On this episode of “Credit Matters,” Shankar Ramakrishnan and Bruce Clark recap a volatile week in rates and credit as Middle East conflict headlines pushed oil prices higher, helping stall US investment grade issuance after a busy start to the week.

Bruce outlines a dramatic repricing of global central bank expectations, with Europe and the UK turning notably more hawkish while US futures shift from pricing multiple cuts to a small chance of a hike by year-end. Guest Meghan Robson, Head of US Credit Strategy at BNP, says credit’s reaction has been muted as Powell stayed data-dependent, but investors are moving away from the “several cuts” narrative; she notes IG spreads have widened about 20bp since January though fundamentals remain mid-cycle.

Meghan discusses positioning, preferred opportunities in IG and select high yield cyclicals, AI-driven software sentiment risk versus fundamentals, private credit concerns tied to leverage and transparency, key red flags (earnings declines and asset coverage), and practical hedging tools like CDX and options.

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On the second episode of "Credit Matters", Shankar and Bruce discuss record-breaking US investment grade issuance and a rebound in high yield, including a triple-C tap, despite growing strains and broader volatility.

Guest Winnie Cisar of CreditSights says issuance is “bananas” even as borrowing costs rise, driven by strong fundamentals and investor demand for attractive all-in yields (IG above 5%, HY above 7%) despite tight spreads. She highlights sector-specific cracks (media, chemicals), private credit risks and floating-rate pressure, and notes default rates remain relatively low (HY ~2.4%, loans near 5%).

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This week on Credit Matters, Shankar Ramakrishnan kicks off with expectations for a massive March with $230B of new supply and a potential $2T year.

He and Bruce Clark discuss the demand “technicals” behind strong issuance, attractive 4–6% yields, and near-non-existent default rates, alongside risks from volatility tied to the Iran war, oil-price shocks, inflation, and shifting rate-cut expectations.

Clark outlines how early-2026 “Goldilocks” conditions were supported by strong earnings and falling treasury yields before the conflict reversed yields and darkened sentiment, amplified by a weak February payroll report.

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Shankar Ramakrishnan, Head of U.S. Credit and Market Engagement at Informa Global Markets, breaks down the hottest topics in the world of investment banking in IGM's weekly podcast.

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