2025 Market Outlook – 8 key themes to watch for this year

In this timely episode of Market Points, host Patrick Bryden, Managing Director, Global Head of Thematic and Sustainability Investment Research at Scotiabank, welcomes renowned Oxford professor and author Karthik Ramanna to discuss his latest book, The Age of Outrage: How to Lead in a Polarized World.   Ramanna explores the drivers of societal outrage and emphasizes that traditional crisis management is inadequate for the current era. He shares practical insights from behavioural science to help leaders “turn down the temperature” and illustrates how successful organizations build resilience and navigate polarization by aligning authentically with their core missions. This conversation provides business leaders with a nuanced, realistic, yet optimistic guide to managing and thriving amid today’s complex challenges.

As global trade tensions escalate, Mexico sits at a crossroads—positioned to benefit from nearshoring, but constrained by unreliable and expensive electricity. In this episode of Market Points, Rodrigo Echagaray, Managing Director, Head of Latin America Equity Research and Global Head of Product Management, speaks with Francisco Suarez, Analyst, Latam Industrial Real Estate, Infrastructure, and ESG, and Eduardo Suarez, Vice President of Latin America Economics, about how energy reform could impact future growth. They explore the opportunity in solar, the risks of regulatory uncertainty, and why solving Mexico’s power problem is essential to realizing its nearshoring potential.

Businesses often face a “rollercoaster” of surprises when managing their treasury operations. Manual processes, handling traditional paper checks, and crafting new solutions to fit into existing workflows are only a few of the hurdles.  On this episode of Market Points, Mike Suppa, Director and Head, Client Solutions and Partnerships, and Jonathan Poupart, Director, Cash Management Solutions, share examples of client feedback and how uncovering their pain points help drive innovative banking solutions. Whether through strategic partnerships or in-house expertise, Scotiabank has found that client-driven collaboration is core to making banking easier for all businesses.

In this episode of Market Points, Boris Sender, Director, U.S. Rates Strategy, leads a deep dive with Gabriel Buteler, Managing Director and Head, Global Rates Trading, and Shaun Osborne, Managing Director, Chief Currency Strategist, exploring the dramatic shifts in global financial markets driven by changing trade policies and macroeconomic conditions. The conversation delves into rate forecasts for the Federal Reserve and Bank of Canada, and also provides insights into inflation and FX market dynamics as markets continue to adjust to a rapidly evolving economic landscape.

In this episode of Market Points, host Mark Mulroney, Vice Chair, Global Banking and Markets, is joined by Pete Gordon, Director, Equity Capital Markets, to break down investor sentiment and expectations for the IPO market in 2025. Drawing insights from a recent investor survey, they explore the shift toward higher risk appetite, the role of private capital, and key factors influencing IPO performance. With a strong pipeline of IPOs anticipated, be sure to tune in for expert analysis on what’s driving the IPO market and what to watch for in the months ahead.

With record-setting issuance in 2024 and a shifting rate environment, what lies ahead for debt capital markets in 2025? In this episode of Market Points, Patrick Dabiet, Managing Director and Co-Head, Canadian Debt Capital Markets and Government Finance, is joined by Fadi Attia, Managing Director and Head, U.S. Debt Syndication, to break down the key themes shaping issuance trends in the North American debt capital markets. From corporate refinancing needs and M&A-driven supply to evolving investor dynamics and cross-border funding opportunities, this conversation offers critical insights into how issuers and investors can navigate the year ahead. Tune in to hear expert perspectives on market conditions, pricing strategies, and the evolving debt landscape in Canada and the U.S.

Where are U.S. rates and swap markets headed in 2025? In this engaging episode of Market Points, Boris Sender, Director, U.S. Rates Strategy, leads a dynamic discussion with Scotiabank colleagues Charles Comiskey, Managing Director, U.S. Rates Trading, and James Williamson, Director, USD Swap Trading. Together, they break down the key drivers behind recent market moves, the Federal Reserve’s evolving stance, and the role of policy uncertainty under the new administration. This episode delivers actionable insights to help investors navigate a pivotal year for fixed income markets, so tune in for expert perspectives on what’s shaping the U.S. rates landscape and how to position for what’s next.

For many investors 2024 was a good year, but what about 2025? On this episode of Market Points, Hugo Ste-Marie, Director, Portfolio and Quantitative Strategy, Global Equity Research, breaks down some key themes that will shape the investment landscape this year. He tells us where he thinks markets may head, where there may be opportunities as well as risks, the possible impact of a new administration in the U.S., and much more.

On this episode of Market Points, Scotiabank’s Michelle Khalili, Managing Director and Global Head, Equity Capital Markets (ECM) and Corporate Finance Advisory, hosts a discussion reflecting on the key themes of 2024 and the outlook for 2025. Featuring John Cronin, Managing Director and Head, U.S. ECM; Matt Sheehan, Managing Director and Head, Canadian ECM; and Charles Kerecz, Managing Director and Head, Global Equity Private Placements, this episode explores the activity in the Canadian and U.S. equity capital markets, the outlook for IPOs and M&A, and the evolving dynamics between public and private capital. Tune in to hear insights on issuance trends, and what investors can expect as markets continue to normalize in the year ahead.

With the capital landscape for technology companies evolving, how will IPO and M&A activity unfold in 2025? What are investors looking for, and how can tech companies prepare to go public? In this episode of Market Points, Pete Gordon, Director, Equity Capital Markets, is joined by Sasson Darwish, Managing Director and Global Head, Technology Investment Banking, to explore the opportunities and challenges awaiting technology companies looking to raise capital in the year ahead.