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FICC Focus

Bloomberg Intelligence
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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Episodes

2025 High Grade and High Yield Outlook, US vs. EU: Credit Crunch

With credit markets enjoying a strong 2024 and with many uncertainties, charting the course for 2025 is a challenge. Will US trade policies slow Fed cuts and will ECB easing stay the course as priced, and what will this mean for credit? Will stubborn US yields filter into Europe? In this episode of our Credit Crunch podcast, host Mahesh Bhimalingam, chief European credit strategist at Bloomberg Intelligence, and Marc Rovers, Head of European Credit at Legal & General Investment Management, d...

Dec 11, 20241 hr 9 min

Do EM Country Fundamentals Really Even Matter Anymore?: EM Lens

Emerging-market central banks have historically followed the Federal Reserve, yet 2025 will be a year of divergence as monetary and fiscal policy responses evolve. Sergey Goncharov, portfolio manager and head of fixed income Americas at Vontobel, joins Bloomberg Intelligence chief emerging market fixed income strategist Damian Sassower to discuss his year-ahead outlook for the EM fixed-income asset class. Goncharov and Sassower touch on issues ranging from US protectionism and Chinese stimulus t...

Dec 10, 202422 min

The Year Ahead in Rates, Credit and Currencies

Ol' Saint FICC is here to stuff your stockings with 2025 market outlooks from all your favorite podcast hosts. Rates, credit, municipals, EM, MBS, currencies, bankruptcy and volatility are all covered, while the team also takes a brief look back at memorable moments of 2024.

Dec 09, 202448 min

Bain’s Rufino on Special Sits Strategy: State of Distressed Debt

“A marriage…chemistry… [and] shared vision” is how Bain Capital partner Angelo Rufino described investments centered around a new asset class of hybrid capital that combines features of debt and equity in a conversation with Bloomberg Intelligence’s Negisa Balluku that took place live at Beard Group’s Distressed Investing Conference. As Head of Special Situations in North America as well as Head of Corporate Special Situations in Europe, Rufino shared his perspective on the bespoke nature and th...

Dec 06, 20241 hr 19 min

ABS 2025 Market Dynamics With BI’s Rod Chadehumbe: Macro Matters

The significant tightening in corporate bonds recently has left asset-backed securities looking cheaper, says Rod Chadehumbe, Bloomberg Intelligence’s asset-backed securities strategist. Chadehumbe is joined by host and BI chief US rates strategist Ira Jersey to discuss the state of the US ABS market. The pair dive into the engineering of the various types of products, as well as the general risk-reward profiles available to investors. They also hit on the liquidity and volatility dynamics of th...

Dec 05, 202423 min

Shifting EM Backdrop Will Breed Both Winners and Losers: EM Lens

Emerging-market assets are likely to swing on US-centric narratives, yet domestic growth and inflation dynamics may be of less concern than in previous cycles. Ricardo Adrogue, head of global sovereign debt and currencies at Barings, joinsDamian Sassower, Bloomberg Intelligence’s chief emerging market fixed income strategist, to discuss the year-ahead outlook for EM credit, rates and foreign exchange. Adrogue and Sassower touch on issues ranging from US trade policy and EM remittances to Chinese...

Dec 04, 202417 min

No Existential Euro Risk, But It's Not a Rosy Picture: FX Moment

Deteriorating French political headlines are exacerbating the underwhelming French and euro-zone economic narrative, confirming what has become a compellingly euro bearish case into 2025. Still, talk of an existential risk to the currency appears premature, and much of the bad news is arguably priced in. Host Audrey Childe-Freeman, Bloomberg Intelligence's chief G-10 FX Strategist, talks to Elliot Hentov, global head of macro policy research at State Street Global Advisors, about what could trig...

Dec 03, 202417 min

Volatility Bite-Size: All Options Considered

In this edition of the All Options Considered podcast, BI's Chief Global Derivatives Strategist Tanvir Sandhu gives an update on how the US bond market volatility has remained elevated to equity and FX volatility. Rates volatility may drift lower with the Fed in no hurry but greater conviction on the neutral rate will be the signal for a more meaningful decline given forecast dispersion of policy rates remains a key support.

Nov 29, 20248 min

NAV Lending Prospects With Crestline’s Philipp: Credit Crunch

A slower exit environment for limited partners on the back of elevated rates and inflation has helped drive tremendous growth for the world of NAV lending over the past couple of years. David Philipp, partner in the Fund Liquidity Solutions Group at Crestline Investors, walks through the journey of the asset class with Bloomberg Intelligence’s Noel Hebert and Sam Geier on this episode of Credit Crunch. The conversation gets into the evolution of the investor, public-market accessibility, synergi...

Nov 26, 20241 hr 7 min

Crews & Associates’ Mulholland on Treasury Market: Macro Matters

The biggest change to the Treasury market has been algorithmic trading, and the proliferation of high-frequency trading firms (HFTs) and principal trading firms (PTFs), those two are really the main market makers in the inter-dealer broker screens, says Dan Mulholland, senior managing director and head of sales and trading at Crews and Associates. Mulholland is joined by host, and Bloomberg Intelligence’s chief US rates strategist Ira Jersey to discuss evolutions in Treasury trading and market s...

Nov 25, 202426 min

Navigating CLO Equity With Eagle Point’s Majewski: Credit Crunch

A collateralized loan obligation’s (CLO) reinvestment period is among the keys to the success for the asset class in the view of Eagle Point’s Founder and Managing Partner Tom Majewski. He joins Bloomberg Intelligence’s Noel Hebert and Sam Geier on this edition of Credit Crunch to walk through Eagle Points focus on the higher-risk tranches of a CLO structure, with an emphasis on equity. The discussion touches on holder concentration, the growth in covenant-lite loans, misconceptions around force...

Nov 22, 20241 hr 7 min

The Intersection of AI and Muniland: Masters of the Muniverse

Artificial intelligence is reshaping the world of municipal bonds, with predictive analytics, data-driven decision-making and automated portfolio management just some of the ways the technology is transforming public finance. In this episode of Bloomberg Intelligence’s Masters of the Muniverse podcast, hosts Eric Kazatsky and Karen Altamirano take a break from discussing the nuts and bolts of asset management and instead focus on the bits and bytes of how technology is applied to the municipal l...

Nov 20, 202451 min

Beach Point’s Sauer on LMEs, Coops: State of Distressed Debt

Lenders must be “hyper-vigilant” at the whiff of a liability management exercise (LME), as cooperation agreements forged in response by the largest lenders often shut off membership once critical majorities are reached, according to Beach Point Capital’s senior vice president Jordan Sauer. Jordan shared with Bloomberg Intelligence’s Noel Hebert and Phil Brendel how his initial legal work at Wachtell Lipton with lender documentation served him well in identifying credit-agreement vulnerabilities ...

Nov 14, 20241 hr 32 min

US vs. EU Credit Gaps On Election and Rate Cuts: Credit Crunch

With the US election having a clear result and credit markets enjoying a strong run this year, charting the course forward is a challenge. Will a Trump regime slow down Fed cuts and will the ECB continue on its previous easing course, and what will this mean for credit? Will stubborn US yields cause more divergence in credit until 1H25? In this episode of our Credit Crunch podcast, host Mahesh Bhimalingam, chief European credit strategist at Bloomberg Intelligence and James Turner, Co-Head of EM...

Nov 12, 202456 min

Deficits, Regulations, and Taxes with Nathan Dean: Macro Matters

As expected, the Federal Reserve cut 25 bps in this election week, not a surprise, but Jerome Powell wasn’t as hawkish as might have been expected. Bloomberg Intelligence Chief US Interest-Rate Strategist Ira Jersey is joined by Senior Government Analyst Nathan Dean to discuss the implications of the recent election cycle for the US economy and Treasury markets. They discuss the current state of executive policy uncertainty, and potential outcomes of various campaign promises, though Dean doesn’...

Nov 11, 202438 min

Enjoy Dollar Bull US Narrative, With No Complacency: FX Moment

The cyclically-driven bullish dollar narrative got another boost last week, with President-elect Donald Trump's expected pro-growth stance implying a policy mix weighted more to fiscal stimulus and less to monetary steps, which would help the dollar. It's also better positioned if Trump pursues tariffs. Host Audrey Childe-Freeman, Bloomberg Intelligence's Chief G-10 FX Strategist, talks to Dr Anna Wong, Bloomberg Economics Chief US Economist, about how the economy, the Fed rate outlook and the f...

Nov 09, 202419 min

Unpacking Growth and Inflation Projections With the IMF: EM Lens

Geopolitical risk remains elevated, yet financial stability doesn’t appear to be a cause for concern as market practitioners turn their attention to year-end. Dr. Jason Wu, IMF assistant director of Monetary & Capital Markets, and Dr. Fabio Natalucci, CEO of the Andersen Institute for Finance & Economics, join Damian Sassower, EM Lens podcast host and Bloomberg Intelligence chief emerging market fixed income strategist, to discuss the growth and inflation outlook for both advanced econom...

Nov 01, 202434 min

UBS’ Sabatino on Fed Liquidity and SEC Regulation: Macro Matters

Cash is not on the sidelines. An investment in a money market fund is an actual investment, says Robert Sabatino, head of Global Liquidity Portfolio Management at UBS Asset Management. Sabatino is joined by host and Bloomberg Intelligence’s chief US rate strategist Ira Jersey and senior US and Canada rate strategy associate Will Hoffman to discuss all things money markets. The trio examine shifts in the relationship between the Federal Reserve’s facilities and the money-fund industry, as well as...

Oct 31, 202429 min

Using Technology to Go Odd-Lot Hunting: Masters of the Muniverse

Investors have poured $13 billion into high-yield municipal bond funds in recent weeks, a move that underscores the need for credit analysis and active investing, says Alex Petrone, managing director and head of fixed income at Rockefeller Asset Management. In this episode of Bloomberg Intelligence’s Masters of the Muniverse podcast, hosts Eric Kazatsky and Karen Altamirano talk with Petrone about using technology to assist in credit research in the highly fragmented muni market, how quickly fix...

Oct 29, 202443 min

Listen Now: Inside Active by Bloomberg Intelligence

Reports of active management's demise have been greatly exaggerated. Active continues to grow and evolve in ETFs while mutual funds prosper and define benefit plans. Bloomberg Intelligence strategy team uncover active opportunities and glean insights from active managers and those who cover the industry. Listen to Inside Active by Bloomberg Intelligence .

Oct 27, 20242 min

400 Capital’s Hentemann on Securitization Market: Credit Crunch

By engaging across multiple sectors of the structured product markets, 400 Capital Management has the flexibility to independently deal with the unique cycles and phases of the various asset classes. Founder and Managing Partner Chris Hentemann joins Noel Hebert and Sam Geier of Bloomberg Intelligence on this episode of Credit Crunch to talk through the process of navigating through those cycles. The conversation touches upon asset class allocations, the risk-transfer market, joint venture benef...

Oct 25, 202458 min

Barings’ Ockerbloom Sees Opportunity in Real Estate: EM Lens

Real Estate remains highly localized, a feature which contributes to its noncorrelated and rate-sensitive nature, says Barings Head of US & European Real Estate John Ockerbloom. He joins Damian Sassower, Bloomberg Intelligence’s fixed income strategist, to discuss opportunities and risks facing real estate markets across the globe in this episode of BI’s FICC Focus podcast. Ockerbloom identifies opportunities in data centers, self-storage, health care and multiuse real estate. They also talk...

Oct 23, 202417 min

Antares’ Mathew on Direct Lending’s Advantages: Credit Crunch

With plenty of private equity dry powder and a growing supply-demand imbalance, direct lending is well positioned to grow, according to Antares Capital Director of Asset Management, Vivek Mathew. Vivek joins Bloomberg Intelligence’s Noel Hebert and Sam Geier on another special edition of Credit Crunch, recorded at the Greenwich Economic Forum. They discuss the benefits of being under the wing of the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, the refinancing cycle, Antares’ co-investment approach, sec...

Oct 21, 202441 min

Active Muni ETFs Are a Brave New World: Masters of the Muniverse

The record growth in municipal bond ETFs, and more specifically actively managed muni ETFs, has led to more innovative alternative strategies. In this episode of Bloomberg Intelligence’s Masters of the Muniverse podcast, hosts Eric Kazatsky and Karen Altamirano are joined by Harley Bassman, managing partner at Simplify Asset Management. They discuss Simplify’s ETF strategies and how option selling can improve a portfolio’s risk-adjusted returns.

Oct 18, 202449 min

Abrdn’s McCann on Fed Narratives and Fiscal Risks: Macro Matters

It does look like the Fed is nailing this soft landing, so we’re feeling quite positive around where we’re going, says James McCann, Deputy Chief Economist at Abrdn. McCann joins host and senior US and Canada rates strategy associate Will Hoffman to unpack rapidly shifting economic narratives. The pair discuss changes in the the medium-term economic outlook, as well as recent developments regarding the state of labor markets and inflation. They also dive into the implications of strikes and hurr...

Oct 17, 202427 min

Polen Capital on Its Multiasset Solutions Outlook: Credit Crunch

Polen Capital, with deep roots in the world of growth equity investing, has expanded into the opportunistic high yield bond market, leveraging its acquisition of DDJ Capital in 2021. Polen CEO, Stan Moss, and Head of Credit, Dave Breazzano, join Noel Hebert and Sam Geier on this special edition of Credit Crunch, live from the Greenwich Economic Forum. The conversation dives into the firm’s focus on growth, the benefits of a flexible high yield investment approach, leadership through uncertain ti...

Oct 16, 202434 min

High Yield 4Q Investor Survey, Europe vs. US View: Credit Crunch

High yield credit had a strong year (to date), as yields rallied and spreads followed, while defaults didn't blow up as feared. In Europe, the index default rate stands at 2.7% and the US at 1.2% but the share of stressed and distressed bonds has come down. Will 4Q sustain those gains, and why? Listen to Mahesh Bhimalingam, Bloomberg Intelligence's Chief European Credit Strategist, discuss the results of the 4Q High Yield Survey, along with market outlook, with Peter Khan, Global High Yield Port...

Oct 15, 202443 min

Mercer’s Nuzum: Lean Into Emerging and Frontier Markets: EM Lens

Globalization has slowed, yet access to local markets is improving, and the EM asset class remains underrepresented in most global portfolios. In this episode of the EM Lens podcast, Rich Nuzum, executive director and global chief investment strategist at Mercer, joins Damian Sassower, Bloomberg Intelligence chief emerging market fixed-income strategist, to discuss the Mercer’s affinity for emerging market assets and their role within large institutional portfolios. Globalization has slowed, yet...

Oct 14, 202414 min

Nouriel Roubini on Policy Stimulus, Stagflation & Geopolitical Risk: FICC Focus Special

Despite the recent spike in volatility, investor sentiment is broadly positive, yet tail risks are emanating as we push into year-end. Dr. Nouriel Roubini, Chairman & CEO of Roubini Macro Associates, joins BI Chief Emerging Market Fixed Income StrategistDamian Sassower, to discuss policy stimulus, growth potential and inflationary price pressures across the globe. Roubini and Sassower touch on issues ranging from diminished US exceptionalism and extreme China pessimism to elevated Mideast te...

Oct 11, 202418 min

Bloomberg Volatility Forum NYC 2024: All Options Considered

This edition of All Options Considered is the recording of part of the Bloomberg Volatility Forum 2024 held in NYC on October 1st. It starts with the opening speech by BI’s chief global derivatives strategist Tanvir Sandhu on macro and volatility across markets, followed by the discussion from the first panel on the options market by Pierre De Saab, partner at Dominice, Nancy Davis, founder of Quadratic Capital Management, and Deniz Cicek, Portfolio Manager at Axonic Capital. The panel is hosted...

Oct 10, 20241 hr 1 min
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