FirstFT: Germany’s far-right AfD surges to first place in state elections
Also in today’s newsletter: Russia’s ‘hybrid’ war and EssilorLuxottica
China pumps $53bn into banks and insurers
Beijing widens recapitalisation plan to more state-controlled institutions in bid to boost financial performance
Transcript: A foldable iPhone: John Ternus’s first test as Apple CEO
Sonja Hutson speaks to Michael Acton and Henry Foy
The best of TV and streaming this week
Gripping docuseries ‘The Jury’, new presenters on ‘The Grand Tour’ and more. Reviews by Rebecca Nicholson
Modi fails to dull gold’s lustre in India
Tata’s Titan jewellery chain says consumers continue to regard the precious metal as an investment
EssilorLuxottica overhauls management after rift with founder’s son
CEO Francesco Milleri has reshaped the senior team at Milan-based eyewear group
Venezuela-US oil deal risks violating local law, say experts
Contentious agreement may conflict with Venezuelan constitution, according to a leading opposition politician and analysts
Why America’s debt binge is starting to matter
If long-term interest rates decisively breach the 5% threshold, the impact could derail the AI boom
How Canadian companies are navigating Trump’s tariffs
Five small businesses on how the US-Canada trade war has affected them
Bonds have become bonds again
The forces encouraging yields to move upwards are unlikely to disappear but at least we’re in the ballpark of normal again
Concerns raised over ‘tick-box’ staff training as employers choose short online courses
Analysis shows businesses have reduced spending on staff development
Trump is putting European security in peril
The president’s bullying of allies is weakening deterrence and increasing the risk of war
Sweden’s fightback against the gangs
Shootings are down. The government has taken a tough line. Will voters reward it?
John Ternus’s first test at Apple: selling a $2,000 foldable iPhone
Smartphone maker needs to raise prices across its device range to make up for rising costs
Tax losses have become a hot property in sports M&A
Should BC Partners win the LIV Golf auction, it will be in possession of tax-offsetting firepower
FNZ: the Credit Suisse spinout haemorrhaging cash
Wealth management software company plots US expansion and profitability but is once again asking investors for help
Why Chicago’s theatre scene deserves top billing
From Steppenwolf to intimate ‘storefronts’ and improv spaces, the city’s 200-plus stages mount productions to rival New York and London — but at closer range and gentler on the wallet
Keeping it in the family — five books by debut authors
New novels about families warped by grief, history, violence and silence
Cape Town has the design talent, it just needs more support
The South African city challenges assumptions about design today and has the potential to rival London, Milan and Copenhagen
The citizen scientists tracking England’s polluted waterways
Groups take action amid concerns over approach of regulators responsible for protecting rivers and streams
Big US university endowments outperform S&P 500 index
Substantial weightings in tech groups such as SpaceX help lift returns after several years of lagging behind market
Russia’s uranium push raises concern over nuclear fuel supply
Report forecasts that Russia-controlled mines will supply a greater proportion of an already tight market by 2040
Kirsty Godso, Hailey Bieber’s trainer, talks pain, positivity and perfect abs
Meet the fitness guru who gets the A-list into shape
ArcelorMittal faces green steel price test at flagship low-carbon plant
Company has ‘no real visibility’ over whether its new electric-arc furnace will be able to pass on added costs to buyers