FT News Briefing

The IMF is warning that the world’s leading economies need to take “urgent” action to rebuild their public finances, Pakistan is stuck in a tricky place as its ally Saudi Arabia fights off the Houthis, and Mark Zuckerberg says Meta has caught up with rivals at the “frontier” of AI. Plus, a number of elections in Europe could fundamentally shift the EU, and the UK has imposed new sanctions on Iran over a security incident at a RAF base.

Mentioned in this podcast:
Top economies heading for biggest budget deficits since Covid, IMF warns
Pakistan’s hard choice on Saudi Arabia’s war
Riyadh defiant as Houthis launch new missile strikes on Saudi Arabia
Mark Zuckerberg says Meta has reached AI ‘frontier’
The election supercycle set to drag Europe right
UK imposes new sanctions on Iran over RAF Fairford incident
India’s Narendra Modi faces ‘bitter pill’ as Cockroach protests mount

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 is produced by Sonja Hutson, Saffeya Ahmed, and Josh Gabert-Doyon. Our editor is Marc Filippino. Our video producer is Zachary Alfred. Our show is mixed by Sam Giovinco and Alex Higgins. Additional help from Gavin Kallmann, Michael Lello, Peter Barber and David da Silva. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Flo Phillips 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.

The Iran-backed Houthis have struck Riyadh airport in Saudi Arabia multiple times this week, US president Donald Trump claims an “energy ceasefire” between Russia and Ukraine, and AI companies are pulling back new debt issuance. Plus, US bank earnings this week suggest the good times may be over.

Mentioned in this podcast:
US threatens to block arms for Ukraine over attacks on Russian refineries
Ukraine’s allies vow to pressure Moscow as Trump claims ‘energy ceasefire’ in place
Missile strike on Riyadh airport kills 12 and injures hundreds
Houthis show military reach with deadly missile strikes on Riyadh
AI borrowing slows as investors grow wary of debt binge
Wall Street’s record-breaking trading streak set to cool

Want to get in touch? Email us at podcasts@ft.com

Subscribe to the FT: ft.com/briefingsale

Note: The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts

The FT News Briefing is produced by Sonja Hutson, Saffeya Ahmed, and Josh Gabert-Doyon. Our editor is Marc Filippino. Our show is mixed by Sam Giovinco and Alex Higgins. Additional help from Gavin Kallmann, Michael Lello, Peter Barber and David da Silva. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Flo Phillips 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.

SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son is seeking to raise as much as $100bn from Gulf investors to further his massive bet on AI, the Flydubai co-pilot who tried to hijack a flight to Tel Aviv expressed misogynistic views online, and Donald Trump has said Washington will not strike Iran ahead of the US midterm elections. Plus, two Latvian men allegedly trespassed at a UK military base, and two crypto groups with links to a Trump family-backed company are embroiled in a $141mn legal battle.

Mentioned in this podcast:
SoftBank seeks $100bn from Gulf to expand massive AI bet
The online life of the Flydubai attacker
Donald Trump says US ‘will not be attacking Iran’ before midterm elections
Oil prices jump on tanker attacks and slowing flows through Strait of Hormuz
EasyJet doubles winter flight cuts amid rising costs
Two Latvian nationals arrested on suspicion of trespass at RAF base
Crypto companies linked to Trump-backed firm in $141mn legal battle

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 is produced by Sonja Hutson, Saffeya Ahmed, and Josh Gabert-Doyon. Our editor is Marc Filippino. Our show is mixed by Sam Giovinco and Kelly Garry. Additional help from Gavin Kallmann, Michael Lello, Peter Barber and David da Silva. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Flo Phillips 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.

Oil executives expressed their appetite for investing in the Middle East despite the war, the conflict has blown a near-£12bn hole in Britain’s public finances, and big investors are “bottom fishing” among beaten-down assets, including Italian bonds and corporate debt. Plus, China is building data centres at rapid speed across Inner Mongolia and a measure of credit risk at Elon Musk’s SpaceX rose to a record high.

Mentioned in this podcast:
Oil majors look beyond Middle East war to access region’s vast reserves
Iran war blows near-£12bn hole in Britain’s public finances
Big investors ‘bottom fish’ in Eurozone bond markets after France sell-off
China races to build AI data centres across energy-rich hinterland
SpaceX credit risk jumps on worries over its borrowing spree

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 is produced by Sonja Hutson, Saffeya Ahmed, and Josh Gabert-Doyon. Our editor is Marc Filippino. Our show is mixed by Sam Giovinco and Kelly Garry. Additional help from Gavin Kallmann, Michael Lello, Peter Barber and David da Silva. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Flo Phillips 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.

Paramount Skydance is tackling a huge pile of debt following its takeover of Warner Bros Discovery, oil tanker captains are being paid rates equivalent to $100,000 a month for travelling through the Strait of Hormuz, and the UK’s tax authorities probed Manchester City in 2018. Plus, the battle for control of the $265bn Tata Group hinges on India’s motorbike billionaire, and Brussels is considering taxing big US tech companies through a broad levy on large corporations.

Mentioned in this podcast:
Debt in the spotlight as Paramount closes $111bn deal for Warner Bros
Ships’ captains paid $100,000 a month to transit Strait of Hormuz
HMRC opened probe into Man City’s tax affairs in 2018
India’s motorbike billionaire steering tussle at Tata
Brussels looks to capture Big Tech through tax on large corporations
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 is produced by Sonja Hutson, Saffeya Ahmed, and Josh Gabert-Doyon. Our editor is Marc Filippino. Our show is mixed by Sam Giovinco and Kelly Garry. Additional help from Gavin Kallmann, Michael Lello, Peter Barber and David da Silva. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Flo Phillips 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.