FT Big Read

Six years after the deal that is still seen as a test case for Beijing's industrial ambitions, the Swedish carmaker is back in profit, say Richard Milne and Christian Shepherd. But there are still challenges for the marque and its Chinese owner as Volvo tries to catch up with its rivals

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Suntory's $16bn takeover of US spirits maker Beam in 2014 catapulted the Japanese group to number 3 in the global spirits markets. The tie-up was not without its problems, and Kana Inagaki explains how Beam is trying to overcome the differences in the Japanese and American corporate cultures.

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Three decades ago the management consultancy set up a private hedge fund for its partners and alumni in a bid to keep staff tempted by the financial rewards of banking and private equity. But some experts warn of possible conflicts of interest, say Harriet Agnew and Miles Johnson

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As bank profits feel the pressure, savers suffer pain and populism is on the rise, criticism of the ECB's loose monetary policy is increasing, say James Shotter and Stefan Wagstyl. With parliamentary elections due next year, the argument over ultra-low interest rates will not go away

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As inequality grows, welfare costs soar and technological disruption escalates, many people are growing warmer to the idea of a guaranteed basic income for everyone, say John Thornhill and Ralph Atkins. Switzerland, which votes on the UBI in June, is not the only country considering a new social model

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Donald Trump went on the attack when faced with the prospect of competition to his gaming centres from Native American casinos. Regulators found he went too far, says Gary Silverman, but his campaign rhetoric now owes much to his tactics then

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The professional services sector is at a tipping point as tougher regulation forces firms to bid for business and invest big sums in technology, says Harriet Agnew​

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The once-heroic globally recognised embodiment of Japan's economic growth has become a hindrance to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's reforms of the country's labour force, says Leo Lewis. The culture is so entrenched that some critics say it is a 'national disaster', that instead of loyalty, labour and love, corporate welfare needs innovation, a liquid job market and productivity-based pay

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Alan Rusbridger was a crusading editor of the newspaper, says John Gapper. But since he retired, questions over the cost of his tenure have grown and they are intensified by his return as the head of the trust that owns the liberal beacon

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With a €404bn turnover and 792,500 employees last year, the car industry is crucial to Germany and there is a revolving door between government and the industry. But did this lead Angela Merkel's administration to lobby for favourable legislation and turn a blind eye to some of its practices? Guy Chazan reports.

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