FT News Briefing

This is the podcast about doing work differently. Join host Isabel Berwick every Wednesday for expert analysis and watercooler chat about ahead-of-the-curve workplace trends, the big ideas shaping work today — and the old habits we need to leave behind.  Subscribe on Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/working-it/id1591925469 On Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/5vNDHxEOc1pI1acJS7He5e Or wherever you get your podcasts. The wellness industry is a trillion-dollar business, and the pandemic has turbo-charged it. One of the biggest trends has been the rise in employers buying their staff access to meditation and fitness apps. But does this ‘quick fix’ approach work? And are there better ways to boost wellbeing ?  Isabel talks to Lorna Borenstein, chief executive of Grokker, a corporate wellness app about the reasons why she set up the platform and how clients and her own staff use it. It’s all part of a culture of taking care of employees - a topic Lorna has explored more deeply in her book It’s Personal, offering advice to other managers on how to help staff feel better [tl;dr: talk less, listen more].We also speak to FT colleague Emma Jacobs, about the corporate care culture. She is a little more skeptical.  We would love to hear from you - email us at workingit@ft.com. You can also follow @isabelberwick on Twitter and Instagram or reach out via email: isabel.berwick@ft.com. Thanks.  Mentioned in the podcast and other interesting reading: - Emma Jacobs’ prophetic pre-pandemic guide to workplace wellness by app: https://www.ft.com/content/d1d58aae-437c-11ea-abea-0c7a29cd66fe - FT series, Burnout: https://www.ft.com/burnout - Deloitte report [2020] on employee mental health showing £5 benefit for every £1 spent: https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/pages/consulting/articles/mental-health-and-employers-refreshing-the-case-for-investment.html   - Video, Emma Jacobs on how to detox from your smartphone: https://www-ft-com.newman.richmond.edu/video/b4115321-b915-3a42-9814-ad0be4c0e7f5?playlist-name=section-0b83bc44-4a55-4958-882e-73ba6b2b0aa6&playlist-offset=206 Presented by Isabel Berwick. Editorial direction from Renée Kaplan. Assistant producer is Persis Love. Sound design is by Breen Turner, with original music from Metaphor Music. Produced by Novel.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com https://www.ft.com/content/e66c93b1-996c-48ea-9a13-597410ec7e47 Facebook is changing its name to Meta, and the European Central Bank is proving a tough read for bond investors, and what are those ads appearing in London’s transit system advertising a new “meme” coin Floki Inu? Plus, the New York Stock Exchange has the last open outcry trading floor. We’ll take you there to meet some of the people who work there, and find out what humans bring to market quality.  Facebook changes name to Meta in corporate rebranding  https://www.ft.com/content/b20fd8ea-2dda-45ad-aa15-1ed7a7e5e46f How coronavirus turned the business of trading at banks on its head https://www.ft.com/content/8066154d-83c4-49a6-97d4-4c3c65684136 ECB keeps buying bonds and leaves rates unchanged despite rising inflation https://www.ft.com/content/c1246d03-0902-4766-95c9-866324f22c99 ‘Meme’ coin seeks to tap crypto craze with London ad barrage https://www.ft.com/content/b4da6160-a632-423b-8d8b-ca86489f1d22 The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon and Marc Filippino. The show’s editor is Jess Smith. Additional help by Peter Barber, Gavin Kallmann and Michael Bruning. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com https://www.ft.com/content/c0ee2974-0e6d-43b4-ae05-6c4be9aea94f Activist hedge fund Third Point is pressuring Royal Dutch Shell to break itself up, and Israel’s coalition government is trying to find its footing in a post-Netanyahu era. Plus, the FT’s global finance correspondent, Robin Wigglesworth, explains what makes him wary of private markets.  Activist fund Third Point calls for break-up of Shell - with Derek Brower  https://www.ft.com/content/b4fc6926-e991-43ca-9ac8-3b1478c23dd5 Israel breaks out of its global isolation https://www.ft.com/content/a67207a6-e2ec-41f3-a29d-f28d202468aa Moody’s warns of ‘systemic risks’ in private credit industry  https://www.ft.com/content/862d0efb-09e5-4d92-b8aa-7856a59adb20 The dangerous private capital party - with Robin Wigglesworth  https://www.ft.com/content/0db2f539-8860-461b-9435-35e971581629 The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon and Marc Filippino. The show’s editor is Jess Smith. Additional help by Peter Barber, Gavin Kallmann and Michael Bruning. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com https://www.ft.com/content/8bb01ecf-622f-462f-b090-6cf5fa69a2ec Trading app Robinhood’s third-quarter earnings flopped, Google’s parent company Alphabet smashes expectations, and UK chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to commit to fiscal discipline when he announces his budget today. Plus, the FT’s eastern European correspondent, James Shotter, explains how Poland has become one of the biggest thorns in the EU’s side.  Robinhood disappoints as crypto activity fades - with Madison Darbyshire https://www.ft.com/content/b891e200-da57-4dcb-bda4-e0bcc6de228e Alphabet and Microsoft smash estimates with $110bn revenue haul https://www.ft.com/content/273aeecb-57a8-40f8-a2ba-8a21a635b289 Sunak to commit to fiscal discipline in Budget - with Chris Giles  https://www.ft.com/content/3fe18137-a4cf-4bd1-9985-1669b808016b How Poland became Europe’s biggest rebel - with James Shotter  https://www.ft.com/content/d59e9054-95ba-4093-b1cf-3ead1bae0982 The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon and Marc Filippino. The show’s editor is Jess Smith. Additional help by Peter Barber, Gavin Kallmann and Michael Bruning. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com https://www.ft.com/content/910fcfd8-05e8-43c3-8a30-dc8388964302 Tesla has become the first carmaker to be valued at $1tn, and internal documents from inside Facebook continue to reveal troubling company practices. Plus, FT workplace columnist Sarah O’Connor explains that “green jobs” aren’t always safe for workers.  Tesla soars past $1tn in market value https://www.ft.com/content/4eb7504e-94ef-4f99-937d-807aa159b282 Not all green jobs are safe and clean https://www.ft.com/content/111f9600-f440-47fb-882f-4a5e3c96fae2 Four revelations from the Facebook Papers https://www.ft.com/content/80550e88-eee8-475e-aada-d3d4618a3ff6 The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon and Marc Filippino. The show’s editor is Jess Smith. Additional help by Peter Barber, Gavin Kallmann and Michael Bruning. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com https://www.ft.com/content/08263cf5-1d37-4296-a43f-4bf006e5a03a Poland’s prime minister has accused the EU of making demands with a “gun to our head,” Russian mercenaries are wreaking havoc in the Central African Republic. Plus, the FT’s Ed White discusses the global popularity of South Korea’s entertainment industry, and why China’s recent crackdowns might threaten its success.  Poland’s prime minister accuses EU of making demands with ‘gun to our head’ https://www.ft.com/content/ac57409d-20c9-4d65-9a5d-6661277cd9af Russian mercenaries leave trail of destruction in the Central African Republic https://www.ft.com/content/020de965-429e-4fb9-9eed-f7e4370514b3 South Korean companies face own ‘Squid Game’ in Xi Jinping’s China https://www.ft.com/content/c0d19bf4-4e5b-4f61-8905-d1abc9d2664c The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon and Marc Filippino. The show’s editor is Jess Smith. Additional help by Peter Barber, Gavin Kallmann and Michael Bruning. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com https://www.ft.com/content/7be2e128-c34c-45fb-991a-1d6f16ba3cd9 The US Federal Reserve has adopted new rules banning its policymakers and senior staff from buying individual shares and a number of other investments; Donald Trump announced plans to launch a media technology business that is set to go public after it merged with a Spac on Thursday. Plus, Turkey’s central bank has defied warnings from the business world and opposition parties by slashing its main interest rate despite rising inflation and an ailing currency; short-seller Hindenburg Research has set its sights on Tether and launched a $1m “bounty” programme for information on the stablecoin company at the centre of the global cryptocurrency market.  US Federal Reserve bans officials from trading shares in wake of scandal https://www.ft.com/content/0b99a7a9-21be-4e67-a135-14bba49d6216 Trump to launch social media platform to compete with Twitter and Facebook https://www.ft.com/content/0c989fd1-2e1a-4509-a478-02bb494f40de Turkish lira tumbles as central bank slashes interest rate https://www.ft.com/content/53d3e970-c71e-42d5-b38b-6e8ca2d32c35 Short-seller Hindenburg sets $1m ‘bounty’ for details on Tether’s reserves https://www.ft.com/content/5b62d83d-c5f0-4586-b68c-b6facaba83a4 The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon and Marc Filippino. The show’s editor is Jess Smith. Additional help by Peter Barber, Gavin Kallmann and Michael Bruning. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com https://www.ft.com/content/9c52937f-8f75-4d9d-8a62-8479a818ef45 The ECB is pushing banks to add hundreds of extra staff and billions of extra capital to their post-Brexit operations, and Turkey could be ‘grey-listed’ today by a global financial watchdog. Plus, the FT’s Middle East editor, Andrew England, explains that Saudi Arabia is turning to women to boost employment.  VOTE: The FT News Briefing has been nominated for the Lovie Awards news & politics podcast category!   https://vote.lovieawards.com/PublicVoting#/2021/podcasts/general-series/news-politics ECB pushes banks to beef up their post-Brexit plans https://www.ft.com/content/39591ec1-98ca-4b47-9aa7-2cb184127d9f Turkey faces threat of ‘grey-listing’ by global finance watchdog https://www.ft.com/content/74ff270e-6f1d-489f-802b-cd9b36c86fa3 Saudi attitudes to women in the workplace change as job market gets kickstart https://www.ft.com/content/55ec5e7a-a520-4969-ab90-f5b528c6c3f9 The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon and Marc Filippino. The show’s editor is Jess Smith. Additional help by Peter Barber, Gavin Kallmann and Michael Bruning. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com https://www.ft.com/content/a263a468-2f91-490c-896c-a232866afb4e China has told McDonald’s to expand a digital renminbi payments system at restaurants across the country before the Beijing Winter Olympics; and about a quarter of all US infrastructure is at risk of serious flooding, which could hit prices in the $4tn municipal bond market. Plus, the FT’s Sam Jones discusses the scandal that led to the spectacular downfall of former Austrian chancellor Sebastian Kurz and what could be next for the country.  VOTE: The FT News Briefing has been nominated for the Lovie Awards news & politics podcast category!   https://vote.lovieawards.com/PublicVoting#/2021/podcasts/general-series/news-politics Beijing presses McDonald's to expand e-currency system before Olympics https://www.ft.com/content/1f4274f4-b914-4534-89c0-62b9b7763f2b Flooding could leave billions of US municipal debt under water https://www.ft.com/content/da0ac736-7c38-4f93-baaf-e315a51faf22 Rise and fall: the scandal that toppled Austria’s Sebastian Kurz https://www.ft.com/content/fc574b47-195c-4e7f-a442-12b6c8f0c97d WeWork to make belated arrival on stock market after Spac merger https://www.ft.com/content/258121b8-299e-4993-91d9-cb2a18d387f4 The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon and Marc Filippino. The show’s editor is Jess Smith. Additional help by Peter Barber, Gavin Kallmann and Michael Bruning. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com https://www.ft.com/content/ad0b0068-1100-49b9-bc88-2055e1936efc A bitcoin-linked ETF is on track to debut on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday, marking the first time regular investors will be able to gain exposure to cryptocurrencies through a big Wall Street bourse; China’s hypersonic missile test stuns the US military and intelligence community; and the FT’s Tokyo bureau chief, Kana Inagaki, spoke to Japan’s minister for economic security about the country’s new semiconductor strategy.  Bitcoin exchange traded funds prepare for US debut https://www.ft.com/content/d7601039-e98e-47c8-97af-79f96c2c3d94 China tests new space capability with hypersonic missile https://www.ft.com/content/ba0a3cde-719b-4040-93cb-a486e1f843fb Japan plans long-term strategy to build semiconductor resilience https://www.ft.com/content/f59173b6-211c-4446-aa57-5c9b78d602c2 The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon and Marc Filippino. The show’s editor is Jess Smith. Additional help by Peter Barber, Gavin Kallmann, Michael Bruning, and Persis Love. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com https://www.ft.com/content/2d52df0d-ba41-45e3-9a0f-bb72a22f7d7c The rising cost of fuel is threatening airlines’ recovery from the pandemic. Plus, a listener asked us if economic growth is tied to population growth. The FT’s statistical journalist, Federica Cocco, has been exploring this very question and says the answer is more complex than it may seem.  Fuel price spike threatens airlines’ recovery from pandemic https://www.ft.com/content/cb53e204-362d-4dd1-b84d-9e697b92e692 Do you have a financial or economic question you want us to answer? Email Marc at marc.filippino@ft.com.  The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon and Marc Filippino. The show’s editor is Jess Smith. Additional help by Peter Barber, Gavin Kallmann, Michael Bruning, and Persis Love. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com https://www.ft.com/content/50168b7b-c72d-4443-965f-4a26d79f6a40 Fumio Kishida talks to the FT in his first interview as Japan’s new prime minister, an academic paper suggests that entry into the S&P 500 could be influenced by whether companies buy other services from the index’s parent company S&P Global. Plus, the FT’s Pilita Clark explains that Ted Lasso has been a surprise hit on the networking site LinkedIn because of the leadership lessons in the comedy series. Prime minister Fumio Kishida pledges to steer Japan away from Abenomics https://www.ft.com/content/ffa6754f-3c12-4729-921d-aa2acc5e96ee Entry into S&P 500 could be influenced by ratings sales, research suggests https://www.ft.com/content/bf66d606-b2a2-4f79-a93e-908e7bb9425a Ted Lasso’s leadership lessons https://www.ft.com/content/238bca26-c48e-4d36-b00a-6e30eee28250 The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon and Marc Filippino. The show’s editor is Jess Smith. Additional help by Peter Barber, Gavin Kallmann, Michael Bruning, and Persis Love. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com https://www.ft.com/content/d8781394-95a8-4411-9f19-69ddbb7e3200 UK ministers trying to fund the government’s ‘levelling up’ agenda are looking to relax rules shielding tens of millions of retirement savers from high charges, Latin American tech start-ups are attracting more investment than south-east Asia. Plus, the FT’s business columnist, Helen Thomas, explains why women entrepreneurs are locked out of venture capital circles that are dominated by men.   Pension savers face risk of higher fees as Sunak seeks billions for ‘levelling up’ https://www.ft.com/content/a8cad0f1-fd85-40ed-aa19-e71728f10825 How Latin America became tech’s next big frontier - with Michael Stott  https://www.ft.com/content/5440b1cf-3523-4a4d-96bc-07a2c2132069 Start-up finance is a closed shop for women - with Helen Thomas  https://www.ft.com/content/60caa57e-d40d-4d6f-974a-1d14a3798d27 China/inflation: soy sauce price rise serves up global warning https://www.ft.com/content/9f8f6fea-467e-4bd8-aad2-77baf831dbdd The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon and Marc Filippino. The show’s editor is Jess Smith. Additional help by Peter Barber, Gavin Kallmann, Michael Bruning, and Persis Love. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com https://www.ft.com/content/9a0a8048-a6e1-4557-8b0a-37fb5bf67e84 The global economy is entering a phase of inflationary risk, the IMF warned on Tuesday, as it called on central banks to be “very, very vigilant” and take early action to tighten monetary policy should price pressures prove persistent; resurgent consumer demand in the US is feeding hopes of a strong holiday shopping season but that demand is further straining supply chains and many large retailers are stocking up on merchandise much earlier than usual; and a huge solar array on Colorado’s southern High Plains will officially launch this week, giving green energy proponents a new beacon for their cause. IMF warns of need to be ‘very, very vigilant’ over rising inflation risks - with Colby Smith  https://www.ft.com/content/f73d584f-fb2a-4a2f-ab8a-fa759031fa59 Georgieva keeps job but close decision leaves cloud over IMF - with Colby Smith  https://www.ft.com/content/f0db92e6-38f4-44e6-ba54-831b8b526dcf US Christmas retail crush comes early as supply chains buckle - with Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson  https://www.ft.com/content/600b73e9-df2b-4748-8201-6ae8bb1213bf Solar-powered steel mill blazes trail for green energy transition - with Derek Brower  https://www.ft.com/content/f6693948-2c3d-4508-96cf-c374ef0fa6ad The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon and Marc Filippino. The show’s editor is Jess Smith. Additional help by Peter Barber, Gavin Kallmann, Michael Bruning, and Persis Love. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com https://www.ft.com/content/ee0421e8-e101-4b0b-811e-0125c6be2449 Henry Kravis and George Roberts stepped down from KKR on Monday after nearly half a century in charge of one of the most formidable financial enterprises that Wall Street has ever known, the price of US crude oil hit a fresh seven-year high on Monday on fears that fuel demand was recovering faster from last year’s economic slowdown than producers could bring supply to the market, and Elon Musk hopes that Space X’s Starship will help take humans to Mars while rivals fear it will dominate US deep space exploration. US oil benchmark hits another seven-year high amid supply fears https://www.ft.com/content/fbd93abc-beae-49b1-a9dc-b648aaccdb55 Henry Kravis and George Roberts step down as KKR chiefs - with Antoine Gara https://www.ft.com/content/242ff7f2-4f31-4fc1-9f73-fe5db25260a1 SpaceX: how Elon Musk’s new rocket could transform the space race - with Richard Waters  https://www.ft.com/content/25e2292b-a910-41c8-9c55-09096895f673 Three economists share Nobel Prize for pioneering ‘natural experiments’ https://www.ft.com/content/529519b0-d799-4217-9aa6-975db28ab478 The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon and Marc Filippino. The show’s editor is Jess Smith. Additional help by Peter Barber, Gavin Kallmann, Michael Bruning, and Persis Love. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.