The Flip Side

Do debt managers or markets set the price of long bonds?

Around the globe, developed economies' government bond yields are climbing. In response, debt managers are reshaping how they borrow, shortening issuance and buying back

Are post-crisis US bank regulations holding markets back?

Post-crisis bank regulations were designed to create a safer financial system. Nearly two decades later, US regulators are revisiting the implementation of some of those

If the Fed goes quiet, do markets make more noise?

For over three decades, the US Federal Reserve has moved towards greater transparency, introducing new ways of communicating its outlook to markets. Weeks into his tenure

Welcome to The Flip Side podcast

There are two sides to every story, including in markets. On The Flip Side podcast, two Barclays Research analysts offer perspectives from different angles as they debate

Physical AI: Wealth creation or economic displacement?

Artificial intelligence is moving off the screen and into the real economy. For investors, that shifts the focus from software productivity to how labour, capital and mar

Do high gas prices change how Americans buy cars?

Gasoline prices in the United States have risen to over $4 per gallon since the Iran war began in February. When combined with higher car prices, higher interest rates an

$1 trillion AI capex by 2028: Justified or inflated?

Since 2022, AI capital investment has skyrocketed. But can AI capex reach $1 trillion by 2028, as our Equity Research analysts forecast? Labs are reporting rapid growth,

Should alternative asset managers be trading like software?

Private credit has been a powerful growth engine for alternative asset managers, with business development corporations (BDCs) playing a central role. As AI adoption acce

Is US equities exceptionalism finally cracking?

After more than a decade of US equity dominance, international markets made a rare comeback in 2025. Europe, Japan, Emerging Markets and the UK outperformed, the majority

Will the US consumer hold up in 2026?

The US consumer showed notable resilience over the holiday period, with retail sales and e-commerce activity remaining robust. Yet, beneath the surface, sentiment surveys

UK Autumn Budget: Success or shortfall?

The UK’s fiscal policy faced a pivotal moment as Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered her second Autumn Budget, confronting market and political pressures. The budget build

Is Japan doubling down on Abenomics, or redefining it?

Japan’s economic policy stands at a crossroads as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi takes office, with the legacy of Abenomics challenged by shifting market and political rea

Is the AI investment cycle a sign of history repeating?

Artificial intelligence has become the defining investment theme of the current market cycle, with capital expenditure on AI infrastructure reaching unprecedented levels.

US bank regulatory reform: Capital relief or systemic risk?

In June, US banking regulators, led by the Federal Reserve, proposed changes to the supplementary leverage ratio (SLR), a regulatory measure used to ensure financial stab

Are oil markets set to heat up or burn out?

Despite widespread expectations of weakening demand for oil, market fundamentals are showing signs of tightening. A slowdown in US shale production and resilient demand a

Do the risks of NBFI lending outweigh the opportunities?

Commercial & Industrial loans from banks are on the decline, and lending to Main Street and consumers from non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) is on the rise. But her

Is the US bond market starting to rebel?

US Treasury bonds are widely regarded as the “world’s risk-free asset.” However, in recent weeks, global investors have increasingly shied away from 30-year US bonds, opt

Is this the end of the dollar as we know it?

Following the 2024 US election, predictions of a dollar rally were easy to come by, based on the presumption that President Trump would implement his proposed trade agend

Will tariffs trigger a recession?

The course of the US economy has changed since the beginning of April, when tariffs were introduced – and subsequently paused. This, combined with reduced immigration and

Is there too much hype for AI and the hyperscalers?

AI has been a major focal point for investors as tech companies compete for an edge in the race to deliver on its promises. The hyperscalers – tech giants like Microsoft