Hungary’s prime minister Viktor Orbán concedes, US President Donald Trump says America will launch a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz after peace talks with Iran failed, and Wall Street banks are set to report trading revenues of more than $40bn for the first quarter. Plus, Meta is building an AI version of its CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Hungary’s Orbán concedes defeat as opposition heads for landslide win

Trump announces naval blockade of Strait of Hormuz as Iran peace talks fail

Fees for seas: a history of taxing waterways

Wall Street banks set to report $40bn trading haul as war rekindles volatility

Meta builds AI version of Mark Zuckerberg to interact with staff

Credit: DWS News

Note: The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts

Today’s FT News Briefing was hosted by Victoria Craig, and produced by Saffeya Ahmed and Julia Webster. Our show was mixed by Alex Higgins. Additional help from Peter Barber. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Cheryl Brumley 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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains at a standstill, sales of used electric vehicles are surging in the US, and the International Monetary Fund is warning that the war’s shocks will be felt by the global economy for a while. Plus, the FT’s Marton Dunai gives a rundown of the upcoming Hungarian elections.

Mentioned in this podcast:

OECD urges governments to rapidly unwind costly fuel duty cuts

Refineries rush to secure oil cargoes as Iran maintains grip on Hormuz

Sales of used EVs surge in US as petrol prices pass $4 a gallon

Who is Péter Magyar, Viktor Orbán’s nemesis?

Donald Trump and JD Vance back Viktor Orbán ahead of Hungary’s election

Credit: AP Archive, C-SPAN, Reuters

Note: The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts

Today’s FT News Briefing was hosted by Victoria Craig, and produced by Saffeya Ahmed and Sonja Hutson. Our show was mixed by Sam Giovinco. Additional help from Gavin Kallmann. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Cheryl Brumley 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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Middle East ceasefire is strained, the FT’s Jamie Smyth explains how the uncertainty is hitting oil markets and Pakistan has become a mediator between the US and Iran. Plus, the data chief of the NHS has vowed to ignore controversy about Palantir while setting out plans to deeper embed the US company’s technology.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Middle East ceasefire under pressure over Israeli strikes on Lebanon

Saudi Arabia’s key east-west oil pipeline hit as Middle East energy attacks continue

Iran demands crypto fees for ships passing Hormuz during ceasefire

White House pushed Pakistan to broker temporary Iran ceasefire

NHS data chief pushes for deeper rollout of Palantir technology despite outcry

Note: The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts

Today’s FT News Briefing was hosted and edited by Marc Filippino, and produced by Saffeya Ahmed, Victoria Craig, and Sonja Hutson. Our show was mixed by Sam Giovinco. Additional help from Gavin Kallmann, and Michael Lello. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Cheryl Brumley 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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US President Donald Trump said he would “suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks” subject to Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz, hedge funds made record bets against European stocks, Turkey has sold or loaned out $20bn of gold since the outbreak of the Iran war, and a project for a German warship has turned into a defence procurement disaster. Plus, four astronauts made a historic trip around the Moon.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Middle East live blog

Hedge funds make record bets against European stocks

Europe’s rearmament meets reality: the story of a failed frigate project

Turkey’s gold sales deepen bullion slump

Artemis II astronauts head back to Earth after record-breaking Moon trip

Credit: CNN, NBC New York

Note: The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts

Today’s FT News Briefing was hosted and edited by Marc Filippino, and produced by Saffeya Ahmed, Victoria Craig, and Sonja Hutson. Our show was mixed by Sam Giovinco. Additional help from Gavin Kallmann. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Cheryl Brumley 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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US and Iran rejected each other’s peace proposals, EU officials are urging governments to avoid excessive support to offset surging energy prices, and the value of buyouts by private equity groups fell by more than a third in the first quarter of the year. Plus, Cuba is offsetting power blackouts and shortages with the help of soaring imports of solar technology from China.

Mentioned in this podcast:

US and Iran reject each other’s proposals to end war

EU warns capitals against turning energy crunch into fiscal crisis

Private equity buyouts slump as AI fears and war dent dealmaking

Power-starved Cuba deepens reliance on Chinese solar tech

Note: The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts

Today’s FT News Briefing was hosted and edited by Marc Filippino, and produced by Saffeya Ahmed and Sonja Hutson. Our show was mixed by Sam Giovinco. Additional help from Gavin Kallmann. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Cheryl Brumley 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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a special edition of the FT News Briefing, reporter Guy Chazan explains the cost of US President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. We hear from business owners and people affected by the policies in the Rio Grande Valley of south Texas.

Mentioned in this podcast:

The economic cost of Trump’s migrant crackdown

Sources: White House, Fox, ABC

Note: The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts

Today’s FT News Briefing was hosted by Victoria Craig and produced by Marc Filippino. Our show was mixed by Alex Higgins. Additional help from Gavin Kallmann. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Cheryl Brumley 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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

America’s tariff regime affected all aspects of life from the global economy to the day-to-day of average business owners. In this special episode, the FT’s US Economics Editor Claire Jones explains what changed, and what didn’t, because of those tariffs.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Listen to the rest of our Liberation Day series

Listen to Swamp Notes

Note: The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts

Today’s FT News Briefing was hosted and edited by Marc Filippino, and produced by Henry Larson. Our show was mixed by Kelly Garry. Additional help from Gavin Kallmann, Michael Lello and David da Silva. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Cheryl Brumley is the FT’s Global Head of Audio. The show’s theme music is by Metaphor Music.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Donald Trump fired US attorney-general Pam Bondi, and private credit investors are requesting their money back from Blue Owl Capital at an alarming rate. Plus, the FT’s Robert Armstrong continues our series on Trump’s tariffs with analysis of the Taco trade theory a year later.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Donald Trump fires US attorney-general Pam Bondi

Blue Owl struck by $5.4bn of redemption requests

Taco trade theory and the US market’s surprise comeback

Listen to the FT News Briefing’s tariffs series here

Note: The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts

Today’s FT News Briefing was hosted and edited by Marc Filippino, and produced by Saffeya Ahmed and Sonja Hutson. Our show was mixed by Sam Giovinco. Additional help from Gavin Kallmann and Michael Lello. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Cheryl Brumley 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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.