US President Donald Trump’s announcement of “reciprocal” tariffs caused havoc in the markets, notably hitting Big Tech stocks such as Apple. The company lost more than $300bn in market value the next day, and its path forward is complicated. The FT’s San Francisco correspondent Michael Acton explains why the iPhone maker is vulnerable, and what options it has to minimise the damage. Clips from PBSNewshour, C-SPAN - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:...
Apr 09, 2025•18 min
A huge chunk of any typical bank’s profits comes from charging interest. But what happens when you can’t do that? This week, we’re traveling to Pakistan with the FT’s Humza Jilani, where the country has decided to make its entire banking sector align with Islamic law, which forbids charging interest. We’ll discuss how Islamic banks function and if this banking model can become Pakistan’s dominant system. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading: Meezan ...
Apr 02, 2025•20 min
Years ago, an ailing company like Walgreens Boots Alliance may have seemed like a prime acquisition target for deal-hungry private equity firms. But many have backed away from retail recently, leaving an opening for groups like Sycamore Partners who are willing to buck the trend. Sycamore announced this month that it would take the global pharmacy business private in a $23.7bn debt and equity deal. The FT’s Due Diligence reporter, Amelia Pollard, explains the well-worn playbook that Sycamore has...
Mar 26, 2025•20 min
The surging price of gold is leading to some unexpected outcomes. The FT’s Aanu Adeoye traveled to Ghana to see how this is playing out among two of the country’s top commodities: gold and cocoa. Aanu and the FT’s Susannah Savage explain how the two commodities are linked and how it is impacting the people who live in the country. Clips from NBC, ABC, CBS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading: How illegal gold mining is fuelling a chocola...
Mar 19, 2025•19 min
Disputes over power and pay aren’t unusual at Wall Street’s top firms. What isn’t ordinary is when the conflict turns into a decade-long legal battle. That was the case for boutique investment firm Perella Weinberg Partners and their former star banker, Michael Kramer. After 10 years, their dispute recently went to trial in Manhattan. The FT’s Wall Street editor Sujeet Indap had a seat inside the courtroom, and tells us what he learned about the inner workings of the firm. Clips from Bloom...
Mar 12, 2025•22 min
Little is known about Russia’s “shadow fleet”. These ships have been used to move Russian oil around the globe and avoid restrictions put in place by western governments after Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The existence of the shadow fleet is worth billions of dollars a year to the Kremlin. But who owns these ships? How were they acquired? Who oversees their operations? Many of these questions went unanswered, until a recent FT investigation. Senior energy cor...
Mar 05, 2025•22 min
Vanguard became a powerhouse money manager thanks to a commitment to the philosophy of founder Jack Bogle. Now, with a new chief executive, can the firm push into other areas of financial services and reshape those too? The FT’s US managing editor Brooke Masters explains how the company’s guiding mantra could help or hinder these plans. Clips from CNBC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading: How Vanguard plans to play disruptor again Vanguard puts pre...
Feb 26, 2025•23 min
This January, DeepSeek made an announcement that changed the artificial intelligence landscape. The Chinese start-up said that it had trained the latest in a series of competitive AI models, which appeared to be built much more cheaply than those of Silicon Valley competitors. The FT’s China technology correspondent, Eleanor Olcott, first wrote a story about the company last summer. She’s on today to discuss how DeepSeek’s founder Liang Wenfeng was able to finance and grow his company at a time ...
Feb 19, 2025•18 min
The New York Stock Exchange wants to get in on a growing trend amongst investors: overnight stock trading. The largest exchange in the world recently submitted a proposal to allow shares to trade for 22 hours a day. US markets editor Jennifer Hughes looks into the thorny questions this proposal raises about how equity markets function. Clips from New York Stock Exchange - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading: Is Wall Street ready to stay up all ...
Feb 12, 2025•16 min
US President Donald Trump wants energy producers to drill for more oil. He claims it will lower prices for consumers and tackle inflation. But oil companies have a different set of priorities — and those could send them on a collision course with Trump. Clips from C-Span, Fox, ABC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading: When peak Chinese oil demand meets ‘drill, baby, drill’ A shale boom is not Donald Trump’s gift to give Wall Stree...
Feb 05, 2025•18 min
Mexico’s new president Claudia Sheinbaum is pursuing an ambitious agenda for her country. It promises a better standard of living for Mexicans. But investors in the country’s economy have their concerns – and now there’s a new threat on the horizon: US President Donald Trump. The FT’s Mexico and Central America correspondent Christine Murray explains how Sheinbaum will navigate the nation’s economic path forward. Clip from Global News - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -...
Jan 29, 2025•21 min
Every so often a cool new financial innovation springs up and gains popularity on Wall Street, promising juicy returns for investors. That’s why “synthetic risk transfers” or SRTs are in fashion. But ever since the financial crisis, trendy acronyms have also made some people nervous. And it’s recently caught the attention of organisations such as the IMF. The FT’s Alphaville editor Robin Wigglesworth explains why he’s been following this and whether regulators should be raising the alarm. ...
Jan 22, 2025•20 min
Wall Street dealmakers are itching for an M&A revival during president-elect Donald Trump’s second term. But as he prepares to move back to the White House, the picture appears more complicated. The FT’s head of Lex, John Foley, explains what dealmaking over the next four years might look like and the surprising similarities it could share with Joe Biden’s administration. Clips from Bloomberg, CNBC, DW News, FOX Business - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For fur...
Jan 15, 2025•21 min
Pro-crypto investors spent millions to re-elect Donald Trump to the US presidency, after he told voters he wanted to make America the “crypto capital of the planet”. As the second Trump administration begins, what does the crypto sector want most? And, what are the risks if they get it? Clips from Sky News, Bitcoin Magazine - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading: Crypto industry dreams of a golden era under Trump The crypto crown princes who co...
Jan 08, 2025•24 min
In early December, the Financial Times and Schroders selected the 2024 winner of the Best Business Book of the Year. That book is called Supremacy: AI, ChatGPT and the race that will change the world , and it’s written by tech journalist Parmy Olson. In this special episode of Behind the Money, the FT’s senior business writer Andrew Hill interviews Parmy Olson about her book and the importance of oversight as artificial intelligence becomes more intertwined with our work and society. ...
Jan 01, 2025•28 min
From Slate Money : South Korea and France are the latest governments to fall apart. Felix Salmon , Emily Peck , and Elizabeth Spiers discuss the public conversation around the failures of the US healthcare system that was sparked by the shocking murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Then, South Korea and France follow Germany in having a governmental meltdown. What’s going on with all of this political chaos? And finally, the hosts discuss a piece in The Ringer about why headlights are ...
Dec 25, 2024•50 min
Tech companies such as Google, Amazon and Microsoft need loads of electricity to power their artificial intelligence goals, and they are looking into all options, including nuclear power, to achieve them. That’s why Microsoft has partnered with a utility company to restart a reactor at Three Mile Island, the site of the worst nuclear disaster in US history. The FT's US energy editor Jamie Smyth explains what challenges lie ahead with a 2028 deadline looming. Clips from CBS News, ABC...
Dec 18, 2024•24 min
This week, Michela joins live from the FT’s Global Banking Summit in London. She sits down with three reporters and editors to analyse how the banking industry will shape up during Donald Trump’s second term in the White House. She’s joined by the FT’s US financial editor Brooke Masters and banking editor Ortenca Aliaj alongside Michael Klimes, investment banking and capital markets editor at The Banker. They discuss what banks stand to gain and lose, and what the industry may look like four yea...
Dec 11, 2024•23 min
Not long ago, the Swedish battery maker Northvolt was seen as Europe's best hope for staying competitive with other global players during the green transition. Investors flocked to it, and it even became the continent’s best funded startup. But things look very different now. The company is fighting for survival and even filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November. The FT’s Nordic and Baltic bureau chief Richard Milne spent years reporting on Northvolt and explains its meteoric rise and what its...
Dec 04, 2024•28 min
This week, we’re going back to Omaha, Nebraska. Behind the Money and the FT’s senior corporate finance correspondent travelled there this spring to attend Berkshire Hathaway’s annual shareholder meeting. America’s “last great” conglomerate is preparing for a leadership transition, and we examined what Warren Buffett’s empire will look like after he’s no longer at the helm. Clips from CNBC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading: Berkshire after Buffet...
Nov 27, 2024•22 min
Lately, China’s economy has been in the doldrums, with the risk of a “deflationary spiral” lurking. Plus, toss in the election of Donald Trump in the US — and reaching the economic goals President Xi Jinping set more than a decade ago looks even more difficult. The FT’s China bureau chief Joe Leahy examines Beijing’s latest plans to fix the country’s economy and whether it will be enough to keep up with Xi’s long-term plans for growth. Clips from Bloomberg, CBS, Yahoo Finance -...
Nov 20, 2024•17 min
Who will corporate America's winners and losers be under four more years of Donald Trump? This week, the FT’s Brooke Masters, Stephen Morris and Jamie Smyth explain what changes a second Trump administration will bring to three crucial sectors: Wall Street, tech and energy. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading: Can the renewables boom withstand Trump? A Wall Street giddy over Trump should remember history Who’s who in the Musk ‘A-team’ vying to shape Trum...
Nov 13, 2024•21 min
Private equity earned a reputation as a ruthless and lucrative business. But over the past few years, large groups have been doing something that seems like the opposite of their cutthroat image: giving equity worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to the ordinary workers at the companies they own. Antoine Gara, the FT’s US private & institutional capital correspondent, explains how these payouts make business sense for private equity firms – and help soften their tough image. - - - - - - - ...
Nov 06, 2024•16 min
On November 5, voters in the US will head to the polls to decide who should be the next president: Donald Trump or Kamala Harris. But over the past several months, people from around the world have been placing millions of dollars on who will win that race. As interest in betting on US politics reaches a new high, the FT’s Oliver Roeder and Sam Learner explain how these markets work and what can (and can’t) be learned from them. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For...
Oct 30, 2024•20 min
Activist investors tend to rely on an element of surprise to catch their target company off guard: quietly building up a stake and swooping in with a slide deck full of strategic changes at just the right moment. That’s not what happened at the beginning of a recent campaign led by the hedge fund Starboard Value against pharmaceutical giant Pfizer. The FT’s Oliver Barnes, US pharmaceutical and biotech correspondent, and Maria Heeter, US deals correspondent, examine what went awry and what happen...
Oct 23, 2024•21 min
When it comes to trading, Wall Street’s investment banks are falling further behind. And independent trading firms, such as Jane Street and Citadel Securities, are taking the lead in everything from stocks and options to derivatives and crypto. The trading firms argue that they’ve made the process more efficient, but what risks does that carry? The FT’s US banking editor Joshua Franklin explains. Clips from Lionsgate - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For...
Oct 16, 2024•19 min
After the financial crisis, dealmaking among banks in different countries in Europe fell to a standstill. But recently, Italian lender UniCredit revealed that it had built up a stake in Germany’s Commerzbank, prompting discussions of a possible tie-up. EU policymakers and politicians believe cross-border deals like this could unlock European banking and make it more competitive globally. So why is there resistance? The FT’s European banking correspondent Owen Walker explains. Clips from Bl...
Oct 09, 2024•19 min
After mounting a comeback, Netflix shares recently hit all-time highs. But its success is in stark contrast to the rest of Hollywood, which is struggling to adapt in an industry that is becoming more and more dominated by tech companies. The FT’s Los Angeles bureau chief Chris Grimes explains how Netflix came out on top and how its dominance could change the rules of Hollywood. Clips from AP Archive, CBS, Evening Standard, Reuters, NBC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Fo...
Oct 02, 2024•21 min
Volkswagen is facing a crisis. Often considered a symbol of Germany’s industrial power, it’s now reckoning with a difficult transition to electric vehicles, among other issues. And now, management is considering breaking a long-held taboo: closing German factories. Patricia Nilsson, the FT’s Frankfurt correspondent, heads to VW’s headquarters in Wolfsburg to examine the fallout and what’s next. Clips from Bloomberg, DW News, CNN - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -...
Sep 25, 2024•20 min
Companies in Japan have long avoided foreign acquisitions. But Canada-based Alimentation Couche-Tard’s recent unsolicited bid for the owner of the 7-Eleven convenience store chain is testing that premise. The FT’s Tokyo bureau chief Leo Lewis examines how these events could shape corporate Japan’s future. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading: The takeover fight that could reshape Japan After 7-Eleven, Japan’s M&A scene may never be ...
Sep 18, 2024•19 min
