeid and Andre Rzym, partners and portfolio managers at Man AHL to discuss the growth and adoption of cat bonds. The discussion gets into real-world examples, from Hurricanes Andrew and Milton, to the 2006 FIFA World Cup. They also talk about primary vs. secondary markets, payout structures, cybersecurity and terrorism, target investors and much more.

Despite economic data once again signaling inflation is on the rise, the future of rate cuts becoming uncertain and an evolving fiscal-policy landscape, there's much to be optimistic about within the muni market. On this month's Masters of the Muniverse podcast, hosts and Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Eric Kazatsky and Karen Altamirano talk to Tim Coffin, Director of Sustainability at Breckinridge Capital Advisors. We discuss the rise in separately managed accounts and how the demand for sustainable investing is unlikely to wane.

If the economy evolves a certain way, the Federal Reserve isn't far from cutting rates more than the market thinks, says Wellington Management Portfolio Manager Brij Khurana. Khurana joins host and Bloomberg Intelligence Chief US Interest-Rate Strategist Ira Jersey and senior Canada and US rate strategy associate Will Hoffman to discuss the current dynamics and trends across fixed-income markets. The trio examines the shifts in the US inflation outlook and subsequent market pricing for Fed policy action, as well as the state of the domestic labor market. They highlight the potential shifts in fiscal policy under the new administration and the changes to nominal growth and wage expectations under several scenarios. The Macro Matters podcast is part of BI's FICC Focus series.