
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

Jan 24, 2023 • 23min
Emerging Divergence?
Recent months have seen widespread hikes across most G10 central banks, but the potential for divergence is high in the coming months as some central banks are approaching the end of their hiking cycle.Participants: Peter Schaffrik (Desk Strategy), Head of UK/European Rates & EconomicsAdam Cole (Desk Strategy), Chief Currency StrategistSimon Deeley (Desk Strategy), Canada Rates StrategistAmy Wu Silverman (Desk Strategy), Head of Equity Derivatives StrategySu-Lin (Research), Chief Economist & Senior Corporate Relationship ManageRobert Thompson (Research), Macro Rates Strategist* Research Analyst opinions are their published views, independent of those expressed by Desk Analysts

Jan 10, 2023 • 19min
Can't, Won't, Don't Stop
While upcoming policy increments and terminal values for various countries are highly debatable, Can't, Won't, Don't Stop seems like an appropriate characterization of current near term central bank policy. To reiterate our message from late last year - 2023 could turn out to be as challenging as 2022 but for different reasons. 2022 was how high policy rates would go. In 2023 market expectations should become fractured into the hike, hold, cut camps.Participants: Jason Daw (Desk Strategy), Head of North America Rates StrategyBlake Gwinn (Desk Strategy), Head of US Rates StrategistPeter Schaffrik (Desk Strategy), Head of UK/European Rates & EconomicsElsa Lignos (Desk Strategy), Head of FX StrategyMichael Tran (Research), Global Energy Strategist* Research Analyst opinions are their published views, independent of those expressed by Desk Analysts

Dec 6, 2022 • 23min
Final Countdown
BoC/Fed/BoE/ECB are all on tap over the coming week. How high rates will go, whether there will be a quick U-turn to rate cuts in 2023 and by how much, is a central theme for markets that will influence not only yield levels and curve shapes, but also important for FX and broader risk assets.Participants: Jason Daw (Desk Strategy), Head of North America Rates StrategySimon Deeley (Desk Strategy), Canada Rates StrategistBlake Gwinn (Desk Strategy), Head of US Rates StrategistPeter Schaffrik (Desk Strategy), Head of UK/European Rates & EconomicsElsa Lignos (Desk Strategy), Head of FX Strategy* Research Analyst opinions are their published views, independent of those expressed by Desk Analysts

Nov 22, 2022 • 24min
It's Complicated
2022 was complicated, but it was dominated by a one-sided risk event - how high would rates go. 2023 should be even more complicated; policy scenarios could oscillate between various outcomes depending on the depth of the growth slowdown and inflation dynamics.Participants: Jason Daw (Desk Strategy), Head of North America Rates StrategyBlake Gwinn (Desk Strategy), Head of US Rates StrategyPeter Schaffrik (Desk Strategy), Head of UK/European Rates & EconomicsAdam Cole (Desk Strategy), Chief Currency StrategistAmy Wu Silverman (Desk Strategy), Head of Equity Derivatives Strategy* Research Analyst opinions are their published views, independent of those expressed by Desk Analysts

Nov 8, 2022 • 22min
Where's Terminal?
All year market pricing for terminal rates in most countries has been a moving target and one directional - higher. Last week the Fed signaled a slower pace of rate hikes but a terminal value that was higher than their previous forecast. Where does this cycle end?Participants: Jason Daw (Desk Strategy), Head of North America Rates StrategySimon Deeley (Desk Strategy), Canada Rates StrategistPeter Schaffrik (Desk Strategy), Head of UK/European Rates & EconomicsDaria Parkhomenko (Desk Strategy), FX StrategistLori Calvasina (Research), Head of U.S. Equity Strategy* Research Analyst opinions are their published views, independent of those expressed by Desk Analysts

Oct 25, 2022 • 19min
Let's Get Restrictive
Most central banks are at a maturing stage of the hiking cycle, putting terminal policy rates firmly in focus at upcoming meetings both sides of the Atlantic.Participants: Peter Schaffrik (Desk Strategy), Head of UK/European Rates & EconomicsElsa Lignos (Desk Strategy), Head of FX StrategyBlake Gwinn (Desk Strategy), Head of US Rates StrategySimon Deeley (Desk Strategy), Canada Rates StrategistMichael Tran (Research), Global Energy Strategist* Research Analyst opinions are their published views, independent of those expressed by Desk Analysts

Oct 11, 2022 • 15min
A Gilt Edged Crisis
A made in UK fiscal crisis has led to sharp rises in gilt yields, with the BoE's buyer of last resort interventions disappointing those expecting more QE-type operations. The yield rises have permeated to Treasuries and other developed markets, with important cross-asset implications.Participants: Jason Daw (Desk Strategy), Head of North America Rates StrategyBlake Gwinn(Desk Strategy), Head of US Rates StrategyPeter Schaffrik (Desk Strategy), Head of UK/European Rates & EconomicsDaniel Rico (Desk Strategy), Latin America FX Strategist* Research Analyst opinions are their published views, independent of those expressed by Desk Analysts

Sep 27, 2022 • 20min
Fault Lines
Fiscal policy has cracked the UK bond market, opened fissures in the Pound, causing ruptures in other bond markets and by extension risk and cyclically sensitive assets. Whether the fault lines in bond markets and risk assets turn into a full blown earthquake remains to be seen, but what is clear is that the high volatility should remain in place for the rest of the year. Stay tuned for our Macro Minutes series to hear from RBC experts on these developments.Participants: Cathal Kennedy (Desk Strategy), UK EconomistAdam Cole (Desk Strategy), Chief Currency StrategistSimon Deeley (Desk Strategy), Canada Rates StrategistJason Daw (Desk Strategy), Head of North America Rates StrategyLori Calvasina (Research), Head of U.S. Equity Strategy* Research Analyst opinions are their published views, independent of those expressed by Desk Analysts

Sep 13, 2022 • 24min
Full Throttle
Central banks are going full throttle to fight inflation by delivering outsized rate increases over multiple meetings. Their job isn't over, and more policy tightening should be forthcoming over the next few months. As they try to find the level of rates that is sufficient to contain inflation, it leads to a high possibility of over-tightening and recession. There are wild times ahead for the bond market and other asset classes. Stay tuned.Participants:Jason Daw (Desk Strategy), Head of North America Rates StrategyBlake Gwinn (Desk Strategy), Head of US Rates StrategyPeter Schaffrik (Desk Strategy), Head of UK/European Rates & EconomicsGordon Scott (Research), Australia Economics & Fixed IncomeAdam Cole (Desk Strategy), Chief Currency StrategistAdam Jones (Trading), Head of US Credit Algo Trading* Research Analyst opinions are their published views, independent of those expressed by Desk Analysts

Aug 30, 2022 • 24min
The Bears are Back in Town
Many G10 central banks have moved policy rates to a neutral policy setting and are set to send them into restrictive territory with further super-sized rate hikes. Meanwhile, the late-coming ECB is contemplating an accelerated tightening path in the near-term as natural gas and power prices skyrocket due to supply concerns from Russia. How high can policy rates go and when will this cycle end for different central banks?Participants:Peter Schaffrik (Desk Strategy), Head of UK/European Rates & EconomicsBlake Gwinn (Desk Strategy), Head of US Rates StrategySimon Deeley (Desk Strategy), Canada Rates StrategistElsa Lignos (Desk Strategy), Head of FX StrategyMichael Tran (Research), Global Energy Strategist* Research Analyst opinions are their published views, independent of those expressed by Desk Analysts