FT News Briefing

We're bringing you a recent episode from our fellow FT podcast, Unhedged. Over the summer, the FT held a revamped version of its stock picking game – think fantasy football for the global equity markets. Some 13,000 people took part – a shocking number considering how unfashionable active fund management has become in the real world. Katie Martin and Rob Armstrong invite their FT Money colleag...

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s government is searching for a British alternative to Palantir, and Russian President Vladimir Putin has instructed his military leaders to abandon the rules of war, according to intelligence intercepted by Kyiv. Plus, Eurozone borrowing costs surged, and Brazil’s election pits the leftwing incumbent against a rightwing former president’s son. Mentioned in this podc...

One pilot of a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv stabbed the other and attempted to crash the aircraft. An FT analysis reveals US Big Tech companies have an outsized influence in Brussels. Plus, RSM, one of the world’s largest accounting firms, is exploring a possible initial public offering, and Nike is struggling to compete in China. Mentioned in this podcast: What we know about the Flydubai flight...

UK businesses react to Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s speech to the Labour conference, US and French bonds are in hot water, and could an American ban on diesel exports backfire? Plus, US President Donald Trump has dismissed calls for stricter AI regulation, in a show of dominance over tech executives who he summoned to the White House. Mentioned in this podcast: UK bosses left in dark by Burnham a...

UK chancellor John Healey has told the Labour Party conference that the economic conditions enjoyed by New Labour are “simply not there now”, Nvidia has held talks with insurance companies about shouldering the risks of lending against its chips, and oil prices and US Treasuries are locked in their tightest relationship since the first Gulf war in 1990. Plus, an oil field project in the Falkland I...

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham returns to the Labour conference to sell his vision, EU countries are considering a Nato-style joint response to Russia’s hybrid war, and foreign investors have been buying up Panama’s debt despite social unrest and threats from US President Donald Trump. Mentioned in this podcast: ‘Hope again’: Burnham returns to Labour conference to sell his vision EU countries con...

Xi Jinping said the US and China should avoid being drawn into a “conflict” in remarks at the White House, and Brussels has warned Britain needs to raise tariffs on Chinese cars if it wants to avoid barriers that would hit crucial exports. Plus, dozens of foreign officials walked out of the UN General Assembly as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began his address, and the FT’s Kate Duguid...

US Treasury yields soared on Wednesday, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran was prepared to negotiate with the US, and the FT’s Sam Fleming explains why the UK budget is in a tight spot. Plus, billions of dollars of Rosneft’s foreign earnings were funnelled through a Kremlin-backed money-laundering network, and Syria’s search for justice for Assad-era crimes could spark more unrest. Men...

Donald Trump and Xi Jinping will discuss a potential extension of their trade war truce this week, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham met Trump for the first time, and the cost of hiring an oil supertanker has passed $1.2mn a day for the first time on routes between the Middle East and Asia. Plus, billionaire financier Todd Boehly has secured the backing of the US government and Gulf power brokers wit...

Standard Chartered, Citigroup and other international banks have handled billions of dollars from a Kremlin-backed fintech company that tricked its way into the global financial system, and Polymarket is lobbying to win over European financial watchdogs. Plus, Germany’s election might impact the EU’s budget. Mentioned in this podcast: Kremlin-backed forgery scheme moved $6.9bn through global banks...

German chancellor Friedrich Merz faces a crisis of confidence as exit polls show his party missed the threshold for representation in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The right-wing Alternative for Germany won there instead. Plus, Volkswagen is getting the boot from the Eurostoxx50 index. And Georgia’s Senator Jon Ossoff attempts to revitalise moderate politics in the upcoming US midterms. Mentioned in thi...

The Venezuelan government and the country’s opposition are close to reaching an agreement to transfer the central bank’s gold reserves, critics are scrutinising donations to UK Reform by crypto billionaires Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne, and Glencore has suspended one of its senior executives in the wake of an escalating scandal. Plus, OpenAI’s listing delay raises stakes for SoftBank’s $50bn...

The Federal Reserve has raised rates for the first time since 2023, and the EU has asked China to restrict exports of hybrid cars as part of a deal to prevent a trade war. Plus, AI has revolutionized warfare. Mentioned in this podcast: Federal Reserve defies Donald Trump with first rate rise since 2023 EU asks China to voluntarily limit car exports Von der Leyen to paint EU as the only port in a g...

US and Chinese experts meet to discuss mitigating AI risks despite an ongoing tech rivalry, and US megadonors are largely backing Republicans in this midterm election season. Plus, Prime Minister Mark Carney strikes out on his pitch for a “unique alliance” between Canada and the EU, and the Dangote Petroleum Refinery is expected to be Africa’s biggest IPO. Mentioned in this podcast: Can the US and...

Tech stocks fell yesterday as markets reacted to ongoing talk of an AI apocalypse, industrial America is contending with a fresh wave of supply chain inflation, and foreign investors are now buying more US stocks than government bonds. Plus, China has implemented sweeping new controls on overseas travel for Chinese citizens.  Mentioned in this podcast: US manufacturers hit by fresh burst of s...

US Treasury secretary Scott Bessent’s interventions in the American bond market haven’t worked so far, but could interest rate decisions from the Federal Reserve and Bank of Japan this week change things? Plus, Russia hit a Ukrainian train line moments after foreign dignitaries transited it, and the FT’s Zehra Munir explains how protesters cancelled a data centre project in Virginia.  Mention...

US long-term borrowing costs surged to their highest level in more than two decades, and Gulf foreign ministers plan to meet their Iranian counterpart to negotiate a deal temporarily managing shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Plus, Brics – the developing world’s answer to the G7 – meets this weekend during a unique moment of opportunity to remake the global order. Mentioned in this podcast: G...

US government bond yields jumped to their highest level in almost three years, and the Japanese yen has strengthened this week. Plus, the IMF ditched a top candidate for chief economist at the last minute, and AI is writing the playbook for venture capital.   Mentioned in this podcast: US Treasury yields jump as plans for $6bn buybacks disappoint investors ‘I am the house now’: Bessent w...

Anthropic declined to submit its latest model to Britain’s AI Security Institute for testing before release, Greece wants to become the next hedge fund hub, and crude prices jumped to nearly $100 a barrel after the US launched fresh strikes on Iranian oil tankers. Plus, as DeepSeek’s valuation climbs to more than $70bn, investors are clamouring to get a piece of the Chinese AI company through a se...

Chinese tech giant Huawei faces a US racketeering trial. Bankers for Anthropic and OpenAI push for top-tier credit ratings. Plus, the EU signals greater openness to mega mergers. Mentioned in this podcast: Was Huawei’s rise built on crime? A US jury will decide Want to get in touch? Email us at podcasts@ft.com Note: The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts  The FT News Briefing...

Alternative for Germany (AfD) is projected to surge to first place in regional elections in Saxony-Anhalt, John Ternus faces his first test as Apple CEO, and the US and Ukraine held talks on how to end the conflict with Russia. Plus, defence officials think Europe isn’t deterring Moscow’s “hybrid” war.  Mentioned in this podcast: Far-right AfD surges in German state elections John Ternus’s fi...

US trade representative Jamieson Greer is President Donald Trump’s top trade official. He has played a critical role in negotiations between Washington and its trading partners. This includes recent talks with Canada, whose retaliatory tariffs against the US go into effect later this week.  The FT's Aime Williams sat down with Greer for a wide-ranging interview. They covered everything from t...

The US trade representative says the UK is choosing the EU over America and Deutsche Bank organised almost $1bn of loans to a Hollywood studio landlord now in default. Plus, Nvidia has agreed to buy AI model platform Hugging Face for $13bn, and a look at how chicken became the world’s favourite protein. Mentioned in this podcast: UK-EU alignment is ‘problem’ for US trade deal, says top Trump offic...

Auditors warned Guggenheim Partners about weak controls within its business, and Uber is teaming up with driver unions to try to slow the rollout of robotaxis. Plus, US oil major Chevron and Italy’s Eni are boosting investment in oil production in Venezuela. Mentioned in this podcast: KPMG warned Guggenheim unit over deficiencies in internal controls Uber allies with driver unions in bid to slow r...

An FT investigation found Russia has been secretly helping Iran develop advanced supersonic cruise missiles, the US launched fresh strikes on Iran, and the global bond sell-off deepened on Tuesday. Plus, AI groups are racing to address the risk that future models could help users create bioweapons.  Mentioned in this podcast: Russia secretly helping Iran develop supersonic cruise missiles US...