Basis Points

The June jobs report all but shut the door on expectations for Fed rate cuts this year. On this week’s episode of Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan explains why the focus has shifted to a Fed on hold, and what that means for fixed income investors embracing a barbell strategy. Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent. Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/us/insights/podcasts/basis-points-podcasts Please see...

The June FOMC meeting may be remembered less for holding rates steady and more for Kevin Warsh’s overhaul of how the Fed communicates policy. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan discusses what a Warsh-led Fed could mean for forward guidance, balance sheet policy and the future path of rates. Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent. Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/us/insights/pod...

The Fed remained on hold at yesterday's FOMC meeting, but the policy backdrop is becoming more complicated. This week on Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan analyzes how rising price pressures, improving hiring trends and a new Fed Chair are reshaping expectations for the path of interest rates. Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent. Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/us/insights/podcasts/basis-point...

Private credit is often discussed as a single asset class, but the opportunity set extends far beyond direct lending. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan is joined by Chris Acito, CEO of Gapstow Capital Partners, to explore why diversification across multiple credit sectors and a clear understanding of liquidity can help investors build more resilient income-focused portfolios. B...

The 10-year Treasury yield has repeatedly snapped back into a 4.0%–4.5% range despite bouts of market volatility. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan analyzes why speculation around Treasury Secretary Bessent capping long-term yields may be overstated, and why employment, inflation, and Treasury supply remain the real drivers.

Inflation fears are back, with Treasury yields climbing sharply and markets now pricing in a potential Fed rate hike by 2027. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan explains why the “inflation trade” has taken hold and makes the case for Treasury Floating Rate Notes as a key defense in today’s bond market. Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent. Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/inv...

Nearly half of the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index is now made up of Treasuries, a dramatic shift from just 22% in 2002. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan explains why rising deficits are reshaping core bond exposures and how investors may seek a more balanced approach through WisdomTree Yield Enhanced U.S. Aggregate Bond Fund (AGGY). Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent. Lear...

Four Fed officials dissented in April—the most since 1992—signaling growing division on rate policy. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan explains how this shift, alongside Powell staying on, may, or may not, impact future monetary policy decisions. Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent. Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/investments/multimedia/basis-points-podcasts#Listen%20now P...

At the April FOMC meeting, the Fed held rates steady for a third consecutive time, but uncertainty is only building. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan explains why a data-dependent Fed and a likely shift to a Warsh-led regime could signal the easing cycle is nearing its end. Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent. Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/investments/multimedia/basis-p...

March CPI surged +0.9%, its largest monthly jump since 2022, driven by the sharpest gasoline price increase since 1967. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan explains why the Fed may look through this energy-driven spike, even as inflation risks complicate the path for rate cuts. Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent. Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/investments/multimedia/basis-...

Treasury yields have surged despite geopolitical tensions, challenging their traditional safe-haven role amid rising inflation fears. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan explains why Treasury floating rate notes (FRNs) may offer a more resilient way to navigate rate volatility and shifting market dynamics. Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent. Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/...

Credit spreads are widening again as liquidity concerns resurface and AI-driven disruption—especially in software—comes back into focus. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan is joined by Andrew Okrongly, Director of Model Portfolios at WisdomTree, to break down what’s driving these shifts, and why high yield’s lower exposure to software, combined with a stronger liquidity profile,...

The latest FOMC meeting reinforced a patient Fed, but the outlook remains uncertain. Kevin Flanagan breaks down how policymakers are weighing inflation, slowing growth, and geopolitical risks while assessing the path toward neutral. What does this mean for rates and the road ahead? Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent. Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/investments/multimedia/basis-points-podcast...

Oil surged above $100 and the 10-year Treasury jumped toward 4.2% as Middle East tensions and fresh economic data jolted markets in the past week. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan breaks down the crosscurrents, from a surprisingly weak jobs report to resilient macro indicators, and explains why the Fed may stay on hold while volatility lingers. Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percen...

Foreign investors held a record $9.27 trillion in U.S. Treasuries at the end of 2025, even as “Selling America” fears made headlines. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan analyzes the latest Treasury International Capital (TIC) data and makes the case that, despite geopolitical tensions and market anxiety, global demand for Treasuries remains firmly intact. Basis point: 1/100th of...

The Fed’s ‘dot plot’ has become a market-moving ritual, but it’s only been around since 2012. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan examines what a Warsh-led Fed could mean for forward guidance, volatility and fixed income strategy.   Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent.   Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/investments/multimedia/basis-points-podcasts#Listen%20now     Please see...

The Fed still holds $6.3 trillion in Treasuries and mortgage-backed securities, well above pre-pandemic levels. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan explains why a Warsh-led effort to shrink the Fed’s balance sheet, especially $2 trillion in mortgage-backed securities, may be far more complicated than the rhetoric suggests. Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent. Learn more: https://ww...

Markets reacted quickly to the nomination of Kevin Warsh as the next Fed Chairman, but the bigger story lies beyond the headlines. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan weighs Warsh’s Fed background, policy instincts and what a balance-sheet-focused Fed could mean for bonds. Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent. Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/investments/multimedia/basis-point...

Policy headlines are creating fresh opportunities in securitized markets. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan is joined by Dave Goodson, Head of Securitized at Voya Investment Management, to break down the Trump administration’s proposed $200 billion purchase of agency mortgage-backed securities (MBS), what’s already priced in and where active fixed income managers may find relat...

After a flurry of rate cuts at the end of 2025, the FOMC decided to pause their rate cuts at the January meeting, keeping the fed funds trading range at 3.50%–3.75%. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan explains why this shift may mark a move toward neutral policy and how labor market data could steer the next phase of decision-making. Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent. Learn more...

Bank loans come with yield, but also risk. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan explains how the WisdomTree Interest Rate Hedged High Yield Bond Fund (HYZD) offers a high-yield, zero-duration alternative with quality screening designed to reduce credit risk. Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent. Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/investments/multimedia/basis-points-podcasts#Liste...

The steepening yield curve isn’t just a forecast, it’s atest. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan breaks down a horizon analysis using our 2026 Economic & Market Outlook, showing how short-term Treasuries could outperform while long duration risks negative returns. Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent. Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/investments/multimedia/basis-points-po...

The Treasury yield curve steepened in 2025, and 2026 could bring more of the same. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan explains why an active/passive barbell strategy is a timely way to capture income potential while managing duration risk. Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent. Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/investments/multimedia/basis-points-podcasts#Listen%20now Please se...

The Fed’s divisions may run deeper than the official vote count suggests. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan unpacks the concept of “silent dissenters,” what the dot plot signals about rate cuts, and why a shifting FOMC could make future policy decisions even more data dependent. Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/investments/multimedia/basi...

As expected, the Fed delivered a third straight 25-basis-point rate cut at the December FOMC meeting. With the resumption of rate cuts now at round three, Kevin Flanagan explains how Powell’s “risk management” approach, internal Fed divisions, and missing data raise key questions about what 2026 could bring—and whether the recalibration now needs a recalibration of its own. Basis point: 1/100th of...