FT News Briefing - Financial Times

Latest Episodes:

Algeria struggles to meet Europe’s rising demand for gas Apr 21, 2022

Show notes

FT correspondents provide insight on the latest developments in Ukraine, why Algeria cannot supply more energy to meet Europe’s demand, and US airlines respond to a judge’s decision to strike down a mask mandate for transport.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Mexico nationalises lithium in populist president’s push to extend state control

Algeria struggles to meet rising demand for its gas after Russian invasion of Ukraine

Covid travel mask ruling threatens to tie CDC’s hands on future pandemics

The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon and Marc Filippino. The show’s editor is Jess Smith. Additional help by Peter Barber, Michael Lello, David da Silva, and Gavin Kallmann. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music. Topher Forhecz is the FT’s executive producer. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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

Who will back Elon Musk? Apr 20, 2022

Show notes

Elon Musk’s $43bn bid to take Twitter private is struggling to draw interest from private equity groups, Netflix shares tumbled on Tuesday after its first quarter earnings report, and the International Monetary Fund has cut its global growth forecast. Plus, the journalist Neri Zilber explains how Israel is handling an influx of immigrants leaving their countries because of the war in Ukraine.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Big buyout groups rule out writing equity cheque for Musk’s $43bn Twitter bid

Netflix sheds subscribers for the first time in a decade

IMF cuts global growth forecast to 3.6% as Ukraine war hits neighbours hard

Ukraine conflict sparks biggest influx of immigrants to Israel in decades

Podcast survey

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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

US Treasury ‘real yields’ about to eclipse inflation expectations Apr 19, 2022

Show notes

Bank of America gave a bullish revenue outlook as the second-largest US lender reported better than expected earnings, and Mexico’s opposition politicians helped defeat a radical energy reform bill backed by President López Obrador. Plus, the FT’s Eric Platt explains why real yields on US treasury bonds are nearing positive territory and what it means for other financial markets.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Fed policy tightening sends US ‘real yields’ to brink of positive territory

BofA offers rosy revenue outlook as lending rebound boosts results

Mexican president’s radical energy reform defeated in congress

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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

A year after Greensill Capital’s collapse Apr 18, 2022

Show notes

Many people with lingering symptoms of Covid-19 struggle to work or have been forced to leave the workforce entirely. Plus, the FT’s capital markets correspondent, Robert Smith, talks about the lessons learned from the collapse of Greensill Capital a year later.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Long Covid: the invisible public health crisis fuelling labour shortages

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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

US-China Tech Race: Chips with Everything Apr 17, 2022

Show notes

Our latest season of Tech Tonic continues, with a deep dive into the semiconductor industry and Taiwan’s unique position as a bastion of computer-chip talent. James Kynge, the FT’s global China editor, looks into the unintended consequences of the race for semiconductor dominance.

We hear from Chad Duffy, a Taipei-based cybersecurity expert who helped uncover a major hack on Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturers. James talks to Dan Wang, an analyst with the Shanghai-based Gavekal Dragonomics, about China’s chip strategy, and Stephen Orlins, a rare dissenting voice in Washington who questions the efficacy of a US blacklist of Chinese tech companies desperate for US-designed chips. Plus, Annie Ting-Fang and Lauly Li, who cover the semiconductor industry for Nikkei Asia, give us the inside track on how China has been scooping up Taiwanese semiconductor engineers.

Check out stories and up-to-the-minute news from the FT’s technology team at ft.com/technology

For a special discounted FT subscription go to https://www.ft.com/techtonicsale

And check out FT Edit, the new iPhone app that shares the best of FT journalism, hand-picked by senior editors to inform, explain and surprise. It’s free for the first month and 99p a month for the next six months.

Presented by James Kynge. Edwin Lane is senior producer. Josh Gabert-Doyon is producer. Manuela Saragosa is executive producer. Sound design is by Breen Turner, with original music from Metaphor Music. The FT’s head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.

News clips credits: CNBC

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

FT Weekend: The story behind one of reggae’s most sampled songs Apr 16, 2022

Show notes

This week, we bring our classic Life of a Song series to your ears, with the dramatic story behind 'Bam Bam', Sister Nancy's reggae dancehall classic. Despite being one of the most sampled reggae tracks of all time, it didn't make Sister Nancy a penny for more than 30 years, Alice Kemp-Habib tells us. Then, undercover economist Tim Harford teaches us how to think about failure. What can we learn from an early 2000s Broadway flop that went on to win a Tony award?

--------------

Want to say hi? We love hearing from you. Email us at ftweekendpodcast@ft.com. We’re on Twitter @ftweekendpod, and Lilah is on Instagram and Twitter @lilahrap.

--------------

Links and mentions from the episode:

–Life of a Song, ‘Bam Bam – said to be the most sampled reggae track of all time’: https://ig.ft.com/life-of-a-song/bam-bam.html

–To learn more about reggae and dancehall music, Alice recommends Inna de Yard: Soul of Jamaica (2019) directed by Peter Webber. Here’s the Spotify playlist

–Tim’s podcast is called Cautionary Tales. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or at https://www.pushkin.fm/show/cautionary-tales/

–Tim’s latest Undercover Economist column for FT Magazine, ‘The lesson humble sea urchins offer about resilience’: https://on.ft.com/3Ectq6S

–Volumes 1 and 2 of The Life of A Song: The fascinating stories behind 50 of the world’s best loved songs are available in bookshops. A paperback of both volumes together will be out in August.

–Alice is on Twitter at @Alice_Khabib. Tim is on Twitter at @TimHarford.

–Key coverage of the war in Ukraine is free to read at https://www.ft.com/freetoread

—-------------

Special offers for Weekend listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial are here: http://ft.com/weekendpodcast.

--------------

The first US FT Weekend Festival is on Saturday, May 7 in Washington, DC! To attend virtually or in person, buy tickets at http://ft.weekendfestival.com – use the discount code FTFriends2022 for 50% off.

--------------

Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner.

Clips from:

”Bam Bam," courtesy Observer Music

”Le’ts Go to Zion," courtesy Studio One Records

”Zungguzungguguzungguzeng," courtesy Greensleeves Records

“Revolution," courtesy VP Records

“Tear Off Mi Garment," courtesy UMG Recordings

“Scenes From an Italian Restaurant,” courtesy BMG Music Entertainment

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

Is the US headed for a recession? Apr 14, 2022

Show notes

US president Joe Biden announced yesterday he would send $800mn in additional military aid to Ukraine, the FT’s John Paul Rathbone outlines Russia’s changing military strategy, and our US financial commentator, Robert Armstrong, unpacks the debate over whether the US economy is heading into a recession.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Recession whispers grow louder

Recession whispers, part 2

Military briefing: Ukraine and Russia prepare for defining Donbas battle

US to provide $800mn in new military aid to Ukraine

The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon and Marc Filippino. The show’s editor is Jess Smith. Additional help by Peter Barber, Michael Lello, and Gavin Kallmann. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music. Topher Forhecz is the FT’s executive producer. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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

Volkswagen’s U-turn Apr 13, 2022

Show notes

Stockpiles of some of the world’s most important industrial metals have dropped to critically low levels, US banks start reporting quarterly earnings today and Boris Johnson has become the first British prime minister to commit a criminal offence. Plus, the FT’s Frankfurt correspondent, Joe Miller, explains why Volkwagen is pivoting its strategy away from growth and toward profit.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Metal stockpiles shrink as energy prices hit production

US banks set for big hit to revenues as dealmaking dries up

VW to scrap dozens of models to focus on profitability

The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon and Marc Filippino. The show’s editor is Jess Smith. Additional help by Peter Barber and Gavin Kallmann. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music. Topher Forhecz is the FT’s executive producer. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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

The rise of conservative shareholder activism Apr 12, 2022

Show notes

Investors are bracing for another tough report on US inflation, Putin’s war in Ukraine has sparked an exodus of educated professionals from Russia and could worsen the country’s population decline, and conservative shareholder activists in the US have filed a record number of proposals this year as they try to counter what they call “woke-ism” in corporate America.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Ukraine war threatens to deepen Russia’s demographic crisis

Political proxies: conservative activists file record shareholder proposals

Epic Games secures $2 bn in funding from Lego and Sony to build gaming metaverse

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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

A French presidential election rematch Apr 11, 2022

Show notes

Incumbent Emmanuel Macron and far-right candidate Marine Le Pen will advance to the final round of voting after yesterday’s first round of the French presidential election, and Stefania Palma explains the big themes that have emerged from the 1MDB scandal. Plus, the FT’s Asia financial correspondent, Tabby Kinder, explains why China is changing its audit secrecy rules.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Emmanuel Macron to face Marine Le Pen in French election run-off

Ex-Goldman banker Roger Ng found guilty in 1MDB fraud trial

China changes audit secrecy rules in bid to stop US delistings

Imran Khan ousted as Pakistan’s leader in vote of no confidence

The French election webinar: Race to the Finish

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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