FICC Focus

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599

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Aug 2026

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FICC Focus offers the latest market views on interest rates, corporate bonds, emerging market debt, commodities, and currencies by Bloomberg Intelligence analysts.

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60 recent

August 28, 202622 min

EM Lens: Sandglass’ Lozovsky Reinforces Bullish EM Narrative

Emerging market fund flows are accelerating as credit fundamentals continue to improve amid historically loose financial conditions, wide real yields and deteriorating US dollar demand. Genna Lozovsky, managing principal and chief investment officer of Sandglass Capital Management, joins Damian Sassower, Bloomberg Intelligence’s chief EM fixed income strategist, to share his outlook for special situations and distressed EM credit amid a historically tight spread environment. Lozovsky and Sassower focus on opportunities in off-the-run EM growth, distressed corporates and speculative-grade sovereign debt.

August 27, 202625 min

Macro Matters: MetLife’s Matus on Fed Policy, AI and Markets

With US growth holding up and inflation still running above target, investors are weighing whether the Federal Reserve needs to tighten policy further or can afford to stay on hold. Drew Matus, chief market strategist at MetLife Investment Management, joins Bloomberg Intelligence chief US interest-rate strategist Ira Jersey to discuss this and more on this Macro Matters edition of the FICC Focus podcast. Matus argues that rate hikes would do little to address the forces currently supporting inflation while risking unnecessary damage to the broader economy, and explains why he expects the Fed to remain on hold. The two also discuss how the AI investment boom and household wealth effects are supporting US growth, why Matus sees AI as a potential source of job creation and productivity gains, and where those benefits could create opportunities across emerging markets and Japan. They also examine global fixed-income valuations, geopolitical and oil-market risks and why clearer rules governing the relationship between the Treasury and Fed — including the composition and size of the central bank’s balance sheet — could ultimately reduce uncertainty for markets. The Macro Matters podcast is part of BI’s FICC Focus series.

August 25, 202658 min

Credit Crunch: Around the World of Global Credit in 60 Minutes

Global credit markets have stayed relatively calm through war and peace, despite swings in the rates markets, making strategic insights essential. In this episode of the Credit Crunch podcast, Mahesh Bhimalingam, Bloomberg Intelligence’s global head of credit strategy, hosts our global team to discuss key research, data and views from around the world. Tim Tan and Jason Lee in Asia, Reto Bachmann from structured credit, Heema Patel in Europe and Alice Zhou in the US share their outlooks and the key themes shaping their regions. Access their research on the Bloomberg Terminal at BI STRTA, BI STRTE and BI STRTN.

August 21, 20261 hr 34 min

State of Distressed: Burian, Stark on the Preordained Bankruptcy

To demonstrate how the modern bankruptcy system often feels prepackaged and inevitable, Brown Rudnick’s Robert Stark compares the current state of Chapter 11 to a trip to the local bureaucracy: “We could do everything that is being done now by setting up bankruptcy at a DMV, go cut your deal in the back room, bring your $60 check, stand in line, and get a rubber stamp by the DMV.” Stark and Houlihan Lokey’s Saul Burian join Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Negisa Balluku and Phil Brendel to explore the increasing friction in today’s bankruptcy courts, including the consequences of judge-led mediation, the rise of aggressive DIP financing features like roll-ups and post-reorg equity packages, and the debate over the true neutrality of “independent” directors. The podcast concludes with a look at the restructuring outlook and a discussion about the surprising return of “dumb frauds” catching major Wall Street institutions off guard. Cases mentioned include First Brands Group, Multi-Color Corp., Del Monte, J&J, BlockFi, 3M and American Tire.

August 20, 202631 min

Macro Matters: Mariner CIO E.G. Fisher on Liquidity and Credit

With the Federal Reserve leaning toward a smaller balance sheet and several year-end funding pressures approaching, investors may need to pay closer attention to liquidity and the cost of financing leveraged positions. E.G. Fisher, chief investment officer at Mariner Investment Group, joins Bloomberg Intelligence chief US interest rate strategist Ira Jersey to discuss that and more on this Macro Matters edition of the FICC Focus podcast. Fisher explains why market liquidity remains strong but funding liquidity could become more challenging as bank reserves decline, the Treasury General Account grows and major balance-sheet reporting dates approach. The two discuss whether Treasury lending of TGA balances could ease repo pressures, how Chair Kevin Warsh’s preference for a smaller Fed balance sheet may affect funding markets and why recent Treasury buybacks at the long end are only a partial response to rising yields and growing debt. They also examine relative-value opportunities across rates and credit, including increased dispersion, record corporate issuance tied to the AI build-out and how steepening credit curves are creating opportunities for arbitrage investors. The Macro Matters podcast is part of BI’s FICC Focus series.

August 19, 20261 hr 10 min

Masters of the Muniverse: JPMorgan and the Muni SMA Revolution

Municipal separately managed accounts (SMAs) have exploded 16-fold in market share, becoming a predominant investment vehicle in the post-global financial crisis world, with tight spreads and low ratios making alpha elusive. In this episode of Masters of the Muniverse, Bloomberg Intelligence’s new head of municipal research and strategy, Matthew Gastall, sits down with two guests from JPMorgan, the world’s second-largest SMA provider. Dan Freise, senior portfolio manager at J.P. Morgan Asset Management, and Paul Jacobson, head of municipal strategy at J.P. Morgan Private Bank, unpack active trading strategies, high-conviction sector positioning, and the critical market risks on their radar. Masters of the Muniverse is part of BI’s FICC Focus series.

August 14, 202654 min

Credit Crunch: Barings’ Yan on Outlook for Portfolio Finance

“The pace and trajectory of private-market growth has simply outpaced the growth of bank balance sheets,” says Dadong Yan, head of Barings Portfolio Finance, explaining the success of the asset class and the opportunities that lie ahead. In this episode of Credit Crunch, Yan joins Bloomberg Intelligence’s Noel Hebert to discuss the evolution of portfolio finance from a bank-dominated lending business to an institutional investment opportunity, and how institutional capital helps to fill the financing gap created in private markets. The two talk about the importance of disciplined underwriting, diversification and structural protections, while Yan argues that controlling lender positions, proprietary data and rigorous risk management — not simply yield — will determine long-term success in the asset class. The Credit Crunch podcast is part of BI’s FICC Focus series.

August 13, 202618 min

Macro Matters: US Economic Outlook With Natixis’ Hodge

Cooling inflation and a softer labor market are giving the Federal Reserve more room to remain patient, even as investors debate whether Kevin Warsh’s Fed could still deliver another rate increase. Chris Hodge, chief economist at Natixis, joins Bloomberg Intelligence interest rate strategists Ira Jersey and Will Hoffman to discuss this and more on this Macro Matters edition of the FICC Focus podcast. Hodge explains why recent CPI and PPI data reinforce his view that disinflation remains intact, with tariff effects largely having passed through, housing pressures moderating and wage growth consistent with inflation moving closer to the Fed’s target. The group discusses why Natixis expects the Fed to remain on an extended hold, how recent weakness in the labor market could increase policymakers’ tolerance for above-target inflation and what changes may emerge from Warsh’s reviews of the central bank’s inflation framework and data. They also examine the housing outlook, the approaching midterm elections and why divided government may constrain major fiscal legislation without materially changing the longer-term US deficit trajectory. The Macro Matters podcast is part of BI’s FICC Focus series.

August 12, 202638 min

Credit Crunch: New Fed Watch as Rates, Not Spreads Drive Credit

Rates and the new Fed are at the forefront of market headlines amid wide government bond yields. In this episode of the Credit Crunch podcast, host Mahesh Bhimalingam, Bloomberg Intelligence’s global head of credit strategy, discusses how credit remains a safe haven in every crisis with Mohammed Kazmi, senior portfolio manager at Union Bancaire Privée. They dig deep into the new Fed policy, its operational changes and Fedspeak, and the impact on the yield curve and credit. They also discuss the impact of nominal growth on credit quality and defaults, why credit has been a safe haven and why that is unlikely to change in the near future. The Credit Crunch podcast is part of BI’s FICC Focus series.

August 11, 202612 min

All Options Considered: Lessons From Korea’s ETF Volatility

South Korea has become a real-world case study in how market concentration, investor enthusiasm and leveraged ETFs can amplify volatility. In this episode, Bloomberg Intelligence’s Tanvir Sandhu, Rena Kwok and Shirley Wong examine how leveraged products can create powerful feedback loops when positioning starts to outweigh fundamentals. They unpack the mechanics of ETF rebalancing, the role of AI and semiconductor enthusiasm in Korea’s recent market swings and the implications for brokerages, fixed-income investors and broader investment themes across Asia.