The US economic and political landscape is dominated by Trump administration's influence over the Federal Reserve, tariff impacts on retail giants like Walmart, government's role in the Chips Act, and ongoing trade negotiations with partners like Europe and China, alongside Trump's legal challenges.

• Justice department calls on Fed to sack governor Lisa Cook — Financial Times -
• How Trump Will Decide Which Chips Act Companies Must Give Up Equity — Wall Street Journal -
• Why Did Shari Redstone Give Up Control of Paramount? — The New York Times Business -

• Trump’s Attacks on Fed Overshadow a Critical Moment for the Central Bank — The New York Times Business -
• US retail giant Walmart warns Trump’s tariffs are pushing up costs — Financial Times -
• Opinion | Trump’s Approach to Antitrust Is as Bad as Biden’s — Wall Street Journal -
• Europe Gets a Written Trump Trade Deal, With a Caveat for Automakers — The New York Times Business -
• Walmart’s Earnings Show ‘Momentum’ as Tariffs Raise Prices — The New York Times Business -
• New York appeals court overturns $500mn penalty in Trump fraud case — Financial Times -
• Boeing in Talks to Sell China Hundreds of Planes as Part of U.S. Trade Deal — Wall Street Journal -
• More U.S. Companies Plan to Slow Hiring in Second Half of 2025 — Wall Street Journal -
• Powell Is on the Cusp of Taking a Big Gamble With the U.S. Economy — The New York Times Business -
• Walmart Wins Over More Shoppers as Tariffs Push Prices Higher — Wall Street Journal -
• EU races to secure lower US tariffs on car industry — Financial Times -
• Fed chair Jay Powell’s high-stakes moment in Jackson Hole — Financial Times -
• What Will Powell Do Now? — The New York Times Business -
• Will expanded access to US federal lands spur oil and gas output? — Financial Times -
• The Trade That Binds the Indian and American Economies — The New York Times Business -
• Trump’s roving banditry will undermine the US economy — Financial Times -

International affairs are marked by Taiwan's nuclear and defense strategies amidst China fears, the economic repercussions of the Ukraine war, UK diplomatic actions regarding Israeli settlements, and global trade tensions exacerbated by US-China tech disputes and sanctions against Russia.

• FirstFT: Taiwan votes on nuclear power amid energy security concerns — Financial Times -
• Taiwan weighs return to nuclear power amid AI surge and China fears — Financial Times -
• US factory in Ukraine hit in largest Russian air attack for weeks — Financial Times -

• UK summons Israeli ambassador over approval of settlement project — Financial Times -
• Opinion | Who Is a ‘Journalist’ in Gaza? — Wall Street Journal -
• The US needs a return to realism — Financial Times -
• Brazil police say Bolsonaro planned to seek asylum in Argentina — Financial Times -
• Ukrainian man arrested in Italy over Nord Stream attacks — Financial Times -
• Ukrainian drone strikes push up Russian petrol prices — Financial Times -
• FirstFT: China to restrict Nvidia AI chip sales after Lutnick’s ‘insulting’ remarks — Financial Times -
• Taiwan raises defence spending by 23% under US pressure to counter China threat — Financial Times -
• US-South Korea nuclear reactor tie-up proposed amid accusations of ‘slave contract’ — Financial Times -
• Canada cultivates Nordic ties to offset reliance on US after Trump threats — Financial Times -
• US oilfield services group expands Russian unit despite new sanctions — Financial Times -
• Trump ‘plays into Putin’s hands’ — Financial Times -
• China turns against Nvidia’s AI chip after Lutnick’s ‘insulting’ remarks — Financial Times -
• Why Does Xi Keep Purging Loyalists? Look to Stalin and Mao for the Answer. — The New York Times Business -

Key corporate news includes Core Scientific's financial deliberations, major media deals like NBCUniversal and MLB, Cracker Barrel's controversial rebrand, Tesla's regulatory scrutiny, Target's CEO transition, and financial sector insights from BlackRock and HMRC, along with international financial hub ambitions in Abu Dhabi.

• Core Scientific fretted about raising cash before CoreWeave tie-up — Financial Times -
• Opinion | Will CBS Release its Biden Tapes? — Wall Street Journal -
• Meg Ryan appointed SEC’s top cop — Financial Times -

• Opinion | The Tale of the Rent-Seeking Saw — Wall Street Journal -
• Wes Streeting issues private ultimatum to pharma groups in NHS pricing talks — Financial Times -
• NBCUniversal and MLB Nearing 3-Year Deal Approaching $600 Million — Wall Street Journal -
• Cracker Barrel’s New Modern Logo and Aesthetic Become a Political Rorschach Test — The New York Times Business -
• Tesla Hasn’t Filed Crash Reports on Time. Federal Investigators Want to Know Why. — Wall Street Journal -
• HMRC tightens control over pension tax relief claims by higher earners — Financial Times -
• Target’s C.E.O. Is Retiring, but Not Leaving. Is That Good for the Company? — The New York Times Business -
• The Onion Brought Back Its Print Edition. The Gamble Is Paying Off. — Wall Street Journal -
• Serena Williams Is the Surprising New Face of Weight-Loss Drugs — Wall Street Journal -
• They’re Rich, They Travel and They Love to Complain — The New York Times Business -
• Mediobanca shareholders reject €6.3bn Banca Generali deal — Financial Times -
• New ESPN, Fox Streaming Services Join a Baffling Landscape for Fans — Wall Street Journal -
• Amazon’s Big Bet on Groceries Isn’t a Knockout Blow for Rivals — Wall Street Journal -
• Swiss Watch Exports Ticked Up in July Ahead of U.S. Tariffs — Wall Street Journal -
• They’re Rich, They Travel and They Love to Complain — The New York Times Business -
• BlackRock advises investors to put more money into hedge funds — Financial Times -
• Kirkland’s new distressed debt king — Financial Times -
• Fox launches streaming service in attempt to reach younger viewers — Financial Times -
• Securitisation as the baddie? Europe can flip that script — Financial Times -
• The ‘capital of capital’: Abu Dhabi’s pitch to become a global financial centre — Financial Times -
• Chinese ‘dim sum’ bond issuance on track for record year — Financial Times -

The UK is addressing a surge in asylum applications, the government takeover of a steel business, an impending Tube strike, and a gender gap reduction in GCSE exams, while its business activity shows a notable rise and Canary Wharf offices gain value.

• Can a council revolt over UK asylum hotels succeed? — Financial Times -
• UK will take over key part of Sanjeev Gupta’s steel business — Financial Times -
• Tube union calls strike for early September — Financial Times -

• UK asylum applications hit record 111,000 in Starmer’s first year in office — Financial Times -
• Gender gap at GCSE falls to lowest level since 2000 as resits surge — Financial Times -
• UK business activity rises to 12-month high in August — Financial Times -
• Canary Wharf Group’s offices add £10mn in value over first half — Financial Times -
• Broader UK education would serve young people better — Financial Times -
• Councils move to close off key alternative to asylum hotels in England — Financial Times -

The technology sector is seeing a rebound in healthtech venture funding driven by AI adoption, significant investment in self-driving car startups like Nuro, and general tech stock volatility, with Nvidia's earnings drawing more market attention than Fed announcements.

• Self-driving car tech start-up Nuro raises $200mn at $6bn valuation — Financial Times -
• Spurred by AI, Healthtech Venture Funding Rebounds — Wall Street Journal -
• Tech stocks slip as investors rotate towards defensive sectors — Financial Times -

• Investors Expect Nvidia’s Earnings to Move the S&P More Than Powell’s Speech — The New York Times Business -

Discussions focus on the US potential to source critical minerals from mining waste, Walmart's recall of radioactive shrimp, and the UK's record approvals for green power capacity, underscoring evolving energy strategies and environmental concerns.

• US could meet critical minerals needs from mining waste, study finds — Financial Times -
• Walmart Recalls Frozen Shrimp After Radioactive Contamination Warning — The New York Times Business -
• UK green power surges with record approvals for new renewable energy capacity — Financial Times -

Broader societal discussions include Denmark's efforts to cheapen books amidst a 'reading crisis', Italy's outrage over intimate photo sharing, local opposition to infrastructure projects like Meloni's bridge in Sicily, and macroeconomic debates such as Germany's borrowing plans and Eurozone activity.

• Bruce Slovin, Who Unified Jewish Archives in New York, Dies at 89 — The New York Times Business -
• Facing a ‘Reading Crisis,’ Denmark Wants to Make Books Cheaper — The New York Times Business -
• Italy outraged over men sharing intimate photos of their wives online — Financial Times -

• Constitutional debt wrangles — redux — Financial Times -
• Surprise uptick in Eurozone activity bolsters case for ECB to hold rates — Financial Times -
• Germany’s borrowing spree plans face a reality check — Financial Times -
• Why Sicilians hate Meloni’s bridge — Financial Times -
• Why a commodities boom is not lifting Indonesia’s economy — Financial Times -
• Saudi Arabia’s 2029 Asian Winter Games at risk from snow mountain delay — Financial Times -