ING THINK aloud

Corporate bonds caught in tariff turmoil

ING THINK aloud

Show Notes

President Trump’s sweeping tariff announcement on April 2nd, a 90-day pause for most countries yet with escalating tariffs on China, exemptions on tech products from China, and later, news that these exemptions may only be temporary have left investors deeply unsettled. While much of the focus last week was on soaring Treasury yields and falling stock markets, corporate bonds were hit hard, too. Spreads on corporate bonds widened by the most since the regional banking crisis two years ago, as investors demanded higher returns in a riskier, more unpredictable environment. Bond funds have seen huge outflows and the market for new issues of debt has all but ground to a halt. In this podcast, ING's Credit Strategist Tim Rahill explains why he remains so cautious about the market and why investors need to be selective.

More from ING THINK aloud

Mar 26, 2026

Imagine a world where money moves instantly - across borders, systems and time zones, 24 hours a day. For many, that future rests on stablecoins: digital money, backed by real assets, designed to hold its value and move at the speed of the internet. In this podcast, experts discuss why stablecoins could shape the future of money and what it will take to make them a trusted, everyday reality.

Feb 23, 2026

In this podcast, ING’s Jan Frederik Slijkerman discusses the key trends that are set to define the European telecoms sector in 2026

Jan 22, 2026

Are Trump’s pharmaceutical policies a seismic revolution, or just hot air? Will he succeed in lowering drug prices in 2026? Will manufacturing shift to the US? And how will all of this impact Europe and China? ING's Diederik Stadig and Stephen Farrelly answer these questions and more in this week's THINK aloud.

Nov 27, 2025

In this podcast, ING's Diederik Stadig, Gerben Hieminga and Coco Zhang discuss the role of data centres in driving global economic growth, strategies to tackle the energy challenge, and what Europe must do to raise its game

Sep 2, 2025

In this podcast, ING's James Knightley and Padhraic Garvey discuss President Trump's efforts to steer monetary policy - and the economic narrative - through high-profile firings at the Federal Reserve and Bureau of Labor Statistics.

See all episodes →