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At this time’s agenda: Elon Musk’s Trump donation; Boeing’s struggles; US ultimatum on Israel; Saudi Arabia tightens purse; and Venice’s farm-to-table motion
Good morning. We begin with information that UK chancellor Rachel Reeves has recognized a £40bn funding hole forward of her Price range in two weeks — excess of beforehand anticipated.
Why is the hole a lot bigger? The determine represents the funding that Reeves wants to guard key authorities departments from real-terms spending cuts, cowl the enduring affect of an annual £22bn overspend and construct up a fiscal buffer for the rest of the parliament.
How will or not it’s funded? The Monetary Occasions has been informed by officers near the Price range course of that the Treasury is in search of methods of closing the shortfall, with tax rises set to type the centrepiece of the chancellor’s response.
Reeves wants to boost taxes or discover financial savings — together with by welfare cuts — to satisfy a brand new “golden rule” that balances day-to-day spending with tax revenues. She has in current weeks been warning that “troublesome selections” lie forward on tax, spending and welfare. Learn the total report.
Step into the chancellor’s sneakers and see for those who can run the UK financial system with the FT’s new Price range recreation.
Right here’s what else I’m holding tabs on as we speak:
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Financial knowledge: The UK and Italy have September shopper inflation knowledge.
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Outcomes: Abbott, Alcoa, Equifax, Kinder Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Prologis, United Airways, US Bancorp and Whitbread report.
5 extra high tales
1. Elon Musk has given almost $75mn to assist Donald Trump’s bid to win again the White Home. The Tesla and X proprietor made a number of multimillion-dollar donations in the course of the third quarter to his political motion committee, in accordance with a federal submitting launched yesterday, giving the group a big price range to help Trump’s re-election bid.
2. Boeing has introduced plans to boost as much as $25bn in new capital and agreed a $10bn credit score facility. The transfer comes every week after S&P International Rankings warned of a potential downgrade of Boeing’s bonds to junk standing within the face of a crippling strike by its largest labour union. Learn extra on Boeing’s newest response to its troubles.
3. The US has informed Israel it must take “pressing and sustained actions” to enhance the dire humanitarian state of affairs in Gaza or navy help from Washington could possibly be in danger, in a uncommon public ultimatum to Benjamin Netanyahu’s authorities and an indication of rising frustration on the struggle’s civilian toll. Right here’s what the US is demanding.
4. Unique: Brussels plans to increase its powers over merger offers as a way to cease “killer acquisitions” that pose dangers to start-ups in Europe and past, in accordance with individuals aware of the discussions. It might be the primary overhaul of the EU’s rule ebook on mergers and acquisitions in a long time, however some officers are expressing considerations concerning the deliberate reforms.
5. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has stated her authorities is planning to boost €3.5bn from banks and insurance coverage firms because it seeks to plug a €9bn price range hole. Following a cupboard assembly final evening, Meloni wrote on X that the additional funds could be used to finance the general public well being system and enhance companies for these in want. Right here’s why monetary firms are within the crosshairs.
The Huge Learn
A frenzy of exercise led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Funding Fund has remodeled the as soon as conservative kingdom into one of many world’s largest development websites and a magnet for worldwide consultants and contractors. However after virtually a decade of the frenetic tempo, Riyadh is starting to scale down on the spending spree as a sense of realism and pragmatism takes maintain.
We’re additionally studying . . .
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NHS: The Labour authorities has promised to deliver the service into the digital age, however medical doctors say the essential infrastructure first must be introduced as much as a minimal commonplace.
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Cheapflation: Costs of cheap items have risen quicker than dearer varieties. Governments and companies are actually making an attempt to determine who responsible, writes Brooke Masters.
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US politics: The brazenness of the nation’s politicians within the face of scandals is a defining characteristic of the period. Ed Luce asks: has America misplaced its disgrace?
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4 funding errors to keep away from: In his new column, Jonathan Guthrie takes a take a look at good and dangerous monetary pondering.
Chart of the day
The Worldwide Vitality Company has stated that a large improve in using air-con, pushed by rising incomes within the creating world and better temperatures from local weather change, may have one of many largest and most unpredictable impacts on the world’s electrical energy grids within the coming decade.
Take a break from the information
On the island of Sant’Erasmo within the Venetian lagoon, a pioneering co-operative based by native cooks has established a kitchen backyard to create jobs and save the distinctive flavours of vegetables and fruit utilized in dishes liable to disappearing. Right here’s the place to partake within the metropolis’s farm-to-table revolution.
Extra contributions from Gordon Smith and Benjamin Wilhelm
