Author: Lucas

This article is an on-site version of our FirstFT newsletter. Subscribers can sign up to our Asia, Europe/Africa or Americas edition to get the newsletter delivered every weekday morning. Explore all of our newsletters hereGood morning, happy Friday and welcome back to FirstFT Asia. In today’s newsletter:Trump’s ‘loyalty test’ for south-east Asian countriesHow Saudi Arabia’s Neom dream unravelledAn interview with Argentine President Javier MileiThe Trump administration has added “poison pill” termination clauses to trade pacts with south-east Asian countries, creating a new diplomatic weapon in Washington’s strategic competition with China. What to know: The clauses, embedded in two new deals signed…

A picture shows a medical bed and a vital signs monitor for hospital patients. ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP via Getty Images It’s open enrollment season. And for the 20 million Americans who buy their own health insurance, prices are through the roof.Rates are up an average of 30 percent for a typical plan in the 30 states where the federal government manages markets. In states that run their own markets, rates are up an average of 17 percent. That’s according to an analysis from the health policy research group KFF.Meanwhile, the longest government…

Stay informed with free updatesSimply sign up to the War in Ukraine myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox.Ukraine has failed to secure a debt restructuring that is seen as key to financing its war effort against Russia’s invasion, despite Kyiv offering investors a cash payout ahead of a new IMF loan.Ukraine’s finance ministry said on Thursday that it had ended recent talks over $2.6bn in controversial growth-linked debt without a deal, just as Kyiv is seeking a multibillion dollar expansion of a $15.5bn bailout from the fund along with European financial support.Kyiv offered cash and bonds to replace…

Art Collaboration Kyoto returns on November 14-17. Courtesy Art Collaboration Kyoto As the art world scrambles to find alternative business and fundraising models to sustain itself at its current scale and pace, Art Collaboration Kyoto (ACK) appears to have already cracked the code with a fully realized vision of what an art fair can be. The key? Collaboration—in its broadest sense. Not just between galleries, but between public and private sectors and even across industries. “It’s all about collaborative intelligence,” ACK’s director Yukako Yamashita tells Observer. From the outset, Art Collaboration Kyoto was conceived as more than a marketplace. According…

THE Scottish Parliament has passed a new bill which aims to tackle the concentration of land ownership among a small number of people.  The bill gives government ministers the power to step in when land sales or transfers of more than 1,000 hectares (defined as a large landholding) are being prepared.  This means that large landholders have to apply to the government if they want to sell, buy, or transfer land, and the government will in turn notify community groups, offering them the chance to buy the land, and could even decide to break up the holding into smaller lots.  Land reform campaigners…

Market noise is intensifying, showcasing why buying and holding stocks at all-time highs takes focus and conviction.For over a decade, the simplest way to outperform the S&P 500 has been hiding in plain sight: mega cap growth stocks. In 2018, Apple became the first U.S. company to surpass $1 trillion in market capitalization. Fast forward, and Nvidia just surpassed $5 trillion in market value. Microsoft and Apple are hovering around $4 trillion. And Alphabet has more than doubled from its 52-week low and is now worth over $3 trillion. The “Magnificent Seven” is a term for seven growth-focused companies that…

David Tobias, Chief Product Officer at Nearmap, is a 20-year insurance veteran with expertise in comprehensive products and solutions.As regulators evaluate their oversight and consumers seek greater accountability, the traditional underwriting playbook is becoming less effective. Recent regulatory developments across states like California and Colorado paint a clear picture: Insurers are being asked to demonstrate more than just compliance. Because of this, transparency in underwriting practices is now vital, but it presents both challenges and opportunities for carriers.The Regulatory RealityAs mentioned, regulatory scrutiny of insurance underwriting practices has intensified, particularly with the use of aerial imagery and AI. Why the…

Mohammedia – A new contender is about to step into the crypto trading bot market. Snorter Bot (SNORT), based on Solana, is going to be launched officially on November 10 and is already receiving quite a lot of buzz for its lightning-fast transactions and cheapest trading fees on Telegram, at just 0.85%. According to a sponsored report on Cryptonews, Snorter Bot has ambitions of competing against major players like Trojan, BONKbot, and Banana Gun, providing trading solutions that once belonged solely to institutional players. The platform’s early momentum is evident; its SNORT token is already up by an impressive 59%…

One of the top premium cards, the American Express Platinum Card® offers many lifestyle-centered benefits and statement credits. Those include many health- and fitness-centered benefits, including the newly added Oura Ring statement credit for up to $200 per calendar year (enrollment is required).With the new year fast approaching, now’s a great time to start paying closer attention to your health and wellness.Here’s what you need to know about the Amex Platinum’s Oura Ring statement credit to help you do that.Overview of the Amex Platinum Oura Ring statement creditAs part of the recent Platinum Card refresh, a new Oura Ring statement…

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.Chancellor Rachel Reeves will on Wednesday urge some of the world’s biggest insurance companies to invest more in London, as the UK contends with increased competition from rival industry hubs overseas.At a meeting in 11 Downing Street, Reeves will tell insurance executives she has cut red tape in the sector and now wants companies to repay that move by increasing spending in the UK market to help bolster growth.Insurance bosses including Lloyd’s of London chair Sir Charles Roxburgh, Hiscox chief executive Aki…