Mary Callahan Erdoes

Global Capital Markets

Gerard Baker, Mary Callahan Erdoes, Michael Corbat, Joshua Friedman, Scott Minerd, Ning Tang

Prominent financial leaders from Guggenheim, J.P. Morgan Asset Management, and Citigroup convened to analyze a 2018 global economy characterized by synchronous growth amidst rising debt levels, regulatory shifts, and structural market vulnerabilities. Key speakers warned that the rapid transition from quantitative easing to tightening, combined with the dominance of passive investing and record corporate leverage, creates significant risks for volatility and liquidity disruptions in coming years. The discussion further highlighted that while geopolitical tensions and trade deficits remain contentious, the most immediate threats to stability stem from a "fast speed, slow speed" trading dynamic and a labor market nearing critical constraints.