Basis Points

Treasury yields have surged despite geopolitical tensions, challenging their traditional safe-haven role amid rising inflation fears. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan explains why Treasury floating rate notes (FRNs) may offer a more resilient way to navigate rate volatility and shifting market dynamics.

Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent.

Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/investments/multimedia/basis-...

Credit spreads are widening again as liquidity concerns resurface and AI-driven disruption—especially in software—comes back into focus. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan is joined by Andrew Okrongly, Director of Model Portfolios at WisdomTree, to break down what’s driving these shifts, and why high yield’s lower exposure to software, combined with a stronger liquidity profile, may help mitigate emerging risks w...

The latest FOMC meeting reinforced a patient Fed, but the outlook remains uncertain. Kevin Flanagan breaks down how policymakers are weighing inflation, slowing growth, and geopolitical risks while assessing the path toward neutral. What does this mean for rates and the road ahead?

Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent.

Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/investments/multimedia/basis-points-podcasts#Listen%20now

Please see the...

Oil surged above $100 and the 10-year Treasury jumped toward 4.2% as Middle East tensions and fresh economic data jolted markets in the past week. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan breaks down the crosscurrents, from a surprisingly weak jobs report to resilient macro indicators, and explains why the Fed may stay on hold while volatility lingers.

Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent.

Learn more: https://www.wi...

Foreign investors held a record $9.27 trillion in U.S. Treasuries at the end of 2025, even as “Selling America” fears made headlines. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan analyzes the latest Treasury International Capital (TIC) data and makes the case that, despite geopolitical tensions and market anxiety, global demand for Treasuries remains firmly intact.

Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent.

Learn more: https...

The Fed’s ‘dot plot’ has become a market-moving ritual, but it’s only been around since 2012. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan examines what a Warsh-led Fed could mean for forward guidance, volatility and fixed income strategy.

Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent.

Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/investments/multimedia/basis-points-podcasts#Listen%20now 

Please see the WisdomTree Glossary for additional de...

The Fed still holds $6.3 trillion in Treasuries and mortgage-backed securities, well above pre-pandemic levels. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan explains why a Warsh-led effort to shrink the Fed’s balance sheet, especially $2 trillion in mortgage-backed securities, may be far more complicated than the rhetoric suggests.

Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent.

Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/investments/...

Markets reacted quickly to the nomination of Kevin Warsh as the next Fed Chairman, but the bigger story lies beyond the headlines. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan weighs Warsh’s Fed background, policy instincts and what a balance-sheet-focused Fed could mean for bonds.

Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent.

Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/investments/multimedia/basis-points-podcasts#Listen%20now

P...

Policy headlines are creating fresh opportunities in securitized markets. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan is joined by Dave Goodson, Head of Securitized at Voya Investment Management, to break down the Trump administration’s proposed $200 billion purchase of agency mortgage-backed securities (MBS), what’s already priced in and where active fixed income managers may find relative value. They also explore why a ...

After a flurry of rate cuts at the end of 2025, the FOMC decided to pause their rate cuts at the January meeting, keeping the fed funds trading range at 3.50%–3.75%. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan explains why this shift may mark a move toward neutral policy and how labor market data could steer the next phase of decision-making.

Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent.

Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/...

Bank loans come with yield, but also risk. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan explains how the WisdomTree Interest Rate Hedged High Yield Bond Fund (HYZD) offers a high-yield, zero-duration alternative with quality screening designed to reduce credit risk.

Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent.

Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/investments/multimedia/basis-points-podcasts#Listen%20now

Please see the WisdomTree Glo...

The steepening yield curve isn’t just a forecast, it’s atest.

This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan breaks down a horizon analysis using our 2026 Economic & Market Outlook, showing how short-term Treasuries could outperform while long duration risks negative returns.

Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent.

Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/investments/multimedia/basis-points-podcasts#Listen%20now 

Ple...

The Treasury yield curve steepened in 2025, and 2026 could bring more of the same. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan explains why an active/passive barbell strategy is a timely way to capture income potential while managing duration risk.

Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent.

Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/investments/multimedia/basis-points-podcasts#Listen%20now

Please see the WisdomTree Glossary...

The Fed’s divisions may run deeper than the official vote count suggests. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan unpacks the concept of “silent dissenters,” what the dot plot signals about rate cuts, and why a shifting FOMC could make future policy decisions even more data dependent.

Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent

Learn more:
https://www.wisdomtree.com/investments/multimedia/basis-points-podcasts#Listen%2...

As expected, the Fed delivered a third straight 25-basis-point rate cut at the December FOMC meeting. With the resumption of rate cuts now at round three, Kevin Flanagan explains how Powell’s “risk management” approach, internal Fed divisions, and missing data raise key questions about what 2026 could bring—and whether the recalibration now needs a recalibration of its own.

Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent.

Learn more: https...

How can new hiring and the unemployment rate rise at the same time? In this episode of Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan explains the mechanics behind September’s seemingly contradictory jobs report, where strong payroll gains coincided with a higher jobless rate. He breaks down the two BLS surveys that drive these numbers, why they can diverge month to month, and what this dynamic means for the Fed as policymakers head into the Decembe...

The latest market focus is back on the Fed, and a growing divide inside the FOMC. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan breaks down why policymakers are split on additional rate cuts ahead of the December meeting—and what regional Fed presidents are signaling about inflation risks. With key labor data on deck, find out what could shape the Fed’s next move.

Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent.

Learn more: https://www...

It’s time to go back to basics with fixed income. This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan, shares how tax-aware laddered bond strategies in both municipal and Treasury markets may help investors stay disciplined, diversify effectively, and manage after-tax income.

Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent.

Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/investments/multimedia/basis-points-podcasts#Listen%20now 

Please see the WisdomTree...

Yields are hovering just above 4%, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to extend duration. This week on Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan explains why sticky inflation, a non-recessionary backdrop, and muted yield spreads argue for patience, not positioning long.

Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent.

Learn more: https://www.wisdomtree.com/investments/multimedia/basis-points-podcasts#Listen%20now 

Please see the WisdomTree Glossary for additi...