FT News Briefing

UK prime minister, Boris Johnson, is set to lay out a road map for lifting England’s lockdown, HSBC is accelerating its “pivot to Asia”, and McKinsey’s 650 senior partners have begun voting on whether Kevin Sneader should serve a second term at the helm of the business consultancy. Plus, the UK’s competition watchdog is planning new probes on Big Tech companies. The FT’s Brussels correspondent, Ja...

In an exclusive interview with the FT, French president Emmanuel Macron urges wealthy countries to help poorer ones access coronavirus vaccines, and US lawmakers grill key players in the GameStop trading saga. Plus the FT’s markets editor Katie Martin explains why a sell off in US government bonds could threaten Wall Street’s record run.  US bond sell-off stirs warnings over stock market stre...

Facebook has defied Australia’s push to make Big Tech pay for news by banning the sharing of content on its platform in the country, the oil and gas industry in Texas has buckled under the strain of a blast of Arctic weather, and three North Korean computer programmers have been charged over a cyber-hack spree. Plus, the FT’s global China editor, James Kynge, explains how Beijing’s digital currenc...

China is exploring limits on exports of rare earth minerals that are crucial for the manufacture of American F-35 fighter jets, and stock trading volumes in Hong Kong have soared to four times those on London’s main exchange. The FT’s markets reporter, Nikou Asgari, explains why Amsterdam is becoming the European capital for Spacs. Plus, Chicago’s storied Second City comedy club may have a buyer.&...

President Joe Biden heads to Wisconsin to sell his stimulus plan, and the cold snap in Texas tests the state’s freewheeling electricity model. The pandemic’s online shopping surge has led to more warehouse automation, but that is making some human jobs tougher. Plus, Russian discount retailer Fix Price is planning a London stock market listing that could value the company at more than $6bn. Biden...

Brussels is set to allow data to continue to flow freely from the EU to the UK. In Argentina, the country’s powerful vice president wants to postpone a crucial $44bn debt deal with the IMF until the pandemic has eased. Commodities such as oil and copper may be entering a new ‘supercycle’ of higher prices. Plus, in China, at least, people are still going out to the movies.   Brussels to a...

Europe’s IPO market is off to its strongest start in five years thanks to a flurry of tech and ecommerce listings, Disney continues to attract subscribers to its streaming service, and China’s massive corn purchases have sent the price of the crop soaring. And the FT’s markets editor, Katie Martin, shares her thoughts on Elon Musk’s excitement over cryptocurrencies and whether it will spur wider a...

Amsterdam surpassed London as Europe’s largest share trading centre last month, Federal Reserve chairman Jay Powell has pledged to keep monetary policy loose to support the struggling US labour market, and the World Health Organization recommended the use of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine for all adults. Plus, Italy will receive €200bn from the EU’s coronavirus recovery fund to help revive its eco...

Twitter’s user growth fell short of expectations for the second quarter in a row, more than 70 investors call on Amazon to stop interfering with a unionisation effort, and Huawei asks a US court to overturn the Federal Communication Commission ruling that labels the telecoms company a security threat. Plus, the FT’s global China editor, James Kynge, explains how US-China investment continues despi...

EU lawmakers want to force Big Tech companies to pay for news, echoing a similar move in Australia, Tesla’s $1.5bn investment in bitcoin sends the cryptocurrency to record highs, and oil hits $60 a barrel for the first time in a year. Plus, the FT’s Tokyo correspondent, Kana Inagaki, explains what drove SoftBank’s Vision Fund to have its best quarter in four years.  EU ready to follow Austral...

TikTok plans to expand into ecommerce in the US to compete with Facebook, Cuba has announced it will open most of the economy to private business, and Mercedes-Benz says by 2030 it will make as much from its electric cars as it does from its luxury combustion engine models. Plus, the FT’s environment and clean energy correspondent, Leslie Hook, looks at the global shift to renewable energy and how...

German carmakers are considering their own semiconductor stockpiles to avoid supply chain troubles, the UK government could soon hold directors personally liable for the accuracy of their companies’ financial statements, and CVC Capital Partners eyes a minority stake in one of the NBA’s most valuable teams. Plus, the FT’s Asia business editor, Leo Lewis, explains how robots in Japan are boosting e...

The EU and the UK are set to open probes into Nvidia’s $40bn acquisition of chip designer Arm, Microsoft looks to capitalise on Google’s threat to shut its search engine in Australia, and Mario Draghi accepts the mandate to form Italy’s next government. Plus, the FT’s retail correspondent, Jonathan Eley, explains how bargain retail is surging during the pandemic.  UK and EU to open in-depth p...

Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos will step aside later this year to become executive chairman of the ecommerce group, Italy’s president is expected to ask former European Central Bank president, Mario Draghi, to begin talks to form a new Italian government of national unity, and the price of silver retreated on Tuesday after a surge last week. Plus, the FT’s John Reed, explains what the military...

Joe Biden has threatened to impose sanctions on Myanmar after the military seized power in a coup, and Robinhood raises another $2.4bn to shore up finances strained by turbulent trading. Plus, the FT’ Beijing bureau chief, Ryan McMorrow, explains the popularity of TikTok’s big rival in China, Kuaishou, which goes public this week.  US threatens sanctions on Myanmar after military coup ft.com/...

Reddit traders have targeted silver markets after piling into GameStop shares last week, and Republicans in the US Senate float a stimulus deal a third the size of president Joe Biden’s plan. Plus, the FT’s chief features writer, Henry Mance, spoke with the founder of the internet investigative group Bellingcat and shines a light on the trailblazing group.  Reddit traders switch sights to sil...

The EU’s Covid-19 vaccination plan is nearing a crisis point after several regions suspended inoculations over the shortage of jabs, and amateur day traders are challenging the financial establishment. Plus, the FT’s Seoul correspondent, Ed White, tells us how a North Korean defector is exposing the effect that sanctions are having on Kim Jong Un's regime" Shortfall in jabs pushes EU vaccine drive...

The Biden administration says it is “monitoring the situation” as shares in companies including GameStop, AMC and BlackBerry surged in trading on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Wall Street’s big indexes dropped after Federal Reserve chairman Jay Powell described a weakening in the recovery of the US economy, and China’s Covid-19 vaccine makers are having no problem meeting demand. Plus, the FT’s investment...

Facing a shortfall in vaccine supplies and slow pace of vaccinations, the EU is debating how to restrict exports of coronavirus vaccines, India’s farmers are angry about agricultural reforms that could erode the state-run model and boost private agribusiness, and the plant-based food company Beyond Meat partners with Pepsico. Plus, a serious look at silly prices in the stock market with the FT’s m...

Companies have launched a $400bn fundraising blitz in the first three weeks of 2021 as government and central bank stimulus cascades across capital markets. Leon Black is to retire as chief executive of Apollo Global Management; the announcement came as Apollo revealed the conclusion of a review into Mr Black’s relationship with the late paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Plus, Henry Foy on what’s fuelli...

The US has signalled a more confrontational stance toward Russia after Moscow cracked down on protesters over the weekend. In Congress, Democrats have said they want a deal on President Biden’s $1.9tn stimulus plan before taking up Donald Trump’s impeachment trial in the Senate. The WHO warns richer countries that they face a hit to their own recoveries if they fail to help the developing world ro...

President Joe Biden has moved to have the US rejoin the Paris climate accord, but becoming a leader in lowering carbon emissions will not be so easy. Then, a look at how the European Central Bank is bracing for the latest phase of the pandemic-induced economic crisis. Plus, the FT’s art market columnist, Melanie Gerlis, explains how auction houses and galleries are surviving and adapting to the pa...

Company leaders have warned they will fight Biden Administration moves to raise corporate taxes and tighten regulation, and earnings reports show that big US banks had a strong end to 2020 thanks to trading. Plus, the FT’s Javier Espinoza continues his conversation with the European Commission’s competition and digital policy chief, Margrethe Vestager, about the future of big tech regulation.&nbsp...

Joe Biden faces a long list of challenges after he is sworn in as the 46th US president today, Mr Biden’s nominee to serve as Treasury secretary, Janet Yellen, told Congress to “go big” on stimulus during her Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday, and a US court has struck down the pro-coal power sector rules set by the outgoing president, Donald Trump. Plus, the FT’s Javier Espinoza speaks with...

The cost of shipping goods from China to Europe has more than tripled in the past eight weeks as the pandemic disrupts global trade, Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny has been sent to prison just a day after returning to his home country despite international demands to release him, and Italian prime minister Guissepe Conte faces a crunch confidence vote by lawmakers today. Plus, the FT’s...