Current Account with Clay Lowery

Episode 162 – France, the Sick Man of Europe — What Comes Next?

France is facing a pivotal moment as political gridlock, mounting fiscal pressures, and public unrest converge ahead of next year’s presidential election. In this episode

Episode 161 – The Elephant in the Room — Lessons From Bangkok

From artificial intelligence to sovereign debt and defense finance, a wide range of risks and opportunities dominated discussions in Bangkok. In this episode of Current A

Episode 160 – One Week in Bangkok — Kicking Off the IIF/IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings

As global financial leaders gather in Bangkok, attention is turning to the opportunities and challenges shaping Thailand and Southeast Asia. In this episode of Current Ac

Episode 159 – A Wave, a Tsunami, or Something In Between? — Previewing the U.S. Midterms

With the U.S. midterm elections just weeks away, control of Congress hangs in the balance amid growing voter frustration over the economy, affordability, and the directio

Episode 158 – Interdependence Strikes Back — Breaking Down the U.S.-China Summit

As the world’s two largest economies navigate an increasingly complex relationship, the second 2026 summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Ji

Episode 157 – Deterrence Is in the Eye of the Beholder — The Emergence of Defense Finance

Defense finance is rapidly moving from a niche policy topic to a central challenge for governments, investors, and financial institutions. In this episode of Current Acco

Episode 156 – Winter Has Come — U.S.-Canada Trade Relations Update

The relationship between the United States and Canada has long been defined by deep economic ties, shared security interests, and highly integrated supply chains. In this

Episode 155 – Here You Come Again, Higher Yields (Jackson Hole Edition)

As markets return from the summer with a series of surprises, investors are grappling with a changing economic landscape. In this episode of Current Account, Clay is join

Episode 154 – The Long and Winding Road — EU Competitiveness and Basel III 

Can regulators promote growth and competitiveness while preserving financial stability? In this episode of Current Account, Clay is joined by IIF's Kyle Grieser, Director

Episode 153 – The Show Must Go On — Recapping the 2026 NATO Summit

As geopolitical tensions reshape security priorities across the Atlantic, defense has become an increasingly important economic and financial issue. In this episode of Cu

Episode 152 – Jaw-Jaw or War-War? — An Update on Iran

The conflict involving Iran has entered another period of uncertainty, with diplomatic efforts faltering and regional tensions rising once again. In this episode of Curre

Episode 151 – The Fast and the Furious 5.1 — Fueling Up for Frontier AI

As frontier AI models become more powerful, concerns about cybersecurity risks are moving to the forefront of policy and business discussions. In this episode of Current

Episode 150 – Putting the Band Back Together - U.S. Trade Policy

Trade policy is back at the center of the economic conversation. In this episode of Current Account, Clay examines a series of major developments that could reshape the U

Episode 149 – Beyond the Dot Plot — The Future of the Fed

A new era at the Federal Reserve is underway. In this episode of Current Account, Clay is joined by Dr. Alexis Crow, Partner and Chief Economist at PwC, to examine what l

Episode 148 – 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

Episode 147 – 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.,

Episode 146 – 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, Chi

Episode 145 – 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

Episode 144 – 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 s

Episode 143 – 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 dee