FT News Briefing

Is this dotcom bust 2.0?

Mar 11, 2025

Market jitters mimic the dot-com era as U.S. stocks face a slump. The podcast explores the current tech craze fueled by AI and discusses the precarious parallels to past economic bubbles. Meanwhile, tensions escalate in Syria, resulting in tragic violence amid shifting leadership. The conversation underscores the complexities of governance in a fractured political landscape. Listeners are left contemplating the intersection of economic optimism and geopolitical instability.

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Quick takeaways

The U.S. stock market exhibits bubble-like behavior with major tech stocks inflated by AI hype, echoing the 2000 dot-com bust.

Ongoing sectarian violence in Syria challenges the government's credibility and its efforts to unify disparate armed factions under one military.

Deep dives

Concerns Over the U.S. Stock Market Bubble

The current U.S. stock market shows signs of a potential bubble, reminiscent of the dot-com era in 2000, as major tech stocks continue to dominate market performance. Analysts caution that the exuberance surrounding artificial intelligence may lead to overvaluation, with companies projecting rapid growth despite lacking proven profitability models. Historical patterns indicate that a loss of broader confidence could trigger a downward spiral, similar to past market corrections, particularly if external factors like inflation or consumer sentiment continue to wane. Experts urge vigilance in observing signs of instability, as many companies investing heavily in AI may not sustain long-term success.

Intro

2min

Echoes of the Dot-Com Era: AI and Economic Optimism

2min

Evaluating AI's Future Impact and Syrian Violence Escalation

3min

Syria's Unfolding Crisis: Governance and Violence Under New Leadership

4min

Wall Street stocks fell on Monday, and Pimco has recorded a 17% paper profit on its portion of a £3bn emergency loan that it and others are set to provide to ailing utility Thames Water. Plus, hundreds of people have been killed in Syria after clashes between pro-government and pro-Assad forces escalated into sectarian violence.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Wall Street stocks tumble as investors fret over US economic slowdown

Is this dotcom bust 2.0?

US condemns Syria violence after hundreds killed in sectarian clashes

Pimco books 17% instant profit on Thames Water emergency loan

The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson, Kasia Broussalian, Ethan Plotkin, Lulu Smyth, and Marc Filippino. Additional help from Breen Turner, Sam Giovinco, Peter Barber, Michael Lello, David da Silva and Gavin Kallmann. Our engineer is Joseph Salcedo. Topher Forhecz is the FT’s executive producer. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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