FT News Briefing

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.

Boeing said it will resume production of the troubled 737 Max, just hours after announcing plans to dismiss  more than 12,000 US workers. Meanwhile, Brussels has unveiled a plan to borrow €750bn to bankroll recovery efforts after the coronavirus crisis. Now it faces a critical few weeks for corralling member states to back the plan. Plus, the US will no longer consider Hong Kong autonomous from China. The FT’s US managing editor, Peter Spiegel, explains what this could mean for the global financial hub. 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.

Hopes of a quick economic recovery gave global stocks a lift on Tuesday. The FT’s Philip Stafford explains whether that optimism can be sustained. Then, a look at the highly rated companies, including ­Disney, Apple and ExxonMobil, that have borrowed a trillion dollars in the first five months of this year. Plus, Elon Musk’s SpaceX will send two Nasa astronauts to space today. The FT’s West Coast Editor, Richard Waters, will explain what this means for commercial ambitions in the final frontier. 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.

Japanese couples are putting off parenthood over coronavirus concerns. The FT’s Tokyo correspondent, Kana Inagaki, explains what this means for a country already suffering from population decline. Plus, countries around the world are aiming to roll out contact-tracing apps as they seek to reopen economies. The FT’s South Asia correspondent, Stephanie Findlay, reports on India’s mandatory system.   Update: India’s contact-tracing policy has been loosened since our interview with Stephanie Findlay was recorded. Since then, India has issued clarifications saying that the Aarogya Setu app is not mandatory for plane travel, but passengers will have to fill out a declaration form when boarding a plane.To get free access to the FT’s Coronavirus Business Update newsletter for 30 days, visit ft.com/newsbriefingcovid or follow this link: https://www.ft.com/newsletter-signup/coronavirus?segmentId=9f398053-342f-c623-b5b3-1506d651696f. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Chinese government is preparing to impose national security legislation on Hong Kong, and sales surged at the US retailers deemed “essential” by local authorities in the first quarter. Plus, the business of higher education is under threat because of coronavirus. The FT’s Andrew Jack explains.To get free access to the FT’s Coronavirus Business Update newsletter for 30 days, visit ft.com/newsbriefingcovid or follow this link: https://www.ft.com/newsletter-signup/coronavirus?segmentId=9f398053-342f-c623-b5b3-1506d651696f. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that the rapid spread of coronavirus in the southern hemisphere suggests it is likely to flare up in the US later this year. Then, the biggest shopping mall in America has fallen behind on mortgage payments that help underpin the $500bn mortgage-backed bond market. Plus, the FT’s Stephanie Findlay will explain how India’s pharma and chemical groups are jostling to take business from China.To get free access to the FT’s Coronavirus Business Update newsletter for 30 days, visit ft.com/newsbriefingcovid or follow this link: https://www.ft.com/newsletter-signup/coronavirus?segmentId=9f398053-342f-c623-b5b3-1506d651696f. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Facebook has unveiled a shopping service that puts it in direct competition with Amazon and eBay, and a €500bn EU recovery fund put forward by Germany and France is facing some resistance. Plus, SoftBank announced a record $13bn annual loss earlier this week. The FT’s Tokyo correspondent, Kana Inagaki, explains what is next for founder Masayoshi Son. To get free access to the FT’s Coronavirus Business Update newsletter for 30 days, visit ft.com/newsbriefingcovid or follow this link: https://www.ft.com/newsletter-signup/coronavirus?segmentId=9f398053-342f-c623-b5b3-1506d651696f. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Positive results from the first US Covid-19 trial raised investors’ hopes of an economic rebound, Chinese self-driving car start-ups have been accelerating pilot projects as US rivals sit idle, and bond investors have hit out at the growing trend of companies reporting “earnings before coronavirus”. Plus, the FT’s Kiran Stacey explains what the latest US sanctions against Huawei mean for the Chinese telecoms company’s survival. To get free access to the FT’s Coronavirus Business Update newsletter for 30 days, visit ft.com/newsbriefingcovid or follow this link: https://www.ft.com/newsletter-signup/coronavirus?segmentId=9f398053-342f-c623-b5b3-1506d651696f. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Federal Reserve chair Jay Powell has warned that the US economy may not “fully recover” until the end of 2021, Japan’s oldest brokerage firm, Nomura, is poised to unveil a new strategic focus on private markets, and the Taiwanese government and Stanford University are preparing a quarantine and testing regime for foreign travellers. Plus, the FT’s June Yoon explains how the hopeful era for South Korea’s film industry has been disrupted by the pandemic. To get free access to the FT’s Coronavirus Business Update newsletter for 30 days, visit ft.com/newsbriefingcovid. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The hunt for a coronavirus vaccine is central to global efforts to restart economies. The FT’s US coronavirus correspondent, David Crow, explains how nationalism could slow the fight against the pandemic. Plus, some companies are presenting a new customised metric they are calling ebitdac: earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortisation — and coronavirus. The FT’s markets reporter, Nikou Asgari, looks into whether it will stick. Then, the governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey on the central bank’s response to the crisis.To get free access to the FT’s Coronavirus Business Update newsletter for 30 days, visit ft.com/newsbriefingcovid.You can watch the full Andrew Bailey interview from The FT’s Global Boardroom event here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Federal Reserve chair Jay Powell said on Wednesday that additional fiscal stimulus may be “worth it” to shield the US economy from long-term economic damage due to the pandemic, meanwhile, OECD secretary-general Angel Gurría warned that rising debt levels would “come back to haunt us”. Plus, BMW is facing criticism for plans to make a dividend payout to shareholders despite requesting subsidies from the German government. Then, collateralised loan obligations, or CLOs, have boomed over the past decade. The FT’s capital markets correspondent, Rob Smith, explains why they could be vulnerable during the recession.  To get free access to the FT’s Coronavirus Business Update newsletter for 30 days, visit ft.com/newsbriefingcovid. You can watch the full Angel Gurría interview from The FT’s Global Boardroom event here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The global economic outlook is still worsening, according to IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva. Plus, the FT’s corporate finance and deals editor, Arash Massoudi, reports on the latest deal to collapse amid the pandemic and the FT’s Colby Smith explains why the looming emerging markets debt crisis is expected to be messy.To get free access to the FT’s Coronavirus Business Update newsletter for 30 days, visit ft.com/newsbriefingcovid. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The head of an Italian biotech company that sells Covid-19 diagnostic and antibody tests told the FT that demand far exceeded supply as countries put mass testing at the centre of plans to ease lockdowns, BP’s new chief executive, Bernard Looney, said the coronavirus hit to crude consumption was likely to endure beyond the pandemic, and, as coronavirus takes a devastating toll on senior living homes, investors are being forced to recognise they are more than mere landlords. Plus, the FT’s motor industry correspondent, Peter Campbell, explains why fewer bookings is not the only reason rental car companies are hurting. To get free access to the FT’s Coronavirus Business Update newsletter for 30 days, visit ft.com/newsbriefingcovid. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

UK airlines demanded “urgent additional government support” on Sunday warning that Boris Johnson’s plans to introduce a 14-day quarantine for people arriving in the UK by air will exacerbate the crisis facing the sector. Plus, US businesses resuming operations after coronavirus lockdowns are confronting uncertain legal terrain over whether they are required to pay workers for time spent on health checks, and WeWork’s move to skip rent payments and renegotiate hundreds of its leases is rippling into the commercial mortgage market. Then, renewable energy is one of the few sectors that has managed to weather the devastating effects of coronavirus, with new deals and new records being struck, even while the rest of the world has been grappling with the pandemic. The FT’s environment and clean energy correspondent, Leslie Hook, explains. To get free access to the FT’s Coronavirus Business Update newsletter for 30 days, visit ft.com/newsbriefingcovid.--You might also be interested in a three-day digital conference hosted by the Financial Times. On 12-14 May, the FT will gather the most senior global decision makers and leading minds in policy, business, tech and finance for three days of online conversations with our top journalists – it's also free to join. Find out more at: https://globalboardroom.ft.com/. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Uber reported stronger than expected first-quarter revenues on Thursday thanks to a surge in food delivery;  India’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani, has sold a stake in his digital services group Reliance Jio for a third time in three weeks. Plus, we will look at what to expect from the US jobs report for April. Then, without runways or retail, how is the fashion industry faring under lockdown? The FT’s fashion editor, Lauren Indvik, will explain.  To get free access to the FT’s Coronavirus Business Update newsletter for 30 days, visit ft.com/newsbriefingcovid.--You might also be interested in a three-day digital conference hosted by the Financial Times. On 12-14 May, the FT will gather the most senior global decision makers and leading minds in policy, business, tech and finance for three days of online conversations with our top journalists – it's also free to join. Find out more at: https://globalboardroom.ft.com/  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump is weighing up more aggressive economic measures against China, The European Central Bank is expected to resist recent pressure from Germany’s constitutional court over its bond-buying programme, and first-quarter results from Lyft showed promising signals for the company’s target of profitability until the disruption of the coronavirus pandemic. Plus, Airbnb was expected to make its stock market debut this year. The FT’s San Francisco correspondent, Dave Lee, will tell us how it is thinking about the future as the travel industry deals with the upheaval from the virus.To get free access to the FT’s Coronavirus Business Update newsletter for 30 days, visit ft.com/newsbriefingcovid. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Disney estimates that the coronavirus crisis wiped as much as $1.4bn from its quarterly operating profit, while Beyond Meat gears up for the price of its plant-based burgers to compete directly with real beef at the supermarket, and Germany’s constitutional court has called on the European Central Bank to justify its bond-buying programme. Plus, the FT’s global business columnist, Rana Foroohar, argues that economists will have to abandon their traditional way of thinking to deal with problems posed by the pandemic. To get free access to the FT’s Coronavirus Business Update newsletter for 30 days, visit ft.com/newsbriefingcovid. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The aviation industry took another hit from the coronavirus crisis on Monday as GE cut 10,000 aerospace jobs, and Argentina debt holders doubled down on their opposition to the government’s plan to restructure its debt. Plus, as the coronavirus pandemic rages on, advertising costs are being cut from many corporate budgets. The FT’s Tim Bradshaw explains why Silicon Valley is surviving the ad crash. To get free access to the FT’s Coronavirus Business Update newsletter for 30 days, visit ft.com/newsbriefingcovid. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US and European banks are on track to book more than $50bn of charges on souring loans in the first quarter. Plus, the FT’s Eric Platt reports on Berkshire Hathaway’s annual general meeting, where Warren Buffett was the star of the show, and the FT’s deputy editor, Patrick Jenkins, explains how BlackRock’s small consultancy division came to have a growing influence on a number of governments. To get free access to the FT’s Coronavirus Business Update newsletter for 30 days, visit ft.com/newsbriefingcovid. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amazon has warned that coronavirus measures could cost at least $4bn in the next quarter and wipe out any gain from a jump in sales during the pandemic, and Boeing has tapped the bond market for $25bn to help weather a cash drain this year. Plus, the FT’s Judith Evans reports on a crisis building in the UK fruit farming industry. To get free access to the FT’s Coronavirus Business Update newsletter for 30 days, visit ft.com/newsbriefingcovid. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Federal Reserve has warned of lasting “medium-term” economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. The FT’s James Politi unpacks the central bank’s outlook. Plus, the White House praised Gilead’s remdesivir as a coronavirus treatment drug after the release of the findings from a new study, and Microsoft posted strong results in the latest quarter thanks to a jump in its cloud-related business. Then, the FT’s Stephen Morris reports on how Barclays fared in the first quarter as the bank announced  a sharp increase in provisions for bad loans.To get free access to the FT’s Coronavirus Business Update newsletter for 30 days, visit ft.com/newsbriefingcovid. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Google’s internet search business stabilised in April after a sharp downturn at the end of last month, Fitch has downgraded Italy’s credit rating to a single notch above junk, and US President Donald Trump orders meat-processing plants to remain open in the wake of coronavirus-related closures. Plus, the FT’s economics correspondent, Delphine Strauss, explains why statisticians  are having such a hard time measuring inflation during the global pandemic. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US oil prices fell sharply on Monday after the world’s largest oil-backed exchange traded fund began offloading all of its short-term contracts, and investors in European banks are braced for significant loan-loss provisions as the sector reports quarterly earnings this week. Plus, the FT’s John Reed will explain why the Philippines’ coronavirus lockdown is causing pain for the country’s vast outsourcing sector. To get free access to the FT’s Coronavirus Business Update newsletter for 30 days, visit ft.com/newsbriefingcovid. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An FT analysis found that the death toll from coronavirus may be almost 60 per cent higher than reported in official counts, and analysts are scrambling for explanations on the divergence between the flying stock market and the grim global economic picture. Plus, the FT’s Berlin bureau chief, Guy Chazan, explains how Berlin is fairing since the city’s shops reopened last week. To get free access to the FT’s Coronavirus Business Update newsletter for 30 days, visit ft.com/newsbriefingcovid. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Germany is prepared to make a substantial financial contribution to help relaunch eurozone economies after the coronavirus pandemic, and the World Health Organization accidentally published documents yesterday showing that a potential antiviral drug for the coronavirus flopped in its first randomised clinical trial. Plus, the FT’s global business columnist, Rana Foroohar, argues that the economic ramifications of the coronavirus crisis will produce a new age of US austerity.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The European Central Bank has changed its rules to accept bonds that lose their investment grade credit rating during the coronavirus crisis as collateral, oil prices rebounded on Wednesday after Donald Trump stoked Middle East tensions, and US business groups are calling on the federal government to shield companies from litigation if workers are exposed to the virus. Plus, the FT’s Moscow bureau chief, Henry Foy, explains why Vladimir Putin’s regime is leaning on tycoons to help the state in troubled times.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Global oil markets remained under intense pressure on Tuesday with the price of US crude oil for June delivery nearly halving and Brent dropping below $20 per barrel for the first time in 18 years. Meanwhile, the White House and congressional leaders agreed to a new coronavirus stimulus package which includes funds to replenish the small business rescue fund, and Netflix has emerged as one of the few corporate winners of the pandemic after adding more than twice as many subscribers as it had forecast last quarter. Plus, the FT’s industry editor, Peggy Hollinger, explains how the aerospace industry is being forced to adapt to a dramatic decline in air travel due to coronavirus. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yesterday, US oil prices crashed into negative territory for the first time in history. The FT’s US energy editor, Derek Brower, explains why and what is next for producers. Then, the FT’s natural resources editor, Neil Hume, explains how Singapore oil trader Hin Leong Trading suffered $800m in losses that were not reflected in its financial statements. Plus, the Trump administration is facing backlash over the terms of its small business loan programme, and more than 1m people were enrolled in the UK’s flagship staff furlough scheme during its first day in operation.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Trump administration is closing in on a deal with Congress to provide another $300bn to coronavirus-hit small businesses. Then, the FT’s US economics editor, Brendan Greeley, explains how state budgets are coping without their normal tax revenue. Plus, the European Central Bank has held high-level talks about creating a eurozone bad bank for non-performing loans, and investors have pushed back on pleas by the G20 group of big economies to allow emerging markets to pause their debt repayments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Donald Trump backed away from threats to force a quick reopening of the US economy by unveiling guidelines for states, and US stock market futures rose 3 per cent late on Thursday after a report suggested a Gilead coronavirus drug had shown positive results in a clinical trial. Then, in an interview with the FT, French president Emmanuel Macron warned of the collapse of the EU as a “political project” unless richer states help economies such as Italy recover from the coronavirus pandemic. Plus, the FT’s Middle East editor, Andrew England, explains how Gulf sovereign wealth funds are mobilising to buy assets whose valuations have been hit hard by the outbreak.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The coronavirus crisis is propelling Eurozone government debt towards 100 per cent of gross domestic product, three major US banks reported a total $12.8bn of charges in the first quarter for loan losses and warned there could be more to come, and data from all corners of the US economy published on Wednesday suggest the hit from coronavirus lockdowns has been deeper than feared. Plus, the FT’s Hudson Lockett explains why China’s central bank cut one of its most important lending rates to a record low. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US Treasury Department has reached an agreement with US airlines that paves the way for a $25bn bailout for the industry. Plus, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo increased loan-loss provisions by $10bn from last year to prepare for the impact of the pandemic. Then, the IMF said on Tuesday that the coronavirus crisis will leave lasting scars on the global economy. The FT’s economics editor, Chris Giles, explains how the damage could continue long after lockdowns are lifted. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New figures show that venture capital funding in China rebounded in March after the country’s coronavirus outbreak, and Amazon has announced plans to hire 75,000 extra workers after hiring 100,000 new staff to handle coronavirus-induced demand. Plus, Anjli Raval explains why oil traders have doubts about the US-backed Opec deal to cut supply, and Rana Forhoohar argues that WeWork’s struggles illustrate what is to come in real estate markets in a post-coronavirus world. You can find Rana’s columns at FT.com/rana-foroohar Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The coronavirus’ place of origin, Wuhan, has emerged from the world’s largest mass quarantine. Meanwhile, Japan is gambling that it can control the spread of coronavirus without a full lockdown. The FT’s correspondents on the ground in China and Japan, Don Weinland and Robin Harding, look at the differing stages these two places are at when it comes to the pandemic and the road ahead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wall Street banks are warning investors to brace for a new wave of stock market declines despite the recent relief rally, and eurozone finance ministers will reconvene today to work toward a deal on emergency lending to tackle the Covid-19 outbreak. The FT’s Mehreen Khan will explain the dispute between the Netherlands and Italy over the terms. Plus, Stefania Palma in Singapore explains how the country is handling its third wave of coronavirus infections. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Trump administration is in talks with Congress to secure an additional $250bn to fund loans for small businesses hit by the coronavirus pandemic, and a special committee of WeWork board members issued a legal challenge on Tuesday over SoftBank’s withdrawal from a $3bn deal. Plus, the FT’s capital market’s correspondent Rob Smith explains how Carnival Corporation managed to persuade investors to put their money into the ailing cruise company.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US stocks and global equities surged on Monday as investors took heart from signs that the coronavirus outbreak may be stabilising in some of the worst-affected countries. Plus, with a death count of more than 16,000 people and its economy on course to suffer the deepest recession in its modern history, Italy is wrestling with a lack of assistance from its European neighbours. The FT’s Miles Johnson explains that Italians are feeling betrayed by how some countries are responding to their plight..  Plus, the FT’s global business columnist, Rana Foroohar argues that private and public - but mostly private - sectors need to invest in broadband improvements as lockdowns cause internet usage to rise. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.