FICC Focus

BI global credit strategy head Noel Hebert, distressed credit analyst Philip Brendel and bankruptcy litigation analyst Negisa Balluku discuss how credit markets are "melting up" with equities, but that it may be fleeting. Noel and Phil also have an in-depth feature interview with John Pavelski, co-head of North America for the Carlyle Credit Opportunities Fund, on the possibilities created as the...

The landscape for municipal asset management has been changing over the past year, and there’s been lower beta options such as exchange traded funds and separately managed accounts. For those looking to expand or break into this space, scaling the business is the single largest pain point. Investortools’ Senior Vice President James Morris joins Bloomberg Intelligence’s Eric Kazatsky and Karen Alta...

The Fed's nearing rate peak and evidence of a turning US economy should revive the bearish view of the US dollar in 2H. In our latest FX Moment podcast, host Audrey Childe-Freeman, Bloomberg Intelligence's chief G10 FX strategist, examines the outlook for the US and global economies and the implications for currencies with Solita Marcelli, chief investment officer Americas, UBS Global Wealth Manag...

European high yield has had just two defaults this year and the proportion of stressed and distressed bonds is under control after a positive 1H for returns. Will 3Q sustain the 1H gains and when do we see a default wave, if any? Listen to hear Mahesh Bhimalingam, Chief European Credit Strategist, Bloomberg Intelligence discuss the results of the 3Q23 High Yield Survey and comment on the market ou...

The Treasury yield curve may remain inverted for quite a while, but bull steepening could begin as the Federal Reserve finished its interest rate hikes, Bloomberg Intelligence’s Chief US Interest Rate Strategist says in this Macro Matter’s edition of the FICC Focus podcast.  Jersey provides his short- and longer-term view of the rate markets, mentioning how the real federal funds rate may peak at...

After central banks gathered in Portugal at the ECB Forum earlier this week, a turn in European inflation and a strong 1Q GDP revision in the US caused a sell off in developed market sovereign debt. Bloomberg Intelligence’s Chief US Rates Strategist Ira Jersey is joined by his European counterpart Huw Worthington on this Macro Matters edition of the FICC Focus podcast. Huw gives his outlook for in...

Structured credit markets have evolved into a multi-trillion dollar asset class, one that we dive into in the latest episode of Credit Crunch, part of the FICC Focus podcast series. Waterfall Asset Management’s Managing Partner and Cofounder Jack Ross, one of the pioneers in asset-based securities, joins Bloomberg Intelligence’s Director of FICC Research Noel Hebert and Senior Credit Strategy Asso...

The Bank of England remains highly data-dependent, re-accelerating to a 50-bp hike "at this particular meeting" given the upside inflation surprises. The wide difference between actual inflation data releases vs. consensus keeps volatility elevated at the front end of the yield curve. The flattening of the curve reflects the risk to growth and increased pricing of cuts. In this edition of the All...

An improving inflation outlook alongside weaker cross-asset volatility and more moderate global growth is contributing to the bullish narrative in EM local government debt. In this month’s EM Lens & Look-Through podcast, Phoenix Kalen, Head of Emerging Market Research at Societe Generale, joins Chief EM Fixed Income Strategist Damian Sassower to deliver her mid-year outlook on EM local currencies...

The Federal Reserve may not hike the additional 50 bps shown in the infamous “Dot Plot” at the June monetary policy meeting, Bloomberg Economics’ Chief US Economist Anna Wong remarks. She joins Bloomberg Intelligence’s Chief US Rates Strategist Ira Jersey on this Macro Matters edition of the FICC Focus podcast to recap the FOMC meeting and discuss her views for the future. Wong still expects a mil...

The stage is set for municipals to look better vs. other fixed income in 2023-2024. Though fund flows remain a concern, the asset class’ ability to provide tax-exempt income exceeding inflation remains a key feature, especially if recessionary pressures increase. Parametric’s Nisha Patel joins Bloomberg Intelligence’s Eric Kazatsky and Karen Altamirano on this episode of the Masters of the Muniver...

Credit markets have a dour seasonal outlook and piecemeal restructurings are flailing. BI Global Credit Strategy head Noel Hebert, distressed credit analyst Philip Brendel, and bankruptcy litigation analyst Negisa Balluku discuss these issues and more on the June edition of the State of Distressed Debt Podcast. Guest Matthew Cantor, Head of Legal Strategies and Special Situations of Pretium Partne...

European credit markets have shifted since the banking crisis and the rally that followed, especially the shrinkage in junk. It's always interesting to hear views from across regions and this time we head to sunny France for some Gallic finesse in credit portfolio management. In the 11th episode of our Credit Crunch podcast, host Mahesh Bhimalingam, Chief European Credit Strategist, and Benoit Sol...

Ever-changing drivers and low FX conviction views have been consistent with a $1.06-$1.10 euro-dollar in recent months, but a break of $1.10 toward $1.15 and higher remains feasible later this year. In our latest FX Moment podcast, host Audrey Childe-Freeman, Bloomberg Intelligence chief G-10 FX strategist, reflects on the euro-dollar's outlook as we contemplate 2H and after a very challenging 1H...

Corporate fixed income looks attractive compared with equities, Abrdn’s Jonathan Mondillo, head of North American fixed income says. Mondillo joins Bloomberg Intelligence’s Chief US Rates Strategist Ira Jersey on this Macro Matters edition of the FICC Focus podcast to discuss how private debt markets can offer opportunities and less volatility than some public credit areas. He also reviews Abrdn’s...

The banking crisis on both sides of the Atlantic led to significant repricing and revaluation in credit markets globally. But the rally following government and regulatory actions has recovered much of the lost ground. In the 10th episode of our Credit Crunch podcast, host Mahesh Bhimalingam, Chief European Credit Strategist, and Noel Hebert, Chief US Credit Strategist at Bloomberg Intelligence, d...

In our latest FX Moment podcast, host Audrey Childe-Freeman, Bloomberg Intelligence chief G-10 FX strategist, and Stephen Chiu, Chief Asia FX and rates strategist, reflect on China's recovery story and on how some recent underwhelming monthly indicators reports may affect prospects into 2H as well as the currency market. Our analysts see the recent China economic news flow as a readjustment to mor...

Questions have arisen around the growth of zero-days to expiry options, which now make up more than 40% of the overall volume of SPX options traded, and how this boom may be impacting the stock market. This edition of the All Options Considered podcast focuses on zero days to expiry options, or 0DTEs, and addresses the diversity of the investor base and what type of strategies are being traded. BI...

Geopolitical risk is accelerating across Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa, yet the region continues to outperform as end-of-cycle dynamics take hold. In this month’s EM Lens & Look-Through podcast, Bloomberg Intelligence’s EMEA FX & Interest Rate Strategist Sergei Voloboev joins Chief EM Fixed Income Strategist Damian Sassower to discuss his outlook on local currency and debt markets in...

Lisa Hornby, Schroder Investment Management’s Head of Multi-Sector Fixed Income, says mortgages and shorter-term Treasury securities are more attractive than corporates given the firm’s outlook for the economy. Hornby joins Bloomberg Intelligence’s Chief US Rates Strategist Ira Jersey on this episode of the Macro Matters edition of the FICC Focus podcast. Hornby discusses why she thinks corporate...

Despite positive year-to-date performance, navigating the heightened volatility in the rates market and declining new issue sales have been just some of the challenges investors have had to contend with this year. Though some have chosen to hide out in high-yield cash equivalents such as money-market products, opportunities exist if cloudy valuations can be navigated. Belle Haven Investments’ CEO...

The market interpreting comments following the Bank of England’s 25-bp rate increase at the May policy meeting doesn’t square with the view of Bloomberg Intelligence European Interest Rate Strategist Huw Worthington. On this Macro Matter’s edition of the FICC Focus podcast, Worthington suggests that the UK’s rate-hiking cycle may be nearing an end, while the European Central Bank could raise somew...

Market downswings and rallies and concern about the next crisis have been major preoccupations over the past two years. A significant credit-market innovation helping to address this was introduced in this period and it's coming to the forefront now -- credit index futures. In the ninth episode of our Credit Crunch podcast, host Mahesh Bhimalingam, Chief European Credit Strategist and Davide Masi,...

“I worry less about liquidity risk because we’re generally assuming there isn’t liquidity there. I worry more about recovery risk. If something goes wrong in a small-cap stack…a lot of the advisory, workout and bankruptcy costs are much more onerous in a smaller-cap stack,” Corbin Capital’s Chief Investment Officer Craig Bergstrom says on this month’s State of Distressed edition of the FICC Focus...

ING’s Antoine Bouvet, head of European rates strategy and James Smith, developed market economist, join Bloomberg Intelligence’s Chief US Rates Strategist Ira Jersey on this episode of the Macro Matters editions of the FICC Focus podcast to discuss the economy and rate markets of the Eurozone and the UK. Bouvet and Smith give their outlook for inflation, central bank policy and government bond mar...