Ian Smith
@iankmsmith.ft.com
Senior Markets Correspondent at the Financial Times. Previously insurance, finance, stocks, pensions, you get the idea. This is my real account: I never promote crypto or any other investment
Stories: https://www.ft.com/ian-smith
Contact: [email protected]
Stories: https://www.ft.com/ian-smith
Contact: [email protected]
Pinned
Ian Smith
@iankmsmith.ft.com
· 13d
US stocks soar more than 20% for second year in a row
Investor excitement over AI helps Big Tech once again drive gains in blue-chip S&P 500
www.ft.com
2025 IN MARKETS* 📈📉📈🧵
1. People came into the year pretty bullish on US stocks and $ (because Trump)
US stocks soar more than 20% for second year in a row
www.ft.com/content/b413...
Dollar surges against euro and sterling
www.ft.com/content/e572...
*focusing on big markets in US and Europe
1. People came into the year pretty bullish on US stocks and $ (because Trump)
US stocks soar more than 20% for second year in a row
www.ft.com/content/b413...
Dollar surges against euro and sterling
www.ft.com/content/e572...
*focusing on big markets in US and Europe
Halt defence companies’ capital returns, cap credit card rates, go after health insurers over premiums — Truth Socialism
January 11, 2026 at 9:33 PM
Halt defence companies’ capital returns, cap credit card rates, go after health insurers over premiums — Truth Socialism
Reposted by Ian Smith
January 10, 2026 at 11:01 AM
Reposted by Ian Smith
Fourth Palestinian baby freezes to death in Gaza since November https://aje.news/1ryphy
January 11, 2026 at 11:30 AM
Fourth Palestinian baby freezes to death in Gaza since November https://aje.news/1ryphy
Reposted by Ian Smith
US corporate bond sales hit $95bn in busiest week since Covid pandemic ft.trib.al/TyBtvej
US corporate bond sales hit $95bn in busiest week since Covid pandemic
Companies in new year borrowing rush ahead of expected glut of issuance to fund AI-related spending
ft.trib.al
January 11, 2026 at 6:18 AM
US corporate bond sales hit $95bn in busiest week since Covid pandemic ft.trib.al/TyBtvej
Reposted by Ian Smith
This week an elderly woman died alone on a trolley in a hospital corridor, with desperate, exhausted staff unable to tend to her
This is the reality in our NHS right now and for those on the front line, it’s horrifying
This is the reality in our NHS right now and for those on the front line, it’s horrifying
Woman left to die alone on corridor trolley in 'broken' A&E
Staff at a Merseyside hospital told the ECHO that an older woman died without being tended to by exhausted and overrun NHS teams at a hospital experiencing overwhelming demand
www.liverpoolecho.co.uk
January 11, 2026 at 7:45 AM
This week an elderly woman died alone on a trolley in a hospital corridor, with desperate, exhausted staff unable to tend to her
This is the reality in our NHS right now and for those on the front line, it’s horrifying
This is the reality in our NHS right now and for those on the front line, it’s horrifying
Thinking of the people of Iran tonight. Heartbreaking reports, after years of deadly and doomed protests, decades under the yoke of their “republic” and the rest of the world has only ever made things worse
January 10, 2026 at 10:23 PM
Thinking of the people of Iran tonight. Heartbreaking reports, after years of deadly and doomed protests, decades under the yoke of their “republic” and the rest of the world has only ever made things worse
Hard to think of anything more Palace than winning the FA Cup and then going out to Macclesfield
January 10, 2026 at 7:02 PM
Hard to think of anything more Palace than winning the FA Cup and then going out to Macclesfield
if you're new here this is a good bunch
go.bsky.app/GhSgfrR
go.bsky.app/GhSgfrR
January 9, 2026 at 5:29 PM
if you're new here this is a good bunch
go.bsky.app/GhSgfrR
go.bsky.app/GhSgfrR
Markets stable after jobs numbers that helpfully can prove both sides of the discussion on the US economy right. @senojerialc.bsky.social reports
www.ft.com/content/026e...
www.ft.com/content/026e...
US economy undershoots expectations to add just 50,000 jobs in December
Latest sign labour market is cooling after years of strong growth
www.ft.com
January 9, 2026 at 2:34 PM
Markets stable after jobs numbers that helpfully can prove both sides of the discussion on the US economy right. @senojerialc.bsky.social reports
www.ft.com/content/026e...
www.ft.com/content/026e...
"Truth-seeking" reserved for special few
www.ft.com/content/c24d...
www.ft.com/content/c24d...
Elon Musk’s xAI restricts Grok after outcry over sexualised images
Start-up limits use of image generation system to paid users following spread of deepfakes and child sex abuse material
www.ft.com
January 9, 2026 at 2:23 PM
"Truth-seeking" reserved for special few
www.ft.com/content/c24d...
www.ft.com/content/c24d...
Reposted by Ian Smith
EXCLUSIVE: Leaked WhatsApp messages show Labour MPs urging govt to leave X, arguing that it should "show direction to others in the UK"
The MPs said X owner Elon Musk is "fascist" and that the platform's AI tool, Grok, had put "children in harm's way"
The MPs said X owner Elon Musk is "fascist" and that the platform's AI tool, Grok, had put "children in harm's way"
January 9, 2026 at 2:20 PM
EXCLUSIVE: Leaked WhatsApp messages show Labour MPs urging govt to leave X, arguing that it should "show direction to others in the UK"
The MPs said X owner Elon Musk is "fascist" and that the platform's AI tool, Grok, had put "children in harm's way"
The MPs said X owner Elon Musk is "fascist" and that the platform's AI tool, Grok, had put "children in harm's way"
Reposted by Ian Smith
UK gloom overdone - from a markets PoV anyway - says Caxton CEO >> Markets signal a brighter UK future after lost decade
www.ft.com/content/9217...
www.ft.com/content/9217...
January 9, 2026 at 8:55 AM
UK gloom overdone - from a markets PoV anyway - says Caxton CEO >> Markets signal a brighter UK future after lost decade
www.ft.com/content/9217...
www.ft.com/content/9217...
Grønlandsbanken ⬆️ another 3% today
Greenland-linked stocks jump amid Trump takeover threats ft.trib.al/03kqs2y
Greenland-linked stocks jump amid Trump takeover threats
Shares in Danish territory’s biggest bank have risen 33% this week
ft.trib.al
January 9, 2026 at 9:05 AM
Grønlandsbanken ⬆️ another 3% today
Iran's clerical regime is having one of its wobbles, like 2009, 2022, but it does seem quite wobbly this one
www.ft.com/content/0e17...
www.ft.com/content/0e17...
Iran hit by ‘internet blackout’ as regime struggles to contain protests
Unrest tests Islamic republic at a time when it is grappling with intensifying external and domestic pressures
www.ft.com
January 9, 2026 at 7:21 AM
Iran's clerical regime is having one of its wobbles, like 2009, 2022, but it does seem quite wobbly this one
www.ft.com/content/0e17...
www.ft.com/content/0e17...
there’s always a trade*
*it may be silly
*it may be silly
Greenland-linked stocks jump amid Trump takeover threats ft.trib.al/03kqs2y
Greenland-linked stocks jump amid Trump takeover threats
Shares in Danish territory’s biggest bank have risen 33% this week
ft.trib.al
January 8, 2026 at 6:50 PM
there’s always a trade*
*it may be silly
*it may be silly
One reason the Supreme Court's coming decision on Trump's tariffs is interesting: some investors in US Treasuries are banking on tariff revenues to help offset tax cuts
www.ft.com/content/1fe9...
www.ft.com/content/1fe9...
Bond investors count on Trump tariff revenues to rein in US debt
President’s levies now seen as a way to offset tax cuts and keep a lid on government borrowing
www.ft.com
January 8, 2026 at 2:24 PM
One reason the Supreme Court's coming decision on Trump's tariffs is interesting: some investors in US Treasuries are banking on tariff revenues to help offset tax cuts
www.ft.com/content/1fe9...
www.ft.com/content/1fe9...
i believe the technical term for this is Jeez Louise
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
German Dentists’ Pension Fund Sues Advisers Over €1 Billion Loss
A German pension fund whose foray into private markets led to losses that totaled half of the fund’s assets has begun legal proceedings against its former auditor, an adviser and its own managers to r...
www.bloomberg.com
January 8, 2026 at 8:31 AM
i believe the technical term for this is Jeez Louise
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted by Ian Smith
Kemi Badenoch's spokesman says he agrees with the Government's response on X creating deep fakes of children.
Says something must be done but won't say what
Says something must be done but won't say what
January 7, 2026 at 1:30 PM
Kemi Badenoch's spokesman says he agrees with the Government's response on X creating deep fakes of children.
Says something must be done but won't say what
Says something must be done but won't say what
Reposted by Ian Smith
Keir Starmer's spokesman tells me that X and Grok's creation of sexual deepfakes of children is "completely unacceptable" but again won't commit to taking direct action against them, or to stop posting there.
Says "all options are on the table" but suggests it's a matter for Ofcom, not Government
Says "all options are on the table" but suggests it's a matter for Ofcom, not Government
January 7, 2026 at 1:13 PM
Keir Starmer's spokesman tells me that X and Grok's creation of sexual deepfakes of children is "completely unacceptable" but again won't commit to taking direct action against them, or to stop posting there.
Says "all options are on the table" but suggests it's a matter for Ofcom, not Government
Says "all options are on the table" but suggests it's a matter for Ofcom, not Government
Reposted by Ian Smith
Writing this I had to look through Grok's mentions. Earlier I counted around 8 requests PER MINUTE featuring "bikini" and "her". Thousands of women and girls stripped each day. I found users stripping dozens of women per hour, from female celebrities to gym selfies.
www.thetimes.com/uk/technolog...
www.thetimes.com/uk/technolog...
MPs urge boycott of Elon Musk’s X over Grok AI’s undressing
The call to end use of X for official government communication follows posts of digitally undressed women and children that may have broken UK law
www.thetimes.com
January 5, 2026 at 10:08 PM
Writing this I had to look through Grok's mentions. Earlier I counted around 8 requests PER MINUTE featuring "bikini" and "her". Thousands of women and girls stripped each day. I found users stripping dozens of women per hour, from female celebrities to gym selfies.
www.thetimes.com/uk/technolog...
www.thetimes.com/uk/technolog...
Reposted by Ian Smith
This is really bad; Grok is now going into is third day of regularly producing nonconsensual deepfake pornography and nobody is doing anything about it. The "Mechahitler" and "white genocide" episodes were stopped much more quickly. I suppose this tells us all about relative priorities.
January 5, 2026 at 11:07 PM
This is really bad; Grok is now going into is third day of regularly producing nonconsensual deepfake pornography and nobody is doing anything about it. The "Mechahitler" and "white genocide" episodes were stopped much more quickly. I suppose this tells us all about relative priorities.
Reposted by Ian Smith
Went to check if this screenshot (posted by @aric.bsky.social) was real (it is) and then made the mistake of also scrolling through Grok's replies on X. Still constantly cranking out sexualised images of young girls. Beyond bleak.
January 5, 2026 at 11:22 AM
Went to check if this screenshot (posted by @aric.bsky.social) was real (it is) and then made the mistake of also scrolling through Grok's replies on X. Still constantly cranking out sexualised images of young girls. Beyond bleak.
Reposted by Ian Smith
OFCOM has put out this statement about X creating sexualised images of children on X, (but not BlueSky.)
January 5, 2026 at 5:43 PM
OFCOM has put out this statement about X creating sexualised images of children on X, (but not BlueSky.)
Reposted by Ian Smith
