Global Research Unlocked

In this episode of Must Read Research on Global Research Unlocked, Candace Browning explores why compute is becoming one of the most valuable currencies in the global economy. We discuss Walmart’s rapidly growing advertising business and how proprietary data is helping reshape the media landscape, the accelerating path toward quantum computing commercialization, and the emergence of graphics processing unit rental futures that could transform computing power into a tradable asset class. We also recap key takeaways from conference season, where executives highlighted strong demand trends across lodging, media, communications infrastructure, and artificial intelligence-related industries.
 
"Bank of America" and “BofA Securities” are the marketing names for the global banking businesses and global markets businesses (which includes BofA Global Research) of Bank of America Corporation. Lending, derivatives, and other commercial banking activities are performed globally by banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. Securities, trading, research, strategic advisory, and other investment banking and markets activities are performed globally by affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including, in the United States, BofA Securities, Inc. a registered broker-dealer and Member of FINRA and SIPC, and, in other jurisdictions, by locally registered entities. ©2026 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.

Emerging markets face a challenging mix of persistent inflation, potential Fed hikes, U.S. political uncertainty and geopolitical risks. Yet in this episode of Signals & Noise, David Hauner, Head of Global Emerging Markets Fixed Income Strategy at BofA Securities, explains why he remains constructive on EM carry despite a more difficult backdrop. Drawing from BofA's "Buy Back EM" outlook, Hauner outlines four key themes shaping emerging markets: Treasury market developments, a more hawkish Fed, U.S. midterm elections, and evolving EM monetary policy. He discusses why higher-yielding currencies in markets such as Brazil, Colombia, Turkey and frontier economies continue to look attractive, while remaining more cautious on EM rates and sovereign credit spreads. The episode also explores the outlook for the Chinese renminbi, risks from oil price volatility and the Iran situation, Brazil's upcoming election, and why investors should distinguish between opportunities in EM carry and risks in broader EM fixed income markets.
 
"Bank of America" and “BofA Securities” are the marketing names for the global banking businesses and global markets businesses (which includes BofA Global Research) of Bank of America Corporation. Lending, derivatives, and other commercial banking activities are performed globally by banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. Securities, trading, research, strategic advisory, and other investment banking and markets activities are performed globally by affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including, in the United States, BofA Securities, Inc. a registered broker-dealer and Member of FINRA and SIPC, and, in other jurisdictions, by locally registered entities. ©2026 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.

Artificial intelligence has created huge opportunities for investors, but also significant volatility. In this episode of Signals & Noise, Michael Youngworth, Head of Global Convertible & Preferred Strategy at BofA Securities, explains why convertible bonds may offer a compelling way to participate in the AI theme without taking on the full volatility of common stocks. Youngworth breaks down how convertibles work, why they have become a key source of financing for AI infrastructure, data centers and hyperscalers, and how roughly one-third of the convertible market is now linked to the AI trade. He also discusses the asset class's unique combination of equity participation, downside support and embedded volatility exposure, as well as why recent market weakness has created a more attractive entry point. For investors who believe in the long-term AI buildout but are concerned about valuations, timing and drawdowns, convertibles may offer a different way to stay invested while potentially smoothing the ride.
 
"Bank of America" and “BofA Securities” are the marketing names for the global banking businesses and global markets businesses (which includes BofA Global Research) of Bank of America Corporation. Lending, derivatives, and other commercial banking activities are performed globally by banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. Securities, trading, research, strategic advisory, and other investment banking and markets activities are performed globally by affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including, in the United States, BofA Securities, Inc. a registered broker-dealer and Member of FINRA and SIPC, and, in other jurisdictions, by locally registered entities. ©2026 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.

Join Bank of America's Economics and Rates Strategy teams for a discussion of the latest CPI data, the implications for Federal Reserve policy, and U.S. Treasury buyback developments. Featuring insights from Aditya Bhave, Mark Cabana, Stephen Juneau, Meghan Swiber, and Ralph Axel, this timely conversation explores the key market and macroeconomic takeaways from the latest inflation report.
Recorded on September 11, 2026.
 
You may also enjoy listening to the Merrill Perspectives podcast, featuring conversations on the big stories, news and trends affecting your everyday financial life.
 
"Bank of America" and “BofA Securities” are the marketing names for the global banking businesses and global markets businesses (which includes BofA Global Research) of Bank of America Corporation. Lending, derivatives, and other commercial banking activities are performed globally by banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. Securities, trading, research, strategic advisory, and other investment banking and markets activities are performed globally by affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including, in the United States, BofA Securities, Inc. a registered broker-dealer and Member of FINRA and SIPC, and, in other jurisdictions, by locally registered entities. ©2026 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.
 

Please join Sphia Salim in conversation with Shruti Mishra, Meghan Swiber and Alex Cohen post-payrolls report. We will discuss how relevant it is for the Sep Fed decision relative to CPI next week, and implications for US rates & the USD in a context where long-dated US yields continue to make new highs, driving global yields with them.
 
"Bank of America" and “BofA Securities” are the marketing names for the global banking businesses and global markets businesses (which includes BofA Global Research) of Bank of America Corporation. Lending, derivatives, and other commercial banking activities are performed globally by banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. Securities, trading, research, strategic advisory, and other investment banking and markets activities are performed globally by affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including, in the United States, BofA Securities, Inc. a registered broker-dealer and Member of FINRA and SIPC, and, in other jurisdictions, by locally registered entities. ©2026 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.
 

Alts rebound as the value rotation takes hold
Inflows into alternative assets have been consistently strong. The products became available to retail and other investors who have steadily increased exposure but allocations remain fairly low. In contrast, the stocks of the alternative asset managers have faced substantial ups and downs, especially in the last few years. Alternative manager shares had outperformed the S&P for a decade through 2024. Strong growth and conversions to C-Corps after President Trump was first elected propelled them, as institutional investors were able to buy into what had been partnership structures. But concerns around private credit, a more competitive private equity landscape and the fact that the stocks weren't as underowned as they once were began to weigh. More recently, many of these shares have stabilized and begun to rally. Craig discusses why that's happened and what's ahead from here, especially as these stocks are generally still well off 2024 highs, the market is increasingly interested in value stocks and many of the fundamental drivers are intact.
 
"Bank of America" and “BofA Securities” are the marketing names for the global banking businesses and global markets businesses (which includes BofA Global Research) of Bank of America Corporation. Lending, derivatives, and other commercial banking activities are performed globally by banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. Securities, trading, research, strategic advisory, and other investment banking and markets activities are performed globally by affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including, in the United States, BofA Securities, Inc. a registered broker-dealer and Member of FINRA and SIPC, and, in other jurisdictions, by locally registered entities. ©2026 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.

In this episode of Must Read Research on Global Research Unlocked, Candace Browning explores whether today’s elevated conviction in risk assets is supported by the underlying data. We discuss record-bullish investor positioning, introduce a new AI tracker designed to monitor the key drivers of technology sentiment, and examine how competition, pricing, and infrastructure demand are reshaping the AI landscape. We also explore what’s driving gold’s rally, from central bank purchases to shifting currency dynamics, and highlight fresh evidence from the Bank of America Institute suggesting the long-standing divide between higher- and lower-income consumers may finally be beginning to narrow.
 
"Bank of America" and “BofA Securities” are the marketing names for the global banking businesses and global markets businesses (which includes BofA Global Research) of Bank of America Corporation. Lending, derivatives, and other commercial banking activities are performed globally by banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. Securities, trading, research, strategic advisory, and other investment banking and markets activities are performed globally by affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including, in the United States, BofA Securities, Inc. a registered broker-dealer and Member of FINRA and SIPC, and, in other jurisdictions, by locally registered entities. ©2026 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.

In this episode of Must Read Research on Global Research Unlocked, Candace Browning follows the flow of capital through the artificial intelligence ecosystem to explore where investment, adoption, and infrastructure spending are having the biggest impact. We examine how new chip-funding programs could reshape investment-grade credit markets, why convertible bonds are drawing attention as an alternative way to gain AI exposure, and what the latest labor market data suggests about the debate over AI-related job displacement. We also discuss Australia's role in global liquefied natural gas markets and how energy security, infrastructure, and reserve replacement are becoming increasingly important as global demand evolves.
 
"Bank of America" and “BofA Securities” are the marketing names for the global banking businesses and global markets businesses (which includes BofA Global Research) of Bank of America Corporation. Lending, derivatives, and other commercial banking activities are performed globally by banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. Securities, trading, research, strategic advisory, and other investment banking and markets activities are performed globally by affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including, in the United States, BofA Securities, Inc. a registered broker-dealer and Member of FINRA and SIPC, and, in other jurisdictions, by locally registered entities. ©2026 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.
 

Please join our rates & FX strategists to discuss key risk events in the second half of August. We will also update our core rate & FX views for the remainder of the summer.
 
Bank of America" and “BofA Securities” are the marketing names for the global banking businesses and global markets businesses (which includes BofA Global Research) of Bank of America Corporation. Lending, derivatives, and other commercial banking activities are performed globally by banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. Securities, trading, research, strategic advisory, and other investment banking and markets activities are performed globally by affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including, in the United States, BofA Securities, Inc. a registered broker-dealer and Member of FINRA and SIPC, and, in other jurisdictions, by locally registered entities. ©2026 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.

It's been a summer of extremes, and this week's Must Read Research highlights four themes shaping markets across regions and asset classes. Candace Browning, Head of Global Research at BofA Securities, reviews a powerful earnings season that continues to deliver broad-based EPS growth, even as investors become increasingly difficult to impress. The episode also examines mounting risks in European energy markets amid record temperatures and tightening gas inventories, the accelerating AI investment cycle driving memory demand following SK Hynix's landmark U.S. listing, and a potentially significant reshuffling of MSCI emerging-market indexes that could redirect billions of dollars in investor flows. Together, these developments offer a timely look at the forces influencing corporate profitability, energy security, AI infrastructure spending, and global capital allocation.
 
"Bank of America" and “BofA Securities” are the marketing names for the global banking businesses and global markets businesses (which includes BofA Global Research) of Bank of America Corporation. Lending, derivatives, and other commercial banking activities are performed globally by banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. Securities, trading, research, strategic advisory, and other investment banking and markets activities are performed globally by affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including, in the United States, BofA Securities, Inc. a registered broker-dealer and Member of FINRA and SIPC, and, in other jurisdictions, by locally registered entities. ©2026 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.

Please join Sphia Salim in conversation with Aditya Bhave, Mark Cabana and Meghan Swiber post-payrolls and US Treasury refunding. Given the limited guidance at last week's FOMC meeting and resulting US curve steepening, data has become an even stronger focal point for markets. We will discuss the implication of the NFP report for Fed speak, the September decision and US rates. We will also highlight any key takeaways from the Wednesday US Treasury refunding announcement. The call took place at 10am ET, 3pm BST, 4pm CET on Friday 7th Aug.
 
Bank of America" and “BofA Securities” are the marketing names for the global banking businesses and global markets businesses (which includes BofA Global Research) of Bank of America Corporation. Lending, derivatives, and other commercial banking activities are performed globally by banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. Securities, trading, research, strategic advisory, and other investment banking and markets activities are performed globally by affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including, in the United States, BofA Securities, Inc. a registered broker-dealer and Member of FINRA and SIPC, and, in other jurisdictions, by locally registered entities. ©2026 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.

What if one of the market's most widely followed growth benchmarks is really just a bet on a few dozen stocks? This week, we explore rising concentration within major equity indices, how Russell reconstitution is reshaping portfolios, and where opportunities could emerge if market leadership broadens beyond Big Tech.  We also examine an unlikely scarcity story: hazardous waste. With disposal capacity constrained for decades, critical waste infrastructure operators are benefiting from increasingly attractive industry dynamics. Finally, we discuss recent cracks in the AI trade as weakness spreads into high yield credit. We explore pressure on AI-linked data center bonds, the impact of new supply, and whether recent volatility may create opportunities for investors.
 
"Bank of America" and “BofA Securities” are the marketing names for the global banking businesses and global markets businesses (which includes BofA Global Research) of Bank of America Corporation. Lending, derivatives, and other commercial banking activities are performed globally by banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. Securities, trading, research, strategic advisory, and other investment banking and markets activities are performed globally by affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including, in the United States, BofA Securities, Inc. a registered broker-dealer and Member of FINRA and SIPC, and, in other jurisdictions, by locally registered entities. ©2026 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.