FT News Briefing

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.

Emerging markets are scrambling to keep their economies afloat as the coronavirus pandemic deepens. The FT’s David Pilling will have more. Plus, America’s biggest banks will defend their plans to continue paying dividends in submissions to regulators today, and oil producers push back against the price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oil soared nearly 50 per cent at one point on Thursday in its biggest ever one-day rally after US president Donald Trump stoked hopes of a supply cut deal, German biotech groups are urging regulators to ease restrictions when it comes to testing a coronavirus vaccine, and bankers are raising doubts about whether the US government’s small business loan programme will begin today, as scheduled. Plus, banks were admonished over their role in causing the 2008 financial crisis. The FT’s David Crow explains how banks can rehabilitate themselves in the coronavirus crisis by distributing unprecedented amounts of stimulus. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

France is pushing for a common EU fund to help Europe through the coronavirus crisis. The FT’s Paris bureau chief, Victor Mallet, explains what the plan entails. Then, the rapid spread of the outbreak has pushed commercial landlords and their tenants to breaking point. FT property reporter George Hammond unpacks the brewing conflict between landlords and the tenants that are unable to pay rent. Plus, Amazon has said it is urgently investigating claims of “subhuman” conditions at a Philippines call centre, and SoftBank has pulled out of a $3bn purchase of WeWork stock.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The FT’s Gillian Tett unpacks the Federal Reserve’s latest move to meet the global demand for dollars, and science editor Clive Cookson explains how different countries are handling coronavirus testing and how the private sector could step in. Plus, Donald Trump is set to suspend some tariffs for 90 days as he tries blunt the economic damage from the pandemic, the UK’s six biggest banks have bowed to pressure from Britain’s top financial regulator to suspend dividend payments, and as coronavirus reaches the developing world, a record 85 countries have approached the IMF for short-term relief in recent weeks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amazon has pitched itself as an essential business to provide those sheltering in place with needed products. The FT’s Dave Lee reports on how the e-commerce group could emerge as a hero if deliveries remain on track, but only if it does so without pushing employees to take excessive health risks. Meanwhile, insurers are tightening the terms of their business coverage to make sure anything related to the pandemic is explicitly excluded. Plus, Rana Foroohar argues that 50 years of US policy in favour of private sector interests have come home to roost as the economy copes with coronavirus. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Manufacturers are working to produce the ventilators needed to help severely ill coronavirus patients breathe. The question is whether those inexperienced in the field can overcome the logistical and regulatory hurdles in time to deliver the life-saving machines. Plus, US companies have questions about how to access the $454bn of government funds set aside in the $2tn stimulus legislation, and Italy’s shadow workers are left out of the country’s safety net. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US stocks were up for a third straight day after the Senate agreed to a $2.2tn stimulus package Wednesday. The bill comes as a report on Thursday showed that a record 3.3m Americans filed for unemployment last week from the coronavirus shutdown. Plus, the European Central Bank is giving itself a tremendous amount of flexibility in its plan to buy €750bn in additional bonds to contain the fallout from the virus. And, WeWork burnt through $1.4bn last quarter, almost all the cash injection its principal backer SoftBank had most recently provided.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US Senate has approved fiscal stimulus legislation worth $2tn after a week of intense negotiations, Ford suffers the biggest credit rating downgrade since 2005, and the FT’s James Kynge tells us how China could become an example of growth while the rest of the world deals with the coronavirus crisis. Plus, the US has raised the pressure on Saudi Arabia to end its oil price war with Russia as the shale industry faces a collapse. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As traditional capital markets seize up, businesses are turning to emergency sources of funding. An FT analysis shows that more than 130 companies drew at least $124bn from their lenders in the past three weeks. Plus, Europe is facing a dilemma over whether to allow certain businesses to operate or shut the economy entirely to slow the spread of the coronavirus, and SoftBank explored an attempt to take the conglomerate private before deciding to sell some of its assets this week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Federal Reserve announced a plan to buy corporate debt and unlimited amounts of government debt on Monday. But investors on Wall Street continue to wait for fiscal stimulus from the US government.  Plus, The FT’s global business columnist, Rana Foroohar, argues that, when a bailout plan is agreed, small businesses and individuals should be first in line for the help. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US lawmakers argue over a fiscal stimulus legislation worth nearly $2tn to help America weather the coronavirus pandemic. Plus, it could be weeks before official data reveals the full impact of the outbreak on the global economy. FT data journalists have compiled a set of alternative measures of economic activity, from restaurant bookings to traffic patterns, to give an early indication of what to expect. And, Occidental Petroleum chief executive Vicki Hollub looks set to keep her job as the embattled oil producer finalises a truce with activist investor Carl Icahn. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Republicans in the US Senate have introduced legislation to inject more than $1tn of fiscal stimulus into the economy as it grapples with the coronavirus outbreak. Sir Paul Tucker, the former deputy governor of the Bank of England and current chair of the Systemic Risk Council, says it’s time for policymakers and bankers to prepare for a wartime setting if conditions deteriorate. Plus, the only US drugmaker that makes a potential treatment for the coronavirus raised the price nearly 100 per cent in January as the outbreak wreaked havoc in China. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The European Central Bank will buy an additional €750bn in bonds in response to the economic and financial upheaval caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Gillian Tett and Anjli Raval explain the dramatic market swings in markets that preceded the ECB’s emergency move. Plus, we will look at the bottlenecks in the healthcare supply chain as demand grows for testing and critical care equipment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Western governments pledged trillions of dollars in stimulus measures to limit the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday. The FT’s global business columnist Rana Foroohar explains what it could mean for Wall Street and Main Street. Plus, Impossible Foods raises $500m in a round that will help the US-plant based burger group to see through the economic upheaval caused by the current crisis, and Joe Biden solidifies his status as the frontrunner to take on Donald Trump in November. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.