Donald Trump picked plenty of fights with Nato during his time in office. Now, even as war rages in Ukraine, candidate Trump is back at it. But is his aggressive attitude toward Nato resonating with American voters? The FT’s Lauren Fedor and Alec Russell join this week’s Swamp Notes to discuss. Mentioned in this podcast: Nato needs to prepare for Trump’s unilateralism on steroids Donald Trump says Russia can do what it wants to Nato allies who pay too little Sign up for the FT’s Swamp Notes news...
Feb 17, 2024•13 min
European Commision president Ursula von der Leyen says Europe’s military needs to step up and two of the world’s biggest asset managers are quitting an investor group set up to prod companies over global warming. Plus, big food companies are jumping into new farming practices meant to store carbon underground, but there are significant hurdles. Mentioned in this podcast: Von der Leyen calls on EU to subsidise defence production JPMorgan and State Street quit climate group as BlackRock scal...
Feb 16, 2024•12 min
UK chancellor Jeremy Hunt is considering slashing public spending to fund pre-election tax cuts, Germany is looking to boost its defence spending at a crucial time for Europe, and Citigroup has started tracking how many calls its private bankers are making to clients. Plus, the FT’s Madison Marriage talks about her new podcast on the dangers of meditation retreats. Mentioned in this podcast: Jeremy Hunt faced with slashing UK public spending to fund tax cuts Will Germany deliver on its grand mil...
Feb 15, 2024•11 min
Investors scaled back bets that the US Federal Reserve will begin cutting interest rates in May, and Arm shares soared after the UK chip designer reported higher revenues boosted by strong demand for artificial intelligence. Plus the FT’s Felicia Schwartz explains how the relationship between US President Joe Biden and Benjamin Netayahu, prime minister of Israel, is being affected by the war in Gaza. Mentioned in this podcast: Investors scale back bets of May rate cut on strong US inf...
Feb 14, 2024•12 min
US law firm Latham & Watkins is cutting off automatic access to its international databases for its Hong Kong-based lawyers, one of the oldest and best-known hedge fund strategies has suffered nearly $150bn in client withdrawals over the past five years, and the price of bitcoin touched $50,000 for the first time since 2021. Plus, the FT’s Kaye Wiggins explains how a Chinese financier is turning small businesses into a data gold mine. Mentioned in this podcast: Latham & Watkins cut...
Feb 13, 2024•11 min
EY took on $700mn in debt for its failed “Project Everest” plan, and tech companies are shedding jobs in a pivot to AI. Plus, Shein is seeking Beijing’s approval ahead of its IPO. Mentioned in this podcast: Pakistan in power vacuum after Imran Khan defies election odds from jail EY took on $700mn in debt for doomed ‘Project Everest’ spin-off plan Shein seeks Chinese regulators’ tacit approval for US public offering Tech companies axe 34,000 jobs since start of year in pivot to AI The FT Ne...
Feb 12, 2024•11 min
Introducing Untold: The Retreat, a new podcast from the special investigations team at the Financial Times. In the first episode of The Retreat, Madison Marriage receives an email from a desperate father named Stephen. Over the past five years, he says, his twin daughters have changed drastically. They were bright and outgoing, with exciting plans for their future. But over their early twenties, they became increasingly distressed, struggling to eat or sleep and disassociating from normal life. ...
Feb 11, 2024•43 min
For decades, common political wisdom has held that Americans vote based on their satisfaction with the economy. But even as the US economy booms, with persistently low unemployment and wage growth outpacing inflation, President Joe Biden’s approval rating continues reaching record lows. The FT’s Rana Foroohar and James Politi join this week’s Swamp Notes to explain why. Mentioned in this podcast: What if it’s not the economy, stupid? Why Biden gets little credit for a strong US economy Sig...
Feb 10, 2024•11 min
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismisses his top commander, Gaza’s last refuge is Israel’s next target and OpenAI is on track to hit $2bn in revenue. Mentioned in this podcast: Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismisses Ukraine’s ‘iron general’ Visual analysis: Gaza’s last refuge becomes Israel’s next target Disney, Fox and Warner sports streaming platform foreshadows consolidation OpenAI on track to hit $2bn revenue milestone as growth skyrockets The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Sym...
Feb 09, 2024•11 min
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is set to announce the party is abandoning its target to spend £28bn a year on green investment, Uber has reported its first annual operating profit, and the far-right winner of Dutch elections just can't seem to form a government. Mentioned in this podcast: Labour set to ditch plan to spend £28bn a year on green investment Geert Wilders struggles to find coalition partners in the Netherlands Uber records first annual profits as market value approaches $150bn...
Feb 08, 2024•10 min
Standard Chartered has sounded out UK political heavyweights Sir Charles Roxburgh and Sir Sajid Javid as potential candidates for its next chair, BP reported its second-biggest annual profit in a decade, and the FT’s Michael Stott explains the dark side of money flowing from the US to Mexico. Plus, WeWork’s former CEO Adam Neumann is trying to buy the company out of bankruptcy. Mentioned in this podcast: Standard Chartered taps political heavyweights as potential new chair BP targets boost...
Feb 07, 2024•11 min
China’s national chip champions expect to make next-generation smartphone processors as early as this year, and Northern Ireland is trying to chart a path forward under a new, historic power-sharing agreement. Plus, a former Pakistan prime minister is barred from this week’s election but is using chatbots and social media to energise his party’s supporters. **Please note that a segment in today’s episode contains audio that was produced by artificial intelligence.** Mentioned in this podca...
Feb 06, 2024•11 min
Plans for a code on how AI models can use copyrighted materials have stalled in the UK, and US forces carried out strikes against Iran-backed militants over the weekend. Plus, the FT’s Owen Walker explains why the tides are turning against European banks. Mentioned in this podcast: Turkey central bank governor quits and points to campaign against her BNP Paribas shares fall after downgrade to profit target Deutsche Bank pledges to boost dividend and cut jobs Santander earnings boosted by s...
Feb 05, 2024•11 min
Business leaders backed away from Donald Trump after his supporters attacked the US Capitol in 2021. Now, political donors are warming to the former president again as he runs for his party’s nomination ahead of elections later this year. The FT’s Alex Rogers and Edward Luce explain why donations are flowing in the way they are. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Feb 03, 2024•12 min
Meta will reward shareholders with its first-ever dividend and an additional $50bn in share buybacks, US President Joe Biden has approved financial sanctions on Israelis in the West Bank, and Tesla chief executive Elon Musk is hitting back after a Delaware court struck down his $56bn pay package. Plus, the EU has agreed a deal on a €50bn financial support package for Ukraine. Mentioned in this podcast: EU agrees €50bn support package for Ukraine US to put sanctions on Israeli settlers resp...
Feb 02, 2024•11 min
The US Federal Reserve held interest rates at a 23-year high, the EU’s battle with Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán could come to a head on Thursday, and Boeing withheld its usual financial guidance for the coming year while vowing to focus on the safety of its operations. Mentioned in this podcast: Federal Reserve holds interest rates steady as market focuses on timing of 2024 cuts Viktor Orbán: what is the end game for Europe’s chief disrupter? Boeing postpones annual guidance amid ...
Feb 01, 2024•11 min
Microsoft reported record quarterly revenues, the IMF projects the Russian economy and the global economy will grow faster than previously expected, and the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees is in crisis after allegations that some of its staff were involved in the October 7 attacks on Israel. Mentioned in this podcast: Cloud strength and AI excitement boost Microsoft revenue Alphabet’s advertising growth falls short of Wall Street expectations IMF raises Russia growth outlook as war boosts e...
Jan 31, 2024•12 min
Binance has bowed to pressure from customers who want to hold their assets with an independent custodian, a Hong Kong court has ordered property giant China Evergrande to be wound up, and Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is returning to an old but controversial playbook to jump-start the country’s economy. Mentioned in this podcast: Binance bows to trader demands to keep their assets elsewhere Chinese developer Evergrande ordered to be wound up by Hong Kong court China Evergrande liq...
Jan 30, 2024•10 min
Brussels threatens to hit Hungary’s economy if Viktor Orbán vetoes Ukraine aid, the UN’s highest court orders Israel to limit harm to Palestinians in Gaza, Germany’s carmakers are struggling amidst the transition to electric vehicles, and EY and Bank of America are monitoring workers’ in-office attendance. Mentioned in this podcast: ICJ orders Israel to limit harm to Palestinians in Gaza German car suppliers struggle to adjust to EV shift Brussels threatens to hit Hungary’s economy if Vikt...
Jan 29, 2024•12 min
So far the Republican primaries have had very few surprises. Former President Donald Trump continues to be the favourite. On the first episode of Swamp Notes, the FT’s Lauren Fedor and Peter Spiegel unpack how Trump is winning these races as if he were an incumbent, what was in it for the other Republican candidates, and why former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley is staying in the race. Mentioned in this podcast: Donald Trump warns Nikki Haley’s billionaire backers to halt support Nikki Hale...
Jan 27, 2024•14 min
The Federal Trade Commission has launched an inquiry into the partnerships between Big Tech cloud providers and generative AI companies, the European Central Bank is keeping rates on hold, and Boeing’s problems are having a ripple effect on the broader airline industry. Plus, take a sneak peek at a new show we’re launching called Swamp Notes! Mentioned in this podcast: Donald Trump wins New Hampshire primary but Nikki Haley vows to fight on American Airlines chief says Boeing’s quali...
Jan 26, 2024•11 min
The US aviation regulator has blocked Boeing from expanding production of its most popular plane, the fight between Poland’s Donald Tusk and Andrzej Duda heats up, a research group forecasts 56% of total US fund assets will be passively managed by 2027, the French government presses the UK to help fill a multibillion-pound hole in nuclear projects, and Israel is creating a buffer zone within Gaza. Mentioned in this podcast: Regulator blocks expanded production of Boeing’s 737 Max Feud betw...
Jan 25, 2024•10 min
Turkey’s parliament has voted in favour of Sweden joining Nato and Arab nations are about to unveil a peace plan for Israel and Hamas. Plus, the FT’s Kaye Wiggins explains whether a leadership change can help revive the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Mentioned in this podcast: Turkish parliament votes in favour of Sweden’s accession to Nato How China’s slowdown is deepening Hong Kong’s ‘existential crisis’ Arab nations develop plan to end Israel-Hamas war and create Palestinian state The FT New...
Jan 24, 2024•10 min
An inverted yield curve is sending jitters across the US economy, Japanese IT conglomerate Fujitsu is in hot water over its involvement in the UK Post Office scandal, and new details have emerged over how the SEC’s X account was hacked. Mentioned in this podcast: UK Post Office scandal exposes risks of Fujitsu’s hands-off approach Yield curve adds to mystery over US economy SEC says bitcoin X breach came after phone number was swapped The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon, S...
Jan 23, 2024•11 min
Poland secures EU concession to limit food exports from Ukraine, Ron DeSantis ends his bid for the White House, investors turn to BlackRock and Fidelity for new crypto products, the US oil and gas industry is struggling to recruit Gen Z workers, and AI dominates Davos. Mentioned in this podcast: US bitcoin ETFs pull in $871mn in first three days of trading The US shale magnate trying to sell oil and gas jobs to Generation Z The top takeaways from this year’s World Economic Forum Poland secures E...
Jan 22, 2024•12 min
UK chancellor Jeremy Hunt has signalled he wants to cut taxes further in the coming months, the conflict in the Red Sea is rekindling fears over oil and inflation, and the FT’s Anjana Ahuja says scientists have developed artificial intelligence models to predict how long people will live. Mentioned in this podcast: UK chancellor signals he wants more tax cuts before election Why US strikes in Middle East are rekindling fears over oil and inflation Could an AI ‘death calculator’ actually be...
Jan 19, 2024•11 min
A top IMF official has warned that central banks need to move cautiously on cutting rates this year, BP has appointed interim boss Murray Auchincloss as its permanent chief executive, and Rishi Sunak quelled a rightwing Conservative revolt over his flagship Rwanda asylum bill. Plus, the FT’s Joe Leahy explains why China’s population decline accelerated in 2023 as its economy grew at one of the lowest rates in decades. Mentioned in this podcast: IMF official warns central banks against fuel...
Jan 18, 2024•10 min
Wage growth is slowing in the world’s largest economies, a federal judge stopped JetBlue’s planned deal to buy Spirit Airlines, and the EU’s tax on ‘dirty’ imports could fragment global trade. Plus, the FT’s Lauren Fedor explains the uphill battle for the Republican presidential nomination that Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis are facing. Mentioned in this podcast: Wage growth slows in world’s major economies How global trade could fragment after the EU’s tax on ‘dirty’ imports JetBlue’s $3.8b...
Jan 17, 2024•11 min
Red Sea shipping route remains dangerous. What's behind Chinese carmaker BYD's success in the electric vehicle market? And new figures show Germany was the world’s weakest-performing major economy last year. Mentioned in this podcast: Germany was worst-performing major economy last year China’s electric vehicle dominance presents a challenge to the west Wang Chuanfu, the driving force behind BYD’s rise The FT News Briefing was produced by Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson, Kasia Broussalian, Persis Love...
Jan 16, 2024•9 min
Taiwan’s presidential election shows that voters are willing to defy China, the 2024 US presidential election kicks off today, and American banks say that American consumers are in good shape. Mentioned in this podcast: What Taiwanese voters’ defiance means for China Banks say US consumers in good shape but poll shows Biden gets no credit Iowa poll shows Trump far ahead of rivals in Republican race Credit: CBS News The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson, Kasia Brouss...
Jan 15, 2024•11 min
