FT News Briefing - Financial Times

Latest Episodes:

The housing supply problem Jun 25, 2023

Show notes

Home prices in the US and UK skyrocketed during the coronavirus pandemic. In a special four-part series, we explored how they got so out of whack and what might work to bring back some balance.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Homesharing offers a cheaper alternative to rental accommodation

Turning offices into condos: New York after the pandemic

The Fed’s waiting game: is the US economy finally starting to crack?

How stubborn inflation has undermined the UK housing market

The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson and Marc Filippino. Additional help by Katie McMurran, Peter Barber, Michael Lello, David da Silva and Gavin Kallmann. 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.

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The UK’s ‘mortgage bomb’ Jun 23, 2023

Show notes

The Bank of England’s 50 basis point interest rate rise is causing concern for the UK’s already-high mortgages, and Germany has signed another long-term deal to import more US liquefied natural gas. Plus, the FT’s Aanu Adeoye explains what’s at stake in Sierra Leone’s election this weekend.

Mentioned in this podcast:

‘We’re suffering’: soaring costs create opening for Sierra Leone’s opposition

Bank of England raises interest rates by 0.5 percentage points

Mass UK house repossessions unlikely despite soaring mortgage rates

Germany locks in more US natural gas as it shuns Russian supply

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Modi tries to deepen US tech ties Jun 22, 2023

Show notes

India’s prime minister Narendra Modi is set to address the US Congress today, and US regulators are accusing Amazon of duping customers into signing up for its Prime service without their consent. Plus, Italy has stripped China’s Sinochem of its influence as the largest shareholder in the Italian tyremaker Pirelli.

Mentioned in this podcast:

India’s Narendra Modi embarks on US state visit to deepen defence and tech ties

Washington’s embrace of Modi carries a price

FTC alleges Amazon ‘tricked and trapped’ customers with Prime subscriptions

Italy strips China’s Sinochem of its influence as Pirelli’s largest investor

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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The trials and tribulations of AI voice tech Jun 21, 2023

Show notes

Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC has accelerated dealmaking in the US,andUS president Joe Biden’s son has agreed to plead guilty to tax and firearm possession charges. Plus, the FT’s Madhumita Murgia visited an AI voice technology start-up to explain some of its applications and risks.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Singapore’s GIC accelerates US deals as China cools

Hunter Biden hit with federal tax and firearm charges

Can AI make me a musical star?

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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US and China meet in an attempt to ease tensions Jun 20, 2023

Show notes

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has met with China's President Xi Xinping in an attempt to ease US-Sino tensions. Plus, the aerospace industry says that flying taxis could soon be on the horizon in cities around the world.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Xi Jinping sees ‘progress’ in China-US ties at meeting with Antony Blinken

Which flying taxi will take off first?

Amazon, Hilton and Starbucks to hire thousands of refugees across Europe

The FT News Briefing was produced by Fiona Symon and Josh Gabert-Doyon. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music and Simon Panayi was the audio engineer.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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AstraZeneca could spin off China business Jun 19, 2023

Show notes

AstraZeneca has drawn up plans to break out its China business, and France is challenging a German-led plan to build up Europe’s air defences. Plus, US businesses are cutting back on their investments in diversity and inclusion.

Mentioned in this podcast:

AstraZeneca drafts plan to spin off China business amid tensions

France summons allies in challenge to German-led air defence plan

Cuts to investment in diversity threaten gains

Hunt tells ministers to quicken adoption of AI to boost economy

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Martin Wolf on saving democratic capitalism: epilogue Jun 18, 2023

Show notes

In this last episode of Martin Wolf’s series, the FT’s chief economics commentator sits down with the FT’s executive opinion editor, Jonathan Derbyshire, to give his concluding thoughts on the state of the world’s democracies. Drawing on arguments in Martin’s latest book, The Crisis of Democratic Capitalism, and his conversations in this series, they discuss what role citizens’ juries could play in rectifying some of what has gone wrong in the past couple of decades.

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Martin Wolf: in defence of democratic capitalism

Citizens’ juries can help fix democracy

For Martin’s FT columns click here

For the FT review of Martin’s book click here

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

This episode is presented by Martin Wolf. The producer is Laurence Knight. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa and the sound engineer is Breen Turner. The FT's global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.

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Martin Wolf on saving democratic capitalism: Hillary Clinton Jun 17, 2023

Show notes

In this fourth episode of Martin Wolf’s series, the FT’s chief economics commentator discusses the rise of populist politics with someone who was hit by its hard edge: Hillary Clinton. Drawing on arguments in Martin’s latest book, The Crisis of Democratic Capitalism, they discuss what the future holds for democracy, why female leaders face such extreme misogyny and threats of violence, whether President Biden can win re-election next year, and why Clinton is pinning her hopes on a younger generation of voters.

Want more?

Martin Wolf: in defence of democratic capitalism

Citizens’ juries can help fix democracy

For Martin’s FT columns click here

For the FT review of Martin’s book click here

This episode is presented by Martin Wolf. The producer is Laurence Knight. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. The sound engineers are Samantha Giovinco and Breen Turner. The FT's global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.

Clips: CNN, ABC, CBS, OAN, Fox, BBC, CBC

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Central banks all over the place Jun 16, 2023

Show notes

UK hedge fund firm Odey Asset Management is being dismantled in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations against its founder and Saudi Arabia has spent almost $8bn on gaming companies in the past 18 months as part of a turbocharged investment spree. Plus, FT markets editor Katie Martin talks about this week’s asynchronous central bank moves.

Mentioned in this podcast:

ECB increases interest rates to highest level since 2001

Chinese economic data fuels gloom over recovery

Saudi Arabia spends billions in drive to dominate global games industry

Odey Asset Management to be broken up

Unhedged podcast: https://link.chtbl.com/Unhedged

The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson and Marc Filippino. The show’s editor is Jess Smith. Additional help by Katie McMurran, Peter Barber, Michael Lello, David da Silva and Gavin Kallmann. 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.

Fed skips an interest rate increase Jun 15, 2023

Show notes

The US Federal Reserve paused its interest rate rise campaign on Wednesday after 10 straight increases, and former UK prime minister Boris Johnson has been found to have committed “multiple” contempts of parliament. Plus, Russian energy giant Gazprom has been backing militias in the Ukraine war.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Federal Reserve pauses rate rise campaign but signals more to come

Boris Johnson found to have committed ‘multiple’ contempts of parliament

‘Stream’ and ‘Torch’: the Gazprom-backed militias fighting in Ukraine

Beyonce blamed for stubbornly high Swedish inflation

Credit: Beyonce performs Break My Soul in Stockholm

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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