RBC BlueBay Insights

Our European Equity investment team members discuss how climate change and rising natural catastrophe losses are reshaping the insurance industry, driving premiums higher and leading investors to seek out diversified, well-managed insurers.

In our podcast episode, Mike Reed, Head of Global Financial Institutions, is joined by Laurence Bensafi, Portfolio Manager and Deputy Head of Emerging Markets Equities. They discuss what’s driving EM outperformance, the resilience of these economies amidst geopolitical uncertainty, the AI manufacturing boom, and the standout opportunities spanning Latin America, China and India. Their conversation is a reminder that emerging markets can offer one of the most diverse and opportunity-rich landscapes in global equity market investing.

Mike Reed, Head of Global Financial Institutions, is joined by Sid Chhabra, Head of Securitised Credit and CLO Management & European High Yield. Although one of the largest and most dynamic segments of the global fixed income markets, the asset class remains significantly underrepresented in many institutional investor portfolios. With a market size exceeding USD5 trillion – larger than the entire US high yield market – securitised credit deserves far greater attention than it typically receives. For investors seeking resilient returns, meaningful diversification, and exposure to a dynamic, liquid market aligned with current macro risks, understanding securitised credit is essential.

In our podcast episode, Mike Reed, Head of Global Financial Institutions, is joined by Mike Bell, RBC BlueBay’s recently appointed Head of Market Strategy, where they discuss the evolving macroeconomic landscape. In a period when oil prices surged past $100, supply chain disruptions have mounted, and geopolitical tensions are reshaping global economics, there’s much to discuss. In this episode, they answer the questions investors are asking: what does deglobalisation mean for portfolio construction, how concentrated is too concentrated in mega-cap tech, and where can market participants find genuine diversification when traditional safe havens may not perform as expected.

In our podcast episode, Mike Reed, Head of Global Financial Institutions, is joined by Marc Stacey, Investment Grade Senior Portfolio Manager. Amidst a backdrop of increased geopolitical risk, Middle East conflict driving oil prices higher, and Europe ramping up defence spending, the region’s banks are thriving. Mike and Marc discuss why the sector is showing resilience during the current uncertainty, why European banks are set to benefit from the AI hyperscaler buildout, and nuance behind the private credit headlines.

Ashley Wright and Tim van der Weyden Leveraged Finance Portfolio Managers, join Mike Reed, Head of Global Financial Institutions, to explain high yield bonds and leveraged loans. They discuss how the market has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years, evolving from its reputation as a speculative ‘junk bond’ space into a sophisticated, well-regulated asset class offering compelling, risk-adjusted returns. Yet despite attractive yields, recent turmoil in private credit markets has renewed investor concerns about leverage and liquidity, and in this episode, they highlight how active management, strong capital markets relationships and rigorous downside protection are key to navigating the asset class.

How grid modernisation creates multi-year investment opportunities in Europe.

In our latest podcast Mike Reed, Head of Global Financial Institutions, is joined by Polina Kurdyavko, Head of EM Debt, where they discuss increased geopolitical risk in relation to recent events, the weakened dollar's positive impact on emerging market economies plus the opportunities and challenges for the asset class in the year ahead.

Mark Dowding, CIO for our BlueBay fixed income platform, and Mike Reed, Head of Global Financial Institutions, discuss an eventful year in global markets. From President Trump’s tariffs (and rollback of tariffs) to the ongoing AI boom, LDP leader Sanae Takaichi’s recent historic prime ministerial win in Japan, and high-profile bankruptcies in the US autos sector, there’s a lot to discuss as we head into year-end.

Market volatility due to tariff measures implemented by President Trump have subsided and markets have rallied strongly, so what next? Andrzej Skiba, Head of US Fixed Income, and Mike Reed, Head of Global Financial Institutions, talk about the outlook for, and potential risks to, US credit markets as we head into 2026. Other discussion points include the drivers of returns over the coming year, the changed dynamics of risks in the US energy industry, and the recent pickup in M&A activity.