Moody’s Talks – The Big Picture

Early lights out at the Eiffel Tower. Lowered thermostats. Cold showers. Europe is bracing for a tough winter as it tries to scale back energy consumption to counter cuts in Russian gas flow and surging fuel prices. How are energy-intensive companies altering production to cope with the market disruption? What are the knock-on effects for other industries? And what policy paths are governments pursuing to soften the impact on households, and what are the risks?Guests: Petter Bryman, Vice President – Senior Analyst, Sovereign Risk Group, Moody’s Investors Service; Matthias Hellstern, Managing Director, Corporate Finance Group, Moody’s Investors Service.Host: Sarah Carlson, Senior Vice President, Sovereign Risk Group, Moody’s Investors Service.To read more on this topic, visit The Big Picture page on Moodys.com (some content only available to registered users or subscribers). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

More than two years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many US office workers still are not back at their desks, as many have embraced work-from-home and other flexible work arrangements. How are commercial property owners, lenders and local governments adapting, and what does this mean for creditworthiness? What will it take to draw more workers back to the office? And how do the evolving workplace trends in the US compare with those in other parts of the world?Guests: Ranjini Venkatesan, Vice President – Senior Credit Officer, Corporate Finance Group, Moody’s Investors Service; Nicholas Samuels, Senior Vice President – US Public Finance Group, Moody’s Investors Service; Victor Calanog, Senior Director – Head of CRE Economics, Moody’s Analytics.Host: William Foster, Vice President – Senior Credit Officer, Sovereign Risk Group, Moody’s Investors Service.To read more on this topic, visit The Big Picture page on Moodys.com (some content only available to registered users or subscribers). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Growth of the G-20 economies will slow markedly this year after a strong rebound from the COVID-19 crisis in 2021, as high inflation erodes consumer purchasing power and central bank monetary policy has become more hawkish. How are the uncertain macro dynamics affecting the financing environment for corporate borrowers, and how vulnerable are lower-rated companies to a worsening economy? Is there a risk that central banks will overdo it and that higher interest rates become a catalyst for a recession? And why will the next few months be particularly critical in determining the path of the global economy?Guests: Madhavi Bokil, Senior Vice President – Credit Strategy & Research, Moody’s Investors Service; Christina Padgett, Associate Managing Director – Corporate Finance Group, Moody’s Investors Service.Host: Jennifer Wong, Vice President/Senior Credit Officer – Sub-Sovereign Group, Moody’s Investors Service.To read more on this topic, visit The Big Picture page on Moodys.com (some content only available to registered users or subscribers). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Cybersecurity risk is evolving in novel ways, with increasing potential to cause significant economic disruption and financial losses for attack victims as hackers become more sophisticated. Which sectors are most vulnerable? What types of entities have the best and worst cyber defenses? And how are organizations managing cyber risks?  Guests: Jim Hempstead, Managing Director – Utilities, Moody’s Investors Service; Sarah Hibler, Associate Managing Director – Financial Institutions Group, Moody’s Investors Service.Host: William Foster, Vice President – Senior Credit Officer, Sovereign Risk Group, Moody’s Investors Service.To read more on this topic, visit The Big Picture page on Moodys.com (some content only available to registered users or subscribers). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has pushed energy security to the top of the policy agenda in Europe, raising questions about whether the desire to reduce dependence on Russian oil and gas will come at the expense of efforts to decarbonize the region’s economy. What are the options for European countries as they try to become more energy independent, and which countries are best placed to do so? And while there is no easy way to fill the energy gap in the short term, could the Russia-Ukraine crisis have the long-term effect of accelerating Europe’s pivot toward greater adoption of clean energy? Guests: Rahul Ghosh, Managing Director – ESG, Moody’s Investors Service, and Douglas Segars, Managing Director – Infrastructure Finance, Moody’s Investors Service.Host: Sarah Carlson, Senior Vice President – Sovereign Risk Group, Moody’s Investors Service.To read more on this topic, visit The Big Picture page on Moodys.com (some content only available to registered users or subscribers). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Soaring food and energy prices, exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, are stoking inflation and reducing households’ purchasing power in many countries. How are governments and companies trying to address affordability concerns, particularly for the poorest members of society? What will be the impact on consumption and economic growth? And what role might diminished living standards play in fomenting social and political risks?Guests: Matt Robinson, Associate Managing Director – Sovereign and Sub-Sovereign, Moody’s Investors Service, and Joanna Fic, Senior Vice President – Public Project and Infrastructure Finance, Moody’s Investors Service.Host: Jennifer Wong, Vice President-Senior Credit Officer – Sub-Sovereign, Moody’s Investors Service.To read more on this topic, visit The Big Picture page on Moodys.com (some content only available to registered users or subscribers). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is fomenting new risks for the global economy and broader international relations. On this episode, a panel of Moody’s Investors Service analysts provide perspective on the spillover effects of the military conflict, from higher oil and food prices, to the growing number of refugees, and rising cybersecurity threats against critical infrastructure and other targets. Guests: Elena Nadtotchi, Senior Vice President, Corporate Finance Group, Moody’s Investors Service; Leroy Terrelonge, Vice President – Senior Analyst, Cyber Risk Group, and Evan Wohlmann, Vice President – Senior Credit Officer, Sovereign Risk Group, Moody’s Investors ServiceHost: William Foster, Vice President – Senior Credit Officer, Sovereign Risk Group, Moody’s Investors ServiceTo read more on this topic, visit The Big Picture page on Moodys.com (some content only available to registered users or subscribers). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Soaring commodities prices in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine are raising new questions about where inflation is headed, and whether supply chain stresses will be further exacerbated. We examine the root causes of current inflationary trends and how central banks will try to tame it. We also discuss whether moderate levels of inflation could be positive for the economy and the financial sector. Guests: Atsi Sheth, Managing Director, Global Strategy & Research, Moody’s Investors Service; Nick Hill, Managing Director, Financial Institutions Group, Moody’s Investors Service.Host: Sarah Carlson, Senior Vice President – Sovereign Risk Group, Moody’s Investors Service.To read more on this topic, visit The Big Picture page on Moodys.com (some content only available to registered users or subscribers). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

China was one of the few large economies to record growth during the pandemic crisis in 2020, but momentum has weakened in recent months. The loss of economic momentum comes as China has imposed strict COVID-19 lockdowns in some regions and its property sector is in the doldrums. What’s behind the recent slowdown and how is the world’s second-largest economy addressing its growth challenges? What is the effect on other economies? And how will the government’s pledges on multiple policy fronts – from reducing leverage to narrowing income inequality and accelerating the shift toward clean energy – reshape China’s economy over the long term?Guests: Gene Fang, Associate Managing Director – Sovereign and Sub-Sovereign, Moody’s Investors Service, and Michael Taylor, Managing Director – Credit Strategy, Moody’s Investors Service.Host: Jennifer Wong, Vice President – Senior Credit Officer, Sub-Sovereign Group, Moody’s Investors Service.To read more on this topic, visit The Big Picture page on Moodys.com (some content only available to registered users or subscribers). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Central banks around the world are studying and in some cases moving ahead with the creation of digital currencies that have the same value as physical cash. How do central bank-backed digital currencies work and how do they differ from other types of electronic financial assets such as cryptocurrencies and stablecoins? Could central bank digital currencies improve access to the financial systemand strengthen financial stability? And what kind of disruption will they bring for banks and other segments of the financial system? Guests: Colin Ellis, Managing Director – Credit Strategy, Moody’s Investors Service; Farooq Khan, Vice President – Senior Analyst, Financial Institutions Group, Moody’s Investors Service.Host: William Foster, Vice President – Senior Credit Officer, Sovereign Risk Group, Moody’s Investors Service. To read more on this topic, visit The Big Picture page on Moodys.com (some content only available to registered users or subscribers). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.