The Bid BlackRock

You might not think of insurance as such a key input to their overall consumption basket, but the impact of the insurance industry is felt far beyond what individual consumers pay for individual policies and extends broadly throughout the supply chain as a necessary input for many industries in the production process.

Mike Pensky, portfolio manager within BlackRock's Multi-Asset Group joins Oscar to help us understand the connection between insurance and inflation, the possibility for rising insurance premiums to persist, and how investors can position their portfolios in a new market regime.

Nicholas Fawcett, Senior Economist in the BlackRock Investment Institute and Peter Fisher, head of BlackRock's Global Retirement Initiative join Oscar to uncover the impact of this megaforce on global economies and the potential risks and opportunities investors should consider.

Bond yields are higher today than they were 20 years ago. With inflation indicators falling around the globe, the time of elevated cash rates may be drawn to a close.

Investors are moving back into bonds in record numbers, with 2023 global bond ETF inflows totaling $333 billion. Yet, as global central banks appear at or near the end of a tightening cycle designed to quell the most significant surge in inflation in decades, investors could be moving even more quickly back into fixed income.

Steve Laipply, Global co-head of iShares’ fixed income ETFs joins Oscar to help us understand what has been driving investors towards, or in some cases back, to the fixed income market and what investors should be looking for as central banks appear set to loosen their grip on interest rates.

In the ever-evolving tapestry of geopolitics and economics, the Asia-Pacific region stands at a pivotal juncture. In this special episode, we took The Bid down under to record this episode live in Sydney. Wei Li, Global Chief Investment Strategist for BlackRock joined Oscar Pulido to discus the intricacies of high inflation, emerging competing geopolitical bloc, how a momentous global election year will impact Asia-Pacific region and what opportunities investors can expect from the region.

Younger investors are looking at a future with aging populations and reduced labor forces and a new age of technology and connectivity that is impacting their values and expectations. On the other hand, pre-retirees now are having to consider that fact that their generation will live longer and what do they want to prioritize in their retirement years. So what do investors at different stages and ages need to consider when planning for their future, and how do those approaches differ?

Does inflation impact women differently, are women more risk averse investors than their counterparts and what are some ways in which women can become better investors? Oscar Pulido, welcomes Anne Ackerley, head of BlackRock's Retirement Group, and Gargi Pal Chaudhuri, head of iShares Investment Strategy and Markets Coverage at BlackRock, to discuss the unique challenges women face when investing for the future and how their improving prospects can benefit the wider economy.