Unhedged

US Treasury secretary Scott Bessent cowed currency traders this week by claiming anyone shorting the yen was betting against “the house”. But he has failed to will US government borrowing costs lower, while his boss has failed to will the Strait of Hormuz open again. As Brent crude smashes through $100 a barrel, hosts Rob Armstrong and Katie Martin ask what Bessent can actually do to keep yields from continuing to surge. Also, Rob shorts a lunch-disrupting coffee company, and Katie shorts AI headbangers.

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You can email Robert Armstrong and Katie Martin at unhedged@ft.com.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
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Katie called it – so she claims. There are signs that foreign investors may be losing trust in US assets. This has been the source of a running debate between the hosts Katie Martin and Rob Armstrong on this podcast, and Rob finally concedes she may have a point. Awkwardly for him, he does so in front of a live audience, for a special episode recorded at the FT Weekend Festival in London’s Kenwood House. Plus, Rob goes long a Scotch whisky carry trade, while Katie goes long our lovely Unhedged audience.

For a free 30-day trial to the Unhedged newsletter go to: https://www.ft.com/unhedgedoffer.

You can email Robert Armstrong and Katie Martin at unhedged@ft.com.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Britain has a problem. Almost half of the country’s working age adults are not saving into a pension at all. So if you know somebody who isn’t thinking enough about their future retirement, it may be time to have a frank conversation with them. In today’s show, Katie Martin talks to two experts about why nobody seems to be taking their pensions seriously enough – Gavin Lewis, managing director at asset management leviathan BlackRock, and the FT’s consumer editor Claer Barrett, who writes our Serious Money personal finance column. Also, Gavin goes long longevity, Katie goes long gold exuberance and Claer shorts Andy Burnham’s social media feed.

Save 10% on tickets to the London FT Weekend Festival with the code FTPodcast. Visit ft.com/festival to find out more.

For a free 30-day trial to the Unhedged newsletter go to: https://www.ft.com/unhedgedoffer.

You can email Robert Armstrong and Katie Martin at unhedged@ft.com.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fed chair Kevin Warsh used his speech at the annual Jackson Hole gathering of central bankers to tell bond markets he was serious about keeping a lid on inflation and everyone should calm down. Bond markets responded by pushing long-term borrowing costs to new highs. Today on the show, Katie Martin and Rob Armstrong ask what’s up with bond yields? Plus, they go long data centre Nimbys and long the job prospects for PR agencies.

Save 10% on tickets to the London FT Weekend Festival with the code FTPodcast. Visit ft.com/festival to find out more.

For a free 30-day trial to the Unhedged newsletter go to: https://www.ft.com/unhedgedoffer.

You can email Robert Armstrong and Katie Martin at unhedged@ft.com.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Canada and the US reached an impasse over trade this week, as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney refused to meet the demands of US President Donald Trump. Today on the show, senior trade writer Alan Beattie joins Katie Martin and Rob Armstrong to discuss the future of tariffs. Also, they go long complaints from farmers, long the AI boom and long Rob saying Katie was right.

For a free 30-day trial to the Unhedged newsletter go to: https://www.ft.com/unhedgedoffer.

You can email Robert Armstrong and Katie Martin at unhedged@ft.com.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.