Unhedged

Latest Episodes:

Taking stock of tumbling stocks Nov 05, 2026

Show notes

Wednesday's post-midterm bubble in markets popped on Thursday, with AI companies reversing the previous day's gains. Is it a reassessment of what Democratic control of the US Congress would mean to the AI industry? Or is it a continuation of a trend away from the sector? Columnist Katie Martin and US financial commentator Rob Armstrong talk about whether the drop on Thursday could continue, and how a dent to the AI world could ripple.

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You can email Robert Armstrong and Katie Martin at unhedged@ft.com.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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What the historic heist of Binance means for crypto Nov 03, 2026

Show notes

It was the largest heist ever. Within a span of a night, more than $6bn vanished from Binance. That’s the blockchain platform that’s supposed to be the biggest and safest. Authorities point to North Korea as the likely culprit, but the company says it will make customers whole. Columnist Katie Martin and digital markets correspondent Nikou Asgari look at the breach and wonder why billions of dollars have already flowed back onto the platform.

For a free 30-day trial to the Unhedged newsletter go to: https://www.ft.com/unhedgedoffer.

You can email Robert Armstrong and Katie Martin at unhedged@ft.com.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why the slowdown in Wall Street deals? Oct 29, 2026

Show notes

What started as a boom year for mergers on Wall Street has started to fade. There have indeed been some megamergers, such as the $111bn Paramount-Warner Bros Discovery deal. But as the cost of borrowing has ticked up and markets have pared back gains, the appetite for new deals has waned.US financial commentator Rob Armstrong, finance and markets editor Arash Massoudi and outgoing US finance editor James Fontanella-Khan talk about the slowdown and what might bring the sector back to form.

For a free 30-day trial to the Unhedged newsletter go to: https://www.ft.com/unhedgedoffer.

You can email Robert Armstrong and Katie Martin at unhedged@ft.com.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How much is Anthropic really worth? Oct 27, 2026

Show notes

Anthropic’s initial public offering is shaping up to be the largest ever. And the firm’s recently released prospectus explains how all of this is part of an enterprise for the benefit of the whole of humanity. Rob Armstrong and John Foley, head of Lex, go beyond the high-flying language to unpack why Anthropic is so hard to value and just how worried we should be about the "existential risks to humanity” thing.

For a free 30-day trial to the Unhedged newsletter go to: https://www.ft.com/unhedgedoffer.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Breaking down the bond market Oct 22, 2026

Show notes

Government bonds keep the lights on for countries all over the world and set the cost of money for everyone from the US to your mortgage lender. But even as bonds experience a rocky year, the public seems unaware and experts can’t quite explain what’s going on. The FT’s Robin Wigglesworth, author of A Fabulous Debt and host of The Story of Money podcast, tells Katie Martin why he thinks bonds are hard to understand and whether we’re approaching a slow-rolling crisis. Plus, Robin goes long witches, and Katie shorts superyachts.

Subscribe to The Story of Money podcast on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

For a free 30-day trial to the Unhedged newsletter go to: https://www.ft.com/unhedgedoffer.

You can email Robert Armstrong and Katie Martin at unhedged@ft.com.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

UK bets on a boring budget Oct 20, 2026

Show notes

Britain’s chancellor of the exchequer John Healey will deliver his annual budget on October 28. And with the UK facing the highest borrowing costs in the G7, the spending item he will be most keen to get under control will be the government’s interest payments bill. The FT’s economics commentator Chris Giles tells Katie Martin why dull is good when it comes to public finances.

For a free 30-day trial to the Unhedged newsletter go to: https://www.ft.com/unhedgedoffer.

You can email Robert Armstrong and Katie Martin at unhedged@ft.com.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The AI boom stumbles Oct 15, 2026

Show notes

Tech stocks and bonds took a kicking on Thursday, adding urgency to a question investors have been asking themselves for months now: is the AI boom about to go splat? Katie Martin and Rob Armstrong sense a great disturbance in the Force. But if the bubble really is about to burst, where can investors run for shelter? Plus, Rob shorts the letter K, and Katie shorts protein recycling.

For a free 30-day trial to the Unhedged newsletter go to: https://www.ft.com/unhedgedoffer.

You can email Robert Armstrong and Katie Martin at unhedged@ft.com.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mortgages, diesel and the US midterms Oct 13, 2026

Show notes

US consumers are still in love with buying things, buoyed by stock markets that are near all-time highs. But could sky-high mortgages and diesel prices spoil their shopping spree? And if the strains on the economy continue, what does that mean for the November midterm elections? Katie Martin and Rob Armstrong ask how long the stock market wealth bubble can prop up the US economy. Plus, Rob shorts silly jackets and Katie shorts silly smokers.

For a free 30-day trial to the Unhedged newsletter go to: https://www.ft.com/unhedgedoffer.

Credit to Roderick MacLeod for the Charts on the Radio jingle!

You can email Robert Armstrong and Katie Martin at unhedged@ft.com.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is France too blasé about borrowing costs? Oct 08, 2026

Show notes

France’s borrowing costs are skyrocketing. And its leading candidates for next April’s presidential elections - on both extremes of the political spectrum - seem alarmingly unalarmed. All of this gives hosts Katie Martin and Rob Armstrong, and markets correspondent Ian Smith, a bad feeling about where things might be headed. So does another eurozone crisis beckon? Plus, Katie and Rob go long Norway and John Le Carré, while Ian shorts oversized cars.

For a free 30-day trial to the Unhedged newsletter go to: https://www.ft.com/unhedgedoffer.

You can email Robert Armstrong and Katie Martin at unhedged@ft.com.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There is only one trade Oct 06, 2026

Show notes

It’s starting to look like every market is becoming a one-trick pony. Since the summer, stock markets would have been down – were it not for the Big Tech companies galloping ahead on the back of AI. Corporate bond issuance and even the US dollar are also riding high on the AI trade. But what if that pony turns out to be a bucking bronco? Rob Armstrong and Katie Martin saddle up and find out. Plus Rob goes long TIPS, and Katie shorts acronyms… such as TIPS.

For a free 30-day trial to the Unhedged newsletter go to: https://www.ft.com/unhedgedoffer.

Until October 28 you can save on a standard annual digital subscription at ft.com/unhedgedsale

You can email Robert Armstrong and Katie Martin at unhedged@ft.com.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.