Macro Matters: Morgan Stanley’s Hornbach on Oil and Global Rates

Oil prices have become the key driver of global rates markets as conflict in the Middle East reshapes inflation expectations and policy outlooks. Matt Hornbach, Morgan Stanley’s global head of macro strategy, joins Ira Jersey, Bloomberg Intelligence chief US interest-rate strategist, on this Macro Matters edition of the FICC Focus podcast. Hornbach explains why energy prices have been the dominant force behind moves in US and global bond markets, why longer-term inflation expectations have remained relatively contained and how the Federal Reserve under Kevin Warsh may react differently to oil at $80 vs. $110 a barrel. The two also discuss whether investors are too confident that crude prices will remain structurally elevated even after the Strait of Hormuz reopens, and what that could mean for Treasury yields and broader asset markets. They also examine spillover from Japan’s bond market, the risks around the Bank of Japan and dollar-yen and why upcoming trade negotiations involving the US, Mexico and Canada could become another important source of volatility for global fixed income.