Current Account with Clay Lowery

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 leadership under Chair Kevin Warsh could mean for U.S. monetary policy and global markets.

As the Fed prepares for its first meeting under new leadership, they explore competing pressures around interest rates, inflation, and political influence, as well as Warsh’s potential push to reshape the Fed’s framework. The conversation also looks at how investors should interpret a more uncertain policy outlook and what shifts in the Fed’s approach could mean for capital flows, the dollar, and financial stability worldwide.

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.

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 IIF's Martín Castellano, Head of Latin America Research, and Paola Figueroa, Head of Frontier Latin America Research, to break down key races in Peru, Colombia, and Brazil. They explore what recent results reveal about political fragmentation, governability, and investor confidence, and assess how domestic pressures are shaping outcomes. The conversation also looks beyond individual elections to examine how the region’s shifting political landscape could influence relationships with the United States and broader global markets in the months ahead.

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.

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., to reflect on the forces reshaping financial services over the past decade. They explore how banks have adapted to a more volatile environment shaped by higher interest rates, geopolitical tension, and rapid technological change.

The conversation examines growing competition from fintech and private capital, shifting expectations around growth and risk, and how global banks are positioning themselves across both established and emerging markets. Looking ahead, they discuss what will define success for financial institutions over the next decade and how leadership priorities are evolving in a more complex landscape.

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.

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, Chief Economist and Managing Director, and Jonathan Fortun, Senior Economist, to unpack the latest Capital Flows Report and what it reveals about shifting growth, capital movements, and policy pressures.

They examine how geopolitical shocks are compounding existing weaknesses, why the U.S. continues to outperform other economies, and what is driving mixed signals across emerging markets. The conversation also explores how supply chain disruptions are spreading beyond energy and what central banks and policymakers should be watching as risks build heading into the second half of the year.

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.

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 is joined by Evan Medeiros, a professor in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University and former director at the White House National Security Council, to assess what is at stake in the latest round of talks and what each side hopes to achieve. 

They explore the evolving sources of leverage on both sides, from trade and investment to critical minerals and advanced technologies, and examine the gap between leader level diplomacy and a deeper structural rivalry. The conversation also looks at how domestic politics may constrain any deal and what a more stable U.S.-China relationship could realistically look like in the years ahead.

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.