The Penta Podcast Channel

On this week's Macrocast, Brendan and Bryan are joined by Matt Dell Orfano from Telamonius Ventures to talk about the latest CPI trends, China's sudden reopening, and implications for the world economy. The group begins by diving into the latest CPI numbers and what they mean for ongoing housing market disruption and supply chain issues in other sectors. Matt also discusses the shortcomings of traditional econometric models and the need for real-world examples to back up economic outlooks. The group also touches on what China's recent and rapid reopening means for global manufacturing, deglobalization, and foreign investment. They discuss how manufacturing pushes like the CHIPS Act are reflective of a broader effort towards more domestic production, and share their optimism on America's private sector coordination to achieve that goal. Additional information:January 2023 Consumer Price IndexMarkets Policy Partners: Five Minute Macro

This week, Penta acquired Hume Brophy, a global public affairs, communications, and strategy firm, expanding Penta's global footprint as the world's first comprehensive stakeholder solutions firm. Conall McDevitt, Managing Partner of Penta Europe and Asia and former Hume Brophy CEO, and Jill Craig, Managing Director in Penta's Brussels office, join Parter Kevin Madden to discuss this news, as well as discuss how the strategy solutions field is shifting, geo-political influences, and what can be expected from Penta in the coming months.The group first explores how the acquisition will enhance Penta's global reach and strategic expertise, adding offices in Brussels, Dublin, Paris, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Conall and Jill then discuss some of the biggest issues facing our clients in Europe and Asia in the next few months and years. Finally, Kevin weighs in on what business leaders should expect from  the new Congress and the remaining years of President Biden's first term.  Read more about Penta's acquisition of Hume Brophy here.

Today on the Macrocast, season five begins with Penta President Matt McDonald joining John, Brendan, and Bryan to talk about the latest Jobs Day numbers. The group notes that markets have reacted favorably to this month's numbers and discusses why the labor force participation rate has remained low since the COVID-19 pandemic. They also offer predictions as to how the Federal Reserve might handle interest rates in 2023.Finally, the group covers the latest news in the vote for speaker of the House of Representatives, breaking down its implications for important issues including the debt ceiling debate and government funding. Read December's Jobs Day fact sheet here.

In this episode of What's at Stake, Penta President Matt McDonald joins partner Andrea Christianson to share his reading recommendations for those interested in business, including young professionals, aspiring leaders, and experienced executives.The two not only discuss their favorite books, but also explain why business professionals and leaders should take the time to engage with business literature at various stages of their careers. Plus, Matt shares what he's reading for fun these days. It's the perfect episode for anyone crafting their 2023 reading list! You can find the full list of Matt's reading recommendations here or at the link below:bit.ly/Twitter-3CqefXQ

In the final Macrocast of 2022, Penta Partner Stratton Kirton joins Brendan and John of Markets Policy Partners to look back on a jam-packed year of macroeconomic events. The group reviews the historic passage of the Inflation Reduction Act and discusses the continuing economic toll of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, before turning to their predictions for the coming year, including the likelihood of a soft landing for the U.S. economy.

On today's episode of What's at Stake, Penta Partner Stacy Kerr and Senior Partner Mike Berland recap Penta's collaboration with Axios to put on the first ever Axios Communicators event last week in New York City. One of the major themes coming out of the event was the evolving role of the chief communications officer (CCO). Stacy and Mike discussed how chief executives are increasingly leaning on their CCOs to provide input into how their companies' stakeholders will react to business decisions.Mike and Stacy also dive into how companies are increasingly leveraging data to understand their stakeholders and help them make more informed decisions, as well as how Penta's intelligence tools can help.

On today's Macrocast, Penta Managing Director Jonathan Graffeo is joined by John and Brendan from Markets Policy Partners, and Brai Odion-Esene, founder of SW4 Insights. It's been a big week in macroeconomic news! The group responds to the Federal Reserve’s Wednesday rate hike—the seventh this year—and discusses the outlook for retailers.Read the latest CPI report here, and learn more about SW4 Insights here.

On this edition of What's At Stake, Bryan DeAngelis is joined by Julia Decerega and Rustin Finkler, two directors at Penta Strategy, and Meredith McCleary, an associate and podcast producer at Penta, to discuss the economics, geopolitics, and business challenges of the 2022 FIFA Men's World Cup.Controversy has dogged this World Cup from the moment former FIFA President Sepp Blatter announced in 2010 that Qatar would host it in 2022.  The group not only breaks down the money behind the biggest event in soccer, but also tackles the stakeholder risks and opportunities for businesses looking to sponsor  similar events. How are advertisers and other businesses navigating these challenges? And what should business leaders take away from their experiences?The group discusses the main criticisms of the tournament, the economic payoff of hosting the World Cup, and the cost of hosting similar events. Plus, the group shares hopes and predictions for the future of American soccer fandom when the World Cup comes to North America in 2026.

On today's Macrocast, Penta President Matt McDonald is joined by John and Brendan from Markets Policy Partners and John Dick, CEO of CivicScience. The group first explores the Economic Sentiment Index, before diving into last week's banking conference, treasury yields, oil prices, and likelihood of a recession in 2023.

On this edition of What's At Stake, Penta Strategy Managing Director Stratton Kirton is joined by Vincent Smith, a Professor of Agricultural Economics at Montana State University and Director of Agricultural Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), and Jerry Hagstrom, a columnist at National Journal and Executive Editor of the agricultural news service The Hagstrom Report, to discuss the upcoming Farm Bill.The Farm Bill sets the national priorities for agriculture, conservation, nutrition, and forestry policy. A new bill is debated every five years, with the next deadline in 2023. Hagstrom and Smith both discussed how the next Congress will put its stamp on the Farm Bill, along with some of the large economic and political dynamics affecting the agricultural sector today.The trio also discusses some of the various policy areas not tied to agriculture that could be impacted by the Farm Bill, including CFTC oversight, potential crypto regulation, and foreign aid. Tune in to a jam-packed episode on a significant topic that is too often ignored.Read more of Jerry Hagstrom's work at The Hagstrom Report here.Check out Vincent Smith's recent writings for AEI here.