ICMA Podcast

Robert Parker, Chair of ICMA's Asset Management and Investors Council, decipher the market events of the last two weeks, in light of the S&P 500 new record high, the recent dollar weakness, central banks' policy outlook and institutional investors' positioning.

Mr. Kun Hu, General Manager of Investment Banking and Asset Management at Bank of China talks to ICMA’s Chief Executive Martin Scheck about the prospects for further internationalisation of China’s capital markets, the issuance of COVID-19 themed bonds in the interbank market, international investment in onshore Chinese bond markets and opportunities for issuers in the Panda bond market.

What is the outlook for investment banking in the post pandemic world and can regulation create a more resilient financial system which can cope with such unexpected crises? ICMA Chief Executive Martin Scheck and Jakob Groot, Member of the Executive Board, Head of Corporates & Institutions at Danske Bank A/S and Vice Chair of ICMA’s Board, discuss the lasting legacy of COVID-19 and the performance of Nordic financial markets during the crisis.

Robert Parker, Chair of ICMA's Asset Management and Investors Council, reviews the market events of the last two weeks, in light of the publication of most recent economic indicators, central banks' policy outlook, and  the performance of different asset classes.

ICMA Chief Executive Martin Scheck speaks to Ashley Alder, Chief Executive Officer of the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) of Hong Kong and Chair of the IOSCO Board about Hong Kong’s future as a financial centre in the context of the new National Securities Law and the opening up of China’s financial markets. A wide ranging discussion covering the changes in financial markets that have been accelerated by the pandemic, the effect of geopolitics on cross-border capital flows, environmental finance and securities market regulation.

Robert Parker, Chair of ICMA's Asset Management and Investors Council, reviews the market events of the last two weeks and investor positioning, in light of the adoption of the EU recovery fund, increasing COVID-19 daily cases in the US and its effect on the economic recovery. 

Three months after his initial podcast on the impact of COVID-19 on financial markets, David Oakes, the Course Director on ICMA’s Introduction to Bond Markets Qualification (IBMQ) and the Fixed Income Certificate (FIC), reviews the recovery in financial markets since the turmoil of March in the light of economic reality and looks at what we can expect in the future.

ICMA speaks to Prof. Yao Wang, Deputy Secretary General of China’s Green Finance Committee  and Director General of the International Institute of Green Finance. Prof. Wang shares her insights into the consultation draft of the Green Bond Endorsed Project Catalogue (2020 version) released in early July, the major revisions proposed and its potential impacts. She also talks about her views on climate finance standards.

James Upton, Commercial Services Director, LCH and co-Chair of the ERCC Operations Group and ICMA’s Alexander Westphal talk about how the repo market performed under pressure earlier this year, the regulatory agenda for the rest of 2020 and the main trends in the market, including the expansion of repo clearing, electronification of securities finance and standardisation of the securities post trade process.

On this ICMA podcast, recorded on June 25, representatives from the European Central Bank, the European Investment Bank, the Financial Conduct Authority, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the Swiss National Bank discuss the transition away from LIBOR and other IBORs and towards risk-free reference rates, with a focus on the international bond market. They address the progress of the transition to risk-free rates so far, despite the market impact of the coronavirus pandemic; the remaining challenges to complete implementation of the transition in time, including legacy issues; and the importance of international coordination, how this works and what it involves.