Behind the Money

In November, online fast-fashion giant Shein filed paperwork to go public in the US. Since then the process has not moved forward at all — and it looks like Shein’s ties to Beijing could be to blame. The FT’s China tech correspondent Eleanor Olcott explains how Shein has tried to distance itself from China to appease US regulators, and where it might go public instead. Clips from Reuters, Bloomberg, Yahoo Finance- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:Shein switches focus to London after New York IPO stallsShein’s London IPO flirtationShein profits double to over $2bn ahead of planned listingFund managers give cool reception to prospect of Shein London IPO- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - On X, follow Eleanor Olcott (@EleanorOlcott) and Saffeya Ahmed (@saffeya_ahmed).Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

The 2024 NBA Playoffs are in full swing, but eyes are still on a team that was knocked out last week. The Minnesota Timberwolves are caught up in an ownership dispute that’s gone south pretty fast, after two prospective buyers attempted to finance their purchase of the team in an unconventional way. The FT’s US sports business correspondent Sara Germano breaks down how the deal came together, fell apart, and the can of worms it’s since opened about owning US sports teams. Clips from Bleacher Report, FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul, KARE 11, House of Highlights, The Dane Moore NBA Podcast- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:The off-the-court fight for one of the NBA’s hottest teamsPrivate equity gears up for potential National Football League investmentsMichael Jordan agrees to sell majority stake in NBA’s Charlotte HornetsMark Cuban’s Mavericks bet- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - On X, follow Sara Germano (@germanotes) and Saffeya Ahmed (@saffeya_ahmed).Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

This week, we’re revisiting an episode from last November, about a Wall Street saga that lost shareholders more than $10bn. In 2007, when Dan Och took his hedge fund public, he was making a bet that his company would stand the test of time. More than 15 years, a bribery scandal, and a feud with his protégé later, the FT’s Ortenca Aliaj and Sujeet Indap explain how things did not work out as planned. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:Sculptor Capital: grey areas cause grey hairs in messy bidding warFight over Sculptor hedge fund sale entwined in Daniel Och’s tax affairsSale of Sculptor Capital on cusp of approval after hedge fund brawl- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - On X, follow Ortenca Aliaj (@OrtencaAl), Sujeet Indap (@sindap) and Michela Tindera (@mtindera07), or follow Michela on LinkedIn for updates about the show and more. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

Episode description: Audit firms are supposed to put a company’s books under the microscope. But these days, regulators are finding an increasing number of flaws in the audits that they inspect. The FT’s US accounting editor Stephen Foley explains what’s going wrong, and how regulators around the world plan to fix these shortcomings. Clips from CNN, NBC News - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:Why don’t auditors find fraud?Auditors failed to raise alarm before 75% of UK corporate collapsesBig Four firms rethink governance after year of mis-steps and scandals - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - On X, follow Stephen Foley (@stephenfoley) and Michela Tindera (@mtindera07), or follow Michela on LinkedIn for updates about the show and more.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

Introducing Power for Sale, a new season of Untold from the Financial Times. In Untold: Power for Sale, host Valentina Pop and a team of FT correspondents from all over Europe investigate what happened in the Qatargate scandal, where EU lawmakers were accused of accepting payments from Qatar to whitewash its image.Subscribe and listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Late last year, Warren Buffett’s close business confidant Charlie Munger died at 99. Munger’s death and Buffett’s upcoming 94th birthday have renewed questions about the future of Berkshire Hathaway. What will the empire he’s built look like after he’s no longer at the helm? Behind the Money and the FT’s senior corporate finance correspondent Eric Platt travel to Omaha, Nebraska for Berkshire Hathaway’s annual shareholder meeting, to get a better sense of how the next generation will lead America’s “last great” conglomerate.  Clips from CNBC- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:Berkshire after Buffett: is Greg Abel up to the top job?Berkshire after Buffett: prized energy business faces upheavalBerkshire after Buffett: the risk ‘genius’ pulling the insurance stringsBerkshire after Buffett: can any stockpicker follow the Oracle?- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - On X, follow Eric Platt (@ericgplatt) and Michela Tindera (@mtindera07), or follow Michela on LinkedIn for updates about the show and more.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

In a new season of Tech Tonic, longtime FT China reporter Jame Kynge travels around the world to see how China is pushing towards tech supremacy. Will China be able to get an edge in crucial technological areas? What does China’s attempt to leapfrog the west look like on the ground? A 6-part series looking at China’s tech industry.Presented by James Kynge. Edwin Lane is the senior producer. The producer is Josh Gabert-Doyon. Executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Sound design by Breen Turner and Samantha Giovinco, with original music from Metaphor Music. The FT’s head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.

Three years ago, chaos struck Wall Street. Companies saw their share prices tumble, seemingly out of nowhere. Major banks lost billions of dollars in the fallout. Eventually, that chaos was linked to a family office, Archegos Capital Management, and its founder Bill Hwang. This week, Hwang heads to trial in New York, where he faces charges including racketeering, and securities and wire fraud. The FT’s US legal correspondent Joe Miller examines the “novel” case prosecutors plan to pursue. Clips from CNBC, Fox Business- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:‘To what end?’: the murky question of Bill Hwang’s motive in Archegos trialArchegos founder’s charity was financial ‘escape pod’, suit allegesHedge funds and brokers take aim at post-Archegos trading reforms- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - On X, follow Joe Miller (@JoeMillerJr) and Michela Tindera (@mtindera07), or follow Michela on LinkedIn for updates about the show and more.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

For decades, countries in the Middle East have dominated the oil market, pumping large quantities of the world’s supply. Along with that has come a pattern: when there’s conflict in the region, oil prices rise. The pattern seems to be breaking though, mainly because of one thing: US shale. The FT’s Myles McCormick explains how production in the country shifted oil’s epicentre away from the Middle East, and how long that may last. Clips from Al Jazeera, CBS, CNN- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:How US shale keeps sheltering America from the next oil price surgeOn markets and geopolitics, it is a mistake to forget about shaleWhy oil prices remain steady even as Middle East tensions escalate- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - On X, follow Myles McCormick (@mylesmccormick_) and Michela Tindera (@mtindera07), or follow Michela on LinkedIn for updates about the show and more. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com