International - Financial Times - Credit Squeeze

Go behind the propaganda, and the intensifying strain is evident

Also in today’s newsletter: China hacks Congress staff, and Trump calls for ban on big investors buying single-family homes

Chinese producers fear similar US intervention in Iran would disrupt access to discounted crude supplies

Data group forecasts deficit of 10mn tonnes by 2040, equivalent to nearly one-third of current global demand

It is premature to assume the AI era will lead to non-inflationary growth like the ’90s computing boom

Critics say currency is undervalued and being used to subsidise Chinese exports

Economists polled by FT do not expect interest rate cut this year

One-year repo agreement will also help Javier Milei’s government build vital dollar reserves

Services and food inflation are above target but the trends are benign

Just a few rate cuts, and cyclicals lead

Also in this newsletter: Babiš drops threat to end Czech ammo procurement for Ukraine

Also in today’s newsletter: Trump escalates push to control Venezuelan oil industry and officials in China review recent Meta deal

A new chair and the annual rotation of regional voting members add uncertainty to the path of rates this year

Damage caused by US tariffs has so far been muted but that won’t last

The FT’s chief economics commentator discusses AI, the US Federal Reserve and more

Company confident ‘last details’ of deal with White House to resume AI chip exports will be finalised soon

GM and Hyundai report lower fourth-quarter sales and industry analysts predict a downturn for 2026

FT poll shows preference for former Spanish and Dutch central bank heads to replace Christine Lagarde

Plan to face the obstacles impeding the smooth path of economic policy

Also in today’s newsletter: the companies flocking to sponsor Trump’s Davos ‘US house’ and a promising year for IPOs