FT News Briefing

Airbus is on the brink of settling a bribery and corruption probe with regulators in the UK, France and the US, Boris Johnson feels increasing heat over Huawei’s role in the UK mobile phone network, and Donald Trump’s lawyers tried to shift the focus of his Senate impeachment trial away from revelations from former national security adviser John Bolton. Plus, global equity markets and oil prices fell sharply on Monday over concerns that the Coronavirus would slow China’s economic growth. The FT’s Tom Hancock reports from Wuhan, the city at the centre of the outbreak. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An internal probe showed that Deutsche Bank paid $1.1m to secure the wealth management business of a senior Saudi royal, Beijing has warned that the spread of the deadly coronavirus is expected to accelerate, and the Trump administration has warned that it would “react” with possible punitive measures against the EU for a carbon tax plan. Plus, more than three years after the Brexit referendum, the UK will leave the EU this week. The FT’s George Parker breaks down how the relationship might look after the separation.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A powerful rebound in Intel’s data centre division drove a stronger than expected recovery in the final quarter of 2019, former Wells Fargo chief executive John Stumpf has agreed to pay $17.5m as part of a settlement with US regulators over the bank’s fake accounts scandal, and the European Central Bank begins its first strategic review in 16 years. Plus, the founder of the opioid maker Insys has been sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison. The FT’s Hannah Kuchler explains what this means for other US pharmaceutical executives.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chinese authorities have shut down Wuhan transport networks in its efforts to contain the outbreak of a deadly Sars-like virus. Plus, the stock market value of Tesla topped $100bn for the first time on Wednesday, and Boeing’s new chief executive, David Calhoun, insists the 737 Max will fly again. Plus, the FT’s Tim Bradshaw takes a look at the competitive market for food delivery apps, and which companies are fighting to take your order.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US Senate rejected Democratic bids to subpoena documents on the first day of the impeachment trial of Donald Trump, a slowdown in the US continues to weigh on Netflix’s subscriber growth, and the UK is set to go ahead with plans to introduce a new digital tax against US companies despite the threat of tariffs. Plus, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been implicated in a hack involving Jeff Bezos’s phone, Boeing has told customers and suppliers that the 737 Max will now stay grounded until the middle of 2020, and US health officials have confirmed the first US case of the Sars-like coronavirus. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US Senate impeachment trial of Donald Trump begins today. Republican Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell proposed rules on Monday evening that outraged Democrats. Plus, lawyers for Huawei’s Meng Wanzhou told a Canadian courtroom that the US extradition case against the executive amounted to “fiction”, France signals a breakthrough in talks to resolve a spat over digital taxes with the US, and the UK could be fined or lose preferential access to the European market if it violates the terms of a future relationship deal with the EU. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US government-funded technology companies have recorded an increase in the use of circumvention software in Iran in recent weeks, the UK’s pledge to diverge from EU rules after Brexit has provoked alarm in Brussels, and a successful emergency escape simulation puts SpaceX on track for a launch with Nasa astronauts. Plus, the FT’s Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson explains how climate change and Big Tech will drive the agenda at this year’s World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Investors catapulted Alphabet’s stock market value above $1tn for the first time on Thursday, Comcast’s NBCUniversal unveils a new streaming service that will be free to many customers, and Italy’s collapsing birth rate raises alarm bells. Plus, a non-partisan government watchdog said the White House violated the law by withholding US military aid to Ukraine last year. The FT’s Kadhim Shubber explains what this means for Donald Trump’s impeachment trial. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US and China have signed an agreement to pause the trade war that has weighed on the global economy for nearly two years, flying taxi start-up Joby Aviation secures $590m in a new funding round led by Toyota, and legal costs from the 1MDB bribery scandal hit Goldman Sachs earnings. Plus, the FT’s Lionel Barber shares the highlights from his exclusive interview with German chancellor Angela Merkel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US House of Representatives will vote today on sending articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump to the Senate, Boeing has ceded the crown as the world’s biggest plane maker to rival Airbus, and investment in UK-based tech start-ups exceeded £10bn for the first time last year. Plus, JPMorgan Chase kicked off the Wall Street earnings season by posting a record profit. The FT’s Rob Armstrong will unpack the figures.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK government is trying to claw back some of the £10m paid to trade organisations to prepare for a no-deal Brexit, US officials have presented the UK with new intelligence challenging the claim that Britain would be able to mitigate the risks of adopting Huawei technology in its 5G network, and the US Treasury department has dropped the designation of China as a currency manipulator. Plus, tonight, six Democratic hopefuls will take part in the final US presidential primary debate before the crucial Iowa caucuses. The FT’s Lauren Fedor reports on how the candidates are doing in the 2020 race for the White House. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nissan executives have accelerated secret contingency planning for a potential split from Renault, the head of MI5 says he has “no reason to think” that the UK’s intelligence-sharing relationship with the US would be hit if Britain adopted Huawei technology in its 5G mobile phone network, and JAB Holdings-owned Panera Bread is set to reduce the proportion of meat-based items on its menu by a third. Plus, the crisis at Boeing has deepened after the release of damning internal messages. The FT’s Claire Bushey reports on what it means for the company as the new chief executive, David Calhoun, begins today.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US House of Representatives votes in favour of limiting president Donald Trump’s military powers against Iran, Western intelligence officials believe a plane that crashed in Iran killing 176 people was mistakenly brought down by an Iranian missile, and Britain is preparing to activate a new post-Brexit sanctions regime. Plus, the FT’s Patrick McGee breaks down both the outlandish and realistic ideas that came out of this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump backs away from military action against Iran, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen visits London in her first meeting with UK prime minister Boris Johnson, and Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman promote their new mobile video start-up, Quibi. Plus, the FT’s Chloe Cornish reports on Carlos Ghosn’s first press conference since his escape from Japan.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Iran fires more than a dozen missiles at bases in Iraq hosting American troops in retaliation for the US killing of Qassem Soleimani. Plus, Bank of England governor Mark Carney says central banks are running low on ammunition to fight a recession, Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó reclaims his post as the head of congress, Boeing recommends simulator training for 737 Max pilots, and US Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell says Republicans have the votes to move ahead with Donald Trump’s impeachment trial. Then, Josh Chaffin reports on the Green Beret ex-con who allegedly helped Carlos Ghosn escape Japan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The top US military official denied that America would be pulling troops out of Iraq, blaming a leaked “draft” letter indicating otherwise. Plus, Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, John Bolton, said he is willing to testify in the president’s Senate impeachment trial if subpoenaed, and disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein faces new sexual assault charges in Los Angeles as he prepares for the start of a criminal trial in Manhattan.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

France warns the US about the repercussions of imposing tariffs in response to the digital services tax on the likes of Google and Amazon, Boris Johnson is expected to pressure the European Commission to fast-track Brexit-related trade talks, and Spain is one step closer to its first coalition government in modern times after a parliamentary vote on Sunday. Plus, the FT’s Katrina Manson reports on the fallout from the US assassination of Qassem Soleimani. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US regulators unveil long-awaited restrictions on some flavoured e-cigarettes, Bernie Sanders notched up the biggest quarterly money haul so far of any Democratic US presidential candidate and Brussels is preparing a fresh push to create an EU-wide tax on plastic waste. Plus, the FT’s David Sheppard highlights what investors will be watching in the oil markets in 2020.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lebanon pressed for Carlos Ghosn’s return one week before the former Nissan chairman escaped from Tokyo and Google Health has created a system that can identify breast cancer more accurately than radiologists. Plus, the FT’s Robin Harding explains why employees are gaining more power in Japan’s changing labour market.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Private equity groups spent more on deals this year than at any time since the financial crisis, investors gear up for the final day of share trading in 2019, and former Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn leaves Japan, where he was on house arrest, for Beirut. Plus, the FT’s companies editor, Tom Braithwaite, breaks down the year in IPOs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fraudsters are milking companies of tens of billions of dollars a year with fake responses to online ads, new documents reveal that WeWork will have to pay $17m for some executives’ golden parachutes, and the number of small businesses being created in France has surged this year. Plus, why Warren Buffett says companies cannot be moral arbiters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andrew Bailey has been selected as the new governor of the Bank of England, Democrats and Republicans trade barbs over tactics in the delay to President Trump’s Senate impeachment trial and Uber’s former chief executive, Travis Kalanick, has sold the majority of his stake in the company. Plus the FT’s US markets editor, Jennifer Ablan, explains why investors have piled into some of the riskiest US debt as the year draws to a close. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Bank of England admits that high-speed traders have been able to listen in on market-sensitive press conferences, the man who came to be a symbol of corporate corruption is granted an early release from his 25-year sentence, and the challenge faced by European carmakers from electric vehicles sees Fiat Chrysler and PSA strike a deal to create the fourth-largest automaker in the world. Plus, the US House of Representatives voted to impeach president Donald Trump. The FT’s US managing editor, Peter Spiegel, explains what this means for the upcoming Senate trial.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

FedEx cuts its annual earnings guidance for the second time in three months, a new report shows that Royal Dutch Shell paid no corporate income tax in the UK in 2018 and Sterling surrendered its post-election gains on Tuesday after Boris Johnson signalled he will try to push legislation that could cause a “cliff-edge” Brexit next year. Plus, like other countries in central Europe, Poland is facing a labour shortage. The FT’s James Shotter explains how some Polish manufacturers are replacing these workers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Global stocks hit fresh record highs on Monday as the US and China hit pause on the long-running trade war, while Mexico and the US resolve a row over the enforcement of labour provisions in the USMCA trade pact, Netflix reveals how quickly it is growing outside of the US and Boeing plans to temporarily suspend production of the 737 Max in January. Plus, the FT’s Kiran Stacey explains why US technology companies are pushing back on a call from the Trump administration to cut Huawei out of their supply chains.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A deal to implement the new USMCA trade agreement was under threat after Mexico said it did not agree to certain provisions, Apple will face a shareholder vote next year calling for the iPhone maker to publicly commit to respecting freedom of expression as a human right and Boris Johnson plans to pour billions of pounds into the midlands and north of England after his election win. Plus, the FT’s Leslie Hook explains why UN climate delegates in Madrid could not reach a deal on the last article of the Paris climate accord. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Boris Johnson declared a powerful mandate for Brexit after a crushing UK election victory. The FT’s Sebastian Payne breaks down the results. Plus, the US House of Representatives judiciary committee pushes a critical vote on the impeachment process into Friday, and the US and China were closing in on a limited trade deal on Thursday night.Follow live updates on the UK election at FT.com/ukelection. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Federal Reserve leaves its policy rate unchanged and indicates that it has no plans to make changes through 2020, and the climate summit in Madrid could stall over the question of how to create a global carbon trading market. Plus, new findings show the US Federal Aviation Administration failed to ground Boeing’s fleet of 737 Max aircraft even after its analysis showed the plane was more accident-prone than most aircraft, Israel faces its third election in a year, and Harvey Weinstein reaches a tentative $45m settlement with a group of women who accused him of sexual assault. Then, the FT’s Michael Peel explains how Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi went from human rights icon to a leader defending allegations of genocide.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

UK prime minister Boris Johnson makes a final plea to voters in the “most important election in a lifetime”, Saudi Arabia renews its push for a $2tn valuation for Saudi Aramco, Democrats in the US House of Representatives unveil two articles of impeachment against president Donald Trump and trade negotiators from the US, Canada and Mexico sign changes to the USMCA trade pact. Plus, the FT’s Alan Beattie explains why European countries are turning to green trade policy and why some critics say it has more to do with protectionism than the planet. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump says “a lot of strides” have been made on the USMCA trade deal, Morgan Stanley is cutting around 1,500 jobs worldwide, Amazon claims it was denied a $10bn US defence contract because of pressure from the president and SoftBank has agreed to sell its nearly 50 per cent stake in Wag back to the dog walking company. Plus, Paul Volcker has died at the age of 92. The FT’s Gillian Tett looks back on the life and legacy of the former Federal Reserve board chairman.    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beijing orders all government offices and public institutions to remove foreign computer equipment and software within three years, the FBI is treating a US naval base shooting as an apparent terrorist attack, even though the White House is not and UK officials are questioning Boris Johnson’s claims that Britain will make a clean break with the EU in December in 2020. Plus, the FT’s Laura Hughes lays out Northern Ireland’s role in the UK general election in the days leading up to the vote.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dark money has made it way into political advertising in the UK general election, buyout group CVC Capital Partners holds talks with Fifa and Real Madrid about creating new global football tournaments and Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Uber releases its first-ever safety report and Nancy Pelosi, instructs fellow Democrats to draw up articles of impeachment against Donald Trump. Plus, the FT’s Anjli Raval breaks down Saudi Aramco’s $25.6bn IPO as Opec leaders meet in Vienna.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former World Bank president Robert Zoellick delivers a public rebuke of Donald Trump’s China policy, Boris Johnson vows not to involve Huawei in Britain’s 5G telecommunications networks if it compromises the country’s ability to work with security allies and the owners of the New York Mets are in talks to sell up to 80 per cent of the baseball club to hedge fund manager Steven Cohen. Plus, Saudi Arabia is pushing Opec to announce a deeper oil production cut. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin step back from their day-to-day roles at Alphabet, US senator Kamala Harris drops out of the 2020 presidential race and the 70th-anniversary summit of Nato begins on a fractious note.  Plus, US House Democrats have accused Donald Trump of abusing his office for political gain. The FT’s Peter Spiegel unpacks the report that will pave the way for articles of impeachment and a trial in the Senate.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Trump administration is on a tariff blitz, proposing levies on goods from France, the EU, Brazil and Argentina. In the UK, the Conservative party braces for what could be the most perilous week of the election campaign, and Sweden backs away from negative rates despite a weakening economy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Federal Reserve is considering letting inflation run above its 2 per cent target, UK politicians play a blame game after Friday’s tragedy at London Bridge and the EU’s ambitious new commission is likely to be overshadowed by a festering row over the budget. Plus, we will look at what Brussels is doing to retool industrial policy.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US political parties develop new technology that will access voters through the phone contacts of their supporters, OECD data shows the European Union is hit hard by the global trade slowdown and premium economy class overtakes business on several airline carriers as the most profitable seats. Plus, the latest on Japan South Korea tensions. The FT’s Edward White explains why South Korean forced labour victims are being lobbied to drop their claims for reparations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US President Donald Trump signs two bills supporting Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protesters, Christine Lagarde pushes for climate change to be part of a strategic review of the European Central Bank’s purpose and assets under management at Fisher Investments hit a record high of $115bn at the end of October despite lewd remarks by its founder, Ken Fisher. Plus, India’s growth numbers are due out Friday. The FT’s Benjamin Parkin explains what is behind the country’s deepening economic slowdown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Xerox said it would take its proposal for a $33bn takeover of HP directly to the personal computer maker’s shareholders, Nasdaq’s listings business is on course to eclipse that of bitter rival the New York Stock Exchange this year and Manchester City’s owner has agreed to sell a $500m stake to private equity firm Silver Lake in a deal that breaks a record in sports valuations. Plus, the FT’s Leslie Hook explains why China’s commitment to renewable energy has lagged in recent years, and why it’s causing alarm ahead of the annual UN climate talks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Companies unleash a wave of global takeovers, agreeing to more than $70bn in deals, famed investor Bill Gross warns that US stock and bond markets are set for a tougher time in 2020, a judge rules that Donald Trump cannot stop his most senior advisers testifying to Congress and revised official data show that Mexico’s economy has entered a technical recession. Plus, Uber has been stripped of its London licence. The FT’s Tim Bradshaw explains what it means for the ride-sharing company.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pro-democracy candidates take more than half of seats in Hong Kong’s local council elections amid record voter turnout, UK prime minister Boris Johnson launches a low-risk Conservative manifesto and Michael Bloomberg officially announces he is running for US president. Plus, LVMH is set to buy Tiffany & Co for $16.7bn. The FT’s Eric Platt breaks down the latest offer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Politicians and privacy campaigners call for Google’s $2.1bn deal for Fitbit to be blocked, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be hit by prosecutors on bribery, fraud and breach of trust charges, and a subsidiary of China’s largest construction group has suspended work on one of the nation’s tallest skyscrapers. Plus, the FT’s Eric Platt explains why Charles Schwab is ready to put down $25bn to acquire TD Ameritrade.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US ambassador to the EU, Gordon Sondland, turns against Donald Trump in an explosive impeachment testimony, Saudi Arabia marginalises global banks in the final stage of Saudi Aramco’s flotation process and GM sues rival Fiat Chrysler, claiming FCA bribed officials of the UAW union during bargaining talks with GM. Plus, the FT’s Alistair Gray explains why Walmart is thriving once again.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Boris Johnson narrowly beats rival Jeremy Corbyn in a high-stakes televised duel, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman, a current White House official, testifies that Donald Trump made an ‘improper” demand in a July 25 phone call with the Ukrainian president, and the US National Transportation Safety Board says the main cause of a fatal accident involving a self-driving Uber was the back-up driver’s “failure” to monitor the road. Plus, the FT’s Anna Gross breaks down why the Brazilian president’s decision to allow sugarcane cultivation has become another roadblock in the way for a landmark trade deal between the EU and South America. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alibaba is set to raise up to $13.4bn in a secondary listing in Hong Kong even as violence in the financial centre intensifies. Many see the IPO as a critical test of confidence in both Hong Kong and Beijing. Next, Coty buys a controlling stake in Kylie Jenner’s cosmetics company and UK prime minister Boris Johnson shelves a proposed cut to corporation tax at the CBI’s annual conference on Monday.  Plus, Facebook declared that it had shut down 5.4bn fake accounts in the first nine months of this year. The FT’s Lex deputy editor, Elaine Moore, dives into the social network’s fake accounts problem.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Saudi Aramco scales back the initial public offering of its state oil giant, Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, says she will “make sure” President Donald Trump does not “intimidate” the whistleblower who sparked the impeachment inquiry, UK prime minister Boris Johnson is expected to pledge to reduce business rates and provide a series of tax breaks worth about £1bn a year and HP’s board of directors unanimously rejects a $22-a-share bid from rival Xerox. Plus, the FT’s Archie Hall explains why some yield-starved investors are piling into income share agreements with students looking to finance higher education.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US and China are struggling to complete a ‘phase one’ deal to halt their trade war, former Goldman Sachs chief executive Lloyd Blankfein takes aim at US Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren, saying that “maybe tribalism is just in her DNA” and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos is fighting back against the Trump administration award of the $10bn Jedi military contract to Microsoft. Plus, the FT’s Madhumita Murgia reports on Google’s plan to lock down advertisers’ access to personal user data. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WeWork said its losses more than doubled to $1.3bn in the third quarter of 2019, researchers say a smartphone app developed by the Home Office for EU citizens has serious vulnerabilities, Google is talking to US banks about offering checking accounts to its customers and outgoing European Council president Donald Tusk takes aim at Brexiters “longing for the Empire”. Plus, the FT’s Peter Spiegel analyses the first day of public impeachment hearings on the Trump administration’s dealings with Ukraine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Some popular UK health websites are sharing people’s sensitive data to ad-targeting giants such as Google, Amazon and Facebook, and US president Donald Trump threatens to escalate the trade war with China if no truce is reached. Plus,Tesla has plans to bring its first European production site to Berlin and Spain’s Socialist party strikes a deal with the radical leftwing Podemos party in what could be the country’s first modern coalition government. Plus, Germany is on the brink of a recession, but the country’s services business and consumer spending are thriving. The FT’s Martin Arnold explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sources tell the FT that US private equity firm Cerberus has lost faith in Deutsche Bank’s chairman Paul Achleitner and is pushing for him to be replaced, WeWork has held talks with T-Mobile US boss John Legere to become its new chief executive and KKR woos Walgreens with a $70bn buyout proposal. Plus, the FT’s political editor George Parker unpacks how the UK elections have unravelled and what to expect next.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.