The Economics Show
Financial Times
The Economics Show with Soumaya Keynes is a new weekly podcast from the Financial Times packed full of smart, digestible analysis and incisive conversation. Soumaya Keynes digs deep into the hottest topics in economics along with a cast of FT colleagues and special guests. Come for the big ideas, stay for the nerdery.Soumaya Keynes is an economics columnist for the Financial Times. Prior to joining the FT she worked at The Economist for eight years as a staff writer, where as well as covering trade, the US economy and the UK economy she co-hosted the Money Talks podcast. She also co-founded the Trade Talks podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books
47 snips
Mar 27, 2026 • 28min
The global economy is Iran’s hostage. Can it be released? With Edward Fishman
Edward Fishman, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of Chokepoints, explains how Iran’s moves at the Strait of Hormuz ripple through global markets. He contrasts geographic chokepoints with economic ones like rare earths and the dollar. He explores asymmetry in weaponized choke points, secondary risks such as fertilizer and helium, and hard choices between negotiation and escalation.
33 snips
Mar 20, 2026 • 33min
Lessons from China’s industrial dominance, with Kyle Chan
Kyle Chan, a Brookings fellow who studies China’s tech and industrial policy, offers a big-picture tour of how China modernizes industry. He discusses the hybrid of state direction and private competition. He highlights chokepoint-focused investments, EV and battery synergies, rapid advances in biotech and AI, and the role of state firms in scaling infrastructure.
Mar 18, 2026 • 1min
Introducing Untold: Opus Dei
An investigation into a controversial Catholic organisation and its reach into American institutions. The show explores its drive to be close to society's elite and its emphasis on strict orthodoxy. Listeners hear about its presence in chapels, universities and corridors of power. The tension between declared political neutrality and real influence is highlighted.
43 snips
Mar 12, 2026 • 27min
Is AI (finally) making us more productive? With John Burn-Murdoch and Sarah O’Connor
Sarah O’Connor, labour market journalist tracking AI’s effects on work and productivity. John Burn-Murdoch, data journalist who mines economic trends. They probe where AI is showing up in productivity data. They compare firm-level anecdotes with weak macro signals. They debate which professions are exposed, whether perceived time-savings match measured gains, and if we’re at a real inflection point.
32 snips
Mar 5, 2026 • 27min
Are investors getting the Iran conflict wrong? With Robin Brooks
Robin Brooks, senior fellow at Brookings and author of Shadow Price Macro, offers macro and market analysis. He explains why oil chokepoints and escalation tail risks worry him more than markets. He highlights key signals to watch like Brent, EM currencies and basis trades. He contrasts Gulf risk premia with Russia‑Ukraine and discusses how dollar reserve status and energy shocks shape outcomes.
8 snips
Feb 27, 2026 • 31min
Could common debt make the EU stronger? With Carlos Cuerpo
Carlos Cuerpo, Spain’s economy, trade and business minister since 2023, sketches a plan for a European safe asset to lower financing costs and attract investment. He explains mechanics like stock-and-flow conversions, scaling issuance targets, and links joint debt to geoeconomic strategy. Spain’s recent rebound, green investments and industrial policy are used as practical reference points.
15 snips
Feb 23, 2026 • 21min
Trump’s tariffs are not dead yet, with Michael Froman
Michael Froman, former US Trade Representative and CFR president, explains why Trump can still reshape tariffs and which legal pathways he may use. He outlines who stands to gain or lose from tariff shifts. The conversation covers refund prospects, strategic use of Sections 301/122/232, and how trade tools may evolve under court limits.
19 snips
Feb 20, 2026 • 30min
What did ‘Nudge’ get wrong? With Nick Chater
Nick Chater, behavioural scientist and former member of the UK Behavioural Insights Team, reflects on the rise and limits of nudge-style policies. He explains how nudges differ from regulation and why experiments often focus on individuals. Conversations cover climate policy, auto-enrolment, smart meters, corporate framing, and when systemic rules beat subtle interventions.
67 snips
Feb 13, 2026 • 30min
How China is fighting ‘involution’, with Yanmei Xie
Yanmei Xie, senior associate fellow and expert on Chinese political economy, explains China’s fierce export-driven competition. She outlines creeping deflation, collapsing profit margins and 'involution' as cutthroat price wars. Discussion covers local subsidies, AI and EV overcapacity, anti-involution measures like consolidation and centralised investment, and how export controls and Western pressure reshape supply chains.
86 snips
Feb 6, 2026 • 33min
What an economist eats for lunch (in 2026), with Tyler Cowen
Tyler Cowen, economics professor and food writer, explores how immigration, labor rules and refrigeration shape what we eat. He discusses why tourism can harm cuisine, why cheap great food exists, and how scaling and supply chains limit culinary uniqueness. He predicts future shifts from immigration and diet drugs and offers practical tips for finding better lunches.
