US health insurer stocks call in sick

US health insurer stocks call in sick

Author: Financial Times January 28, 2026 Duration: 11:01

US health insurance stocks plunged yesterday, and New Delhi and Brussels have agreed a trade deal that will eliminate up to €4bn of tariffs on EU exports. Plus, Nato is increasing its military presence in the Arctic to counter Russia. 


Mentioned in this podcast:

US health insurer stocks plummet on Trump Medicare spending plan

EU and India seal trade pact to slash €4bn of tariffs on bloc’s exports

How Nato is preparing for war in the Arctic


Send your voice memos about your post graduate job search to: marc.filippino@ft.com


Note: The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts 


Today’s FT News Briefing was hosted by Sonja Hutson and edited by Marc Filippino. It was produced by Fiona Symon and Victoria Craig. Our show was mixed by Kelly Garry. Additional help from Gavin Kallmann and Michael Lello. Our executive producer is Topher Forhecz. Cheryl Brumley is the FT’s Global Head of Audio. The show’s theme music is by Metaphor Music. 


Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Start your morning with the essential context for the day ahead. FT News Briefing, directly from the Financial Times newsroom, cuts through the noise to deliver a concise, authoritative overview of the global business and political developments that truly matter. Each episode is a focused, ten-minute digest designed for the time-pressed, offering clarity on complex market movements, geopolitical shifts, and economic policy decisions. You’ll hear the FT’s expert analysis woven into the reporting, providing not just the headlines but the underlying forces at play. This daily podcast serves as an efficient primer, whether you’re commuting or preparing for your first meeting, ensuring you’re informed on the stories that will define conversations in boardrooms and beyond. Released every weekday morning, it’s a reliable filter for the overwhelming flow of information, built on the FT’s legacy of rigorous journalism. Tune in to transform the way you catch up on world events, turning a few minutes into a strategic advantage for your day.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

FT News Briefing
Podcast Episodes
How Saudi Arabia’s bet on Iran backfired [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:35
The EU wants to make mergers a bit easier, Wall Street banks are offloading $18bn of debt tied to video game maker Electronic Arts, and investors are piling into cash at the fastest rate since the Covid-19 pandemic. Plus…
Iran war tests China’s oil stockpile [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:47
The FT’s Gideon Rachman explains what the Strait of Hormuz’s closure means strategically for Iran, Italy’s UniCredit has launched a €35bn takeover offer for Commerzbank and China’s oil stockpile is put to the test as the…
US shale producers not yet tempted by $100 oil [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:18
Donald Trump warned Nato faces a “very bad” future if US allies fail to assist in opening up the Strait of Hormuz, and though oil prices have breached $100 per barrel, America’s shale producers aren’t celebrating. Plus,…
Artificial intimacy: How to fall in love with AI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:02
Introducing Artificial intimacy from Tech Tonic. For the next episodes in this season go to the Tech Tonic feed.Calder Quinn has fallen into a relationship with a chatbot called Sara. She’s kind, emotionally intelligent…
US-Iran war boosts Russian oil revenues [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:59
Gulf oil producers have lost billions of dollars in energy revenues since the start of the US-Iran war, but there is one country benefiting: Russia. It is earning as much as $150mn a day in extra budget revenues from its…
Hold on — tech stocks are a safe haven now? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:12
The International Energy Agency has launched the largest release of strategic oil reserves in its history, investors have sought shelter from the turmoil of the war in Iran in US tech stocks and US inflation held steady…
Corporate America grapples with huge oil price swings [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:37
Oracle’s shares climbed 9 per cent on Tuesday after the database group posted better than expected earnings, and we discuss how American businesses are navigating soaring energy prices. Plus, the higher costs to insure t…
The US is leaving an Iranian island untouched [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:18
The price of oil fell sharply, and we’ll take a look at why the US and Israel are avoiding an attack on Iran’s Kharg Island. Plus, the FT’s George Hammond explains what the tenuous relationship between the Pentagon and A…
Oil price surge risks upending global economy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:55
Iran names Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as the new supreme leader. Plus, global central bankers are eying the jump in crude prices and the impact on inflation, and Gulf businesses seek more insurance c…
Iran war’s global energy impact [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:53
As insurance costs rocket for shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, Asian countries brace for an energy shock. The rapid expansion of American-owned data centres in the Middle East has opened up a new front for Iran’s retali…