LSEG’s David Rickard hosted recently hosted panelists John Dioufas, director of Datastream and Macroeconomics at LSEG, Karim Chedid, head of EMEA Investment Strategy at Blackrock and Deniz Mace-Jone, global head of Rates & Credit Product and Electronic Distribution at UBS.
The discussion examined the evolving role of data and human relationships in increasingly automated trading environments. While artificial intelligence (AI) and electronification are accelerating, trusted relationships and market intuition remain vital. Panelists reflected on recent market dynamics – from macroeconomic uncertainty to the rise of portfolio trading – and how firms are adapting their strategies to stay competitive.
A later speaker, economic futurist and former chief market intelligence officer at the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Andrew Busch, explored how macroeconomic forces and technological innovation are converging to reshape global financial markets. He addressed the growing complexity of the fiscal landscape, marked by geopolitical disruptions, shifting interest rate regimes, and evolving regulatory pressures.
Against this backdrop, Busch emphasized the accelerating role of AI – not as a distant concept, but as a present-day force driving real economic change. He highlighted how generative AI is already delivering tangible benefits, from real-time risk flagging to proactive insight generation. The message was clear: intelligence is a competitive differentiator, and firms that can interpret macro signals in real time will be best positioned to lead.