BUSINES

Chinese brands extend global reach

by

Chinese brands are reshaping the global marketplace and extending their influence among international consumers — even as US tariffs cast uncertainty over the year ahead. BYD’s electric vehicle sales have overtaken Tesla’s in Europe, and in Brazil seven out of 10 fully electric cars sold are made by BYD. Xiaomi, the world’s third-largest phonemaker, which … Read more

Women business leaders face surge in online abuse

by

Whenever Rachel Watkyn’s job as a business leader thrusts her into the spotlight, she braces herself for a section of the response online: relentless comments about her appearance, misogynistic slurs, threats.  “Without doubt it’s getting worse and worse and worse,” says the founder and managing director of Tiny Box Company, the UK’s largest online gift … Read more

Spotify’s Daniel Ek leads €600mn investment in German drone maker Helsing

by

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter. Spotify founder Daniel Ek is leading a €600mn investment in Helsing, valuing the German defence tech group at €12bn and making it one of Europe’s most valuable start-ups. The deal comes as the Munich-based start-up … Read more

London faces higher risk of summer wildfires, capital’s brigade warns

by

London is at an increased risk of wildfires this summer, the UK capital’s fire service has warned, as it steps up efforts to prepare for blazes by investing in new equipment and sending firefighters on specialist training.  London Fire Brigade, which traditionally has fought property fires rather than those in vegetation, told the Financial Times … Read more