FT News Briefing

US lawmakers have launched an investigation into a $765m loan by the US government to Eastman Kodak, and two companies, Zynga and Etsy, reported strong quarterly earnings amid the pandemic. Plus, the FT’s Washington correspondent, Lauren Fedor, has some updates on how the campaign of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is doing. House Democrats probe $765m government loan to Kodakft.com/content/e4ab02ba-f8f7-4ca9-b881-9400ee612e18?Zynga earnings boosted by lockdown gaming habitshttps://www.ft.com/content/dfee19e3-1084-4d53-b522-99b6595281e7?Joe Biden aims to outspend Donald Trump on TV ads ahead of US electionhttps://www.ft.com/content/012896c0-71ee-4081-a3a5-8b1ca864b214 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dozens are dead and thousands injured after an explosion rocked Beirut, an income hit at Disney’s theme park has caused a knock on the company’s profits in the latest quarter, and an exchange traded fund holds more gold than some central banks. Plus, the FT’s Tabby Kinder explains why the UK tax authority, HM Revenue & Customs, is going after General Electric on fraud allegations.Beirut rocked by massive explosionhttps://www.ft.com/content/efb1426f-a80f-4b38-99c1-67a7a0823c4aETF becomes one of world’s biggest gold owners as investors flock inft.com/content/5316a714-6aa9-4919-ab29-96fab47cf2d4Disney plans a digital debut for ‘Mulan’https://www.ft.com/content/e39b07a9-edde-4dd3-9356-31bb11cd39e2Why the UK tax authority is accusing General Electric of a $1bn fraud https://www.ft.com/content/02a6fa1b-8b62-4e1e-9100-fe620c8ec96c Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US President Donald Trump reversed course and dropped his opposition to Microsoft’s bid for TikTok, two leading candidates to head the World Trade Organization say US legal criticisms over dispute resolution are valid, and foreign aid groups combatting the coronavirus pandemic in North Korea have been forced to borrow money from its government. Plus, the FT's senior energy correspondent, Anjli Raval, tells us how oil companies are surviving the pandemic shock. Register for the Energy Source talk, “Profit and Power in the Energy Industry” https://live.ft.com/Events/2020/Profit-and-Power-in-the-Energy-Industry?segmentId=b52e1504-1d03-48a4-76bc-38fb50ada64b&utm_us=JJYAAPTrump drops opposition to Microsoft bid for TikTokhttp://ft.com/content/a1162b60-977d-400c-9758-edc4aa006f72?Leading WTO candidates back US bid for dispute system reforms  ft.com/content/f4830e2b-df7b-474a-8104-6336992ca193Aid groups borrow money from N. Korea in coronavirus fightft.com/content/057ec3d5-77ba-4db3-a1cc-1b2e60617094?edit=trueShell and Total escape underlying losses on strong oil tradinghttps://www.ft.com/content/5df3596c-6b42-4270-85c4-c10834e80975 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Trump administration has vowed to “take action” against Chinese software companies that it perceives as a risk to security. Plus, William Spriggs, a professor of economics at Howard University and chief economist of the AFL-CIO, explains how the pandemic is changing the US labour market. US to widen action against Chinese tech groups beyond TikTokhttps://www.ft.com/content/2eb1859f-ea08-4c7e-9bdd-a6712389a389The Rachman Review: US economist William Spriggs on scars of the pandemichttps://www.ft.com/content/f80f8629-a84f-4ed8-abc2-bcf12cc92095 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Facebook, Amazon, and Apple all reported stellar revenue increases in the latest quarter. The FT’s Richard Waters will explain what that means in the context of Wednesday’s US congressional big tech antitrust hearings. Then, FT US markets reporter Colby Smith will explain investor reaction to the worst contraction in the US economy in postwar history. Plus, corporate America is still clinging on to share buybacks despite the global recession.  Register for the Energy Source talk, “Profit and Power in the Energy Industry” https://live.ft.com/Events/2020/Profit-and-Power-in-the-Energy-Industry?segmentId=b52e1504-1d03-48a4-76bc-38fb50ada64b&utm_us=JJYAAPApple revenues defy expectations despite store closureshttps://www.ft.com/content/20d1ef26-2bf4-4900-85b2-08ef7c6d1ae1US economy suffers sharpest postwar contraction in second quarterhttps://www.ft.com/content/3ff15dc7-be90-4676-8121-5a868016c4bbUS companies cling to share buybacks despite collapse in profitsft.com/content/1c924be0-5bc0-4eba-a088-b98b13080c04? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

American lawmakers grill the chief executives of four US tech groups over unfair competition accusations, Qualcomm shares soared to a record high after the California chipmaker announced a royalty deal with Huawei on Wednesday, and the Federal Reserve extends measures to deal with the risk of an international shortage of dollars. Plus the FT’s opinion and analysis editor, Brooke Masters, explains how Goldman Sachs walked away from the 1MDB scandal relatively unscathed. Big Tech bosses told they have ‘too much power’https://www.ft.com/content/7c291a12-b87c-42a6-bd35-be961693c3e7Qualcomm shares surge on Huawei deal and 5G progresshttps://www.ft.com/content/0d266436-3377-49bb-867b-266939240685Fed warns virus resurgence threatens economic recoveryhttps://www.ft.com/content/938a5387-778d-4f9e-8aed-53d2a332c7af Goldman has done it again with its Malaysia dealhttps://www.ft.com/content/03d5f3c8-3d0c-4afb-b3c5-3c5ed1c7cfe6 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Moderna is pitching its coronavirus vaccine at about $50 to $60 per course, the Federal Reserve has announced that it will extend emergency lending facilities, the European Central Bank has called on eurozone banks to continue to freeze dividend payments and Europe is bracing for another surge in coronavirus cases. Plus, the heads of Amazon, Apple, Alphabet and Facebook are set to appear together before Congress for the first time. The FT’s Lauren Fedor will explain what might come out of this hearing.Big tech goes to Washington https://www.ft.com/content/3e26d31f-9cff-4b3b-a971-02e16996c190Moderna pitches virus vaccine at around $50-$60 per coursehttps://www.ft.com/content/405c0d07-d15a-4f5b-8a77-3c2fbd5d4c1cEurope battles to contain surge in Covid-19 casesft.com/content/bcddc297-b7f2-444d-908f-54e8ce6f4f98? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Senate Republicans unveiled a White House-backed plan for $1tn in new stimulus that would cut emergency unemployment benefits by two-thirds, the dollar weakened to a two-year low on Monday as coronavirus flare-ups weighed on investor confidence and Major League Baseball contends with a fresh coronavirus outbreak. Plus, the FT’s banking editor, Stephen Morris, will explain what lies ahead for European banks when it comes to loan losses and dividends. Republicans unveil $1tn stimulus plan cutting jobless benefitshttps://www.ft.com/content/3c6d86e9-93b4-41af-9803-046940cedf99?Dollar sinks to two-year low on concern over US virus tollhttps://www.ft.com/content/9d9fa97c-154f-46fb-affd-51f45a0de08aUS baseball league postpones games after outbreak hits Miami team https://www.ft.com/content/12b00810-5b8c-4df0-b22d-cabe898770a3Banks across Europe braced for further heavy loan-loss chargeshttps://www.ft.com/content/d42d735a-9aa3-454e-955a-3e0b22eda03d Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Republicans are set to unveil their proposals for a fresh round of stimulus today, US oil companies have increased production following the price crash earlier in the year, and a surge in coronavirus cases have forced countries to curb European travel. Plus, the FT’s political editor, George Parker, will have an update on the progress  of future relationship talks between the UK and EU. Republicans prepare to unveil latest US stimulus offerft.com/content/3ced1ea5-6070-46ee-a946-dc18ad212bf7US oil production wells up after Covid price crashhttps://www.ft.com/content/9552bb8b-c23a-458d-b476-bbbbe4163bd2Infection surges force countries to curb European travelhttps://www.ft.com/content/584ee262-d539-40ca-b145-e42865f2bc6bMichel Barnier warns ‘no progress’ made on key issues in Brexit talkshttps://www.ft.com/content/14e6c44f-5573-46c1-8f4c-224747562c42 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Goldman Sachs is pointing to its strong second quarter results in a pitch to the Federal Reserve for relief on its capital requirements, Intel shares dropped after the company said it was pushing back the launch of its next generation of chips, and as US lawmakers wrangle over the next economic stimulus package the US jobs recovery appears to be stalling. Plus, the search for oil can cost hundreds of millions of dollars. The FT’s senior energy correspondent, Anjli Raval, explains why the industry is scaling back. Goldman touts ‘countercyclical’ trading in pitch for capital reliefft.com/content/91b19416-6f3b-4e67-a309-857a61c6d494?US labour market recovery appears to stall amid stimulus talkshttps://www.ft.com/content/c9290574-ceef-4638-baf1-d27323992129Intel warns of delays to next generation chipsft.com/content/29e02e4f-df7f-49d7-8f94-00a5af481909?The last frontier: oil industry scales back explorationhttps://www.ft.com/content/85afd43a-cb3d-4e82-88b7-1f3a77dc2acb Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tesla reported its fourth consecutive quarterly net profit on Wednesday, the fissure between the US and China continues to deepen with Washington ordering Beijing to shut its consulate in Houston over spying concerns, a group of US tech investors has launched an ambitious plan to buy TikTok from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, and Wirecard’s former chief executive has been rearrested and accused of committing a long-running fraud. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The British government has abandoned hopes of reaching a US-UK trade deal ahead of this autumn’s American presidential election, and Donald Trump told reporters the pandemic in the US will “get worse before it gets better”. Plus, the FT’s Latin America editor, Michael Stott, will explain why the region might be headed for another debt crisis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

EU leaders are closing in on a deal for a landmark coronavirus recovery package, the largest laboratory company in the US, Quest Diagnostics, has warned it will be impossible to increase coronavirus testing capacity in the event of a second wave in the autumn, and European banks are facing as much as €800bn in loan losses over the next three years as a result of the coronavirus crisis. Plus, the FT’s James Politi will explain why the US economic recovery from coronavirus was so short-lived and whether it will gather pace again.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

EU leaders spent the weekend locked in marathon summit talks over Europe’s proposed €750bn response to the coronavirus pandemic, and Albert Fernández, Argentina’s president, has made an impassioned appeal for the world to accept that he cannot budge from his final offer to restructure $65bn of foreign debt. Plus, the US is considering an effective ban on TikTok, the popular social media platform. The FT’s Beijing Bureau chief, Yuan Yang, will explain.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US is considering putting TikTok on a blacklist that would effectively prevent Americans from using the popular video app, Netflix warns investors that its pandemic related growth spurt is waning, and the FBI and New York state launch investigations into Wednesday’s unprecedented hack of Twitter. Plus, the FT’s Dan Dombey explains how Spain is still struggling with its coronavirus recovery, and why so much of the country’s future hinges on the proposed EU recovery fund.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Twitter experienced an unprecedented hack on Wednesday when bitcoin scammers sent a series of tweets from hundreds of accounts, Opec and Russia move to start unwinding the record oil supply cuts agreed earlier this year, and the US has threatened to impose sanctions on any companies helping Russia to build the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. Plus, the EU’s second-highest court rejected a European Commission order for Apple to pay back more than 14 billion euros in taxes to Ireland. The FT’s Javier Espinoza will have more on what this means for the EU as it tries to crack down on low-tax countries.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Donald Trump signed legislation on Tuesday that gives his administration more power to impose sanctions on Chinese officials, the Trump administration reversed its rule that international students would have to return home if they are attending universities with online-only classes, Moderna’s potential Covid-19 vaccine produced immune responses in patients in the early stage trial, and technology groups are refusing a data sharing proposal with Hong Kong regulators. Plus, the FT’s US banking editor, Laura Noonan, examines why three of America’s biggest banks set aside a combined $28bn for current and future loan losses.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brussels is planning to pursue low-tax member states over their advantageous corporate tax regimes, California is rolling back its reopening effort due to a surge in Covid-19 cases, and US technology groups and a group of state attorneys-general are joining the battle against a Trump administration rule that requires foreign students to return home if universities move to online-only courses. Plus, the FT’s leisure industries reporter Alice Hancock will explain what is becoming of the businesses reliant on European summer tourism in light of the pandemic. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Boris Johnson is set to unveil plans this week to phase Huawei out of the UK’s 5G mobile phone networks, WeWork’s executive chairman tells the Financial Times that the company is on track to have positive cash flow in 2021, and the new head of the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency warns banks about using coronavirus as cover to shut branches or to win permanent concessions from regulators. Plus, the FT’s US banking editor, Laura Noonan, tells us what to expect when Wall Street banks report quarterly earnings this week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US and European banks in Hong Kong are conducting emergency audits of their clients to identify officials and corporates that could face possible US sanctions over the new national security law, the FT reports that Wirecard executive Jan Marsalek touted secret documents about the use of a Russian chemical weapon in the UK as he bragged of ties to intelligence services to ingratiate himself with London traders, and coronavirus has spurred a global bicycle shortage. Plus, the FT’s consumer industries reporter Patricia Nilsson will explain how allegations of worker mistreatment brought on an investigation of online retailer Boohoo.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In an interview with the FT, European Central Bank president Christine Lagarde said that “women are the first victims” of events such as a pandemic and discussed the steps towards recovery. Plus, UK business leaders say that millions of jobs in some of the hardest hit sectors are still at risk despite chancellor Rishi Sunak’s £30bn jobs plan, and the US hits 3m confirmed coronavirus cases.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US has begun the process of leaving the World Health Organization, the FT reports that international investors bought bonds backed by the crime proceeds of Italy’s most powerful mafia group, and US investment in offshore wind power is predicted to rise to a level that nearly matches spending on offshore oil drilling this decade. Plus, the FT’s Claire Bushey will explain how coronavirus has triggered a conversation on the treatment and compensation of low-wage workers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Facebook, Google and Twitter have all said they would temporarily block Hong Kong’s authorities from accessing user data despite threats from the government, the US claims its small business bailout programme has kept 51.1 million people in work during the pandemic, and foreign students at US universities and schools will no longer be eligible to stay in the country if their courses move fully online due to coronavirus. Plus, the FT’s Eric Platt will report on the dangers associated with day trading. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Covid-19 has been a global shock. But will it be a transformative one? In this special edition of the FT News Briefing, the FT’s chief economics commentator, Martin Wolf, explains why the global free market era might soon be coming to an end for western democracies, and why he thinks politics, society and the economy should now revolve around the idea of citizenship. Read Martin Wolf’s essay at FT.com/BigRead.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority is set to ask Brussels for full control over the review of the proposed £31bn merger between Virgin Media and O2, US consumers are expected to spend $710bn online in 2020, and American Airlines says it could have over 20,000 front-line employees more than it needs this autumn to operate its reduced flying schedule. Plus, the unemployment rate for black Americans remained higher in June than for all other groups. Economist Valerie Wilson explains why black workers are being disproportionately affected by coronavirus and what policy measures might help. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US public health experts are warning of a heightened risk of coronavirus transmission during US Independence Day celebrations, EU regulators are asking more questions about Google’s proposed $2.1bn takeover of fitness tracker Fitbit, and the FT’s  James Kynge explains how China’s national security law affects both Hong Kongers and foreigners living in the territory. Plus, the FT’s Judith Evans explains why consumers are changing their attitudes towards single-use plastic in the pandemic. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Coronavirus has brought an end to one of the longest waves in mergers and acquisitions history, more than 100 UK company chiefs, entrepreneurs and business groups have written to Boris Johnson warning about the economic damage of a no-deal Brexit, and the FT has revealed that German payments company Wirecard relied on a small number of customers for the majority of its genuine sales according to an internal document. Plus, the FT’s Hannah Murphy looks at whether the advertising revolt against social media and hate speech policy will have a lasting effect.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wall Street investment banks brought in a record amount of fees for fundraisings in the first six months of 2020 amid coronavirus, UK prime minister Boris Johnson plans to announce £5bn of infrastructure projects today, and Gilead Sciences has said it will charge governments $2,340 for a 5-day course of its coronavirus treatment, remdesivir. Plus, the FT’s Primrose Riordan explains why investors, economists, and analysts are growing concerned over China’s national security law in Hong Kong.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

American shale pioneer Chesapeake Energy has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and dozens of brands are cancelling advertising on Facebook over the social media company’s handling of hate speech.  Plus, Singapore is luring hedge funds and investors away from other low tax jurisdictions with a new corporate structure. The FT’s Stefania Palma explains how the country is trying to make itself Asia’s leading financial centre. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wirecard filed for insolvency on Thursday, days after the German payments group revealed a multiyear fraud that led to the arrest of its former chief executive. The FT’s Dan McCrum has been following Wirecard for the past five years and will upack the company’s current position. Plus, the Federal Reserve has capped dividends and banned share buybacks by big US banks in an attempt to strengthen the financial system in the pandemic. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Global markets dropped on Wednesday as rising Covid-19 cases  fuelled fears that the virus could derail an economic recovery, US airlines increased the size of their debt and equity fundraisings this week to nearly $10bn after receiving a warm welcome from investors, and Bayer will pay up to $10.9bn to settle a wave of lawsuits over the potential carcinogenic effects of its herbicide product Roundup. Plus, the FT’s currencies correspondent, Eva Szalay, explains why analysts at Bank of America say the British pound is an emerging-market currency in all but name. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wirecard’s founder Markus Braun was arrested on suspicion of false accounting and market manipulation, and the Trump administration has eased Obama-era environmental rules during the pandemic. Plus, the FT’s global finance correspondent, Robin Wigglesworth, will explain why some investors say the Federal Reserve and other central banks have in practice nationalised the bond market with their coronavirus measures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump is set to extend a suspension of immigration into the US imposed in response to the coronavirus pandemic, and Apple is planning to transition away from Intel chips to an in-house design for processors. Plus, last week Wirecard warned that €1.9bn was missing from its accounts. It confirms reporting by the Financial Times, which has been investigating fraud suspicions at the German payments group. The FT’s investigations editor, Paul Murphy, will unpack the difficulties in reporting the story and the eventual downfall of the company. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Boris Johnson will hammer out a new plan with senior ministers this week aimed at unblocking talks on Britain’s future relationship with the EU, and the delay of oil and gas projects in Senegal signals the aftershocks from the coronavirus crisis are even hurting economies that have avoided the worst of the pandemic itself. Plus, some economists have suggested the Federal Reserve could target the black unemployment rate in its monetary policy as a means of addressing income inequality in the US. One such advocate, Janelle Jones of the Groundwork Collaborative, unpacks her proposal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Executives from drugmaker Insys were the first from the pharmaceutical sector to be handed prison time for their role in America’s opioid epidemic earlier this year. The FT and the PBS series Frontline have investigated why the warning signs around the company were ignored for so long. FT pharmaceutical correspondent Hannah Kuchler tells Marc Filippino what they uncovered.Read the story at ft.com/insys.The PBS Frontline documentary, Opioids, Inc. is available for streaming online at PBS.org beginning Friday June 19, and will premiere on American PBS stations on Tuesday, June 23. For more information visit: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/opioids-inc/. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US has suspended talks with European countries on a new global tax framework for technology companies, private equity groups in the US have been on a spending spree despite worldwide lockdowns due to the pandemic, and the bankrupt car rental company Hertz halted its controversial $500m share sale. Plus, the FT’s Seoul bureau chief Edward White explains how Donald Trump’s transactional approach to foreign policy is affecting America’s relationships with Asian countries. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wall Street rallied on expectations of new aid for the US economy from the federal government and central bank, while Royalty Pharma pulled off the biggest US listing of 2020. Plus, protesters are calling to defund police departments in the wake of George Floyd’s death. Alex Vitale, a sociology professor at Brooklyn College, explains what this might look like in practice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US Supreme Court ruled on Monday that LGBTQ workers are protected by federal civil rights laws in a landmark anti-discrimination decision, and Europe’s young workers are among the hardest hit by a frozen labour market. Plus, the FT’s senior energy correspondent, Anjli Raval, explains why coronavirus has big oil companies, such as BP, pivoting towards clean energy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

SoftBank has quietly poured more than $500m into Credit Suisse investment funds that in turn made big bets on the debt of struggling start-ups backed by the Vision Fund, the White House is opposed to extending coronavirus-related federal unemployment payments because it believes the measure created a “disincentive” to work, and China is bracing for a second wave of coronavirus. Plus, the FT’s David Keohane reports on France’s efforts to save its aerospace industry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Investors in US and European equities were rattled on Thursday after the Federal Reserve’s dire assessment of the US economy and fresh concerns of an uptick in coronavirus cases, and the British government has abandoned its plan to introduce full border checks with the EU on January 1. Plus, the FT’s banking editor, Stephen Morris, unpacks the pressure HSBC is under after backing China’s Hong Kong national security law.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First, the FT’s Colby Smith explains why the Federal Reserve is predicting that it would keep interest rates close to zero until at least the end of 2022. Then, the FT’s Brazil bureau chief Bryan Harris examines how the country is handling the coronavirus pandemic. Plus, the FT’s US business editor, Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson explains how company leaders have been awarded generous stock options that could more than make up for their temporary pandemic-related pay cuts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

EU member states are urging Brussels to account for the shock of a hard Brexit in its coronavirus recovery plans, a former Goldman Sachs banker has avoided prison time for his role in a global insider trading ring, and US online car sales company Vroom more than doubled its price on the first day of trading as investors showed strong demand for newly listed stocks.  Plus, the Federal Reserve is releasing its first economic forecast in six months. The FT’s James Politi explains what the US central bank could signal about the next stage of their recession response. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US stock market has erased all of its losses from 2020, the World Bank has forecast that emerging economies will shrink for the first time in 60 years, and US Congressional Democrats have responded to protests against police brutality by proposing a bill to reform police practices. Plus, the FT’s Anjli Raval will explain the cautiously optimistic moves from the oil market.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US civil rights groups have received a surge of corporate donations since Minneapolis police killed George Floyd, the head of Fidelity International has warned that asset managers will struggle to provide enough cash to keep businesses afloat, and global trade is under threat with up to 400,000 crew stranded either at sea or at home due to Covid-19. Plus, the FT’s James Politi explains why the US Bureau of Labor Statistics is having a hard time pinning down the country’s actual unemployment rate.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Veteran market strategist Jeremy Grantham has cut back his holdings in global stocks. The FT’s Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson recounts his conversation with the Boston fund manager. And, Frankfurt bureau chief Martin Arnold walks through the latest moves from the European Central Bank. Plus, the FT’s Attracta Mooney explains why wealth managers believe that investment with a sustainable focus will likely grow beyond the coronavirus pandemic. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US defence secretary Mark Esper breaks with Donald Trump on sending the army to clamp down on protests, and his predecessor James Mattis joins the president’s critics. The  FT’s Katrina Manson explains why the rift is so significant. Plus, a study casts doubt on whether taking hydroxychloroquine is an effective treatment for Covid-19, and Warner Music scored the biggest US IPO of 2020 on Wednesday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many companies and chief executives have expressed solidarity with protests over the police killings of George Floyd and other black men and women. The FT’s Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson explains what is different this time round. Plus, public health experts fear the demonstrations will hasten the spread of Covid-19, and Zoom has emerged as one of the biggest corporate winners from the pandemic. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Donald Trump threatened to send US soldiers on to American streets to tackle the most widespread unrest the country has seen in decades, following the killing of George Floyd by police. Meanwhile, Mark Zuckerberg is facing a backlash within Facebook over his stance on controversial posts by the US president related to the protests. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Protests swept across US cities over the weekend as demonstrators responded to the death of George Floyd, another black man who died by police brutality. The FT’s Claire Bushey and Lauren Fedor explain what has been happening at the local and federal levels. Plus, the European Union budget commissioner is calling on member states to back new taxes to help fund the coronavirus recovery, and how seven US public pension plans risk running out of money by 2028. To get free access to the FT’s Coronavirus Business Update newsletter for 30 days, visit ft.com/newsbriefingcovid or go to https://www.ft.com/newsletter-signup/coronavirus?segmentId=9f398053-342f-c623-b5b3-1506d651696f. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump said he had ordered a wide-ranging review of the law that grants social media companies immunity from legal action for content on their platforms, and the UK government has opened a path to citizenship for more than 300,000 Hong Kong residents in response to China's security crackdown. Plus, the FT’s industry editor, Peggy Hollinger, unpacks the turnround that propelled pharmaceutical group AstraZeneca to the industry’s front ranks.To get free access to the FT’s Coronavirus Business Update newsletter for 30 days, visit ft.com/newsbriefingcovid or go to https://www.ft.com/newsletter-signup/coronavirus?segmentId=9f398053-342f-c623-b5b3-1506d651696f. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.