Market Maker

In this episode of the Market Maker Podcast, we break down the major M&A transactions reshaping global markets, spanning banking, asset management, mining, media and artificial intelligence. We begin with Santander’s $12.2 billion acquisition of Webster Bank and examine what this signals about European banks expanding into the United States. We discuss capital efficiency, deposit strategy and...

Want to break into finance or understand how global markets really work? In this episode of the Market Maker Podcast, Anthony Cheung speaks with Dr. Lupin Rahman - former IMF economist, World Bank advisor, and senior fixed income portfolio manager - to explore the world of sovereign credit, macro strategy, and global investing. Lupin shares how she transitioned from public sector institutions like...

Elon Musk just pulled off the biggest merger in corporate history but is the $1.25 trillion SpaceX–xAI deal a stroke of visionary genius, or a financial sleight of hand? In this episode of Market Maker, Anthony and Piers unpack what’s really behind the numbers. Is this bold vertical integration or just a clever way to funnel cash into a billion-dollar-a-month AI burn machine? They dig into Starlin...

What’s it really like to be a trader at a global investment bank? Chloe Shepherd returns to the Market Maker Podcast to pull back the curtain on the trading floor. With nearly a decade of experience at Citi and RBC, she shares the real story - the workflows, pressure, client interactions, and the surprising skills that matter most. We bust common myths about trading, explain the difference between...

This week on the Market Maker Podcast, Anthony and Piers unpack one of the most eventful weeks in global markets and business strategy. Donald Trump nominates Kevin Warsh for Fed Chair. What does this mean for inflation, rate cut expectations, and the sharp reversal in gold and silver? Microsoft and Meta post strong earnings - but only one stock soars. Why did investors rotate out of Microsoft and...

Trump’s rumored choice for Fed Chair, BlackRock’s Rick Rieder, has suddenly jumped to frontrunner status. In this episode of Market Maker, we break down what his nomination could mean for US interest rates, inflation, and the direction of monetary policy. We also explore why the US dollar is hitting four-year lows, the impact of Trump’s recent comments, and why Japan’s growing debt burden and poli...

Anthony flies solo to unpack the biggest stories in markets and M&A this week. First, a deep dive into the €25B Amsterdam IPO of Czechoslovak Group (CSG), a Czech defense giant capitalizing on Europe’s surging military spend. Discover how a 33-year-old CEO is leading one of the region’s most consequential listings amid geopolitical shifts. Then, we break down Netflix’s bold all-cash move in it...

Why would a US president want to buy Greenland? In this episode of the Market Maker Podcast, Anthony Cheung and Piers Curran unpack the real story behind Trump’s controversial push and it’s far deeper than most headlines suggest. You’ll learn: Why Greenland is a military and surveillance goldmine The untapped rare earth minerals and their role in AI and EVs How China dominates the supply chain and...

Not sure whether investment banking, equity research, or global markets is the right fit for you? In this episode, Anthony Cheung is joined by former Goldman Sachs equity research analyst Silvia Magni to break down what these three front-office roles really involve. They cover responsibilities, hours, how each division makes money, skills required, and who each job suits best. Whether you're t...

Anthony and Piers return to break down a busy start to 2026. They cover Wall Street’s Q4 earnings, where Morgan Stanley shines amid a wave of tech-led bond issuance, while J.P. Morgan and Goldman show mixed results. They also dig into Trump’s proposed cap on credit card interest, his DOJ probe into Fed Chair Powell, and the implications for central bank credibility. Oil markets react to rising ten...

2026 could be a historic year for the IPO market with over $3.6 trillion in expected valuations hitting the public stage. In this episode, we break down the hottest and most talked-about names in the pipeline: SpaceX, OpenAI, Anthropic, Stripe, Revolut, Canva, Databricks, and TikTok US. We discuss what makes SpaceX such a unique and defensible business, why OpenAI’s losses and leadership noise mig...

Traditional finance recruitment is at a breaking point. With a 0.7% acceptance rate at major banks and 90% of applicants using AI to "game" the system, the CV has become a redundant data point. In this episode of the Market Maker Podcast, Chief Content and Culture Officer Anthony Cheung and Lara Montefiori, VP of Product, discuss how to solve the "AI Volume Crisis." They explor...

In this episode, Anthony Cheung is joined by Harvey Bracken-Smith, founder of the Personable podcast and incoming Goldman Sachs summer intern, to unpack his remarkable journey from a small island in Jersey to Eton, Duke University, and beyond. Harvey shares insights on overcoming imposter syndrome, the power of consistency, building a personal brand, and how he’s managed to interview billionaires,...

In this final Market Maker markets episode of the year, Anthony and Piers deliver a global recap of 2025’s biggest winners, losers, and trends. From the AI-driven tech shake-up and Wall Street’s banking boom to the surprise surge in Spain’s stock market, they break down the key moves. Looking ahead to 2026, will inflation, a Fed leadership transition, or even a ‘Great AI Energy Blackout’ derail th...

What does it really take to make the leap from analyst to portfolio manager at one of the world’s largest asset managers? In this episode, we sit down with Ji Young Park, Senior Portfolio Manager at Amundi, to explore her two-decade journey in the investment world. Ji shares what the role of a PM truly entails, from navigating decision-making under uncertainty to balancing technical expertise with...

It’s our most anticipated episode of the year! Stephen Barnett returns to grade our 2025 predictions and lay out the playbook for 2026. We break down the massive $4.2 Trillion year in M&A, analysing why deal volume dropped while deal value skyrocketed. We also do a deep dive into the "Indigestion" facing Private Equity, with 50,000 businesses owned and nowhere to sell them, and why P...

In this episode, Anthony speaks with Ela Saruhanoglu, an LSE Management student who secured a full-time investment banking role at J.P. Morgan for 2026 after converting her summer internship. Despite not having a traditional finance background or spring week, Ela shares how she built technical skills from scratch, leveraged curiosity, used productivity hacks, and developed a mindset that set her a...

It’s the "final battle for the soul of Hollywood." In this breaking episode, we bring back Stephen Barnett to break down the Netflix vs. Paramount war for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). Stephen breaks this deal down like a Hollywood movie script—literally. We cover the Backstory (Zaslav’s failure), the Cast of Characters (from "nepo-baby" David Ellison in his Ferrari to the &quo...

In this M&A edition of Market Maker, Anthony and Piers break down Medline’s potential $5 billion IPO, the biggest of the year, and what it signals for private equity exits and the 2026 deals landscape. They also explore Amazon’s bold entry into the AI chip race with Tranium 3, how it stacks up against Nvidia and Google, and what it means for cloud dominance. Plus, OpenAI hits the panic button...

Big tech is stumbling while pharma stocks surge, what does that mean for markets heading into 2026? In this episode, Anthony and Piers unpack why Nvidia, Microsoft, and Amazon are dragging, while Eli Lilly and Merck lead a surprising rotation. They also explore shifting Fed rate cut expectations, conflicting US labor data, and what it all signals for the S&P 500’s next move. We also break down...

This week, we're diving into a flurry of major M&A activity from GE’s $2.3B healthcare tech acquisition to Violia’s $3B hazardous waste deal and a massive offshore wind farm stake sale by Denmark’s Ørsted. But the spotlight is on Warner Bros. Discovery, where a high-stakes bidding war is heating up. With Paramount, Netflix, and Comcast all circling, Anthony and Piers unpack why the media g...

Ever wondered what asset management actually means? In this clip, we sit down with Ben Hayward, CEO and founding partner of TwentyFour Asset Management, to unpack the industry in a way that’s clear, practical, and easy to follow. From how investment funds are built to what fund managers actually do all day, Ben explains the difference between active and passive investing, breaks down different ass...

This week on the Market Maker podcast, Anthony and Piers spotlight Goldman Sachs' standout year in M&A, exploring how the bank has pulled ahead of rivals with a $1.3 trillion deal volume and a 34% market share. They break down the strategy behind Goldman's dominance, from boardroom relationships to sector expertise. The episode also dives into the $25 billion all-stock "merger of...

In this week’s Market Maker from AmplifyME, Anthony and Piers unpack Nvidia’s blockbuster earnings and what they signal for markets heading into year-end. Is the company’s explosive growth sustainable, or are signs of overextension starting to show? They explore concentration risks, energy bottlenecks, and the AI infrastructure race, while also connecting the dots between macro sentiment, crypto m...

Are you a student or early-career professional trying to decide between a bulge bracket or boutique investment bank? In this episode of the AmplifyMe Market Maker podcast, Anthony Cheung and Silvia Magni break down what really sets these firms apart, from business models and deal flow to team structure and day-to-day responsibilities. They also explore how each path impacts your training, career d...