Current Account with Clay Lowery

Institute of International Finance
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Each week, Clay Lowery at the Institute of International Finance highlights current issues in international finance and economics through the lens of U.S. policy and politics. Clay and his guests explain what to watch in the coming week, and deep-dive into some of the most important topics facing the financial industry, and our world.

  1. 4 hr ago

    Latin America’s Political Pendulum — Left, Right, Repeat

    Latin America is entering a pivotal election cycle with major implications for policy, markets, and geopolitics. In this episode of Current Account, Clay is joined by the IIF's Martín Castellano, Head of Latin America Research, and Paola Figueroa, Head of Frontier Latin America Research, to break down key races in Peru, Colombia, and Brazil. They explore what recent results reveal about political fragmentation, governability, and investor confidence, and assess how domestic pressures are shaping outcomes. The conversation also looks beyond individual elections to examine how the region’s shifting political landscape could influence relationships with the United States and broader global markets in the months ahead. This IIF Podcast was hosted by Clay Lowery, Executive Vice President, Research and Policy, with production and research contributions from Christian Klein, Digital Graphics and Production Associate and Miranda Silverman, Senior Program Assistant.

    35 min

  2. 1 Jun

    The Future Is Now — Discussing Leadership in Banking

    How has banking fundamentally changed over the past decade? In this episode of Current Account, Clay sits down with Christiana Riley, CEO and President of Santander U.S., to reflect on the forces reshaping financial services over the past decade. They explore how banks have adapted to a more volatile environment shaped by higher interest rates, geopolitical tension, and rapid technological change. The conversation examines growing competition from fintech and private capital, shifting expectations around growth and risk, and how global banks are positioning themselves across both established and emerging markets. Looking ahead, they discuss what will define success for financial institutions over the next decade and how leadership priorities are evolving in a more complex landscape. This IIF Podcast was hosted by Clay Lowery, Executive Vice President, Research and Policy, with production and research contributions from Christian Klein, Digital Graphics and Production Associate and Miranda Silverman, Senior Program Assistant.

    25 min

  3. 26 May

    The Tail End of a Chimera — A Midyear Macroeconomic Update

    As 2026 reaches its midpoint, the global economic outlook is growing more uncertain. In this episode of Current Account, Clay is joined by the IIF's Marcello Estevão, Chief Economist and Managing Director, and Jonathan Fortun, Senior Economist, to unpack the latest Capital Flows Report and what it reveals about shifting growth, capital movements, and policy pressures. They examine how geopolitical shocks are compounding existing weaknesses, why the U.S. continues to outperform other economies, and what is driving mixed signals across emerging markets. The conversation also explores how supply chain disruptions are spreading beyond energy and what central banks and policymakers should be watching as risks build heading into the second half of the year. This IIF Podcast was hosted by Clay Lowery, Executive Vice President, Research and Policy, with production and research contributions from Christian Klein, Digital Graphics and Production Associate and Miranda Silverman, Senior Program Assistant.

    39 min

  4. 18 May

    U.S.-China Summit: Status, Stability, and Guardrails

    As U.S. and Chinese leaders meet in Beijing, the future of the world’s most important economic relationship hangs in the balance. In this episode of Current Account, Clay is joined by Evan Medeiros, a professor in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University and former director at the White House National Security Council, to assess what is at stake in the latest round of talks and what each side hopes to achieve.  They explore the evolving sources of leverage on both sides, from trade and investment to critical minerals and advanced technologies, and examine the gap between leader level diplomacy and a deeper structural rivalry. The conversation also looks at how domestic politics may constrain any deal and what a more stable U.S.-China relationship could realistically look like in the years ahead. This IIF Podcast was hosted by Clay Lowery, Executive Vice President, Research and Policy, with production and research contributions from Christian Klein, Digital Graphics and Production Associate and Miranda Silverman, Senior Program Assistant.

    30 min

  5. 4 May

    And They're Off! - Previewing the 2026 U.S. Midterm Elections

    In this episode of Current Account, Clay is joined by Stephen Myrow, Managing Partner of Beacon Policy Advisors, to take stock of where the U.S. midterm elections stand six months out - and why they matter far beyond Washington. They discuss why the House has emerged as the central battleground, how the Senate map has quietly become more competitive, and what a potential shift in control could mean for policy, regulation, and executive authority. The political landscape looks very different than it did just six months ago. Clay and Stephen discuss how slipping presidential approval ratings, aggressive redistricting battles, and the fallout from an unpopular war are reshaping the midterm map in real time. They explore why outcomes once considered unlikely are now firmly in play, and what the evolving election dynamics could mean for investors, financial institutions, and international partners. The question is no longer just who wins in November, but how Washington governs the day after. This IIF Podcast was hosted by Clay Lowery, Executive Vice President, Research and Policy, with production and research contributions from Christian Klein, Digital Graphics and Production Associate and Miranda Silverman, Senior Program Assistant.

    30 min

  6. 27 Apr

    Enduring the Pain - Strategy, Leverage, and the Cost of Waiting in the U.S.-Iran Conflict

    In this episode of Current Account, Clay is joined by Mona Yacoubian, Director of the Middle East Program at CSIS, to unpack what the current phase of negotiations to deescalate the conflict in Iran is really telling us. They discuss how Iran is viewing its leverage, why energy disruption remains central to Tehran’s strategy, and how regional dynamics, particularly involving Lebanon and regional proxy networks, are complicating efforts to contain the conflict. The conversation looks beyond formal negotiations to the roles being played by Hezbollah and other aligned groups, and what their involvement means for escalation risks across the region. Clay and Mona also examine shifting signals from Gulf states, internal debates within Iran’s leadership, and how Washington’s strategy has evolved from direct military action toward blockades and diplomacy. This IIF Podcast was hosted by Clay Lowery, Executive Vice President, Research and Policy, with production and research contributions from Christian Klein, Digital Graphics and Production Associate and Miranda Silverman, Senior Program Assistant.

    30 min

  7. 20 Apr

    A Sit and Kick Approach? - Takeaways From the 2026 Spring Meetings

    In this episode of Current Account, Clay is joined by Isabelle Mateos y Lago, Chief Economist at BNP Paribas, who shares her perspective from conversations across Spring Meetings and brings years of experience at the intersection of economics, geopolitics, and markets. Together, they assess if discussions around growth, inflation, and monetary policy are being overshadowed by events in the Middle East, and whether the apparent calm in financial markets masks deeper risks tied to energy prices and supply disruptions. The conversation then turns squarely to Europe’s economic trajectory - Clay and Isabelle discuss whether recent momentum on competitiveness and growth has been interrupted by higher energy costs and geopolitical uncertainty, and how Europe is balancing mounting funding needs, from defense spending and energy security to sustainability and technological investment, against already tight fiscal conditions. They also explore whether artificial intelligence can play a meaningful role in supporting productivity and growth, or whether political and labor‑market constraints may limit its macro impact. The episode concludes with a discussion of monetary policy, focusing on how central banks, especially the European Central Bank, are navigating a “wait‑and‑see” environment shaped by geopolitical risk, inflation uncertainty, and market expectations. This IIF Podcast was hosted by Clay Lowery, Executive Vice President, Research and Policy, with production and research contributions from Christian Klein, Digital Graphics and Production Associate and Miranda Silverman, Senior Program Assistant.

    24 min

  8. 13 Apr

    It Takes a Village - Risk Management in a Time of Crisis

    In this episode of Current Account, Clay is joined by Jayee Koffey, Chief Global Affairs Officer at BNY, to discuss how firms are balancing global efficiency with mounting pressure to localize, de‑risk, and align more closely with national priorities, particularly in strategic sectors such as energy, technology, and finance. The conversation focuses on how companies are embedding geopolitical awareness into everyday decision‑making, rather than treating it as a one‑off crisis response. Clay and Jayee also examine the growing importance - and vulnerability - of financial plumbing, including payments, settlement systems, and market infrastructure, which are increasingly entangled with sanctions policy, national security concerns, and cross‑border fragmentation. Finally, they turn to the rapid buildout of digital and physical infrastructure, from payments modernization and tokenization to AI‑driven data centers. Jayee offers her perspective on what governments can do to remain attractive destinations for long‑term private capital, and whether firms should be concerned that today’s infrastructure boom could create new financial, political, or social fault lines down the road. This IIF Podcast was hosted by Clay Lowery, Executive Vice President, Research and Policy, with production and research contributions from Christian Klein, Digital Graphics and Production Associate and Miranda Silverman, Senior Program Assistant.

    27 min
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Each week, Clay Lowery at the Institute of International Finance highlights current issues in international finance and economics through the lens of U.S. policy and politics. Clay and his guests explain what to watch in the coming week, and deep-dive into some of the most important topics facing the financial industry, and our world.

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