Ian Smith
Ian Smith connects movements in global capital markets with the policies and political decisions that shape them, bringing an investigative background in insurance and pensions to his coverage of finance at the Financial Times. He works as the FT’s senior markets correspondent, focusing on how interest rates, foreign exchange and major capital‑markets stories affect economies, companies and households. His reporting stands out for linking trading and monetary dynamics to longer‑running structural issues in financial services and the treatment of savers.
Markets, monetary policy and global capital flows
Smith’s primary focus is financial markets, where he tracks how shifts in interest‑rate expectations, currency moves and bond markets feed through to broader economic conditions. He describes himself as keen to cover rates, FX and big global capital‑markets stories, signalling a beat that ranges from central bank decisions to cross‑border funding and liquidity. His work has examined how escalating attacks on the US Federal Reserve unsettle investors, showing an emphasis on market psychology and the way political pressure on central banks can rattle asset prices. He also brings this perspective into audio formats, discussing what is going wrong in the UK and whether a change in leadership can fix it, framing political moments through their impact on markets and the cost of capital. Across formats, he writes and speaks in a way that connects technical market movements with clear narratives about risk, confidence and the policy backdrop.
Insurance, pensions and the treatment of households
Before taking on the markets brief, Smith specialised in insurance and pensions, an experience that continues to inform his coverage of finance. He has held reporting and editing roles on pensions titles within the FT Group and has won journalism awards for work on insurance and pensions. His investigations have included exposing an insurance scandal involving leaseholders, highlighting how complex policies and opaque pricing can harm people who have limited power to challenge providers. He has also reported on how the insurance sector treats low‑income households, showing a focus on fairness, access and the real‑world consequences of industry practices. That track record means his markets reporting carries an unusual sensitivity to the end‑user of financial products, whether in the design of pension compensation schemes or in how volatility and regulation affect people’s ability to protect their homes and retirements.
Politics, regulation and financial consequences
Smith often works at the intersection of finance and politics, following how regulatory decisions and fiscal choices reshape financial outcomes. His coverage of Andy Burnham’s stance on compensation for Waspi women illustrates an interest in pensions policy, party dynamics and the limits of what governments and local leaders can promise savers. He has written about the fallout from political attacks on the Federal Reserve, treating them not just as partisan skirmishes but as events that move markets and alter investor behaviour. In broadcast discussions about what is wrong in the UK and whether a new leader can fix it, he frames political change through the lens of market credibility, borrowing costs and investment flows. That blend of political awareness, regulatory detail and market analysis distinguishes his work from more narrowly transactional coverage of finance, making him a useful interlocutor on stories where public policy, voter expectations and financial risk collide.
Long‑form analysis and special reports
Alongside daily markets coverage, Smith brings a background in long‑form and thematic reporting. He joined the Financial Times’ special reports desk in 2018, having previously edited company coverage at a sister investment title. That experience gives him a frame for stepping back from the ticker to examine sectors and themes over a longer horizon, whether in insurance, pensions or capital markets. His work on insurance scandals and low‑income households shows a willingness to dig into complex structures, gather detailed evidence and build narratives that go beyond single‑day news. As a senior markets correspondent who has moved from the insurance beat to a broader financial‑markets focus, he combines an eye for trading and policy shifts with a reporter’s instinct for structural problems and who ultimately bears the risk.
4 more finance journalists.
Abba Ihonde
Abba Ihonde is a content writer for Guardian Digital at The Guardian whose beat sits where crypto, fintech and mainstream finance meet. He focuses on how cryptocurrencies, trading platforms and digital tools are reshaping business and finance, especially through regulation, crypto policy and their impact on financial services. His explainer pieces follow the practical realities of traders, importers and growing businesses, tracking everyday crypto use in cross-border trade and the turn to stablecoins. He reports on retail trading platforms and market education, drawing on experience in cryptocurrency futures trading and earlier SEO analysis and editing roles to keep finance coverage clear and structured. Abba also writes on business visibility in the digital economy, policy and tax technology, and takes on broader news and lifestyle assignments, from security incidents to celebrity weddings.
Adam Clark
Adam Clark links fast-moving moves in global markets with clear, stock-focused takeaways for investors, combining breaking news with thematic analysis across equities and commodities. He is a reporter at Barron's, covering breaking news and markets, a role he took on in 2022 after five years with Dow Jones Newswires. His beat is how individual stocks, sectors and major indices react to shifts in the economy, monetary policy and corporate strategy, and what those moves mean for portfolios. He covers real-time moves in leading stocks and indices, high-profile names such as Alphabet and Newmont, and themes like technology volatility and gold market resets. He works in fast-turn news and longer market features, drawing on experience as reporter, editor and Insight columnist across print and digital platforms linked to Dow Jones brands.
Alasdair Ferguson
Alasdair Ferguson is a multimedia journalist at The National whose finance reporting is defined by a strong focus on culture, heritage and history. He uses archives, museums and cultural institutions to tell contemporary stories, linking public money and policy to how Scotland understands its past. He covers finance, culture, heritage, sport, arts and civic campaigns, often showing how decisions and events affect daily life and national identity. His work includes pieces on historic conflicts, museum photo releases, lost music, football history, large-scale supporter travel, arts festivals, television industry shifts and grassroots independence campaigns. He reports through news, features and multimedia, including podcast and video interviews. Across formats, he relies on concrete historical material, scholarly research and institutional sources to foreground why discoveries and campaigns matter now.
Alec Whitaker
Alec Whitaker is a senior court reporter for The Westmorland Gazette and also writes for The Mail. He stands out for reporting criminal cases in a tight, court-led way that links offences to fines, bans, compensation and other legal outcomes. His core beat is magistrates’ and crown court hearings, with regular coverage of theft, drugs, motoring offences, harassment, stalking and robbery. He reports on how the justice system turns behaviour into sentences and financial penalties, from short theft cases to serious drug charges. His pieces give the charge, the hearing, the pleas and the final order in plain terms. He also covers inquests and other court proceedings, and his work has included reporting for The Mail, The Westmorland Gazette and the North West Evening Mail.