The Penta Podcast Channel

This week on What's At Stake, Michael Sonnenshein, CEO of Grayscale, joins Penta’s Bryan DeAngelis to discuss the latest happenings at Grayscale, the world's largest digital currency asset manager, in addition to the cryptocurrency industry more broadly. Bryan and Michael open on Grayscale's inception and the firm's active presence in D.C., including the significant time Grayscale has spent educating Washington about crypto.  Michael recounts Grayscale's history with the SEC: the years of successful collaboration with the Commission followed by the Commission's decision this summer to reject Grayscale's application to convert its signature fund, Grayscale Bitcoin Trust, into an exchange-traded fund (ETF). In order to protect its investors, Michael explains, Grayscale was left with no choice but to file suit against the SEC.Michael and Bryan also discuss the state of U.S. crypto regulation more broadly. How the lack of regulatory guidance is pushing innovation outside the U.S., reducing benefits to the U.S. economy such as new jobs and tax revenue. Despite these frustrations, Michael explains that Grayscale has seen a substantial increase in awareness and engagement from  policymakers since they became active in D.C. five years ago.  Bryan and Michael also share top insights from new research Grayscale released with Harris Poll, including survey results that found that a majority of voters in both parties agree that cryptocurrencies are the future of finance. The poll also found that there is strong consensus among surveyed voters on the desire for greater regulatory clarity, as well as the importance of lawmakers staying informed about crypto.Read a Q&A about the Grayscale lawsuit here.Read the Harris Poll survey results here.Read about the launch of the Grayscale Digital Infrastructure Opportunities LLC here. 

On this week's Macrocast, Tony, John, and Brendan are joined by John Dick from Civic Science. The group discusses the stronger-than-expected GDP report and price indices and unpacks this week's Economic Sentiment Index, which showed resilient consumer spending and rising economic sentiment. They also dive into poor earnings performance across the tech sector and share what to watch with Europe and Canada's central banks in the coming weeks. Check out this week's Economic Sentiment Index here. Learn more about Markets Policy Partners here.

In this special edition of the Macrocast, Bob Dewey and Brendan Walsh from Markets Policy Partners interview Lyn Alden, an investment research analyst and one of the most interesting up-and-coming voices in finance. During the conversation, Alden discusses why "financial repression" from the Federal Reserve is likely in coming years, the direction of Bitcoin relative to other cryptocurrencies, and the state of energy markets. This episode is perfect for anyone looking to learn more about the complexities of today's financial markets.Read Alden's research here.

On today's Macrocast, Tony, Brendan, and John focus on the latest in the U.K. following Liz Truss's resignation. The U.K. economy has experienced "six weeks of woe," including  dismal retail sales numbers today. Despite the U.K. economy's relatively small size, its performance continues to have an outsized impact on global economic forecasts. Inflation, in the U.K., the U.S., and globally, is also top of mind this week, as well as what the Fed's next move might be to counter it.

In this edition of "What's At Stake: A Penta Podcast," John Hume and Chris Mehigan of Dublin-based global communications firm Hume Brophy join Andrea Christianson to break down the political and economic crises facing Europe. Amid a new government in the United Kingdom, a raging conflict in Ukraine, and a looming energy crisis, the political and business environment on the continent is growing increasingly complex.The group starts with the UK, where Prime Minister Liz Truss is off to a rocky start. Contrary to the government's rhetoric, Brexit still is not "done," with many trade and regulatory knots yet to be untangled. John and Chris discuss what Brexit's complicated legacy for Britain and the EU will be.Plus, John and Chris explore the implications of the most acute challenge facing Europe: the rising cost of energy. How will Europe keep the lights on this winter? What will it cost? And how will governments balance their sustainability goals with the need to keep homes warm and factories online? As leaders of a global firm with offices throughout Europe and Asia, John and Chris offer their expert perspectives on these questions and more.Read more about Hume Brophy here.Learn more about John Hume and Chris Mehigan here.

On this week's Macrocast, host Tony Fratto is joined by Brendan Walsh from Markets Policy Partners and Brai Odion-Esene from SW4 Insights to discuss the unexpected turn of events in the UK and the hotter-than-expected CPI data released this week. The group also dives into the IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings and shares their key takeaways from the week's gatherings, including the strong dollar, the outlook on oil prices, and debt in emerging markets. Read more about SW4 Insights founder Brai Odion-Esene here.Check out the September CPI report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics here.Learn more about Markets Policy Partners here.

On today's episode of What's At Stake: A Penta Podcast, host Bryan DeAngelis is joined by Penta Strategy Partner Andrea Christianson, Senior Director Stephanie Walstrom, and Director Rustin Finkler to discuss their experiences with paid parental leave at different stages in their careers. The group talks about the importance of parental leave in both their personal and professional lives and shares advice for parents taking leave. As they highlight, paid parental leave is important to both establish a routine for growing families and allow professionals to stay in the workforce while managing family commitments. Parental leave for both moms and dads can encourage an equitable split of responsibility, both in the workforce and at home. Andrea, Stephanie, and Rustin consider how parental leave is critical to a healthy workforce both in the US and around the world, stressing the importance for companies to think critically about their leave policies for both parents in a modern, flexible workforce. As companies think about attracting and retaining talent, parental leave is a key consideration and signal for how employers value their employees. In the age of hybrid work, open conversations around family responsibilities and childcare are important to allow working parents to prioritize their home responsibilities while remaining engaged at work.Additional resources:Center on Budget Policy Priorities: A National Paid Leave Program Would Help Workers, FamiliesBrookings: Paid leave as fuel for economic growthMcKinsey and Company: A fresh look at paternity leave: Why the benefits extend beyond the personal

On this week's Macrocast, guest host Matt McDonald is joined by John Fagan from Markets Policy Partners to discuss the latest jobs report and how it informs economic predictions for 2023. The pair also discusses the Fed outlook for 2023 and the implications of OPEC+ production cuts.Read more from Markets Policy Partners here and the full jobs day data from the BLS here.

On today's episode of What's At Stake: A Penta Podcast, host Bryan DeAngelis is joined by Senior Partners Alberto Lopez-Valenzuela and Mike Berland, and Strategy Partner Andrea Christianson, for a discussion on the intelligence and advisory insights that Penta offers companies, including in-depth data analysis, news monitoring, and public affairs strategy development and execution.As the group highlights, Penta offers companies the intelligence they need to engage the stakeholders they care about most. Penta combines cutting edge data with strategic input on how to best use it, including making intentional choices on what specifically should be measured and why. Penta can also support companies through the execution phase, ensuring target audiences receive the messages they need to hear.One area the firm is particularly focused on is environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues, helping clients anticipate their stakeholders' needs and concerns in this space and prepare for and proactively adjust to potential challenges. Tune in to hear the full conversation. Read Penta's launch press release here.Follow Penta on Twitter here. Follow Penta on LinkedIn here.Listen to the first episode of What's At Stake with Matt, Alexander, and Beth here.Read more about Alberto, Mike, Andrea, and Bryan here.

On this week's episode of Macrocast, Penta's President Matt McDonald joins John and Brendan to discuss the Bank of England purchasing long-dated government bonds and the extreme volatility of the pound and bond markets. The group also discusses the Fed's continued hawkish stance and the market crises around the world in Germany and China.Read more from Markets Policy Partners here and learn more about Penta here.