The Decisive Podcast: Insights and analysis to empower confident decision-making.

S&P Global

Whether you're a business leader, investor, or simply curious about the forces shaping our world, The Decisive podcast is here to provide you with the knowledge you need to stay ahead. Join our team of seasoned Market Intelligence analysts as they explore the ever-changing landscape of maritime, trade and supply chain, economics and country risk.

  1. MAR 28

    Logistics Finds a Way: Lessons in Supply Chain Resilience

    In our last episode of Season 5, host Kristen Hallam sits down with Chris Rogers, S&P Global Market Intelligence's head of supply chain research, to analyze the moments when supply chains gets stressed—and the playbooks that keep goods moving anyway. From ongoing Red Sea security disruptions that forced ocean carriers to reroute around the Cape of Good Hope, reshaping transit times, capacity, and cost, to the more everyday shocks that ripple through transportation networks, this episode explores what resilience looks like when it's operational—not aspirational. Chris discusses how leading supply chain teams respond under pressure with creative routing, smarter inventory positioning, and faster decision cycles, and why resilience today is less about a single "backup plan" and more about building options: diversified sourcing, flexible modes, and contracts designed for uncertainty.  Along the way, we translate hard-won lessons into practical best practices—how to stress-test logistics networks, where agility creates the most value, and how resilient organizations balance service, cost, and risk without overcorrecting. More S&P Global Market Intelligence Content: Picture This: India Plans New Smartphone Supply Chain Incentives Click here to subscribe to our Supply Chain Essentials newsletter. Click here to learn more about Breakbulk26 For S&P Global subscribers (login required): Supply Chain Edge: Tracing Middle East supply chain dependencies, investigating new corridors, tracking CHPIs Moving from price to shortages: Regional supply chain exposures to Middle East conflict US tariff plans Credits: Host: Kristen Hallam Guest: Chris Rogers Produced By: Kristen Hallam Edited By: Marz Marcello Published With Assistance From: Sophie Carr, Feranmi Adeoshun

    18 min

  2. MAR 21

    Critical Minerals at a Crossroads: Navigating Supply, Demand, and Geopolitics

    As the global transition to clean energy, advanced technology, and artificial intelligence accelerates, the demand for critical minerals—including copper, lithium, and rare earth elements—is reshaping supply chains and intensifying geopolitical competition. In this episode of The Decisive Podcast, host Kristen Hallam leads a discussion with S&P Global Market Intelligence experts to examine the evolving landscape of critical minerals. The panel explores how changing definitions, trade flows, and strategic stockpiling are influencing both businesses and governments worldwide. Senior Supply Chain Analyst Eric Oak discusses the complexities of critical mineral classifications and shifting global trade patterns. Senior Economist Jason Kaplan provides insight into the tightening supply-demand balance for copper, price volatility, and procurement strategies. Carla Selman, Head of Latin America Country Risk, analyzes Latin America's strategic role in the minerals sector and the impact of regional politics and alliances with the US and China. Economist David Vagenknecht offers a European perspective, focusing on the EU's ambitions for strategic autonomy, challenges in domestic processing, and the balance between environmental leadership and resource security. This episode delivers actionable insights for business leaders, investors, and policymakers on building resilient supply chains, anticipating market shifts, and navigating the geopolitical dynamics shaping the future of critical minerals.  More S&P Global Market Intelligence Content: Commodity Price Watch: March 2026 Global Economic Outlook: March 2026 Click here to subscribe to our Supply Chain Essentials newsletter. For S&P Global subscribers (login required): Commodity Price Watch Monthly (full report) Latin America's position in the critical minerals supply chain 2026: The age of agility Credits: Host: Kristen Hallam Guests: Eric Oak, Jason Kaplan, Carla Selman, David Vagenknecht Produced By: Debbie Taylor, Kristen Hallam Edited By: Marz Marcello Published With Assistance From: Sophie Carr, Feranmi Adeoshun

    45 min

  3. MAR 14

    PMI in Focus: Turning Timely Economic Signals Into Strategy

    In this episode of The Decisive Podcast from S&P Global Market Intelligence, host Paul Smith, Economics Director, is joined by fellow economists Sian Jones and Andrew Harker to unpack the role of Purchasing Managers' Indices (PMI) in tracking economic trends across more than 40 countries and multiple sectors. They explore how PMI data offers a timely alternative to official statistics, helping organizations monitor conditions in output, prices, inventories, and supply chains when events are moving quickly.   The discussion looks at how PMI data is used to understand the impact of major global developments—such as conflict in the Middle East—on shipping, energy costs, input prices, and supply shortages, including through specialized tools like comment trackers and commodity price indices. It also highlights how combining PMI with Comparative Industry Service (CIS) sector forecasts supports corporate teams in setting sales expectations, identifying investment opportunities, and aligning near-term signals with 20‑year outlooks for production, profits, sales, and capex.   Whether you're in strategy, risk, or operations, this episode shows how PMI and CIS insights can help you navigate uncertainty, assess resiliency, and make more informed decisions about demand, output, and supply chain performance.   More S&P Global Market Intelligence Content: PMI research home page Click here to access our Debrief on the US-Iran Conflict Escalation webinar  Click here to subscribe to our Geopolitical and Economic Risk Monthly newsletter For S&P Global subscribers (login required): Comparative Industry Briefing Global Executive Summary: Choppy markets, resilient economies 2026: The age of agility Credits: Host: Paul Smith Guests: Andrew Harker, Sian Jones Produced By: Kristen Hallam Edited By: Marz Marcello Published With Assistance From: Sophie Carr, Feranmi Adeoshun

    20 min

  4. MAR 7

    Cooling, Not Crashing: Analyzing the US Labor Market

    The US labor market is no longer running hot — but it isn't freezing up, either. In this episode of The Decisive, S&P Global Market Intelligence economist Juan Turcios unpacks what a "softening" labor market really looks like in late 2025 and into 2026, and why the headline numbers don't tell the whole story. We dig into the sharp slowdown in payroll growth since the post-pandemic boom, the steady rise in the unemployment rate from its 2023 cyclical low, and the increasing concentration of job gains in a handful of sectors — especially healthcare. Juan also explores what's happening beneath the surface: a cooling appetite to hire, fewer workers quitting, and companies trying to get more output from the employees they already have. Our economist also examines the supply-side forces reshaping the workforce, including slower labor force growth tied to immigration policy shifts and the longer-run drag from an aging population — trends that are changing participation rates and influencing where jobs are being created. Finally, we look ahead to what this means for productivity, real wages, and the broader US growth outlook, while addressing a critical wild card: growing concerns about the reliability of monthly labor data as survey response rates decline. Listen now to gain insights that could impact your business decisions and strategy.  More S&P Global Market Intelligence Content: Global Economic Outlook: February 2026 Picture This: Escalating Marine and Aviation Risks in the Middle East Click here to subscribe to our Geopolitical and Economic Risk Monthly newsletter. For S&P Global subscribers (login required): Global Executive Summary: Choppy markets, resilient economies US GDP tracking 2026: The age of agility Credits: Host: Kristen Hallam Guest: Juan Turcios Produced By: Debbie Taylor, Kristen Hallam Edited By: Marz Marcello Published With Assistance From: Sophie Carr, Feranmi Adeoshun

    13 min

  5. FEB 28

    Ballots and Balance: Asia's Shifting Political Map

    A wave of landmark elections across Japan, Thailand, and Bangladesh is reshaping the political map of Asia—and creating new signals for investors, multinationals, and supply-chain decision-makers. In this episode, we break down what the results mean for regional security, economic strategy, and the business operating environment over the next 12–24 months. We start in Japan, where Prime Minister Sanai Takaichi's LDP delivers a sweeping lower-house win, strengthening policy stability while enabling more ambitious moves on defense spending, industrial policy, and potential constitutional change. The discussion explores how Tokyo's deeper alignment with the US on security could influence corporate risk planning, advanced manufacturing, and strategic technology investment. Next, we turn to Thailand, where Anutin Charnvirakul's Bhumjaithai Party emerges as the dominant force and is positioned to lead a coalition government. We examine the implications for border tensions with Cambodia, the role of the military and establishment politics, and how continued cost-of-living measures, debt relief, regulatory simplification, and public-private partnerships could reshape opportunities for SMEs, retailers, and large infrastructure players. Finally, in Bangladesh, a decisive BNP win and a reform agenda centered on deregulation and digitization raise questions about implementation capacity, investor confidence, and the direction of foreign policy. We close with what this could mean for key sectors including garments, energy, and pharmaceuticals, and how political dynamics with the opposition may affect the pace of reform. Listen now to learn how these geopolitical developments could impact your business.  More S&P Global Market Intelligence Content: Geopolitical Risk Brief: February 2026 Age of Agility: Key Themes Shaping APAC in 2026 Click here to subscribe to our Geopolitical and Economic Risk Monthly newsletter. For S&P Global subscribers (login required): Japan's political outlook 2026: The age of agility Credits: Host: Kristen Hallam Guests: Jeffery McElroy, Aiman Othman, Smrithi Premjeet Produced By: Kristen Hallam Edited By: Marz Marcello Published With Assistance From: Sophie Carr, Feranmi Adeoshun

    27 min

  6. FEB 21

    Resilience in the Global Economy: Growth Amid Volatility

    In this episode of The Decisive, Ken Wattret, Vice President of Global Economics at S&P Global Market Intelligence, assesses the global macroeconomic landscape, highlighting that the world economy is proving more resilient than markets might suggest, even as volatility remains elevated.  Ken unpacks how geopolitical flashpoints and trade-policy uncertainty are rippling through financial and commodity markets—often with sharper price action than real-economy fallout so far—while underscoring that further disruptions, higher tariffs, or supply shocks could still dent global growth. The latest Purchasing Managers' Index data, which indicate continued expansion across manufacturing and services—supporting a constructive baseline for 2026—while highlighting key downside risks: asset-price corrections, rising sovereign yields, escalating trade frictions, and softening labor-market conditions that could undermine growth if volatility intensifies.  Listen now for a thought-provoking discussion of the factors at play in the global economic outlook. More S&P Global Market Intelligence Content: Top 10 Economic Insights 2026 Global Economic Outlook: February 2026 The Age of Agility: Key Themes for 2026 For S&P Global subscribers (login required): Global Executive Summary: Choppy markets, resilient economies Policy rate prospects Inflation indications Credits: Host: Kristen Hallam Guest: Ken Wattret Produced By: Debbie Taylor, Kristen Hallam Edited By: Marz Marcello Published With Assistance From: Sophie Carr, Feranmi Adeoshun

    9 min

  7. FEB 14

    Mapping Geopolitical Volatility: Global Impacts From Venezuela and Iran

    In this episode, taken from a Feb. 4 client webinar, host Kristen Hallam, along with experts John Raines, Jack Kennedy, and Jeffery McElroy, dive into the complexities of geopolitical volatility around the globe. As tensions rise over Iran's nuclear ambitions and the U.S. military strategy, the discussion explores potential pathways to escalation and their global implications. Discover how military and diplomatic maneuvers could impact critical sectors like energy and infrastructure, with disruptions potentially affecting global oil prices and economic stability. The conversation also extends to Latin America and the strategic interests of mainland China, examining how shifts in U.S. policy influence regional security and economic partnerships. Join us for an insightful analysis of the geopolitical landscape, offering valuable perspectives for businesses and policymakers navigating these turbulent times. Subscribe now to stay informed with The Decisive—your source for empowering decision-making in an uncertain world. More S&P Global Market Intelligence Content: Age of Agility: Key Themes Shaping the MENA Region in 2026 Age of Agility: Key Themes Shaping Latin America in 2026 Age of Agility: Key Themes Shaping APAC in 2026 Click here to subscribe to our Geopolitical and Economic Risk Monthly newsletter. For S&P Global subscribers (login required): MENA regional conflict Japan's political outlook 2026: The age of agility Credits: Host: Kristen Hallam Guests: John Raines, Jack A. Kennedy, Jeffery McElroy Produced By: Debbie Taylor, Kristen Hallam Edited By: Marz Marcello Published With Assistance From: Sophie Carr, Feranmi Adeoshun

    36 min

  8. FEB 7

    Agentic AI Gives Data a Voice in Supply Chain Management

    Agentic AI can move supply chains from reactive "triage" to smarter, faster decision-making. In this episode of The Decisive, S&P Global Market Intelligence's Brendan Neary joins host Kristen Hallam to unpack today's biggest supply-chain pain points—volatility, complexity, and constant disruption driven by forces like weather, policy shifts, and geopolitics—and why risk mitigation has become a daily mandate for procurement and supply-chain leaders. You'll hear how agentic AI—autonomous systems powered by large language models—can help teams connect disparate data, reason through scenarios, and take action with minimal supervision, turning raw information into practical workflows and recommendations. The conversation dives into data-driven procurement and sourcing, including how organizations can use intelligence to benchmark negotiations, identify alternate suppliers, and assess country and credit risk—while addressing the real-world deployment hurdles of data quality, interoperability, and making insights truly consumable for decision-makers. Listen now to gain insight into how agentic AI can transform supply chain management. Click here to register for TPM26, the world's largest container shipping conference.  More S&P Global Market Intelligence Content: Supply chain certainty, rather than price, will shape shipping in 2026 Age of Agility: Corporate Supply Chain Strategy Themes in 2026 Top 10 Economic Insights 2026 For S&P Global subscribers (login required): Egypt opens new semiautomated Red Sea terminal as Suez traffic grows Global trade outlook and supply chains 2026: The age of agility Credits: Host: Kristen Hallam Guest: Brendan Neary Produced By: Kristen Hallam Edited By: Marz Marcello Published With Assistance From: Sophie Carr, Feranmi Adeoshun

    27 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

Whether you're a business leader, investor, or simply curious about the forces shaping our world, The Decisive podcast is here to provide you with the knowledge you need to stay ahead. Join our team of seasoned Market Intelligence analysts as they explore the ever-changing landscape of maritime, trade and supply chain, economics and country risk.

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