FT News Briefing

Donald Trump imposes sanctions against Turkish officials, hopes fade for a Brexit deal at a European summit this week, Facebook admits doubts about its digital currency, Libra, as regulatory hurdles loom and African swine fever drives up European pork prices. Plus, the FT’s James Politi explains why the US-China trade truce reached last week is still fragile.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

UK prime minister Boris Johnson gears up for what could be a historic week for Brexit ahead of the EU leaders’ summit, US banks enter the earnings season with the Federal Reserve in rate-cutting mode and the FT’s Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson explains how in Levi Strauss’s rebirth as a public company, it still manages to meet its ‘profits through principles’ mission.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Sterling had its biggest day since March on Thursday amid hopes for a Brexit deal, James Murdoch’s new holding company has agreed to buy a minority stake in Vice Media and the US and China are aiming to reach a trade war truce as early as this week. Plus, the FT’s Frankfurt bureau chief Martin Arnold explains how the European Central Bank’s divide over quantitative easing is affecting the global economy.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

US senators will propose sanctions on Turkey after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan launched an offensive in north-east Syria, EU leaders issue an ultimatum to UK prime minister Boris Johnson ahead of crucial Brexit talks with his Irish counterpart Leo Varadkar and leaked documents show the European Central Bank decided to restart its bond-buying programme last month over the objections of its own officials. Plus, the FT’s Kadhim Shubber explains what options are still on the table for US Congressional Democrats after the White House said it would not cooperate in an impeachment inquiry.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

US stocks staged a late-session sell-off on Tuesday after the Trump administration ratcheted up pressure on China ahead of trade talks after it imposed visa restrictions on individuals, at least 50 conservative UK MPs threaten to revolt against a general election manifesto that pledges to pursue a no-deal Brexit, and the White House has declared that it will not co-operate with the inquiry into an impeachment of Donald Trump. Plus, the FT’s Kiran Stacey explains how the US standoff with China now sees it encouraging investment in Huawei rivals in Europe.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing says it will not proceed with its £32bn offer for the London Stock Exchange Group, the president of the World Bank warns that global growth could fall short of the 2.6 per cent rate it predicted in June and fallout from the protracted strike by General Motors workers has seen the total number of temporary suspensions mount to almost 60,000. Plus, Donald Trump clears Turkey to launch an operation against US-backed Kurds in Syria. The FT’s Laura Pitel explains what this means for the region.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

HSBC embarks on a cost-cutting drive that threatens up to 10,000 jobs, 2020 presidential hopeful Joe Biden accuses US president Donald Trump of spreading “flat-out lies”, and a post-Brexit trade deal with the US could “severely limit” Britain’s ability to negotiate an equivalent agreement with the EU, according to a leaked government paper. Plus, the FT’s Sarah Neville explains how Novo Nordisk tries to balance rising prices when it comes to insulin products with giving back to the diabetic community.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Donald Trump urges China to investigate former US vice president Joe Biden and the FT’s Washington bureau chief Demetri Sevastopulo explains how Mr Biden is handling the Ukrainegate fallout. Plus, the UK and the US agree to a deal where police and intelligence agencies are to be given expedited access to the electronic communications of terror and crime suspects, and PayPal is on the verge of quitting Facebook’s Libra cryptocurrency project.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Global stocks fell heavily on Wednesday, with the UK market having its worst day in more than three years, while the Trump administration will move to impose tariffs on a wide range of imports from the EU later this month after prevailing in a WTO case over illegal aircraft subsidies, and Donald Trump says he will co-operate with congressional subpoenas related to the impeachment inquiry engulfing his presidency. Plus, the FT’s Sebastian Payne dissects Boris Johnson’s UK Conservative party conference speech and the prime minister’s new Brexit plan.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The US manufacturing sector contracted for the second consecutive month in September, falling to its lowest level since the recession, Charles Schwab escalates a war among stock-trading platforms by scrapping its fees, and a US appeals court rules that states can set their own standards over so-called “net neutrality”. Plus, the FT’s Sam Jones explains the deepening Credit Suisse spy scandal.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

US Republican Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said he would hold a trial in the Senate if the House of Representatives voted to impeach President Donald Trump, European central bankers put pressure on politicians to put limits on the mortgage market as house prices heat up, and WeWork has formally withdrawn its plan for an initial public offering. Plus, the FT’s Anjli Raval explains how oil companies such as Royal Dutch Shell are facing a dilemma as they try to move toward clean energy.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Global dealmaking eases to the slowest pace in more than two years and more than 400,000 German car owners sign up to a landmark collective lawsuit against Volkswagen over emissions test cheating. Plus, the FT’s George Parker reports from the UK Conservative party conference in Manchester and we hear from a protester in Hong Kong, five years after the territory’s last major pro-democracy campaign.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The White House faced accusations of a cover-up on Thursday after the publication of a whistleblower complaint, Peloton traded below the company’s float price after the fitness equipment company went public on Thursday and Hollywood talent agency owner Endeavor shelved its plans to list. Plus, the FT’s Mehreen Khan explains what a decision by Europe’s highest court means for search engines and the “right to be forgotten” online.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A memo from the White House reveals that US president Donald Trump asked Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate former vice-president Joe Biden and his son and UK prime minister Boris Johnson paves the way for an acrimonious “people versus parliament” general election. Plus, fitness equipment start-up Peloton will seek an $8.2bn valuation when its shares begin trading on Thursday and Germany’s representative on the European Central Bank’s executive board quits over loose monetary policy.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

House Democrats have launched impeachment proceedings against US president Donald Trump and Adam Neumann has been pushed out as chief executive of WeWork following the dramatic collapse of its initial public offering. Plus, the FT’s chief foreign affairs commentator, Gideon Rachman, sets out what is next for Boris Johnson and British politics following the Supreme Court’s rebuke of the prime minister’s suspension of parliament.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.