Unhedged

US consumers are still in love with buying things, buoyed by stock markets that are near all-time highs. But could sky-high mortgages and diesel prices spoil their shopping spree? And if the strains on the economy continue, what does that mean for the November midterm elections? Katie Martin and Rob Armstrong ask how long the stock market wealth bubble can prop up the US economy. Plus, Rob shorts silly jackets and Katie shorts silly smokers.For a free 30-day trial to the Unhedged newsletter go to: https://www.ft.com/unhedgedoffer.Credit to Roderick MacLeod for the Charts on the Radio jingle!You can email Robert Armstrong and Katie Martin at [email protected] a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s starting to look like every market is becoming a one-trick pony. Since the summer, stock markets would have been down – were it not for the Big Tech companies galloping ahead on the back of AI. Corporate bond issuance and even the US dollar are also riding high on the AI trade. But what if that pony turns out to be a bucking bronco? Rob Armstrong and Katie Martin saddle up and find out. Plus Rob goes long TIPS, and Katie shorts acronyms… such as TIPS.For a free 30-day trial to the Unhedged newsletter go to: https://www.ft.com/unhedgedoffer.Until October 28 you can save on a standard annual digital subscription at ft.com/unhedgedsaleYou can email Robert Armstrong and Katie Martin at [email protected] a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the summer, the FT held a revamped version of its stock picking game – think fantasy football for the global equity markets. Some 13,000 people took part – a shocking number considering how unfashionable active fund management has become in the real world. Katie Martin and Rob Armstrong invite their FT Money colleague Nathan Brooker, who runs the competition, to discuss the psychology of stock picking, and whether it has a future in real life. Plus, Nathan shorts holiday spoilers, Katie shorts pesky kids, and Rob throws active investors some love.The FT’s next stock picking game launches on Monday October 5. Entry is free to all FT subscribers aged 18 or over. Registrations will remain open for a number of weeks after the launch date. To participate, go to: https://stockpickinggame.ft.comFor 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 [email protected] a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Investment funds boast triple-digit returns. Retail investors enthusiastically pile in. Then – surprise! – they turn out to be scams… and implode. The story that played out in Istanbul last week may be as old as the city’s Grand Bazaar. But what does it say about financial regulation in Turkey, and should foreign investors be concerned? Host Rob Armstrong catches up with the FT’s Turkey correspondent, John Paul Rathbone. Plus, Rob shorts the 10-year US Treasury, while JP goes for a long swim in the Bosphorus.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 [email protected] a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When the Terminator robots come for us all, will there be anywhere safe to run? Certainly not the US Treasury market, where the 10-year yield just broke the totemic 5% level. It’s a sobering thought. But hosts Katie Martin and Rob Armstrong wonder if it’s sobering enough to end the AI stock market mania? Also in the show, Rob and Katie take sartorial long positions on armholes and loafers.Until October 28 you can save on a standard annual digital subscription to the Financial Times at ft.com/unhedgedsale.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 [email protected] a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, we're bringing you an episode from another podcast in the FT stable: The Story of Money.Jesse Livermore was a legendary trader who made and lost several fortunes in the early 20th century, most famously by shorting the Wall Street crash of 1929. His early life was immortalised in the roman à clef Reminiscences of a Stock Operator by Edwin Lefèvre, and his trading insights and stunning successes continue to inspire professional traders and would-be traders to this day. But his life also contains cautionary tales about the ease with which success can morph into failure, and what happens when the buzz of the markets is no longer enough. Host Robin Wigglesworth and the FT's US financial commentator Robert Armstrong explore the extraordinary life of the greatest day trader in history.Watch, listen and subscribe to The Story of Money for free on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, at ft.com/tsom or wherever you get your podcasts.Content note: This episode includes discussion of suicide and mental health.Further reading:Reminiscences of a Stock Operator (1923), Edwin Lefèvre1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History and How It Shattered a Nation (2025), Andrew Ross Sorkin Credits: Getty Images, The New York Times To enjoy future episodes, be sure to subscribe to The Story of Money wherever you get your podcasts, also on the show's dedicated YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@FTTheStoryOfMoney Learn more at www.ft.com/tsom or get in touch at [email protected]: Gillian Tett and Robin WigglesworthProducer: Lulu SmythSenior Producer: Michela Tindera Executive Producer: Manuela SaragosaOriginal music and sound design: Breen TurnerBroadcast engineers: Bianca Wakeman and Petros GiuompasisPodcast Development: Laura ClarkeFT Global Head of Audio: Flo Phillips  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former Federal Reserve member Stephen Miran and economist Nouriel Roubini just published a paper arguing that the US central bank should pay more attention to the supply of money. But will new Fed chair Kevin Warsh listen? Today on the show, Rob Armstrong and FT contributor Brendan Greeley explain the theory of monetarism and why Warsh might be open to its return. Also, they go long task forces and long the correction in tech stocks. 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 [email protected] a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.