Financial Times

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Channel • 12 Shows

Daily News

Daily News

Updated Daily
Business

Business

Updated Weekly
Documentary

Documentary

Weekly Series
Investing

Investing

Updated Semiweekly
Business News

Business News

Updated Weekly
Politics

Politics

Updated Weekly
Politics

Politics

Updated Weekly

2D AGO

Gloom and boom

The news is bad, but stocks seem happy. Today on the show, Katie Martin and Rob Armstrong unpack the market’s rally and look forward to Fed chair Jay Powell’s final comments. Also, they go short health monitors and long snooker in Iran. For a free 30-day trial to the Unhedged newsletter go to: https://www.ft.com/unhedgedoffer. You can email Robert Armstrong and Katie Martin at unhedged@ft.com. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2d ago

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23 min
2D AGO

Life under Iran’s digital blackout

Federal regulators launched a probe into all Disney-owned TV stations after a late-night comedian made a joke about First Lady Melania Trump, and emerging market stocks have recovered all of their losses from the early stages of the Iran war to hit an all-time high, and the United Arab Emirates is leaving Opec after 60 years. Plus, the FT’s Bita Ghaffari in Tehran details life inside Iran’s blackout that’s been in place since the US and Israel attacked at the end of February. Mentioned in this podcast: Trump administration launches Disney probe after Jimmy Kimmel’s Melania joke Emerging market stocks hit record high as Asian chipmakers surge UAE to leave Opec in blow to oil cartel Life inside Iran’s internet blackout Credit: Jimmy Kimmel Live! Note: The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts Today’s FT News Briefing was hosted and edited by Marc Filippino, and produced by Victoria Craig, Saffeya Ahmed, and Fiona Symon. Our show was mixed by Sam Giovinco. Additional help from Gavin Kallmann. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Cheryl Brumley is the FT’s Global Head of Audio. The show’s theme music is by Metaphor Music. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2d ago

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12 min
3D AGO

Private equity deals where the seller is also the buyer

The number of countries cutting energy taxes in response to the Iran war has doubled over the past month, and China blocked Meta’s $2bn purchase of the AI group Manus. Plus, big private equity backers have raised concerns that some firms may be waving through controversial deals. Mentioned in this podcast: Energy tax cuts spread across 39 economies as prices jump China blocks Meta’s $2bn purchase of AI group Manus Private equity backers raise new conflict concerns over sweetheart deals Note: The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts Today’s FT News Briefing was hosted and edited by Marc Filippino, and produced by Saffeya Ahmed, Fiona Symon, and Sonja Hutson. Our show was mixed by Sam Giovinco. Additional help from Gavin Kallmann, Michael Lello and David da Silva. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Cheryl Brumley is the FT’s Global Head of Audio. The show’s theme music is by Metaphor Music. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

3d ago

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11 min
1D AGO

Defence stocks drop despite US-Iran war

Meta said it would boost its spending on AI this year, and Jay Powell says he will stay on as a Federal Reserve governor once his term as chair ends. Plus, the special relationship between the UK and US held up under intense pressure, and defence stocks are struggling despite the US and Israel's war in Iran. Oil jumps to almost $120 as Trump signals extended Hormuz stand-off Fed chair nominee Kevin Warsh secures Senate committee approval Oil surge divides US central bank as Jay Powell’s term at helm draws to a close America’s special relationship is ‘probably Israel’, says UK ambassador to US King Charles defends transatlantic relationship in speech to Congress Defence stocks give back gains as investors buy rumour but sell war Political Fix podcast Credit: C-SPAN, Federal Reserve Note: The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts Today’s FT News Briefing was hosted and edited by Marc Filippino, and produced by Saffeya Ahmed, Victoria Craig, and Sonja Hutson. Our show was mixed by Sam Giovinco. Additional help from Gavin Kallmann, Michael Lello. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Cheryl Brumley is the FT’s Global Head of Audio. The show’s theme music is by Metaphor Music. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1d ago

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12 min
4D AGO

Senior Republican clears path for next Fed chair

Alleged Trump shooter is set to be charged in federal court Monday, Republican Senator Thom Tillis said he will allow confirmation of Fed nominee Kevin Warsh to proceed, and the world’s leading central banks are widely expected to hold off on inflation-fighting interest rate rises this week. Plus, Anthropic’s cybersecurity AI model could be so effective it actually backfires. Mentioned in this podcast: Alleged Trump shooter was targeting US officials, authorities say US prosecutors drop criminal probe into Federal Reserve chair Jay Powell Leading central banks play for time on interest rate rises Anthropic investigating unauthorised access of powerful Mythos AI model Note: The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts Today’s FT News Briefing was hosted by Sonja Hutson and produced by Saffeya Ahmed and Julia Webster. Our show was mixed by Alex Higgins. Additional help from Peter Barber. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Cheryl Brumley is the FT’s Global Head of Audio. The show’s theme music is by Metaphor Music. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4d ago

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11 min
APR 23

China Shock 2.0

In the past decade China has transformed itself into a high-value producer of sophisticated goods, threatening jobs in Europe and the rest of Asia. Today on the show, the FT’s Beijing bureau chief Joe Leahy joins Katie Martin and Rob Armstrong to discuss his three-part series on China’s new economy. Also, they go short prediction markets, long exit rows and long Xi Jinping’s chances of re-election. For a free 30-day trial to the Unhedged newsletter go to: https://www.ft.com/unhedgedoffer. You can email Robert Armstrong and Katie Martin at unhedged@ft.com. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Apr 23

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24 min
SEASON 4, EPISODE 1

Opus Dei, Ep. 1: Whistling

We meet Sarah – a young girl drawn to Opus Dei’s message that professional work can be a path to holiness. At 18, Sarah says goodbye to her family and moves into an Opus Dei centre to learn how to make her work an offering to God. But what she experiences there feels different to the organisation she thought she knew. Sarah chafes at unexpected rules, unquestioning obedience and dehumanising treatment. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

S4, E1

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36 min
APR 24

BP’s major setback

Meta will cut 10% of its staff next month, BP suffered a heavy defeat at its annual shareholder meeting, and the Paramount–Warner Brothers Discovery deal is one step closer to being sealed. Plus, the Trump family’s crypto company is in hot water, and a US official is vying to get Italy into the football World Cup. Mentioned in this podcast: Meta to cut 10% of jobs to ‘offset’ Mark Zuckerberg’s AI spending Microsoft to offer 7% of US staff voluntary redundancy for the first time BP suffers heavy defeat in investor climate vote Crypto billionaire Justin Sun sues Trump family’s World Liberty Financial Warner Bros shareholders approve $111bn Paramount deal Trump envoy seeks to replace Iran with Italy in football World Cup Note: The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts Today’s FT News Briefing was hosted and edited by Marc Filippino, and produced by Saffeya Ahmed and Fiona Symon. Our show was mixed by Sam Giovinco. Additional help from Michela Tindera, Gavin Kallmann, and Michael Lello. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Cheryl Brumley is the FT’s Global Head of Audio. The show’s theme music is by Metaphor Music. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Apr 24

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13 min
2D AGO

Hitting the Buffers: The 1873 railway bust that broke one of America’s greatest financiers

Every now and then a new technology comes along that changes everything – electricity, computers, potentially AI. In mid-19th-century America, that technology was the steam locomotive. It knitted the US economy together, driving the nation’s industrialisation during the Gilded Age. But along the way, it also caused one of the biggest financial crises in American history. FT Alphaville editor Robin Wigglesworth tells his co-host, FT columnist Gillian Tett, the story of the great railway bubble that ended in the Panic of 1873. It’s also the story of the spectacular rise and fall of Jay Cooke, the greatest banker of his day, who lost a fortune betting on a railroad that would eventually span the North American continent – just not in time to repay its debts. Robin and Gillian discuss what lessons the financier’s fate holds for the investors gambling on today’s AI boom. Credits: New York Times Archive, Otto Herschan Collection/Hulton Archive/Getty Images, Hulton Archive/Getty Images Further reading: Jay Cooke: Financier of the Civil War, by Ellis Paxson Oberholtzer (1907) Jay Cooke's gamble: the Northern Pacific Railroad, the Sioux, and the Panic of 1873, by M John Lubetkin (2006) Railroaded: The Transcontinentals and the Making of Modern America, by Richard White (2012) Pop! Why Bubbles Are Great For The Economy, by Daniel Gross (2007) A Fabulous Debt: The Epic Story of How Bonds Built the Modern World, by Robin Wigglesworth (2026 – forthcoming) To enjoy future episodes, be sure to subscribe to The Story of Money wherever you get your podcasts, also on the show's dedicated YouTube channel here: Hosts: Gillian Tett and Robin Wigglesworth Producer: Lulu Smyth Senior Producers: Michela Tindera and Laurence Knight Executive Producers: Flo Phillips and Manuela Saragosa Original music and sound design: Breen Turner Broadcast engineers: Bianca Wakeman and Petros Giuompasis Podcast Development: Laura Clarke FT Global Head of Audio: Cheryl Brumley Video editor: Josh Divney at Podcast Discovery Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2d ago

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54 min
SEASON 4, EPISODE 2

Opus Dei, Ep. 2: Formation

Opus Dei’s founder taught his followers that spiritual formation is a continual development of character. But some find that the views spread by Opus Dei do not always match the Church’s official teaching – particularly its attitudes towards women and homosexuality. Insiders describe a complex youth recruitment network that offers some clues to the kind of person Opus Dei molds – and what kind of person it is interested in. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

S4, E2

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31 min

News, analysis and comment from the Financial Times