
Macro Minutes
Macro Minutes - RBC Capital Markets macro and market strategy series – explores the latest financial market and economic developments. Listen today to hear high conviction insights from RBC’s desk strategists and research analysts.
Latest episodes

Jun 11, 2025 • 16min
Pivot Time
US policy uncertainty is sky high. Global investors own a lot of US assets, mostly unhedged currency exposure, and the natural implication is that the collision of large exposures and elevated uncertainty could have a large impact on global capital flows, asset markets, and currency hedging activity.Participants:Jason Daw (Desk Strategy), Head of North America Rates StrategyElsa Lignos (Desk Strategy), Head of FX StrategyRichard Cochinos (Desk Strategy), FX Strategist* Research Analyst opinions are their published views, independent of those expressed by Desk Analysts

May 28, 2025 • 19min
Limited Series I Special Edition Episode: Systematic Protection: How QIS Enables Responsive Defensive Overlap Strategies
Strategies promising to remove human emotion from investing were once niche. Now a growing number of institutions are finding them valuable. Where will QIS go next?Participants:Janet Wilkinson (Desk Strategy), Head of Global Markets Flow Sales, EMEASolenn Le Floch (Desk Strategy), Managing Director, Global Markets SolutionsAkilesh Eswaran (Desk Strategy), Global Head of QIS and EMEA Head of Equity TradingSamkit Tated (Desk Strategy), Director of QIS Structuring.* Research Analyst opinions are their published views, independent of those expressed by Desk Analysts

May 20, 2025 • 16min
Go Your Own Way
Both the Bank of England (BoE) and Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) delivered 25bps rate cuts at their latest meetings but with very differing messages. Whereas the RBA delivered a ‘very dovish’ cut the BoE was much more cautious and in this episode we unpack the reasons for that differing approach and what it means for each going forward. Participants:Cathal Kennedy (Desk Strategy), Senior UK EconomistSu-Lin Ong (Research), Chief Australia Economist* Research Analyst opinions are their published views, independent of those expressed by Desk Analysts

May 6, 2025 • 11min
Minority Report
The Canadian federal election produced the third straight Liberal minority government. The pre-election campaign incorporated sizable new fiscal measures. In this episode we unpack what it means for the economy, Bank of Canada policy, issuance, and the rates market.Participants:Jason Daw (Desk Strategy), Head of North America Rates StrategySimon Deeley (Desk Strategy), Canada Rates Strategist* Research Analyst opinions are their published views, independent of those expressed by Desk Analysts

May 1, 2025 • 24min
A Little Less Tarrified
Elsa Lignos, Head of FX Strategy at RBC Capital Markets, and Blake Gwinn, Head of US Rates Strategy, dive into the complexities of the U.S.-China trade war and its ripple effects on the dollar and equity markets. They discuss evolving corporate earnings amidst tariffs and the sentiment shifts in the investor community. The pair also tackle the latest Treasury refunding announcements and the uncertain debt limit timeline, shedding light on these essential topics for market watchers.

Apr 22, 2025 • 27min
It's Politics, Stupid.
It is a unique time for economies and financial markets - political decisions are increasingly driving economic outcomes and asset markets rather than the other way around. Today's episode unpacks what it means for US & Canada and the implications for equity markets. Participants:Jason Daw (Desk Strategy), Head of North America Rates StrategyBlake Gwinn (Desk Strategy), Head of US Rates Strategy Lori Calvasina (Research), Head of U.S. Equity Strategy* Research Analyst opinions are their published views, independent of those expressed by Desk Analysts

Apr 11, 2025 • 35min
Chaos Theory
Today is 11-April-2025 and my name is Peter Schaffrik. We have labelled this edition ‘Chaos Theory’ and I trust most listeners do not need and explanation as to what inspired us. Market swings have been very large on the back of the back and forth in the tariffs culminating in a 90 day pause being announced this week. Helping us to bring some order into the chaos, I am joined by Blake Gwinn, RBC’s head of US rates strategy and Elsa Lignos, Head of FX strategy. Participants:Peter Schaffrik (Desk Strategy), Head of UK/European Rates & EconomicsBlake Gwinn (Desk Strategy), Head of US Rates StrategyElsa Lignos (Desk Strategy), Head of FX Strategy* Research Analyst opinions are their published views, independent of those expressed by Desk Analysts

Apr 3, 2025 • 20min
Limited Series | Special Edition Episode: Can Europe’s Bank Equities and AT1s comeback be sustained?
A twin resurgence is reshaping European financial markets. Bank equities and AT1 bonds are both surging—can the momentum last?Participants:Janet Wilkinson (Desk Strategy), Head of Global Markets Flow Sales, EMEAAnke Reingen (Desk Strategy), Global Co-Head of Financials ResearchMarc Sanchez Roger (Desk Strategy), Head of European Financials Credit Sector* Research Analyst opinions are their published views, independent of those expressed by Desk Analysts

Apr 2, 2025 • 19min
Limited Series | Special Edition Episode: Trump’s Policies: Reshaping the Defense Landscape
Explore how Trump's policies are reshaping global defense. Experts from RBC Capital Markets analyze the economic and strategic shifts in UK, European, and US defense spending.Participants:Janet Wilkinson (Desk Strategy), Head of Global Markets Flow Sales, EMEAPeter Schaffrik (Desk Strategy), Chief European Macro StrategistKen Herbert (Research), Senior Aerospace and Defense Analyst* Research Analyst opinions are their published views, independent of those expressed by Desk Analysts

Mar 26, 2025 • 18min
Butterfly Effect
The butterfly effect is where a change in a complex system can have large effects elsewhere. Indeed, US trade policies are having significant intended and unintended consequences for various countries that is impacting fiscal policy and politics and potentially and monetary policy and the bond market.Participants:Jason Daw(Desk Strategy), Head of North America Rates StrategyPeter Schaffrik (Desk Strategy), Head of UK/European Rates & EconomicsSu-Lin Ong (Research), Chief Australia Economist* Research Analyst opinions are their published views, independent of those expressed by Desk Analysts