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Credit Currents - Moody's Ratings

Credit Currents - Moody's Ratings

Giulia Calcabrini, Chandra Ghosal, Patrick Ronk 117 Episodes Oct 8, 2026

Join Moody’s Ratings’ analysts every other Thursday as they break down the biggest stories in credit and why they matter.

Episodes

Why Canada May Rethink Its Global Trade Strategy
Why Canada May Rethink Its Global Trade Strategy Oct 8, 2026 00:11:17 A raft of new US tariffs on Canadian goods has come into effect, raising questions about whether Canada can withstand the economic fallout from tensions with its key trading partner. Trade is sure to be top of mind in October, as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney prepares to meet with top European Union officials at a summit in Montréal. We speak with Moody’s Ratings’ lead analyst for
Why Patent Cliffs Are Fueling Pharmaceutical M&A
Why Patent Cliffs Are Fueling Pharmaceutical M&A Oct 1, 2026 00:10:33 Pharma M&A is on track to exceed $160 billion this year, its highest level since before the pandemic. With $300 billion of revenue exposed to patent expirations over the next five years, drugmakers are turning to acquisitions to replenish pipelines and replace lost revenue. GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, along with oncology and neuroscience, key areas driving deal activity.  Host: Chandra
Can the US power grid keep up with data center demand?
Can the US power grid keep up with data center demand? Sep 17, 2026 00:12:13 Data center growth is accelerating, but access to electricity is becoming a critical constraint. This episode of Credit Currents examines how utilities, developers and policymakers are adapting to unprecedented power demand driven by AI and cloud computing. Host: Patrick Ronk, Vice President, Moody’s Ratings Guest: Ryan Wobbrock, Senior Vice President, Moody’s Ratings Related Resear
AI, Jobs and Productivity: What the Data Is Really Showing
AI, Jobs and Productivity: What the Data Is Really Showing Sep 10, 2026 00:14:02 AI adoption is accelerating across businesses and workplaces, but its economic impact remains difficult to measure. In this episode of Credit Currents, we examine the disconnect between rising AI usage and labor market and productivity outcomes. What are the drivers behind the gap, lessons we can use from the dot-com era, and the key metrics investors should watch as AI investment continues to gro
Big Tech’s AI Spending Surge: What It Means for Credit Risk
Big Tech’s AI Spending Surge: What It Means for Credit Risk Jul 23, 2026 00:14:44 AI may have begun as a technology race, but it is increasingly becoming a race for capital and infrastructure. As hyperscalers invest at unprecedented levels, a SpaceX IPO and potential offerings from OpenAI and Anthropic, are offering new insights into the financing needs, transparency and credit dynamics shaping the industry's next phase.   Host: Chandra Ghosal, Vice President, Moody’s Ratings G
Next-Gen Payments and Digital Frontiers: Speed, Risk and Adoption
Next-Gen Payments and Digital Frontiers: Speed, Risk and Adoption Jul 9, 2026 00:10:35 Instant, low-cost cross-border payments are moving closer to reality as blockchain, stablecoins and tokenization reshape financial infrastructure. This episode explores how distributed ledger technology can enable faster, more transparent transactions while improving liquidity management through automation and smart contracts.   Adoption remains gradual, with regulatory uncertainty, interoperabili
Why the K-Shaped Economy Threatens US Growth
Why the K-Shaped Economy Threatens US Growth Jun 18, 2026 00:19:47 Is the US economy increasingly dependent on high-income consumers? In this episode of “Credit Currents,” Mark Zandi, Chief Economist at Moody’s Analytics, and Atsi Sheth, Chief Credit Officer at Moody’s Ratings, examine the reality of the K-shaped economy. They explore how the top 20% of earners now drive roughly 60% of spending, while lower-income households face mounting pressure from rising cos
Private Credit: “Bad Vibes” and the Changing Conversation
Private Credit: “Bad Vibes” and the Changing Conversation Jun 4, 2026 00:14:33 Private credit has hit a speed bump in the US, where the market is rapidly pivoting from growth to stricter risk discipline.   At our flagship “Credit Frontiers” event, we sat down with Moody’s leaders to discuss what’s behind these “bad vibes” about private credit and what they’re hearing from market participants about the trajectory of the asset class.   Host: Giulia Calcabrini, Assistant Vice P
An Era of Pragmatic Transition: What’s Next for Energy Markets
An Era of Pragmatic Transition: What’s Next for Energy Markets May 28, 2026 00:11:04 What comes next for sustainable finance debt markets?   The energy transition’s momentum has shifted towards more pragmatic rationales, including energy security, sovereignty and critical supply chain resilience.   In this episode, we discuss why, despite headwinds arising from global trade tensions, Asia remains a contributing force for the “pragmatic transition”, the favorable conditions support
Stablecoins, Tokenization and the Future of Finance
Stablecoins, Tokenization and the Future of Finance May 14, 2026 00:10:51 Asset tokenization and digital money, including stablecoins, are moving from the margins of finance toward the core of market infrastructure, spurring banks and other market participants to adapt their approach to blockchain technology.   In this episode of Credit Currents, we explore why trust and regulation are central to  adoption of tokenized assets, and how a gradual move in this direction co
Banking Rules are Changing: Here’s Why it’s Net Negative for Credit
Banking Rules are Changing: Here’s Why it’s Net Negative for Credit Apr 16, 2026 00:12:14 There could be big changes coming to longstanding bank regulations. With earnings season heating up, the discussion over capital rules is back in focus.    Credit Currents is on the ground in Washington, D.C. as the world's top policymakers and regulators attend meetings with the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Institute of International Finance (IIF).    We unpack what looser ca
US-Iran Ceasefire: The Risks Affecting Credit Markets
US-Iran Ceasefire: The Risks Affecting Credit Markets Apr 9, 2026 00:11:48 A temporary truce between the US and Iran is contingent on the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, but disruptions to global supply chains, energy markets, oil prices and various sectors are still risks to credit quality.    In our latest episode of Credit Currents, taped hours before the news broke, we discuss the ways geopolitical shocks ripple through sectors, whether there could be an impact on

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