FT News Briefing

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.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out 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.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out 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.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out 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.    See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out 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.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out 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.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out 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.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out 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.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out 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.    See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out 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.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out 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.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out 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.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out 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.    See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out 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.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out 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.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.