Special-purpose acquisition companies are Wall Street’s latest craze, attracting everyone from celebrities to retail investors. An alternative to the traditional IPO, SPACs could transform tech investing and supercharge innovation. They are even shaping the post-Brexit battle to be Europe’s financial capital. But are these “blank-cheque firms” a mania, a useful innovation, or both? Simon Long hosts.

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Last week’s turmoil in the bond market has calmed for now, but fears of inflation mean more turbulence ahead. Plus, how poor countries trying to secure debt relief are caught in a minefield of lenders’ competing priorities and egos. And, host Simon Long takes a lesson from a former hostage negotiator in the secrets of successful listening.

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Could the success of the world’s biggest carbon market provide a model for the world? Plus, Cristina Junqueira, cofounder of Nubank, a Brazilian digital bank, on how the pandemic is supercharging the fintech revolution. And, why sports cards’ leap from the schoolyard to the stock exchange reveals the growing financial power of social networks. Rachana Shanbhogue hosts.

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Globetrotting had never been easier—then the pandemic brought it to a standstill. The Economist’s industry editor Simon Wright investigates how mass travel has changed the world and what it will take to get people moving again. Could this shock to the system be an opportunity to make the future of tourism greener, safer and more enjoyable?

With Michael O’Leary, CEO of Ryanair, James Liang, chairman of CTrip and Trip.com, Gloria Guevara, president of the World Travel and Tourism Council, and Brian Pearce, chief economist of the International Air Transport Association.

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As the price of oil rises, so too does the value of the battery metals that could replace it. Host Patrick Lane asks what’s driving these competing bets on the fuels of the future. Plus, the rise of the hairy zombies: why some of the most pandemic-battered shares in USA Inc are confident of an afterlife. And, how remote work is playing havoc with American taxes. 

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The GameStop saga continues—does it reveal a cheat code to how to beat the stockmarket, or is it a sign of a deeper transformation at work in the financial system? Plus, property is the biggest asset market in the world and nowhere bigger than in China. Host Simon Long asks how long China’s property boom can hold. And, our Buttonwood columnist shares some hard truths about investing in bricks and mortar. 

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The vast semiconductor industry is booming but faces new stresses that recently stalled production lines worldwide and could threaten the stability of the global economy. President Biden’s “Buy American” executive order aims to create jobs and boost resilience—but will Americans actually benefit? And, economist Mariana Mazzucato makes the case for a modern “moonshot”. Rachana Shanbhogue hosts.

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What will the new president’s plans mean for the American economy—and for its partners and rivals around the world? Sabine Weyand, of the European Commission’s department for international trade, explains how the EU hopes to rebalance the global trading order in the post-Trump era. And host Simon Long asks why, despite a return to growth, the Communist Party is busy reining in China Inc.

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Despite the economic catastrophe of the pandemic, prices of goods such as copper, iron ore and soya beans are surging; just how far can commodities climb? Also, how the Brexit trade agreement will reshape business on both sides of the Channel. And, the economic cost of covid-19 is impossible to calculate—but host Patrick Lane has a go anyway.

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Having tripled in value in the past quarter, the cryptocurrency continues its rollercoaster ride, as the financial establishment begins to jump aboard. Also, why a new EU-China investment deal fails to balance competition, cooperation and confrontation. And, what can companies do to bridge the gap between the workforce of today and the jobs of tomorrow? Rachana Shanbhogue hosts 

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