Markets Explained

Market jitters build

Markets Explained

Show Notes

In this week’s podcast Karen and Hugh discuss how markets are getting more jittery about a prolonged conflict in Iran, how the summit between Xi and Trump fits into the narrative, and what the latest uncertainty in UK politics means for the Gilt market.

More from Markets Explained

Oct 19, 2026

The news flow this week, whether from highly indebted data centre builders or the French riots, is a reminder that higher bond yields will always create stress somewhere.

Oct 12, 2026

In this episode, Hugh and Karen dive into the upcoming earnings season and highlight the questions on their minds in the tech space and beyond.

Oct 5, 2026

The US labour market could have added fuel to the bond market fire last week, but in fact it still looks broadly stuck in a ‘no hire, no fire’ pattern. With more and more oil leaving the Strait of Hormuz, one might also have expected the bond market to calm down. Hugh and Karen share their initial thoughts on what’s still worrying the bond market.

Sep 28, 2026

On this week’s podcast, Hugh and Karen discuss the latest developments in the oil markets, including talk of diesel export curbs. They also highlight why the rise in bond yields has more to do with the resilience of economic growth than with inflation, and why equities are, so far, unfazed.

Sep 21, 2026

In this podcast, Hugh and Karen pick up on the latest political headlines from both Germany and the Middle East. They remind us why the economic implications are often far more sanguine than the political headlines would suggest, and why the bond market will act as the disciplining force, serving as judge, jury and sometimes executioner for bad politics and bad policies. The equity market, meanwhile, continues to ride the wave of economic resilience.

See all episodes →