FT News Briefing

It’s been a year since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine MP Lesia Vasylenko describes waking up in a war zone that day and she argues that Russian war crimes must not be allowed to go unpunished. Mentioned in this podcast: Defence industry shares soar on western backing for Ukraine The Rachman Review podcast Download the FT Edit app here: ft.com/ftedit The FT News Briefing is produc...

Investors are betting the European Central Bank will raise interest rates to all-time highs, and the FT’s Ben Hall explains the impact of the war in Ukraine on the country’s economy.  Mentioned in this podcast: Investors ramp up bets on ECB lifting interest rates to all-time high Behind the Money Podcast FT Live: Putin’s war on Ukraine: One year on Download the FT Edit app here: ft.com/ftedit...

Consumer confidence in the eurozone is up, Moscow is buying influence in Africa on the cheap, and the FT’s Henry Foy explains how the war in Ukraine shattered illusions and shifted EU foreign policy.  Mentioned in this podcast: European consumer confidence hits one-year high as energy crisis eases How Moscow bought a new sphere of influence on the cheap How Russia’s propaganda machine is resh...

US President Joe Biden travels to Poland to mark one year since Moscow invaded Ukraine, the FT’s Felicia Schwartz discusses US response to the war over the past year and the FT’s John Paul Rathbone describes how the war has progressed. Mentioned in this podcast: Poland calls for security guarantees for post-war Ukraine UK defence secretary: Russia’s ‘big’ Ukraine offensive advancing in ‘metres not...

YouTube chief executive Susan Wojcicki is stepping down, the Pentagon is reviewing its weapons stockpiles after seeing how quickly ammunition has been used up in the war in Ukraine, and young Nigerians are the largest voting bloc in the country’s upcoming presidential election. Plus, the FT’s Clive Cookson tells us what else flies in the ‘forgotten space’ where the Chinese spy balloon was discover...

World Bank president David Malpass will step down from his post at the end of June, US authorities have begun the year looking to further crack down on crypto companies, and Nicola Sturgeon announced her resignation as Scotland’s first minister after a backlash over her strategy for securing independence.  Mentioned in this podcast: World Bank president David Malpass to step down in June US c...

US inflation declined in January though less than expected, Turkey’s president faces a backlash for an amnesty programme that forgave faults in millions of buildings, and humanitarian aid is finally reaching shell-shocked Syrians after last week’s earthquake.  Mentioned in this podcast: Syrians left to fend for themselves as earthquake relief fails to materialise Erdoğan under fire as shoddy...

Nigeria’s highest court slapped a temporary ban on the plan to replace the country’s largest currency notes, and US regulators may ban non-compete clauses that stop workers from jumping to a rival company for a certain amount of time after quitting.  Mentioned in this podcast: Nigeria’s top court halts botched plan to replace currency notes US companies mount resistance to proposed ban on non...

The earthquake in Turkey has worsened the plight of Syrian refugees who already face rising hostility, YouTube has rolled out a revenue sharing scheme to lure new content creators away from rival TikTok, and dark horse candidate Kazuo Ueda has upset expectations for the next Bank of Japan governor. Mentioned in this podcast: ‘They hate us’: quake tests cohesion between Syrian refugees and Turkish...

China has pulled back from an internet pipeline connecting Asia with Europe, activist investor Nelson Peltz has called off his fight against Disney, and Americans are expected to wager a record $16bn on Sunday’s Super Bowl. Plus, the FT’s Owen Walker talks about Credit Suisse’s worse-than-expected earnings report and the bank’s plan to save itself.  Mentioned in this podcast: China pulls back...

Disney plans to cut 7,000 jobs to reduce costs, the UK competition regulator said Microsoft’s acquisition of video game maker Activision Blizzard would harm competition for UK gamers, and the seventh-generation leader of a European banking dynasty is taking the family’s company private.  Mentioned in this podcast: Disney to axe 7,000 jobs in $5.5bn cost-cutting plan UK regulator deals blow to...

Federal Reserve chair Jay Powell said on Tuesday that reducing inflation would take a “significant period of time”, Turkey declared a state of emergency in areas ravaged by the region’s worst earthquake in decades, and the FT’s John Reed explains how allegations of stock manipulation at Indian conglomerate Adani present a challenge to the country’s institutions.  Mentioned in this podcast: Er...

The UK Treasury and Bank of England are designing a “digital pound”, Google revealed plans on Monday to launch a chatbot to rival OpenAI’s popular ChatGPT, more than 11,000 residents of Nigeria’s oil-producing Niger Delta have filed a claim for compensation against Shell, and a ruling by a US court will make companies think twice about using bankruptcy schemes such as the Texas two-step to handle...

The US donor network led by billionaire industrialist Charles Koch has signalled it will oppose Donald Trump’s bid to secure the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, and European banks launch earnings season with healthy profits. Plus, the FT’s Robert Armstrong says the latest US jobs report is another piece in the US economic puzzle.  Mentioned in this podcast: Billionaire Koch’s donor n...

Big Tech companies reported earnings lacklustre yesterday, equities markets ended Thursday higher despite central banks tightening monetary policy, and US job growth is expected to have slowed for the sixth consecutive month.  Mentioned in this podcast: Apple’s revenue growth streak snapped after supply chain woes Meta shares soar on resilient revenue and share buybacks ECB raises rates...

The US Federal Reserve increased its benchmark interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point on Wednesday, Adani Enterprises called off its $2.4bn equity fundraising, and banks that lost billions from the Archegos Capital Management meltdown will get back as little as 5 cents on the dollar. Plus, the FT’s Cristina Criddle looks at a new social media app launched by the founders of Instagram.&nb...

Hundreds of thousands of UK public sector workers set to walk out on Wednesday in co-ordinated action , the EU is set to unveil a draft plan today that loosens the rules around clean energy subsidies. Plus, the FT’s US markets editor Jennifer Hughes looked at how meme-stock companies are performing after raising capital during the pandemic meme stock frenzy. Mentioned in this podcast: EU plans to...

The International Monetary Fund says that global economic growth has proven “surprisingly resilient” in its latest forecast, Renault and Nissan reached a deal to save their 24-year-old alliance and sources tell FT that the Biden administration has stopped providing US companies with licences to export to Huawei. Plus, South Africa’s unreliable power supply has slowed economic growth.  Mention...

India’s Adani Group has published an angry rebuttal of allegations of wrongdoing by short seller Hindenburg Research that wiped more than $50bn from its value last week, central banks prepare to lift interest rates to 15-year highs as investors’ jitters grow, and Walt Disney is bracing for a proxy battle with activist investor Nelson Peltz’s push for a board seat.  Mentioned in this podcast:...

UK chancellor Jeremy Hunt will on Friday take on rightwing Tory MPs by rejecting calls for big tax cuts in his Budget, Brazil and Argentina’s leftwing leaders push ahead with common currency plan despite questions over unequal benefits, and Nigeria has begun a high-stakes attempt at London’s High Court to overturn an $11bn arbitration award. Mentioned in this podcast: Jeremy Hunt to defy rightwing...

Tesla reported record revenues last quarter, the Bank of Canada signalled it would pause interest rate rises, and trillions of dollars each day are gushing into a US Federal Reserve facility designed to mop up excess cash in the financial system.  Mentioned in this podcast: Tesla aims to build 1.8mn cars this year but warns of challenges US economic growth set to have slowed in fourth quarter...

Growth in Microsoft’s cloud computing business slowed further in the latest quarter but still did better than the software company and many analysts had predicted, the Qatar Investment Authority has doubled its stake in Credit Suisse, and Chris Hipkins has been sworn in as New Zealand’s next prime minister, replacing Jacinda Ardern.    Mentioned in this podcast:  Qatar Investme...

Bonds issued by China’s highly indebted real estate developers have rebounded sharply over the past two months, the EU is on the brink of effectively severing ties with its biggest external diesel supplier, and pressure is mounting on Germany to send its highly prized Leopard tanks to Ukraine.  Mentioned in this podcast: China property bonds rebound on support measures from Beijing Oil market...

Brazil and Argentina will this week announce that they are starting preparatory work on a common currency, advisers to western banks trying to exit Russia say a law introduced by Vladimir Putin is disrupting sales and allowing deals to be hijacked, and Elon Musk faces tough choices to meet financial obligations of his Twitter takeover financed by $13bn in debt.  Mentioned in this podcast: Bra...

Reed Hastings is stepping down as chief executive of Netflix, central bankers are making it clear to investors that they’re going to keep raising interest rates, companies are trying to find solutions to global supply chain kinks, and the FT’s Yuan Yang explains the power of collectively remembering pandemic lockdowns in China.  Mentioned in this podcast: Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings to s...