Basis Points

Hosted by Basis Points by WisdomTree Asset Management

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Episodes

325

Latest episode

Oct 2026

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EN-US

About the show

Macro commentary and expert-led discussions highlight what’s happening now in fixed income investing, so you can prepare for what’s next. Investing involves risks including loss of principal. This material represents the opinions of the participants at a specific time and is not intended to forecast future events or guarantee future results and should not be relied upon as investment advice. Kevin Flanagan is a registered rep of Foreside Fund Services, LLC.

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60 recent

October 21, 20264 min

Investing in a 5% Bond World: The Barbell

Growth, sticky inflation, policy uncertainty and Treasury supply have pushed long-term yields to multi-decade highs. On this week’s episode of the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan outlines a barbell approach for investing in a “5% bond world.” Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent. Consumer Price Index (CPI): Measures the average monthly change in prices paid by urban consumers for a market basket of consumer goods and services. Producer Price Index (PPI): Measures changes in wholesale prices, offering insights into inflation trends before they reach consumers. Funds mentioned in podcast: USFR: WisdomTree Floating Rate Treasury Fund AGZD: WisdomTree Interest Rate Hedged U.S. Aggregate Bond Fund HYZD: WisdomTree Interest Rate Hedged High Yield Bond Fund AGGY: WisdomTree Yield Enhanced U.S. Aggregate Bond Fund WTBN: WisdomTree Bianco Total Return Fund Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/us/insights/podcasts/basis-points-podcasts Learn more about the WisdomTree Zero Duration Suite: https://www.wisdomtree.com/us/strategies/fixed-income Please see the WisdomTree Glossary for additional definitions of terms and/or indexes: https://www.wisdomtree.com/us/insights/glossary

October 14, 20263 min

“Zero-ing” In on Higher Bond Yields

The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield reached 5.36%, its highest level in 20 years, amid a mix of growth, inflation, policy uncertainty and supply pressures. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan and Maggie Lucier review the case for zero-duration strategies and how they could fit into bond portfolios as investors consider taking on longer-duration exposure. Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent. Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/us/insights/podcasts/basis-points-podcasts Please see the WisdomTree Glossary for additional definitions of terms and/or indexes: https://www.wisdomtree.com/us/insights/glossary

October 1, 20265 min

Higher Bond Yields Go Global

The 10-year Treasury yield hit a 19-year high of 5.2% last week, and it isn't alone: Japan, Germany and the UK have all seen their 10-year yields climb to multi-decade highs. This week on Basis Points, Maggie Lucier, Senior Associate, Investment Strategy, joins Kevin Flanagan to explain the common forces behind the global bond sell-off, including deficit spending, inflation concerns and central bank tightening, and why Japan is the market to watch. Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent. Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/us/insights/podcasts/basis-points-podcasts Please see the WisdomTree Glossary for additional definitions of terms and/or indexes: https://www.wisdomtree.com/us/insights/glossary

September 17, 20264 min

Fed Watch: Finally, ‘Walkin’ the Walk’

At the September FOMC meeting, the Fed raised rates by 25 basis points to 3.75%–4.00% amid persistent inflation pressures. This week on Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan explains why the move may not be the last hike investors see this year. Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent. Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/us/insights/podcasts/basis-points-podcasts Please see the WisdomTree Glossary for additional definitions of terms and/or indexes: https://www.wisdomtree.com/us/insights/glossary

September 10, 20267 min

The Bond Market Is Just Doing Its Job

UST yields are climbing back to more “normal” historical levels, but the sell-off has stayed orderly, with no liquidity or funding stress in sight. This week on Basis Points, Maggie Lucier joins Kevin Flanagan to explain why rising rates reflect the bond market simply doing its job, and how WisdomTree’s Zero Duration Suite can help portfolios adapt. Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent. Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/us/insights/podcasts/basis-points-podcasts Please see the WisdomTree Glossary for additional definitions of terms and/or indexes: https://www.wisdomtree.com/us/insights/glossary

August 26, 20264 min

Bessent & Warsh Go Down the Jackson Hole

Treasury yields have climbed to levels not seen since before the 2007 Financial Crisis, and the Treasury Department’s latest buyback push barely dented the trend. This week on Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan examines why the bond market remains in “selling on strength” mode ahead of Fed Chair Warsh’s first Jackson Hole appearance. Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent. Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/us/insights/podcasts/basis-points-podcasts Please see the WisdomTree Glossary for additional definitions of terms and/or indexes: https://www.wisdomtree.com/us/insights/glossary

August 12, 20267 min

What’s Driving Treasury Yields Higher?

AI-related debt issuance has surpassed $500 billion in 2026 alone, adding to supply pressures in bond markets already contending with a nearly $2.0 trillion U.S. budget deficit. This week, Maggie Lucier joins Kevin Flanagan to discuss what is keeping Treasury yields elevated, the impact of Fed uncertainty and why Kevin favors a zero-duration approach to managing interest rate risk. Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent. Agg: Refers to the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. “Double A issuer”: Refers to an issuer with an “AA” credit rating from a major credit rating agency Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/us/insights/podcasts/basis-points-podcasts Please see the WisdomTree Glossary for additional definitions of terms and/or indexes: https://www.wisdomtree.com/us/insights/glossary

August 5, 20263 min

Is the Bond Market Putting Warsh in a Corner?

Long-term Treasury yields have surged following the July FOMC meeting, as limited forward guidance raised questions about the Fed’s policy reaction function. On this week’s episode of Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan examines whether persistent inflation and resilient labor data could leave Chair Warsh boxed into a rate hike and what heightened duration and volatility risks mean for bond investors. Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent. Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/us/insights/podcasts/basis-points-podcasts Please see the WisdomTree Glossary for additional definitions of terms and/or indexes: https://www.wisdomtree.com/us/insights/glossary

July 30, 20263 min

Fed Watch: Is It a Matter of When, Not If?

The Fed kept rates unchanged at the July FOMC meeting, but markets are increasingly focused on the prospect of future hikes. This week on Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan explains why the next move may be a matter of when, not if, and what investors should watch in the months ahead. Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent. Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/us/insights/podcasts/basis-points-podcasts Please see the WisdomTree Glossary for additional definitions of terms and/or indexes: https://www.wisdomtree.com/us/insights/glossary

July 22, 20266 min

A New ‘Warsh’ Cycle

The Fed may be entering a new era, and investors expecting easy rate cuts could be in for a surprise. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan is joined by Maggie Lucier, Senior Associate, Investment Strategy. Together, they discuss why Kevin Warsh's policy approach could mean higher-for-longer rates, greater bond market volatility, and a fresh playbook for fixed income investing. Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent. Handle: A market term referring to the whole-number portion of a yield or price. Agg: Refers to the Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/us/insights/podcasts/basis-points-podcasts Please see the WisdomTree Glossary for additionaldefinitions of terms and/or indexes: https://www.wisdomtree.com/us/insights/glossary

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