FT News Briefing

FT News Briefing

A rundown of the most important global business stories you need to know for the coming day, from the newsroom of the Financial Times. Available every weekday morning. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episodes

December 15, 2025 12 mins

A terror attack on a Jewish event in Sydney kills more than a dozen people. Plus, investors are increasingly concerned about how much debt is funding the AI boom, world leaders meet to discuss a peace plan for Ukraine, and it’s a big week for US economic data. And: The FT’s ‘Behind the Money’ podcast looks into whistleblowing in the UK. 


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Gunmen who killed 15 in Sydney attack on Jewish festival ...

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Cryptocurrency entrepreneur Do Kwon is sentenced to 15 years in prison on two counts of fraud, and the Walt Disney Company will allow OpenAI to use its characters in its flagship products. Plus, football fans are outraged over ticket prices for next year’s World Cup. And, you’ll meet the hardliner who wants to make Chile great again.


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Crypto founder Do Kwon sentenced to 15 years in prison

Disney to invest...

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December 11, 2025 10 mins

The Federal Reserve cut interest rates by a quarter point, and Oracle shares fell on Wednesday after it reported disappointing revenues. Plus, there’s one conglomerate in Abu Dhabi dominating the economy and its ownership is in the hands of the royal family. 


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Federal Reserve cuts rates to lowest level in three years in divisive decision

Oracle shares slide as data centre spending mounts

How Abu Dhabi...

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EU countries want to fast-track a decision to indefinitely immobilise up to €210bn in Russian sovereign assets, investors have increased bets that interest rates in major economies could diverge next year, and Berlin stands ready to throw its weight behind a German candidate to be the next president of the European Central Bank. Plus, Australia is now the first country in the world to restrict social media access for kids under the...

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December 9, 2025 10 mins

Paramount has launched a $108bn hostile bid to buy Warner Bros Discovery, US natural gas prices are soaring as the country ships record amounts of the fuel overseas, and US President Donald Trump says Nvidia will be allowed to send its H200 chips to China. Plus, retail investors are helping drive gold and US stocks towards “bubble” territory, the Bank for International Settlements has warned.


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Paramount ...

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Europe seeks to rally support for Ukraine as US pressure builds, and there’s likely to be plenty of debate ahead of the Federal Reserve’s final rate decision of the year. Plus, how Netflix’s blockbuster Warner Brothers Discovery buy could reshape entertainment. 


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European allies to rally support for Ukraine as US pressure mounts

France shielding €18bn Russian asset pot from EU ‘reparations loan’ push

...

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The Big Four accounting firms maintained their iron grip on auditing the UK’s largest companies last year, the industry watchdog has found. Plus, Japan’s economic normalisation could impact global bond markets. 


Mentioned in this podcast:

Big Four maintain stranglehold on biggest UK audits

US senators seek to block Nvidia sales of advanced chips to China

Japan’s economic normalisation will affect global liquidity

Japanese 10-ye...

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Bond-market investors worry that the leading candidate for Fed chair is too close to US President Donald Trump, while HSBC finally picks its new chair. Plus, the EU has a last-minute plan to fund Ukraine’s economic revival. 


Mentioned in this podcast:

Bond investors warned US Treasury over picking Kevin Hassett as Fed chair

HSBC appoints Brendan Nelson as chair after chaotic search

Brussels floats ‘emergency’ powers to raise €...

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December 3, 2025 11 mins

Nigel Farage has told donors he expects to do an election deal with the Conservatives, and the race to narrow OpenAI’s dominance in the chatbot race. Plus, Eurozone inflation unexpectedly turns higher and China’s biopharma industry could be a threat to western dominance in the sector. 


Mentioned in this podcast:

Farage tells donors he expects to do an election deal with the Tories

Mistral unveils new models in race to gain ed...

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UK pension funds are cutting back their exposure to US equities, and Swiss prosecutors have filed charges against Credit Suisse and its owner UBS over alleged organisational “deficiencies”. Plus, the chair of the UK's Office for Budget Responsibility has resigned, and the UK government will increase NHS spending on medicines to secure a carve-out from threatened US tariffs.


Mentioned in this podcast:

UK pension funds dump US equi...

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December 1, 2025 12 mins

Artificial intelligence is threatening starting consultancy salaries, and the push to end Russia’s years-long invasion of Ukraine continues this week. Plus, Revolut did not tell UK regulators its CEO was listed as UAE resident. And, voice trading is making a comeback on one part of Wall Street. 


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Top consultancies freeze starting salaries as AI threatens ‘pyramid’ model

Zelenskyy aides meet Trum...

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As President Donald Trump approaches the one-year anniversary of his second term in office, the FT’s chief economics commentator Martin Wolf, and Nobel prize-winning economist Paul Krugman sit down to discuss the US economy and the state of American democracy. Are American consumers finally feeling the effect of Trump’s tariffs? Is AI to blame for the frozen labour market? Or is the spectre of a weakening democracy and plutocracy t...

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November 28, 2025 9 mins

Artificial intelligence has the potential to disrupt almost every industry we work in, from manufacturing to stock trading. Defence is no exception, and at a time of rising global conflict, the question of how different militaries are using AI is increasingly important.


The FT’s Helen Warrell is joined by MIT Technology Review senior reporter James O’Donnell to debate the ethical, political and practical questions around AI warf...

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November 27, 2025 11 mins

S&P Global Ratings calls into question Tether’s ability to maintain its US dollar peg, and UK chancellor Rachel Reeves takes the wraps off the highly anticipated Budget. Plus, India’s booming steel production might be helping the domestic economy, but it’s causing environmental damage and trade tensions


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S&P downgrades Tether’s assets to lowest level        ...

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November 26, 2025 10 mins

Google’s parent company got close to a record $4tn market capitalisation, and more than $1tn has been wiped from the cryptocurrency market in the past six weeks. Plus, US consumers aren’t feeling too merry ahead of the holidays, and the UK prepares for its long-awaited Budget day. 


Mentioned in this podcast:

US retail sales growth slows as affordability crunch weighs on households

Crypto market sheds $1.2tn as traders shun sp...

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Traders are piling into bets that Wednesday’s UK Budget will push the pound lower against the dollar, and the pharmaceutical industry saw some promising — and not so promising — clinical trial results. Plus, US tech stocks leapt on Monday and Ireland’s military neutrality has created a weak spot in Europe’s defences. 


Mentioned in this podcast:

Currency traders bet against sterling ahead of Budget

Novo Nordisk shares slump af...

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November 24, 2025 12 mins

US pressure on Ukraine and its allies to agree a peace deal with Russia ignites fresh concern in Europe, and the US has officially designated Venezuela’s “Cartel of the Suns” a terror group. Plus, Europe looks to increase investment rules to stand up to China, and a look at why insurance companies are thinking about excluding AI risks from their corporate policies. 


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Trump hits out at Ukraine and Eu...

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November 21, 2025 12 mins

Tech stocks have been on a rollercoaster since Nvidia reported earnings, the US added 119,000 jobs in September but unemployment reached its highest level in four years, and the US has formally handed Ukraine a sweeping peace plan drawn up with Moscow. Plus, we’ll go over all the drama that’s ensued in the run-up to the G20 conference in South Africa. 


Mentioned in this podcast:

US tech stocks slide as jolt of volatility hit...

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Nvidia grew sales of its chips even faster than Wall Street anticipated in its latest quarter, and UK inflation fell to 3.6 per cent in October. Plus, Paramount is trying to buy Warner Brothers Discovery and China’s opaque economic data is coming under scrutiny. 


Mentioned in this podcast:

Nvidia reports strong growth from bumper AI chip sales

The president’s men: Ellisons’ Trump ties shape battle for Warner Bros 

UK infl...

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November 19, 2025 10 mins

Meta has won the antitrust case that threatened to break it apart, the EU plans to create a central body to co-ordinate the purchasing and stockpiling of critical minerals. Plus, US tech stocks sold off on Tuesday as worries mounted over high valuations for artificial intelligence companies, and activist hedge fund Elliott Management has built a large stake in Barrick Mining.


Mentioned in this podcast:

Meta wins US case that thre...

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