
Bondcast - The Rates Podcast
In this weekly podcast series, Imogen Bachra along with the NatWest Markets team of rates & markets specialists help investment professionals shape their portfolio views on fixed income, learn how the biggest themes, trends, and events affect bond performance, and get deeper insight into rates markets including the latest analysis & research from the NatWest team.
Episodes
178 episodes
Where there's a Bill, there's a way
This week, Joann Spadigam, Paul Robson and Ian VanderHorn discuss recent developments in bond markets, focusing on gilt market volatility, the Bank of England's quantitative tightening, the US's big and beautiful budget bill and the European Ce...
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24:53

Normal service resumes?
This week, Joann Spadigam is joined by Kevin Cummins, Paul Robson and Stuart Sparks to discuss the recent geopolitical shifts and the impact on markets, particularly in relation to oil prices and investor sentiment. They delve into central bank...
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20:05

Interest rate holds and global uncertainty
This week Joann Spadigam is joined by Paul Robson in a Bondcast/Currency Exchange crossover to talk about interest rate holds in the UK and US. Were there any clues about the nature of future decisions? Away from the central banks, they also di...
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13:42

Italy's hot, but France not so much as spreads near to zero
This week, Joann Spadigam, Giovanni Zanni, and Oriane Parmentier discuss the convergence of Italian and French yields. As the spread nears zero, they analyse underlying economics, political dynamics, consider debt sustainability in both countri...
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18:37

What to expect ahead of UK and US rate decisions
In this episode, Joann Spadigam, Paul Robson and Stuart Sparks discuss recent economic data in the UK, including inflation and labour market statistics, the implications of the spending review, and expectations for the upcoming Bank of England ...
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19:12

ECB on summer break, but what about the UK and US?
This week Joann Spadigam, Paul Robson and Stuart Sparks discuss the recent European Central Bank meeting, interest rate projections, and the implications of quantitative tightening in the UK. They also analyse the current economic landscape in ...
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19:12

Japan, UK issuance, and another tariff re-de-escalation
With Japan’s bond markets making headlines, Joann Spadigam is joined by Paul Robson and Stuart Sparks to analyse market sentiment and discuss the broader global impact – including here in the UK. They also discuss the impact of the latest tarif...
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21:12

A curse on curves?
With high long-end yields in the UK and the US, Joann Spadigam is joined by Paul Robson and Stuart Sparks to analyse market sentiment, and discuss why inflation is still so crucial to central bank policy. They also talk about the dynamics of Eu...
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20:19

Growth returns, but what about inflation?
This week Joann Spadigam is joined by Deepika Dayal and Paul Robson to discuss the latest news for the UK and US economies. With stronger than expected GDP growth in the UK, and an easing of trade tensions between the US and China, what next fo...
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19:06

A hawkish cut and a hawkish hold
This week, Imogen Bachra is joined by Joann Spadigam and Stuart Sparks to talk the hawk following recent Bank of England and Fed interest rate decisions. They also examine the political landscape in Germany and its potential impact on fiscal po...
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23:35

De-escalation helps markets, but UK yields remain high
In this episode Imogen Bachra and Brian Daingerfield discuss the latest developments in tariffs, the future of Fed chair Jerome Powell, and the recent UK gilt remit revision. They explore how market reactions are influenced by tariff negotiatio...
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31:48

What to make of recent market events?
This week host Imogen Bachra is joined by Brian Daingerfield, Stuart Sparks and Joann Spadigam to discuss rates and FX markets in the UK, US and Europe. What can we expect next, and where might we go from here in terms of central bank monetary ...
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38:08

The market reacts to tariffs, but where to from here?
In this crossover episode of Bondcast and Currency Exchange, Imogen Bachra is joined by Brian Daingerfield and Oriane Parmentier to discuss all things tariffs, and the political situation in France. It's not just markets that are surrounded by ...
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26:27

UK Spring Statement, market signals and more
This week Imogen Bachra, Joann Spadigam and Stuart Sparks discuss the UK Spring Statement, its implications for the UK fiscal situation, and the upcoming tariff announcements affecting Europe. They also analyse the latest profit and productivit...
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25:27

Unchanged melody?
This week, Imogen Bachra is joined by Joann Spadigam and Stuart Sparks to discuss recent interest rate decisions at the Bank of England and the Fed. They also talk the upcoming Spring Statement in the UK, fiscal developments in the Euro area, a...
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30:33

Risks have returned, but will the shocks continue?
In a week of shifting market sentiment, Imogen Bachra is joined by Stuart Sparks and Joann Spadigam to discuss rates in the US, Europe and the UK. All eyes are on the Fed and the European Central Bank as they continue to scrutinise data, amid f...
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22:43

A cut in Europe, but questions abound
With International Women's Day upon us, this week's all-female line-up tackles the latest news from rates markets. The European Central Bank (ECB) cut rates to 2.5%, but it is Europe's revised defence budget that is the real focus for markets. ...
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25:37

Geopolitics, markets and military might
Welcome to a special edition of Bondcast, where we dive into the geopolitical events shaping markets. Host Imogen Bachra is joined by Scott Livingstone, NatWest Group’s international advisor, and Bondcast regular Joann Spadigam, to discuss the ...
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27:35

Europe will emerge stronger?
In this episode, Imogen Bachra is joined by Stuart Sparks and Joann Spadigam to discuss the latest news, events and data shaping rates markets. In Europe they cover the impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on European defence spending and the ...
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23:10

Strong US labour data, but the Fed remains patient
In this episode of Bondcast, Imogen Bachra, Joanne Spadigam, and Deepika Dayal discuss the latest trends in rates markets, focusing on inflation data, labour market dynamics, and central bank policies in the US and UK. They analyse the implicat...
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34:03

The trade war whiplash
In this episode, Imogen Bachra, Brian Daingerfield and Oriane Parmentier discuss the latest developments in rates markets, focusing on trade war dynamics, tariff policies and the implications for markets. They also discuss the recent rate cut b...
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34:32

A hold, a cut and pension fund tweaks
This week Imogen Bachra is joined by Joann Spadigam and Kevin Cummins to talk all things rates and, uniquely for the team, how change may be afoot for pensions in the Netherlands and the UK. While the Fed predictably held rates in the US, the E...
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31:32

Dilemmas, Donald and de-risking
This week the Bondcast team discusses strong wage inflation data in the UK, which, combined with sluggish output growth, poses a policy dilemma for the Bank of England. Elsewhere they examine recent US data, Donald Trump’s plans and whether the...
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13:53

“One swallow doesn’t make a summer” (16 January '25)
With soft-ish inflation prints in the UK and beyond, are we at the start of a trend? Separating the signals from the noise this week are host Imogen Bachra, Deepika Dayal and Joann Spadigam, who share news and views on all things rates - includ...
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26:49

Rising borrowing costs in the UK, but is it alone?
It’s early 2025 and yields are as high as December’s party spirits. This week host Imogen Bachra is joined by Kevin Cummins and Joann Spadigam to talk UK government bond moves, a cutting-cautious Fed, and a dovish European Central Bank keen to ...
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29:31
