FT News Briefing - Financial Times

Latest Episodes:

Martin Wolf and Robert Kagan on democracy’s year of peril Jun 02, 2024

Show notes

Across the world, billions of citizens are being asked to cast their vote in elections taking place in more than 50 countries, making this a pivotal year for democracy. But these polls come as populist, illiberal and far-right parties are either growing in support or consolidating gains they have already made. In the first of this five-part series, the FT’s renowned economics commentator Martin Wolf tells executive opinion editor Jonathan Derbyshire why he worries about the consequences for the future of democratic institutions. Martin then speaks to Robert Kagan, a neoconservative scholar and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, about what a victory, or defeat, for Donald Trump might mean for the future of US democracy.

Links:

Martin Wolf column: Fascism has changed, but it is not dead

For Martin’s other FT columns click here

Clip: CNBC

This episode is presented by Jonathan Derbyshire and Martin Wolf. The producer is Sandra Kanthal. Production help from Sonja Hutson. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa and the sound engineer is Nigel Appleton. 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.

Swamp Notes: The Trump verdict is in Jun 01, 2024

Show notes

Former US president Donald Trump was found guilty on 34 felony charges of falsifying business records on Thursday, a first for any current or former American president. However, with the Republican nomination all but secured, the conviction may do little to knock Trump’s reelection campaign off course. The FT’s US managing editor, Peter Spiegel, and US legal correspondent, Joe Miller, join this week’s Swamp Notes to explain why.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Donald Trump found guilty on all counts in ‘hush money’ trial

Trump’s guilty verdict puts America’s political system on trial

Donald Trump is a convicted felon. Will Americans still vote for him?

Swamp Notes is produced by Ethan Plotkin, Sonja Hutson, Lauren Fedor and Marc Filippino. Topher Forhecz is the FT’s executive producer. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. Special thanks to Pierre Nicholson. Original music by Hannis Brown.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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

Donald Trump guilty on all counts May 31, 2024

Show notes

Donald Trump has been found guilty of conspiring to buy the silence of a porn actor and Saudi Arabia is selling roughly $12bn worth of shares in its national oil company Saudi Aramco. Plus, European oil majors are left at a disadvantage in several areas when it comes to M&A.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Donald Trump found guilty on all counts in ‘hush money’ trial

Saudi Arabia to sell $12bn worth of Aramco shares

Why the European oil megamerger has not gushed forth

The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson, Kasia Broussalian and Marc Filippino. Additional help by Ethan Plotkin, Breen Turner, Sam Giovinco, Peter Barber, Michael Lello, David da Silva and Gavin Kallmann. Our engineer is Monica Lopez. Topher Forhecz is the FT’s executive producer. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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

Private equity now says sharing is caring May 30, 2024

Show notes

Europe has only a fraction of the air defence capabilities needed to protect its eastern flank, BHP’s £39bn takeover bid for Anglo American has collapsed, and Israel bonds are a hot commodity in US municipalities. Plus, the FT’s Brooke Masters explains why private equity firms are pivoting towards profit sharing.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Nato has just 5% of air defences needed to protect eastern flank

Israel’s borrowing spree reaches Palm Beach as US municipalities pile in

BHP’s £39bn pursuit of Anglo American collapses

Higher rates have changed the game for private equity

The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson, Kasia Broussalian and Marc Filippino. Additional help by Breen Turner, Sam Giovinco, Peter Barber, Michael Lello, David da Silva and Gavin Kallmann. Our engineer is Monica Lopez. Topher Forhecz is the FT’s executive producer. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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

A pivotal election for South Africa May 29, 2024

Show notes

Hess shareholders approved a controversial takeover bid from Chevron, and South Africans vote today in the most contested election since the end of apartheid,Plus, the FT’s James Kynge argues that China is winning the tech war with the US.

Mentioned in this podcast:

South Africa’s ‘lost leader’ faces the end game

Georgia adopts Russian-inspired ‘foreign agents’ law

Tech Tonic podcast

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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

Behind the Money: Berkshire after Buffett May 28, 2024

Show notes

This episode features a truncated version of a recent Behind the Money podcast as it travels to Omaha, Nebraska for Berkshire Hathaway’s annual shareholder meeting. At this year’s event, there’s a lingering question over what will happen once Warren Buffett is no longer at the helm. Buffett has a successor in mind, and we explore the challenges they could face when taking over America’s “last great” conglomerate.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Behind the Money podcast

Berkshire after Buffett: prized energy business faces upheaval

The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson, Kasia Broussalian and Marc Filippino. Additional help by Michela Tindera, Breen Turner, Sam Giovinco, Peter Barber, Michael Lello, David da Silva and Gavin Kallmann. Our engineer is Monica Lopez. Topher Forhecz is the FT’s executive producer. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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

The ECB readies for rate cuts May 27, 2024

Show notes

The European Central Bank looks almost certain to be one of the first major central banks to cut rates, a tense dispute over Guyana is casting a shadow over Chevron’s bid to takeover Hess, and Thames Water pumped 14.2bn litres of sewage into the river Thames last year. Plus, the nuclear power industry is seeking to lure back thousands of retired engineers.

Mentioned in this podcast:

ECB is ready to start cutting interest rates, says chief economist

Blow to $53bn Chevron-Hess deal as investors advised to abstain

Nuclear industry brings back ‘silver tsunami’ of retirees

Thames Water pumped 14bn litres of sewage into Thames in central London in 2023

The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson, Kasia Broussalian and Marc Filippino. Additional help by Denise Guerra, Breen Turner, Sam Giovinco, Peter Barber, Michael Lello, David da Silva and Gavin Kallmann. Our engineer is Monica Lopez. Topher Forhecz is the FT’s executive producer. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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

Swamp Notes: Can you trust the polls? May 25, 2024

Show notes

American voters still say the economy is their most important electoral issue, and a growing number are less than pleased with Joe Biden’s economic management. The FT’s deputy Washington bureau chief, Lauren Fedor, and the vice-president of North Star Opinion Research, Jon McHenry, join this week’s Swamp Notes to break down the results of the most recent FT-Michigan Ross poll.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Support for Joe Biden’s economic policies wanes amid inflation fears, FT poll finds

FT-Michigan Ross poll: Biden’s election hopes fall as prices rise again

CLIPS: @atrupar on X

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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

Ukraine’s ‘Rosie the Riveter’ moment May 24, 2024

Show notes

Elon Musk’s xAI has secured new backing from three Silicon Valley venture capital giants, women in Ukraine have increasingly stepped into roles men used to perform before Russia’s full-scale invasion, and the FT’s Soumaya Keynes explains why the UK’s Labour party benefits from being boring.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Elon Musk’s xAI secures new backing from Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia and Tribe

Ukrainian women wanted in factories as men drafted into army

How large might Labour’s ‘dullness dividend’ be?

Introducing The Economics Show with Soumaya Keynes

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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

Sunak’s early election gamble May 23, 2024

Show notes

Rishi Sunak has taken a huge gamble by announcing a July 4 election, record sales of artificial intelligence chips sent Nvidia’s revenue soaring 262 per cent in the past quarter Adani Group passed off low-quality coal as far more expensive cleaner fuel in transactions with an Indian state power utility, according to evidence seen by the Financial Times, and the first batch of genetically engineered non-biting mosquitoes will be released in Djibouti on Thursday.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Rishi Sunak calls July 4 UK election

Nvidia’s revenue beats high expectations as AI chip demand climbs

Federal Reserve officials were open to further US rate rises to quell inflation

Adani suspected of fraud by selling low-grade coal as high-value fuel

Djibouti looks to genetically engineered mosquitoes to quell urban malaria wave

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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