The rapid spread of the Delta coronavirus variant is causing concern about Europe’s economic recovery, and the number of start-ups valued above $1bn grew rapidly in the second quarter. Plus, the FT’s EU correspondent, Javier Espinoza, interviews the influential European Union lawmaker who is steering the EU’s flagship tech regulation through Parliament and wants to target the top US tech companies. Delta variant surge casts doubt over Europe’s economic reboundhttps://www.ft.com/content/1f9c18cf-706c-4d9c-9764-d3c088bdc1a2EU should focus on top 5 tech companies, says leading MEP, by Javier Espinoza https://www.ft.com/content/49f3d7f2-30d5-4336-87ad-eea0ee0ecc7bBillion dollar ‘unicorns’ hit record numbers as valuations surge, by Miles Kruppa https://www.ft.com/content/ccfc6bbd-56b6-4cef-b89d-4f88ceb7b126Richard Branson touches the edge of spacehttps://www.ft.com/content/bf3130f4-5f62-4f9d-941a-d1db98dc0233? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK’s advertising watchdog says it will clamp down on misleading marketing for crypto investments, and stock markets dropped on Thursday on rising concerns about prospects for the global economy. Plus, the FT’s chief economics commentator, Martin Wolf, picks his top economics summer reads. UK advertising watchdog to crack down on misleading crypto marketinghttps://www.ft.com/content/19ad9810-402d-4529-89b5-732521829548?Markets enjoy blessed relief now the heavy storms have passed with Katie Martin, Markets Editorhttps://www.ft.com/content/80717968-7714-4ed8-b73b-029f9b1e9590Treasuries rally and stocks drop on rising economic concernshttps://www.ft.com/content/e549f4b1-f2f8-4213-8f04-679f89286c31Summer books of 2021: Economics with Martin Wolf, Chief Economics Commentatorhttps://www.ft.com/content/239f31cb-57a3-43d3-ab3d-d18d068f4994Japan bans spectators at Olympics events in and around Tokyohttps://www.ft.com/content/af205e68-51e3-4165-b211-d22f9c3c86c8The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon and Marc Filippino. The show’s editor is Jess Smith. Our intern is Zoe Han. Additional help by Gavin Kallmann, Michael Bruning, and Persis Love. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former president Donald Trump is suing Facebook, Twitter and Google’s YouTube, as well as their respective chief executives, in lawsuits alleging “unlawful censorship” of Americans, the new Delta variant of coronavirus is driving up infection rates in countries across the globe, and South Africa’s president has been arrested. Plus, the FT’s private capital correspondent, Kaye Wiggins, explains why private equity firms have been targeting UK companies and how the British public is reacting. Trump sues Facebook, YouTube and Twitter over ‘censorship’https://www.ft.com/content/86c98f3b-7d25-42b9-abf6-68b4b0839c66Delta variant drives Spain’s Covid-19 rate to highest in mainland Europehttps://www.ft.com/content/06334a7b-30cc-40bf-942b-e3bcd2efb305LGIM warns against private equity buying Morrisons for ‘wrong reasons’https://www.ft.com/content/9d1a6019-6571-478c-8b1f-f267bb582f0dThe Rachman Review podcast: South Africa’s pivotal momenthttps://www.ft.com/rachman-review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Didi lost a fifth of its market value after Chinese regulators announced an investigation into the ride-hailing app that last week raised more than $4bn in a New York IPO, the Opec impasse highlights growing tensions between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the Pentagon cancels a highly sensitive $10bn cloud contract awarded to Microsoft, and a new report that says Viktor Orban’s government is failing to ensure the transparent use of EU funds and their independent oversight, which will embolden calls to withhold payments to Hungary.Didi caught as China and US battle over datahttps://www.ft.com/content/00403ae5-7565-413e-907d-ad46549375baPentagon cancels $10bn cloud contract awarded to Microsofthttps://www.ft.com/content/7ac0e691-665f-4328-8b29-ee4883068e80Opec impasse sees UAE ‘flexing its muscles’ against Saudi Arabiahttps://www.ft.com/content/baca384d-c477-4a8b-bdcd-b174317af387Orban government not ‘reliable steward’ of EU funds, report sayshttps://www.ft.com/content/4d79583c-f5a1-40be-93dc-cae27e6c713f? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

KKR is expanding its operations to target more takeovers in the UK, ransomware hackers hit more than 1,000 companies in what appears to be one of the largest supply chain attacks to date, and oil prices jumped to the highest level in three years on Monday after oil producers abandoned a decision over increasing oil production. Plus, the FT’s deputy Beijing bureau chief looks at why Chinese regulators are going after Chinese tech companies that recently listed in the US. KKR steps up pursuit of UK companies amid buyout frenzyhttps://www.ft.com/content/e5cc18cf-081d-4b68-b469-ca77935a615e?Oil hits three-year high after Opec+ abandons meetinghttps://www.ft.com/content/c9746fbc-7a90-4c9a-9a52-30b44475aa9aRussia-linked hackers target IT supply chain with ransomwarehttps://www.ft.com/content/a8e7c9a2-5819-424f-b087-c6f2e8f0c7a1China targets more tech groups after Didi crackdownhttps://www.ft.com/content/771f6d40-ecd2-4855-8193-d0550f1d2e3dClubhouse discussion on Jeff Bezos’s departure from Amazonhttps://www.clubhouse.com/event/PrDXYYvL Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a News Briefing special we present Tech Tonic, our FT audio deep dive into the promises and perils of artificial intelligence.  If you enjoyed this episode, click here to subscribe to Tech Tonic. Tech Tonic S2 E2: Trust me, I’m a robotWhat does it mean for AI to augment human perception? In this episode the FT’s Madhumita Murgia takes us to a small village in rural India where AI is being used to help doctors better diagnose tuberculosis and looks at a healthcare system where it is helping patients who doctors may have overlooked.Alice Fordham is senior producer. Josh Gabert Doyon is assistant producer. Oluwakemi Aladesuyi and Liam Nolan are the development producers. Sound design and mixing by Sean McGarrity. Cheryl Brumley is the executive producer for this series. You heard the song Down in the Coalmine by The Ian Campbell Folk Group, as well as original scoring composed by Metaphor Music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The world’s leading economies have signed up to a plan that looks to force multinational companies to pay a global minimum corporate tax rate of 15 per cent, economists believe that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates by the end of 20-23, and Robinhood is targeting a valuation of $40bn or more ahead of its public offering. Plus, the FT’s Nicolle Liu explains what the closure of the Apple Daily newspaper means for the media landscape in Hong Kong. World’s leading economies agree global minimum corporate tax ratehttps://www.ft.com/content/d0311794-abcf-4a2a-a8a4-bcabfc4f71faRobinhood targets $40bn valuation ahead of IPOhttps://www.ft.com/content/7421d913-0f77-4458-9032-59ba32c846f1?Economists predict at least two US interest rate rises by end of 2023https://www.ft.com/content/de778e1b-3876-4999-942e-186c2a692a1aApple Daily’s death leaves a shadow over free press in Hong Konghttps://www.ft.com/content/c7aa2919-dce1-4196-8d4a-ad9f57c59c4e Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Private equity firms have broken a 40-year record with $500bn in deals that helped to propel global mergers and acquisitions activity to an all-time high, and the dominant Chinese ride-hailing company, Didi Chuxing, became the largest Chinese company since Alibaba to list in the US, and nightmarish fears of traffic jams and clogged ports after Brexit never materialised thanks to several factors.  Private equity breaks 40-year record with $500bn dealshttps://www.ft.com/content/cd9571a3-726c-4995-9954-23a8dcf12b19?Didi shares rise on New York trading debut https://www.ft.com/content/dd7ea7fa-96c4-420c-94be-5730a284cc04How Britain’s Channel ports avoided Brexit meltdownhttps://www.ft.com/content/1001c054-0cf9-4f30-a62a-c9ac91e58223Tim Berners-Lee’s web NFT sells for $5.4m https://www.ft.com/content/0e45c25b-f66b-44d1-b662-0e7b095664f9 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today the UK will set out a plan for a simpler, more “nimble” post-Brexit system of state subsidies, and the Japanese conglomerate Hitachi is anticipating a wave of infrastructure spending as it bets on the US market to drive its next phase of growth. Plus, the FT’s private capital correspondent, Kaye Wiggins, investigates the low-profile investors behind the £6.8bn buyout of UK supermarket chain Asda.UK unveils post-Brexit state aid scheme to support industryhttps://www.ft.com/content/4206d16f-772f-4257-bdca-ca19ca049402Hitachi targets strong US growth under Biden’s infrastructure planhttps://www.ft.com/content/e9a43c04-7d89-4f71-a77a-060cc12930ccInside the secretive private equity firm behind the £6.8bn Asda buyouthttps://www.ft.com/content/ce7092f9-645a-46bd-8007-611c99fd8907Zaoui brothers join Europe’s emerging Spac movementhttps://www.ft.com/content/ae2a02ae-2af7-4a61-9c40-cf41927c3b3a? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A US judge has dismissed two antitrust lawsuits against Facebook, investors are reassessing their conviction in the reflation trade that has captivated Wall Street this year after a hawkish tilt by the US central bank inflicted losses on some fund managers, Binance customers have lost the ability to withdraw and deposit pounds using one of the main UK payments systems. Plus, the FT’s Berlin bureau chief, Guy Chazan, spoke with Armin Laschet, leader of the CDU and frontrunner to replace Angela Merkel, about his plans for Germany’s economy and relations with China. US judge dismisses antitrust lawsuits against Facebookhttps://www.ft.com/content/bedb65dd-53c9-4e31-b3d7-c85a40fdb104Reflation trade unwind wrongfoots several big-name hedge fundshttps://www.ft.com/content/4fc62da9-da68-4d1f-a2aa-c8a575d11920?Binance customers frozen out of withdrawals through key UK payments networkhttps://www.ft.com/content/2d427ed7-f9e4-46cf-a4c4-46429b19df5d?FT interview: Armin Laschet on Merkel, the Greens and fiscal ruleshttps://www.ft.com/content/e3c3e517-2c5b-49d6-a566-0f6bd896f8feOlaf Scholz treads fine line on German thrift versus pandemic spendinghttps://www.ft.com/content/1d6d8876-2b21-4550-ba85-443d5c20919b? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.