Market Maker

Communication is one of the most valuable skills in finance and professional careers, yet it’s rarely taught. In this episode of the Market Maker Podcast, Anthony Cheung speaks with James Percy-Smith, founder of The Elocution Coach, about how students and professionals can develop powerful communication skills that accelerate their careers. They break down the four stages of becoming a confident s...

In this week’s Market Maker Podcast, we break down Bill Ackman’s high-stakes bid for Universal Music Group, the entertainment giant behind global superstars like Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter and Kendrick Lamar. With the takeover offer estimated at $64.3bn, we unpack the M&A strategy underpinning the deal and why Pershing Square believes a US relisting could unlock significant value. From li...

Markets are rallying on ceasefire headlines but the risks haven’t disappeared. In this episode, we break down why equities are surging while bonds, oil, and macro signals tell a very different story. From inflation expectations to disrupted oil flows and fragile negotiations, the so-called “ceasefire bounce” may not be as solid as it looks. With earnings season approaching and geopolitical tension...

In this episode of the Market Maker Podcast, we review Q1 investment banking league tables and the rebound in global M&A activity. We discuss the key drivers behind deal flow, including interest rates, financing conditions, and geopolitical risk, and consider how the outlook may evolve into Q2. We also analyse the potential SMFG–Jefferies transaction, focusing on strategic rationale, regulator...

In this episode of the Market Maker Podcast, we break down the recent surge in oil prices, rising stagflation risks, and the impact on global financial markets. With crude trading in a key $100-$120 range, we explore what’s driving volatility, how different economies are exposed to the energy shock, and why investors are shifting towards defensive sectors. We also examine the relative outperforman...

In this episode of the Market Maker Podcast, we break down the surge in oil prices, the growing risk of $200 oil, and the controversy around large trades placed just minutes before a Trump headline hit the market. Is this insider trading, smart positioning, or algorithmic momentum? We explore how markets react to political signals, why oil is so sensitive to geopolitical risk, and what could actua...

This week on the Market Maker Podcast, we break down a $27 billion AI deal between Meta and Nebius and what it reveals about the global race for compute power. We also dive into Unicredit’s $28 billion move on Commerzbank and why it’s become one of Europe’s most political banking battles. Plus, we cover the biggest deals of the week across wealth management, asset management, and defense, and expl...

The market got it wrong. After months of expecting easier policy, central banks have just delivered a major reality check. The Federal Reserve is no longer forecasting cuts, the Bank of England is turning more hawkish, and the European Central Bank could move sooner than anyone expected. Behind it all is a new inflation threat building beneath the surface. Energy prices are rising fast, and if the...

In this week’s Market Maker Podcast M&A episode, we break down the biggest deals moving markets right now. We start with Axel Springer’s $770 million acquisition of the Daily Telegraph, the proposed Airbus–Leonardo–Thales space merger aimed at competing with SpaceX, and the latest developments in the Monte dei Paschi–Mediobanca deal. We also discuss a new take-private bid for Papa John’s and a...

In this episode of the Market Maker Podcast, we break down a rare six-sigma oil market shock - a move so extreme it statistically should happen only once every four million years. Crude oil surged from around $70 to $120 during geopolitical tensions before rapidly reversing, catching some of the world’s largest hedge funds off guard. We discuss what drove the volatility, why hedge funds lost billi...

This week on the Market Maker Podcast we break down the biggest M&A deals, private equity moves and activist investor plays shaping global markets. From a $6.2 billion African telecom infrastructure deal to a $33 billion private equity bet on the energy powering AI data centres, Anthony Cheung and Piers Curran break down the biggest deal stories shaping markets this week. They also dive into E...

Oil prices are surging as tensions escalate between the US, Israel and Iran but what does it mean for inflation, interest rates and global markets? In this episode of the AmplifyME Market Maker Podcast, Anthony Cheung and Piers Curran break down the macroeconomic implications of the rapidly escalating conflict in the Middle East and explain why traders and investors are paying close attention to e...

In this episode of Market Maker by AmplifyME, we sit down with Nick Leeson to explore trading psychology, risk management and what it takes to survive public failure after the collapse of Barings Bank and more than $1.3 billion in losses. At just 25 years old, Leeson was running a derivatives operation in Singapore during the high-pressure culture of 1990s banking. What followed brought down a 233...

Is AI about to disrupt white-collar jobs, or is this simply a market rotation disguised as panic? Anthony Cheung and Piers Curran break down the so-called “AI scare trade” that hit software, payments and advisory stocks, even as the S&P 500 stayed broadly flat. We unpack the viral 2028 AI thesis from independent research firm Citrini, the sell-off in companies like Salesforce and IBM, and whet...

This week on the AmplifyME Market Maker Podcast, Anthony goes solo to break down three big stories — a $58 billion oil merger, a pulled tech IPO, and private equity’s move into Indian cricket — all tied together by one theme: survival in the age of AI. In energy, Devon Energy and Coterra Energy are merging to focus on efficiency and basin concentration as shale matures. In tech, Blackstone-backed...

In this episode of the Market Maker Podcast, Shah Malik shares a masterclass in how to stand out and succeed in finance, regardless of your starting point. Currently finishing his degree at King’s College London and set to join Deutsche Bank full-time, Shah walks through how he broke into investment banking by focusing on execution, networking, and a relentless mindset. From turning retail jobs in...

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...