Ft News

Some of the world's biggest banks have seen their share prices fall again this week. Is the investor anxiety justified? Martin Arnold, FT banking editor, puts the question to Simon Peters, a portfolio manager at Algebris Investments, and Thomas Hale, FT capital markets correspondent. Music by Kevin MacLeod  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

London business schools report a growing trend among large tech companies to hire MBA graduates. Jonathan Moules talks to David Morris of London Business School about how the schools are adapting to meet the new demand for tech-based courses. Music: Podington Bear  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The world's largest container shipping company, AP Møller-Maersk, warned investors this week that it was seeing significantly tougher business conditions than it had during the 2008 financial crisis, marking the latest gloomy announcement in recent weeks about the weak state of global trade. The FT's Sujeet Indap asks industry correspondent Robert Wright about what to watch in the shipping industry for signs of a global slowdown.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Simon Kuper is joined by journalists Amy Raphael, Jimmy Burns and David Winner for a behind the scenes look at how the interplay between soccer and culture will play out at Euro 2016.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In what could prove a decisive moment in Syria's civil war, the northern rebel stronghold of Aleppo is on the brink of falling to government forces backed by Russian air power. Ben Hall discusses what options remain for the US-backed rebels with Erika Solomon, FT Middle East correspondent, and Geoff Dyer, US diplomatic correspondent.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The latest report on the benefits of female corporate leaders shows that the presence of female executives appears to boost company profits. Carola Hoyos discusses the findings with Kate Burgess, FT corporate correspondent.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Janet Yellen's testimony to the US Congress on Wednesday comes as confidence in the Federal Reserve is strained, demonstrated by a sell-off in bank stocks, sharp moves in bond markets and some critics calling the December rate rise a mistake. The FT's John Authers asks Mohamed El-Erian how Chair Yellen can reconcile with these forces. Music by Kevin MacLeod.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Five years after producing the US government's official report on the financial crisis, Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission chairman Phil Angelides has written a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch asking why the Department of Justice has yet to hold Wall St executives accountable for the damage. Mr Angelides explains his position to US banking editor Ben McLannahan. Music by Kevin MacLeod.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The world's banks, especially European banks, have been routed in the equity and debt markets as fears mount about future earnings and levels of capital. Patrick Jenkins, FT financial editor, talks to Laura Noonan, investment banking correspondent, about the implications. Music: AcidJazz by Kevin MacLeod  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Construction companies across the US are struggling to find enough workers to keep up with demand, due in large part to a dearth of Mexican immigrants who do much of the heavy lifting in construction trades. Gary Silverman sits down for lunch with three Mexican immigrants in Dallas, Texas who have found work in the local roofing business. Go to ft.com/bigread for the full story.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

US economics editor Sam Fleming breaks down the numbers in the January jobs report and explains what the data indicates about the health of the US economy.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Murad Ahmed, European technology correspondent, and Duncan Robinson, Brussels correspondent, discuss the EU's new deal with the US on transferring data across the Atlantic.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Space mining is about to leap from the pages of science fiction to commercial reality. The Luxembourg government is launching an initiative with European and US partners to create a new space industry that will exploit asteriods for metals and other materials. Peggy Hollinger asks Clive Cookson, FT science editor, how they plan to do it. Music by David Sappa  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Short termism in investment is in the news because of recent comments by legendary investor Warren Buffett and others. Patrick Jenkins, FT financial editor, talks to Jessica Ground of the fund manager Schroders, about a UK initiative to reinvent bank culture to encourage longer-term lending. Music: AcidJazz by Kevin MacLeod  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Google is paying £130m in back tax to the UK and Apple could soon be instructed to pay billions. FT columnist John Gapper talks to Murad Ahmed, European technology correspondent, about where it could all lead.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Zika, a mosquito-born virus seems to have come out of nowhere and gone rogue, spreading rapidly in South America. Andrew Ward discusses the origins of the outbreak and how worried we should be with Clive Cookson, FT science editor. Music by David Sappa  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In another multibillion-dollar deal, a US company has acquired a smaller European company in order to reduce its tax base. The so-called tax inversion deal has become one of the most prominent types of transaction in the recent M&A boom. The FT's Sujeet Indap is joined by M&A correspondent James Fontanella-Khan and policy correspondent Barney Jopson to discuss the growing US M&A trend, some of the biggest inversion deals and the potential for a policy crackdown under a new administration in 2017. Music by Red Thread.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

France's Insead has overtaken Harvard to lead the FT's MBA business school rankings for the first time. Jonathan Moules discusses the findings with FT statistician Laurent Ortmans.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Living in a state of emergency over the water supply, a resident of Flint in the state of Michigan talks about the daily routine when living with poisoned water. The FT's Lindsay Whipp travelled to the city to speak to those struggling to get clean water and answers from the state government in the midst of a crisis after high levels of lead and other metals have leached from their pipes. Music by The Red Thread.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The lifting of UN sanctions on Iran reconnects a potentially vibrant emerging economy to world markets. Siona Jenkins asks Najmeh Bozorgmehr, Tehran correspondent, Martin Arnold, banking editor, and Anjli Raval, oil correspondent, how soon the country is likely to see results.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.