Protect the House: Todd Leddon on Capital Markets, AI & Execution Strategy | 8.24.26

Welcome to this week’s episode of Optimal Insights. In this episode, special guest Todd Leddon, EVP and Chief Capital Markets Officer at LeaderOne Financial, joins Jim Glennon and Alex Hebner to discuss changing mortgage market conditions, execution strategy, margin management, and practical applications of AI and automation. The Optimal Insights team also covers Treasury buybacks, long-term yields, inflation, Federal Reserve expectations, geopolitical developments, and the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium. They share their expert opinions and insights into how these factors are shaping the industry and the broader economic landscape.

Connect with Todd: https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-leddon-7a293a5/

Learn more about Todd’s book: https://www.amazon.com/Protect-House-Comprehensive-Mortgage-Strategy/dp/B0DSZVSVJX

Key topics include:How volatility has affected specified pool values, servicing valuations, agency cash-window bids, and best-efforts executionWhy lenders benefit from maintaining diverse execution options across investors, agencies, servicing strategies, and delivery methodsThe importance of granular hedging and using data to identify, implement, and monitor adjustmentsHow disciplined cost management and best-execution processes can support margins in a competitive environmentPractical uses of AI and automation, including workflow automation, reconciliation, position analysis, product discovery, and lock-desk processesWhy AI may create value through an accumulation of smaller operational improvements rather than a single transformational applicationThe role of education, relationships, and clear communication in making mortgage capital markets more approachable

Chapters:

00:00 – Welcome to Optimal Insights

00:34 – Market Update and Treasury Buybacks

04:24 – Market Reaction and the Yield Curve

09:17 – Inflation Data and Federal Reserve Expectations

10:29 – Geopolitical Developments and Economic Pressure

12:19 – Jackson Hole Economic Symposium

12:57 – Special Guest Todd Leddon