Barclays Brief
Episodes
AI goes economy-wide
26 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Productivity growth has been uneven across many sectors and economies. But AI in the form of humanoid robotics could change that, extending automation...
Decoding the bond sell-off
19 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Global bond yields have been rising sharply, with long-term yields breaking higher across multiple markets - pushing US 30‑year yields above 5%.T...
Inflation crosscurrents: Energy vs AI
12 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Markets are facing two competing inflation stories at the same time: a near‑term energy shock pushing inflation risks higher, and the possibility th...
Jet fuel shortage: Holidays at risk?
05 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Jet fuel shortages linked to the continuing Iran war are dominating headlines, raising questions about whether this poses a genuine risk to global tra...
Credit: the signals markets can’t ignore
28 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Credit markets often process stress before other parts of the market are able to. During periods of volatility, the signals they send can help investo...
Robots deliver dinner and profits
21 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Food delivery is changing fast, with last-mile autonomous hardware being developed and deployed at pace. In this episode of the Barclays Brief, Patric...
Prediction markets: A new market signal
14 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Prediction markets are suddenly top of mind for a range of people. From elections and sporting events to pop culture and breaking news, probabilities ...
The quantum computing moment
07 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Quantum computing has long been viewed as a future technology. Now, it’s poised to overtake classical computing systems in specific useful tasks in ...
The cusp of a capex supercycle
31 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In recent months, market narratives have been dominated by geopolitical shocks, energy volatility and higher interest rates. But step back, and a much...
European rates: Inflation & AI waves collide
24 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Markets have been anything but calm lately. Inflation shocks, surging energy prices and the AI narrative have collided to deliver one of the most dram...
A bullish view on US equities
17 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Markets may look relatively steady compared with past oil shocks, but the real story sits in the undercurrents. Despite only a modest pullback in majo...
Processing uncertainty in real time
10 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Volatility has returned, and markets are recalibrating risk premia as new sources of uncertainty emerge across oil, inflation expectations, private cr...
Weight loss drugs: Scaling up
03 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Weight loss drugs have pushed the obesity therapeutics to an inflection point, reshaping not only patient behaviour, healthcare spending and investor ...
Software: In the AI storm
24 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Software equities sit in the eye of the AI storm, caught at a decisive inflection point as AI reshapes the sector and investors grapple with one of th...
European Industrials: Recovery or decline?
17 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
European Industrials have underperformed for years, but signs of stabilisation are emerging. In Episode 19 of The Barclays Brief, George Featherstone,...
Japan decides, global markets move
10 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Japan’s decisive election result is recalibrating market expectations, bringing FX, rates and fiscal policy signals into sharper focus. The LDP’s ...
Metals & mining: Meltdown or opportunity?
03 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Sharp swings across precious metals, especially gold, have thrust the sector into the spotlight, sustaining investor interest and stirring fresh debat...
Forces shaping markets in 2026
28 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Most episodes of The Barclays Brief focus on a single market theme, but this week we have a special episode for you. Adeel Khan, our Global Head of Ma...
Rise of the humanoid robots
20 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Humanoid robotics is moving from experimentation and into a true economic inflection point. The market, valued at just $2–3bn today, is projected to...
Headlines to hedges: Positioning in 2026
13 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In just the first two weeks of 2026, investors have had a lot to take in amidst fast-moving headlines and shifting policy signals.In this episode o...
AI: The macro game changer
06 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
While traditional macroeconomic factors such as labour markets, central bank policy and inflation are all important considerations for 2026, the econo...
Robotaxis: The future of mobility
22 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
2026 is expected to be a breakthrough year for the US robotaxi market, as autonomous vehicles shift gears from pilot projects to large-scale deploymen...
Credit markets: What's ahead for 2026
16 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you spent 2025 watching credit and thinking “this feels suspiciously quiet,” you are not alone. Barclays’ Global Head of Research, Brad Rogof...
Seismic Shifts: Agentic AI in Energy
09 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Conversations about AI often revolve around the outlooks for the Mag7, capex or the resources required to power the technology. This episode of the Ba...
Is the stock market actually the economy now?
02 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The rise of real-time trading platforms, combined with steady 401(k) inflows, has amplified wealth effects – making retail investors acutely aware t...
Critical minerals: The new oil
25 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As technological advancement continues at pace across AI, defence and everything in between, demand for critical minerals such as rare earth...
US Dollar & the AI capex cycle
18 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
AI is reshaping corporate investment priorities at breakneck speed, with the US private sector pledging trillions in capital expenditures to power the...
Hyperscalers: Hypergrowth, higher risk
11 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
AI, hyperscaler capex, credit markets, and debt issuance: the landscape for big tech funding is shifting fast. In the latest episode of Barclays Brief...
Private credit: Hidden interconnectivity
04 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Recent high-profile bankruptcies have put private credit in the headlines. In this episode, Peter Troisi explains how private credit is weaving itself...
AI Revolution: China’s Five-Year Plan
28 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Trump-Xi trade talks are expected this week, amidst the recent publication of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan. To get the insights on these headlines an...
UK Economy: At a crossroads
21 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
With the UK’s Autumn Budget fast approaching, UK Chief Economist Jack Meaning joins Ronnie Wexler on the Barclays Brief to discuss what’s really d...
Gold: Unpacking the rally
14 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Gold’s historic role as a hedge asset is in focus as prices soar past $4,000 an ounce. In this episode of the Barclays Brief podcast, Ajay Rajadhyak...
US Markets: A Bullish Perspective
07 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the debut episode of this new podcast series, Patrick Coffey interviews Ronnie Wexler, Global Head of Equities Distribution in the Markets division...
Welcome to the Barclays Brief podcast
07 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In a world of constant change, Barclays Brief is your weekly source for differentiated perspectives that cut through the noise.Each bite-sized episode...