Behind the Money

Tech companies such as Google, Amazon and Microsoft need loads of electricity to power their artificial intelligence goals, and they are looking into all options, including nuclear power, to achieve them. That’s why Microsoft has partnered with a utility company to restart a reactor at Three Mile Island, the site of the worst nuclear disaster in US history. The FT's US energy editor Jamie Smyth explains what challenges lie ahead with a 2028 deadline looming.  Clips from CBS News, ABC News, WNEP- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:Restart of Three Mile Island tests US appetite for nuclear revivalResurgent US electricity demand sparks power grid warnings Big Tech’s dash for nuclear power- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Follow Jamie Smyth and Michela Tindera on X (@JamieSmythF) (@mtindera07), on Bluesky (@jamiesmythft.bsky.social), (@mtindera.bsky.social) or follow Michela on LinkedIn for updates about the show and more. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

This week, Michela joins live from the FT’s Global Banking Summit in London. She sits down with three reporters and editors to analyse how the banking industry will shape up during Donald Trump’s second term in the White House. She’s joined by the FT’s US financial editor Brooke Masters and banking editor Ortenca Aliaj alongside Michael Klimes, investment banking and capital markets editor at The Banker. They discuss what banks stand to gain and lose, and what the industry may look like four years from now. The conversation was recorded on December 3 2024. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:A Wall Street giddy over Trump should remember historyIn Donald Trump, Wall Street will get what it wanted — and what it did notTrump 2.0: winners, losers and Elon- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Michela recently joined Bluesky, follow her there: @mtindera.bsky.social, Her guests are also on Bluesky: Brooke Masters (@brookeamasters.bsky.social) and Ortenca Aliaj (@ortenca.bsky.social), or follow Michael Klimes reporting at FT’s The Banker (@thebanker.bsky.social) Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

Not long ago, the Swedish battery maker Northvolt was seen as Europe's best hope for staying competitive with other global players during the green transition. Investors flocked to it, and it even became the continent’s best funded startup. But things look very different now. The company is fighting for survival and even filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November. The FT’s Nordic and Baltic bureau chief Richard Milne spent years reporting on Northvolt and explains its meteoric rise and what its implosion means for Europe’s battery industry. Clip from Aftonbladet- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:How Europe’s battery champion descended into crisis‘There was so much promise’: How Northvolt tumbled into bankruptcyThe Northvolt dilemma: can European EVs avoid relying on Asian batteries?- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - On X, follow Richard Milne (@rmilneNordic) 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

This week, we’re going back to Omaha, Nebraska. Behind the Money and the FT’s senior corporate finance correspondent travelled there this spring to attend Berkshire Hathaway’s annual shareholder meeting. America’s “last great” conglomerate is preparing for a leadership transition, and we examined what Warren Buffett’s empire will look like after he’s no longer at the helm. 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. 

Lately, China’s economy has been in the doldrums, with the risk of a “deflationary spiral” lurking. Plus, toss in the election of Donald Trump in the US — and reaching the economic goals President Xi Jinping set more than a decade ago looks even more difficult. The FT’s China bureau chief Joe Leahy examines Beijing’s latest plans to fix the country’s economy and whether it will be enough to keep up with Xi’s long-term plans for growth.  Clips from Bloomberg, CBS, Yahoo Finance - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:Why Xi Jinping changed his mind on China’s fiscal stimulusWhy China is betting on local governments to spur the economyIf China’s statistics can’t be scrutinised, doubts about the economy will only grow- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - On X, follow Joe Leahy (@leahyjoseph) 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

Private equity earned a reputation as a ruthless and lucrative business. But over the past few years, large groups have been doing something that seems like the opposite of their cutthroat image: giving equity worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to the ordinary workers at the companies they own. Antoine Gara, the FT’s US private & institutional capital correspondent, explains how these payouts make business sense for private equity firms – and help soften their tough image.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:Workers getting share in windfalls as private equity firms soften imagePrivate equity groups’ assets struggling under hefty debt loads, Moody’s saysBlackstone plans to list some of its largest investments - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - On X, follow Antoine Gara (@antoinegara) 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

On November 5, voters in the US will head to the polls to decide who should be the next president: Donald Trump or Kamala Harris. But over the past several months, people from around the world have been placing millions of dollars on who will win that race. As interest in betting on US politics reaches a new high, the FT’s Oliver Roeder and Sam Learner explain how these markets work and what can (and can’t) be learned from them. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:Prediction markets can tell the future. Why is the US so afraid of them?Take political betting markets literally, not seriouslyWhat the polls can’t tell us about America’s election- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Attend the FT Global Banking Summit, December 3 and 4 in London: Enter BTM20 for a 20% discount (applicable on all ticket types), register here.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

Activist investors tend to rely on an element of surprise to catch their target company off guard: quietly building up a stake and swooping in with a slide deck full of strategic changes at just the right moment. That’s not what happened at the beginning of a recent campaign led by the hedge fund Starboard Value against pharmaceutical giant Pfizer. The FT’s Oliver Barnes, US pharmaceutical and biotech correspondent, and Maria Heeter, US deals correspondent, examine what went awry and what happens next.    Clips from CBS, ABC, CNBC, NBC   - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:Starboard plotted a campaign against Pfizer’s chief. Then a blank email dropped in his inboxWhy Pfizer sorely needs the activist treatment Starboard-Pfizer battle strains Guggenheim’s relationship with drugmaker- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - On X, follow Oliver Barnes (@mroliverbarnes), Maria Heeter (@HeeterMaria) and Michela Tindera (@mtindera07), or follow Michela on LinkedIn for updates about the show and more. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Attend the FT Global Banking Summit, December 3 and 4 in London: Enter BTM20 for a 20% discount (applicable on all ticket types), register here.  Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com