A still timely discussion as the Federal Reserve comes under pressure to decrease rates... How low interest rates since the financial crisis have caused inequality, populism and inflation. Christmas re-release of one of host Paul Chapman's favorite discussions.

Award-winning, financial journalist and historian Edward Chancellor join us to discuss interest rates and the impact on the commodities sector. Interest rates – the price of money and time – have been unnaturally low since the global financial crisis. This has led to a profound impact on finance and society. Global corporates found financial engineering more “profitable” than focusing on products and operations. Assets inflated and inequality widened. In the commodities world, the cost of carry and cost of finance, was essentially zero. Energy tech plays were awash in money and valuations sky high. Rates are now rising and those same engineered corporates are becoming zombies. China risks economic Armageddon as the global carry trade ends. Assets prices are falling and financially stressed commodity traders, now face higher rates. Edward argues higher rates will return the world to profitable growth and risk allocation unless political will to reverse rates wins…

The skillsets required to be in a commodity trading team have always been evolving. However, that evolution is accelerating in the wake of new technologies and especially AI. In this episode we trace the changing roles and skills traders have needed over the last century and what the future holds as AI becomes ever more involved in the day to day activities of a trading desk. What are the skillsets of the past and their future? Are they fundamentally different? How is AI already affecting teams? And how will AI shape the teams, careers and opportunities within the sector? Our guest is Daf Davies, long time commodity trader, and founder and CEO of Deus AI – a consulting firm focused on preparing companies for the commodity trading future.

Will nuclear fusion change the world and if so how far away is it? What is fusion power? What are the technological, regulatory and financial developments that are accelerating our path to it? What has changed that has meant private companies are now racing to develop it alongside governments? And what will it mean for fusion power to be deployed at scale. Our guest is Jay Brister, an independent investor and consultant with over 40 years experience in the nuclear sector who has focused on fusion over the last five years