Know More. Risk Better.

Insurance Portfolio Review with Josh Esterov

Tune in to the latest episode of the "Know More, Risk Better." podcast, hosted by Zach Griffiths. This week, he is joined by Josh Esterov, CFA, Head of Insurance at CreditSights. Together, they delve into the rising influence of private credit in insurance portfolios and discuss how private equity is reshaping the industry through higher yields and innovative strategies. Explore the significant shift from commercial real estate to residential mortgages and gain insights into the dynamic risk transfer market. This episode provides a comprehensive look at the opportunities and challenges redefining insurance investments. Don't miss this engaging and insightful conversation!

Rates Option Market Insights with Blake Winston

In the latest episode of "Know More Risk Better," host Zach Griffiths talks with Blake Winston, a USD Rates Options Trader at Wells Fargo. They address recent key market narratives including concerns about the Treasury-futures basis trade, further swap spread tightening and potential foreign selling of Treasuries. Blake sheds light on discrepancies in the market narrative and what he sees as the key drivers of the recent selloff in cash bonds. They also discuss the recent trend of the front end and back end of the Treasury curve trading like two different asset classes and how concerns about Fed independence factor into recent market movements. This episode offers valuable perspectives for those interested in financial markets and macroeconomic trends.

Exploring APAC Insurance: Themes and Our Top Picks

In this week's episode, host Zachary Griffiths dives into the evolving APAC insurance landscape with Senior Insurance Analyst, Trung Tran, focusing on converging Insurance Capital Standards in the region. Trung shares insights into Japanese life insurers, highlighting their strong solvency ratios amid attractive spreads for investors. They discuss significant risks like interest rate fluctuations and stock market volatility, and notice a trend of Japanese insurers moving their investments back home due to high hedging costs and rising local interest rates. The episode also tackles common investor questions about insurance bonds and accounting practices. If you're curious to learn more about this topic, including regulatory changes and bond structures, check out our 2024 APAC Insurance Primer Report.

Unintended Consequences

Join hosts Winnie Cisar and Zach Griffiths, along with special guest Cedric Chehab, Chief Economist at BMI, as they delve into the current economic landscape amidst significant market volatility and trade tensions. Explore the potential for recession and the impact of recent aggressive tariff announcements by the Trump administration. Cedric provides a unique perspective on global trade dynamics, while Zach discusses tactical opportunities in high-yield investments. Gain valuable insights into monetary policy, international relations, and the evolving role of the U.S. in the global economy. Tune in to understand the complexities of today's market environment and prepare for the challenges ahead.

Looking at Economic Growth and Risks in Q2 and Beyond

Join us on the latest episode of the “Know More. Risk Better.” podcast as Winnie Cisar, Zach Griffiths, and Regis Chatellier explore the economic outlook for Q2 2025 and beyond. Dive into discussions on economic trends and risks, U.S. stagflation concerns, and the impacts of tariffs and geopolitical tensions on emerging markets.

South and Southeast Asia Corporates

In this week's episode, host Winnie Cisar and CreditSights Head of South and Southeast Asia Corporates, Lakshmanan R., delve into the world of Indonesian corporates. Discover how evolving fiscal policies are creating uncertainty in the Indonesian market, the outlook for economic fundamentals in South and Southeast Asia given the mix of trade and tariff uncertainty, where corporate governance concerns persist and impacts on access to liquidity, and our views on opportunities in the corporate hybrid universe.

Two Sessions + Tariffs = 4.7% GDP for China in 2025

In this week's episode, host Zachary Griffiths and CreditSights Head of Asia Strategy, Zerlina Zeng discuss insights from China's recent Two Sessions meetings. They explore China's GDP growth target of 5% for 2024, fiscal policies, and the impact of U.S. tariffs. Zerlina highlights challenges such as overcapacity, export headwinds, and considers potential fiscal measures. The conversation also covers the implications of tariffs on various Asian markets, particularly South Korea, and the cautious sentiment towards credit risk amid U.S. policy changes. Tune in for a comprehensive analysis of Asia's economic landscape and geopolitical dynamics. 

Correction or Chaos? Technical Insights with RenMac’s Jeff deGraaf

In this episode of "Know More. Risk Better," Zachary Griffiths welcomes Jeff deGraaf, chairman and co-founder of Renaissance Macro Research. Jeff draws from 35 years of experience to provide technical insights amid the recent equity market selloff. They discuss key metrics he’s focused on to determine if equities are oversold and when it is time to add risk back to portfolios. Jeff describes his journey beginning on Wall Street as a fundamental analyst and what drew him to take a more imaginative approach to capital markets including using technical analysis to understand what the market is ‘saying’.