FT News Briefing

Chancellor John Healey has targeted banks, savers and property owners in his Autumn Budget, Benjamin Netanyahu holds the lead in Israel’s election but there’s no clear winner yet, and one of the oldest American law firms told partners that it should dissolve. Plus, the Federal Reserve kept US borrowing costs on hold days before midterm elections, and Google shares fell sharply after boosting its spending on AI to more than $50bn in the third quarter.Mentioned in this podcast:John Healey hits banks and savers with tax rises in Budget ‘for working people’What’s next for Burnham after the Budget?The fear factor giving Netanyahu the edgeBenjamin Netanyahu ahead but no clear winner in Israeli electionWeil leadership to tell partners firm should be dissolvedGoogle shares drop 7% after $51bn AI spend deepens cash burnFederal Reserve holds rates steady despite worsening US inflationCredit: Federal ReserveWant to get in touch? Email us at podcasts@ft.comNote: The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcastsThe FT News Briefing is produced by Sonja Hutson, Saffeya Ahmed, and Josh Gabert-Doyon. Our editor is Marc Filippino. Our video producer is Zachary Alfred. Our show is mixed by Sam Giovinco and Alex Higgins. Additional help from Gavin Kallmann, Michael Lello, Vanessa Brown, Peter Barber and David da Silva. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Flo Phillips is the FT’s global head of audio. The show’s theme music is by Metaphor Music.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

Washington and Moscow are discussing a potential return by American companies to the Russian oil market as a localised ceasefire begins in the Ukrainian town of Oleshky, exit polls suggest there’s no clear winner in the Israel elections, and Brazil’s president is facing down a fiscal reckoning after winning re-election. Plus, China AI stocks are in a bear market, and UK chancellor John Healey will unveil the Autumn Budget.Mentioned in this podcast:Washington discusses Russian deals for US oil majors in Ukraine peace talksVladimir Putin speaks with Norwegian and Finnish leadersRussia and Ukraine begin local ceasefire in frontline cityWhat happens next after Israel’s election?Lula faces a fiscal reckoning after Brazil’s market routFlávio Bolsonaro’s passport cancelled as reports say he has fled BrazilThe AI bubble already popped — in ChinaTech stocks gain as AI trade revivesWant to get in touch? Email us at podcasts@ft.comNote: The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcastsThe FT News Briefing is produced by Sonja Hutson, Saffeya Ahmed, and Josh Gabert-Doyon. Our editor is Marc Filippino. Our video producer is Zachary Alfred. Our show is mixed by Sam Giovinco and Alex Higgins. Additional help from Gavin Kallmann, Michael Lello, Vanessa Brown, Peter Barber and David da Silva. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Flo Phillips is the FT’s global head of audio. The show’s theme music is by Metaphor Music.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

Anthropic has unveiled its long-awaited listing prospectus, Israelis have begun voting in an election that many regard as the most important in the country’s near-80-year history, and Donald Trump Jr went on a hunting trip with a Kremlin-linked oligarch. Plus, European holidaymakers are flying to South America.Mentioned in this podcast:Anthropic begins countdown to IPO with prospectus filing‘Bold but sane’: what we learnt from Anthropic’s 240,000-word IPO filingIsraelis go to the polls in historic electionInside Donald Trump Jr’s Mongolian hunting trip with a Kremlin-linked oligarchIran war drives European holidaymakers towards South AmericaWant to get in touch? Email us at podcasts@ft.comNote: The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcastsThe FT News Briefing is produced by Sonja Hutson, Saffeya Ahmed, and Josh Gabert-Doyon. Our editor is Marc Filippino. Our video producer is Zachary Alfred. Our show is mixed by Sam Giovinco and Alex Higgins. Additional help from Gavin Kallmann, Michael Lello, Vanessa Brown, Peter Barber and David da Silva. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Flo Phillips is the FT’s global head of audio. The show’s theme music is by Metaphor Music.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

The leftwinger’s victory comes after a loss in the first election round. Meanwhile, US voters are worried about corruption under the Trump administration a week ahead of the crucial midterm elections. Plus, a top Deloitte boss got a big pay bump last year as the consultancy cut jobs, Toyota is entering the humanoid robot race and Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel laureate María Corina Machado has returned to the country.This episode updates and replaces an earlier version of the show with the results of the Brazil election.Mentioned in this podcast:How Lula turned his election fortunes around in three weeksUS voters worried about corruption under Trump — FT pollDeloitte boss Houston gets 45% pay rise as firm cuts jobsToyota takes on Tesla and China in humanoid robot raceVenezuelan opposition leader Machado returns from exileWant to get in touch? Email us at podcasts@ft.comNote: The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcastsThe FT News Briefing is produced by Sonja Hutson, Saffeya Ahmed, and Josh Gabert-Doyon. Our editor is Marc Filippino. Our video producer is Zachary Alfred. Our show is mixed by Sam Giovinco and Alex Higgins. Additional help from Gavin Kallmann, Michael Lello, Vanessa Brown, Peter Barber and David da Silva. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Flo Phillips is the FT’s global head of audio. The show’s theme music is by Metaphor Music.

Serbia’s former president Aleksandar Vučić conceded defeat in the country’s parliamentary election on Sunday. Meanwhile, US voters are worried about corruption under the Trump administration a week ahead of the crucial midterm elections. Plus, a top Deloitte boss got a big pay bump last year as the consultancy cut jobs, Toyota is entering the humanoid robot race, and Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel laureate María Corina Machado has returned to the country.Mentioned in this podcast:Serbia’s ex-president Vučić concedes defeat to Student List in parliamentary pollUS voters worried about corruption under Trump — FT pollDeloitte boss Houston gets 45% pay rise as firm cuts jobsToyota takes on Tesla and China in humanoid robot raceVenezuelan opposition leader Machado returns from exileWant to get in touch? Email us at podcasts@ft.comNote: The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcastsThe FT News Briefing is produced by Sonja Hutson, Saffeya Ahmed, and Josh Gabert-Doyon. Our editor is Marc Filippino. Our video producer is Zachary Alfred. Our show is mixed by Sam Giovinco and Alex Higgins. Additional help from Gavin Kallmann, Michael Lello, Vanessa Brown, Peter Barber and David da Silva. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Flo Phillips is the FT’s global head of audio. The show’s theme music is by Metaphor Music.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

The FT sat down with more than a dozen voters in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, ahead of next week’s midterm elections. The roundtable discussion showed that some are staunch supporters of President Donald Trump and some feel a bit more on the fence. But it seems almost all of them feel unsure about the direction of the nation. The FT’s Washington bureau chief James Politi tells Sonja Hutson what he learned from the talks.Listen to all episodes of The Bethlehem Project here. ‘I still do generally support him’: US voters weigh in on Donald Trump and the midtermsThe Bethlehem Project is hosted and produced by Sonja Hutson and edited by Marc Filippino. This episode was mixed by Sam Giovinco. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. The FT’s global head of audio is Flo Phillips. Special thanks to Pierre Nicholson.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

As Americans prepare to vote in the November 3 midterm elections, FT chief economics commentator Martin Wolf asks what the result will mean for Donald Trump, the future of US democracy and America's place in the world. In the second of a six-part series of interviews with leading historians and political analysts, Martin speaks to Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and author Anne Applebaum about the global stakes of November’s elections. They discuss the parallels between Trump’s America and other authoritarian regimes and what the US’s changing role means for Europe and Ukraine. Even if Trump suffers a political setback, can the US ever regain the trust of its allies?To enjoy future episodes, be sure to subscribe to ‘Martin Wolf on the World’ wherever you get your podcasts. You can also watch Martin’s podcast series on the FT’s YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@FinancialTimesHost: Martin WolfProducer: Mischa Frankl-DuvalSenior producer: Laurence KnightExecutive producer: Manuela SaragosaVideo editor: Claire JustinSenior Audio Engineer: Breen TurnerBroadcast engineers: Andrew GeorgiadisPodcast development: Laura ClarkeFT Global Head of Audio: Flo PhillipsLearn more at www.ft.com/martin-wolf-on-the-worldRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com

Global stocks sold off as AI spending fears flare up, Brazilians will vote this weekend in a close presidential race, and the US is prepared for a lengthy stalemate in the war with Iran. Plus, how banks are reacting to a potential tax rise from UK chancellor John Healey, and why are western pharmaceutical companies heading to China?Mentioned in this podcast:Meta sell-off drags US tech stocks lower as AI spending fears flare upUS prepared for protracted Iran stalemateShould UK banks be taxed more?Lula turns to selfie videos in Brazil election fightbackFlávio Bolsonaro, scion of a Brazilian political dynasty now eyeing victoryChina’s rapid human trials draw western drugmakers — and safety concernsWant to get in touch? Email us at podcasts@ft.comNote: The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcastsThe FT News Briefing is produced by Sonja Hutson, Saffeya Ahmed, and Josh Gabert-Doyon. Our editor is Marc Filippino. Our video producer is Zachary Alfred. Our show is mixed by Sam Giovinco and Alex Higgins. Additional help from Gavin Kallmann, Michael Lello, Vanessa Brown, Peter Barber and David da Silva. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Flo Phillips is the FT’s global head of audio. The show’s theme music is by Metaphor Music.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

Meta plans to create a new class of non-voting shares, Mathias Döpfner, chief executive and co-owner of Germany’s Axel Springer, has sought to acquire a stake in TikTok’s European operations, and US envoy Steve Witkoff discussed resuming peace talks between Russia, the US and Ukraine. Plus, can Elon Musk pull off a merger of SpaceX and Tesla?Mentioned in this podcast:Meta to create new non-voting share classTesla’s profits slip on weaker vehicle salesPolitico and Telegraph owner pitched deal to buy European arm of TikTokRockets, robots and risk: Elon Musk’s $3.6tn gamble to merge Tesla and SpaceXWhat Elon Musk stands to gain from a Tesla-SpaceX mergerTrump envoy floats Ukraine talks and summit with Putin and XiItaly’s buffalo mozzarella production grinds to a halt in truckers’ strikeWant to get in touch? Email us at podcasts@ft.comNote: The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcastsThe FT News Briefing is produced by Sonja Hutson, Saffeya Ahmed, and Josh Gabert-Doyon. Our editor is Marc Filippino. Our video producer is Zachary Alfred. Our show is mixed by Sam Giovinco, Kelly Garry and Alex Higgins. Additional help from Gavin Kallmann, Michael Lello, Vanessa Brown, Peter Barber and David da Silva. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Flo Phillips is the FT’s global head of audio. The show’s theme music is by Metaphor Music.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com