Behind the Money

Exploring the recent surge of labor union movements in the US, including the auto industry, Hollywood, and UPS. Discussing the impact of strikes, changing public opinion, and challenges faced by new unions at Apple, Amazon, and Starbucks.

This podcast discusses the recent major acquisitions in the American oil and gas industry made by Chevron and ExxonMobil, examining their motivations and implications. It explores the conflicting views on the future of oil and gas demand, with the International Energy Agency predicting decline while oil company executives remain optimistic. The potential impact of these big oil deals on gas prices and consumers leading up to the 2024 presidential election is also explored. Additionally, the pressure on major oil players to make deals or merge in order to compete on scale and production costs is discussed, along with speculation on potential future mergers in the oil industry.

Learn about Microsoft's $75bn acquisition of Activision Blizzard and its implications for the gaming industry. Explore Microsoft's legal strategies and their transformation from a tech industry bully to embracing regulation. Delve into the potential regulatory concerns in the cloud computing industry.

It has been more than two years since GameStop’s stock caught fire on social media, at one point rising 135% in one day. The new film Dumb Money chronicles how the GameStop saga played out. The FT’s Ethan Wu sits down with the movie’s writers, Rebecca Angelo and Lauren Schuker Blum, to get a behind-the-scenes look at everything that went into the film. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:Well, actually: Our ‘Dumb Money’ movie reviewDumb Money film review —GameStop short-selling comedy hedges its betsGameStop: from YouTube to Wall Street to Hollywood in Dumb Money- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - On Twitter, follow Ethan Wu (@ethanywu) & listen to Unhedged here! Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michael Lewis, author of Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon, discusses his new book about Sam Bankman-Fried and his crypto exchange FTX. The conversation explores Sam's personality, the unique environment at FTX, and the consequences of crypto asset collapse. Michael also reflects on witnessing a surprising event and his struggles writing a book without a clear ending.

The FTC has sued Amazon for being a harmful monopoly, potentially impacting its future. The lawsuit focuses on Amazon's treatment of third-party sellers and the impact of lowering fees. The podcast explores regulatory efforts and the importance of winning this case in the context of big tech.

Argentina's nationalization of an oil company in 2012 has led to a court ruling that the country owes $16bn to shareholders. This adds to Argentina's economic challenges, including high inflation, negative reserves, and upcoming presidential elections. The podcast explores the implications of the ruling, Argentina's past battles with American hedge funds, and the likelihood of payment. It also discusses the political divide in Argentina and the impact of economic mismanagement.

Apple's challenges in China, impact of China's zero COVID policy, struggles in fulfilling iMac orders, partnership with Foxconn, difficulties in shifting away from China

The podcast discusses the competition to control the lithium-ion battery supply chain as the world transitions to electric vehicles. It explores the winners and losers in the race, the involvement of different car makers and countries, and the challenges of managing the supply chain. The chapter also highlights the strategic importance of Europe's automotive industry and the need for strategic partnerships with mining companies.

Subscribe now to the FT's Tech Tonic podcast: Some scientists believe that rapid advances in artificial intelligence may also hold the key to decoding animal sounds, allowing us to ‘translate’ them into human language. In a new season of Tech Tonic, FT innovation editor John Thornhill and series producer Persis Love explore how the same technology that powers ChatGPT is being applied to research in animal communication. Could we one day learn to ‘speak whale’ or even chat with bats? And if so, can we trust ourselves to do so responsibly?Presented by John Thornhill, produced by Persis Love, sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa and Cheryl Brumley is the FT’s head of audio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.