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. AUG 4

    This One Goes Up to 11 - Pressure on the Federal Reserve

    In this episode of Current Account, Clay is joined by Don Kohn, the Robert V. Roosa Chair in International Economics and a Senior Fellow in the Economic Studies program at the Brookings Institution, to discuss recent developments and the overarching role of the Federal Reserve - the central bank of the United States. Don and Clay begin with the traditional importance of the Fed's independence from elected officials before analyzing how prior administrations have seemingly pressured it to varying degrees, what impact these pressures have on the risk of inflation, ongoing discussions, including historic dissenters, around Fed policy, what upcoming personnel changes - including a new Chair in 2026 - the Fed will have to endure, how the Fed may approach the rest of the calendar year and much more. Programming Note: Current Account will return from summer break in September. 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.

    41 min

  2. JUL 28

    Evolution, Revolution, and a Revelation - A Midyear Check-In with IIF CEO Tim Adams

    In this episode of Current Account, Clay is joined by IIF's President and CEO, Tim Adams, to assess key takeaways from the first half of 2025, with an eye on major themes to keep track of for the remainder of the year. Tim begins by providing a brief highlight of his recent travels across the globe and their subsequent conversations before jumping into a host of crucial topics in the financial industry, such as the agenda for more simplified regulation and steps toward Basel III implementation in the U.S. and discussing the wide range of risks and challenges facing the industry at large. Tim and Clay also discuss how recent digital asset legislation - such as the GENIUS Act - is shaping the view of emerging and developing technologies, the role of global geopolitics and geoeconomics within the financial industry, how U.S. trade policy is viewed internationally and much more. 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.

    29 min

  3. JUL 21

    The Dollar: It Really is All About the Benjamins

    In this episode of Current Account, Clay is joined by Mark Sobel, a Senior Advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and U.S. Chairman at the Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum (OMFIF), and Josh Lipsky the Chair of International Economics at the Atlantic Council and Senior Director of the Atlantic Council's GeoEconomics Center, to discuss the dollar and the first six months of the Trump administration's dollar policy. The discussion begins with a brief overview of recent developments in the dollar and dollar policy before diving into other factors that may impact the dollar such as geopolitics and economic statecraft, what impact other ongoing events - such as the rise of stablecoins and open clashes in the public sector - have on dollar markets, why the U.S. may have a "plumbing problem" and how to combat it*, how these and other issues impact global economies, why dollar volatility is or isn't a bad sign, and much more. *For more on this topic, read Josh's recent op-ed in the NYTimes here. 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.

    38 min

  4. JUL 14

    Six Months Down, 42 To Go - Updating the Trump Economic Agenda

    In this episode of Current Account, Clay dives into a few recent developments coming out of Washington surrounding the Trump Administration's economic policy - aimed at strengthening financial stability and economic growth. He divides the developments into three categories: Trade and tariffs, tax incentives and a focus on deregulation. Clay analyzes the categories by detailing the recent history of the administration's tariff policy and status of various trade deals, how "The One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act" impacts the fiscal aspect of the larger economic strategy, what recent policy and personnel developments mean in terms of a regulatory environment and clarity regarding digital asset regulation, and much more. 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.

    21 min

  5. JUN 23

    Payments - I Have a Need for Speed (Oh... and Security and Efficiency)

    In this episode of Current Account, Clay is joined by Conan French, IIF Director of Digital Finance, to discuss recent shifts and developments in digital payments and fraud. Conan starts with where the payments landscape stands at this moment before diving into the ongoing status of the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act, how tech enabled fraud has developed alongside modern payment technology, how different jurisdictions are approaching these and other issues, and much more. 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

  6. JUN 16

    The German Economy - A Fiscal U-Turn to Growth and Competitiveness?

    In this episode of Current Account, Clay is joined by Carsten Brzeski, the Global Head of Macro at ING Research, to discuss developments in the German economy following the recent federal elections - held in February 2025. Clay and Carsten begin with notable changes in the economy since the elections were held before analyzing the recent redefinition of Germany's debt brake, how this constitutional reform aligns with Germany's goals and priorities, how U.S.-imposed tariffs on the E.U. impact U.S.-German relations, the path for Germany to reclaim its historical role as one of Europe's leading economies and much more. 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.

    26 min

  7. JUN 9

    A New Era and End of the Shale Boom? - A MENA & Oil Market Check-In

    In this episode of Current Account, Clay is joined by two IIF colleagues, Garbis Iradian, Chief Economist for the MENA region, and Ivan Burgara, Economist, to give updates on the greater Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and recent developments in oil markets. The discussion begins with a brief summary of recent events in the region before narrowing in on Egypt and how the country looks to bounce back thanks to recent investments, what the implications are of the U.S. tariff policy for MENA and its countries, why oil market prices have dropped as a whole, how the Trump administration aims to both increase production and keep low prices, and much more. 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.

    33 min

  8. MAY 27

    An Eye for an IEEPA: Trump Tariffs - Where Are They Now?

    In this episode of Current Account, Clay gives an update on the current state of the U.S. tariff policies, namely with reaction and implications of the April 2nd "Liberation Day" tariff announcements. Clay begins with a scene-setting of what tariffs are currently in place and on hold, before providing a framework for how the current Trump Administration may be approaching tariff implementation - broken down into four main categories: (1) Market reaction, as demonstrated by the immediate market reaction following the April 2nd tariff policy announcements, (2) negotiations and diplomacy, highlighted by trade deals and discussions with many of the United States' main trade partners, (3) political backlash, with most impact likely to be shown at the upcoming 2026 Midterm Elections, and (4) litigation, mainly from legal challenges to the use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). *please note that the Institute of International Finance does not provide legal advice 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.

    23 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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