This week on "Know More. Risk Better." brings together hosts Winnie Cisar and Zachary Griffiths along with Peter Simon, Todd Duvick, and Jory Eisenberg for an "Autos Mythbuster" edition examining auto loan performance, consumer credit health, and whether rising repossession rates signal broader systemic risk. The team explores the bifurcation in consumer credit by income tier, the backward-looking nature of current delinquency and repo data, and why 2022 vintage loans have proven particularly problematic due to aggressive post-COVID origination, elevated vehicle prices, and deteriorating affordability for lower-income consumers.

Peter and Todd discuss diverging trends at CarMax and Carvana, regional variations in auto loan performance, and the impact of extraordinary vehicle price depreciation on underwater loans. The team analyzes new and used car affordability challenges, tariff impacts on vehicle pricing, Ford and GM's profit-driven strategies, and the stabilization of competitive dynamics in the auto sector. They examine the ABS market's role in auto lending, loan-to-value considerations, and the minimal exposure of larger banks to subprime auto risk. This insightful discussion provides valuable context for credit analysts, investors, and market participants seeking to understand consumer credit trends, auto sector dynamics, and risk management in today's economy.

This week on "Know More. Risk Better." brings together host Logan Miller along with Luke Millar for a comprehensive analysis of the European leveraged finance landscape, examining 2025 market performance, primary market dynamics, and the outlook for 2026. The discussion covers record issuance volumes driven by refinancing, sector performance in chemicals and energy, and increased dividend recap transactions due to muted LBO activity.  

Logan and Luke examine widening triple C spreads, recent market disruptions affecting sentiment, and the impact of high first-call premiums on refinancing. They also assess CLO demand via warehouse data, potential growth in M&A and sponsor activity, and Europe’s capacity for large LBOs post-EA deal. Additional topics include the 2026-2028 maturity wall, US firms issuing in euros for cheaper funding (reverse Yankees), and the rise of private credit as a significant capital source. This essential discussion provides strategic insights to navigate refinancing waves, re-leveraging trends, and capital structure optimization in today's complex European credit markets.  

This week on “Know More. Risk Better.” brings together host Zachary Griffiths along with Barry Eichengreen and Cedric Chehab for a deep dive into the parallels and differences between the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, and today’s global financial landscape. The panel explores historical market booms, the impact of new technologies, fiscal dominance, and political polarization, drawing comparisons with current risks and central bank responses.  

This week on “Know More. Risk Better.” Zachary Griffiths is joined by Peter Simon and Meghan Neenan to unpack the latest “cockroach risk” headlines in U.S. capital markets, following bankruptcies at Tricolor and First Brands. The team analyzes credit quality trends for regional banks and BDCs, finding that fundamentals remain solid and recent losses are idiosyncratic, not symptomatic of broader stress. 

Meghan highlights differentiation across BDCs, notes that exposures to recent bankruptcies were minimal and mainly linked to broadly syndicated loans, not private credit. The discussion explores leverage, dividend management as rates fall, and a looming 2026 maturity wall. The team flags growing liquidity and suitability risks as perpetual BDCs and private asset vehicles expand and touches on the increasing interconnectedness between banks and non-bank lenders. 

Season 9, Episode 15

The panel analyzes market-macro disconnects as equities rally despite mounting headwinds, assesses German fiscal expansion's potential boost to European growth, and highlights China's structural vulnerabilities beneath headline GDP figures, including collapsing fixed asset investment and persistent deflation. The episode concludes with contrarian takes for 2026: potential dollar strength despite bearish consensus, heightened China macro risks, and fundamentals returning to credit markets after a technically-driven year, providing essential perspective for navigating policy uncertainty and evolving global risks.

Season 9, Episode 14 

This week “Know More. Risk Better.” offers a focused analysis on the SEC’s potential shift from quarterly to semiannual reporting, highlighting legal, covenant, and credit market impacts as the change is considered for US issuers. The panel begins with an overview of the SEC rulemaking process and regulatory drivers, then explores practical and legal challenges, such as disclosure consistency, litigation risks, and the continued role of anti-fraud obligations. Covenant experts review implications for bond and loan agreements, noting that most public company covenants defer to SEC requirements, while sponsor and private deals often maintain stricter quarterly reporting regardless of regulatory changes.  

The discussion also examines market dynamics, including investor pressure for timely updates, impacts on spreads and volatility, and possible changes in management communication strategies. The team assesses how reduced reporting frequency may influence market structure, sell-side research, liquidity, and ETF rebalancing, emphasizing the importance of best practices for consistent material event disclosures. Panelists conclude that while the rule change may require a gradual adjustment period, actual market impacts will depend on issuer fundamentals, covenant language, and evolving investor expectations. 

Season 9, Episode 13

This week on “Know More. Risk Better.” Zachary Griffiths sits down with Hunter Martin and Kerry Kantin to break down the largest LBO on record: EA’s $55 billion take-private deal. The team unpacks the investor consortium behind the transaction, led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, explores why the equity check is unusually large, and analyzes the implications for EA’s balance sheet, leverage, and outstanding bonds. 

They discuss deal timing, with early 2026 targeted for closing, and regulatory hurdles including antitrust and national security reviews. The conversation expands to current market conditions, expectations for future LBO activity, and the impact of elevated rates and AI-driven growth on deal making. Listen for clear takeaways on base case scenarios, market probabilities, and positioning around legal and macro catalysts that could influence spreads and sector performance. 

Season 9, Episode 12

This extended episode provides a comprehensive outlook across US, Euro, EM, and APAC credit markets as we head into 4Q25 and 2026. In US Credit Markets, the team sets an updated macro outlook and credit strategy, flags key trends shaping sovereign and corporate credit, and identifies the risk factors and market catalysts to watch. In Euro Credit Markets, they review sovereign and credit fundamentals, assess sector developments and potential issuer themes, and discuss the implications of policy and macro shifts across the region. For Emerging Market Sovereigns, they share the latest perspectives on EM credit risk and performance, highlight regional and country-specific views, and outline approaches to navigating volatility in global EM credit. In APAC Credit Markets, they examine risk factors and market catalysts, provide the latest read on APAC EM credit risk and performance, and review sovereign and corporate credit fundamentals across the region.

Special Edition Podcast Mini Series: 25 for 25: E5

In the finale of our 25 for 25 series, Winnie Cisar and Zachary Griffiths host CreditSights Co-Heads Erin Lyons and Matt Zloto to explore the future of credit research. They discuss AI’s role in improving efficiency and expanding coverage, the rise of private credit and related regulatory implications, and why people-powered insights and skeptical analysis still matter - plus how CreditSights is investing in talent and purpose-built tools to cut through noise and deliver actionable ideas.

Special Edition Podcast Mini Series: 25 for 25: E4

Winnie Cisar and Zachary Griffiths host a special 25th anniversary roundtable with Tony Canale, Luke Millar, Andrew Maier, and Beau Kuhn exploring how collaboration across the CreditSights and wider Fitch family creates investor advantage. They break down how news flow from LFI, covenant insights from Covenant Review, fundamental analysis from CreditSights, and data standardization from Bixby combine to deliver what Beau calls "the power of three plus data and analytics."

Expect candid insights on how human expertise remains the essential differentiator in an increasingly data-driven world, plus a preview of future innovations including enhanced primary transaction coverage, European BSL market expansion, and AI-powered trade idea generation that will further integrate the "technicolor picture" these complementary businesses create together.