• How Meta Got Everything It Wanted in a Secret Louisiana Data Center Deal — The New York Times Business - 19:54
• Royal Philips Reports Increase in Sales, Comparable-Sales Growth — Wall Street Journal - 19:46
• Why Restarting a Nuclear Power Plant Can Be Much Harder Than Expected — The New York Times Business - 19:11
• France and Spain brace for more extreme heat as wildfires rage — Financial Times - 18:43
• Julie Masino, Cracker Barrel CEO Who Oversaw Logo Change, Steps Down — The New York Times Business - 18:21
• CXMT’s roaring IPO isn’t the bubble signal it might appear — Financial Times - 18:19
• Burnham looks to cut welfare bill by linking up schools and employers — Financial Times - 18:18
• Trump says Israel ‘would not survive’ without US — Financial Times - 17:51
• Burnham doles out jobs in bid to avert Labour unrest — Financial Times - 17:51
• Ex-JPMorgan Banker Alleges Racism, Sexual Assault in Federal Lawsuit — Wall Street Journal - 17:40

Escalating global tensions, including Trump's remarks on Israel and US and Iran pausing strikes, significantly influenced oil and gold prices, while Donald Trump's tariff proposals and **Kuwait's $16 billion oil deal underscore shifting power dynamics and Asia's efforts to reduce reliance on imported energy**.

• Trump says Israel ‘would not survive’ without US — Financial Times -
• Oil Prices Sink After U.S. and Iran Pause Fighting a Second Day — The New York Times Business -
• Oil price tumbles as Iran and US pause strikes over Strait of Hormuz — Financial Times -

• Donald Trump rebuilds his tariff wall — Financial Times -
• Energy & Utilities Roundup: Market Talk — Wall Street Journal -
• Size matters when it comes to tariff threats — Financial Times -
• KKR, Blackstone Sign $16 Billion Kuwait Oil Deal — Wall Street Journal -
• Ukraine, Iran and how regional wars go global — Financial Times -
• FirstFT: Oil prices plunge as Trump calls off strikes — Financial Times -
• Oil Sinks After U.S. Pauses Iran Strikes, Reviving Hopes for Diplomacy — Wall Street Journal -
• Gold Rises as U.S. Pauses Iran Strikes, With Focus on Fed Speech — Wall Street Journal -
• Iran War Forces Energy Buyers to ‘Unshackle’ From Global Markets — The New York Times Business -
• Greek shipping carve-out on Russia sanctions prompts EU rethink — Financial Times -
• Rival Koreas race to build nuclear-powered submarines — Financial Times -

The meteoric IPO of China's CXMT, **Nvidia's $5 billion AI investment, and Meta's new Louisiana data center highlight rapid expansion in AI and infrastructure, even as Chinese AI firms struggle with profitability and Amazon challenges Starlink in satellite internet, fueling a major AI debate within Big Tech**.

• How Meta Got Everything It Wanted in a Secret Louisiana Data Center Deal — The New York Times Business -
• CXMT’s roaring IPO isn’t the bubble signal it might appear — Financial Times -
• Nvidia bets $5bn on Ilya Sutskever’s AI breakthrough — Financial Times -

• China’s CXMT Stock Soars 470% in Start of Trading, Amid A.I. Race — The New York Times Business -
• Amazon targets Musk’s Starlink with satellite constellation for mobile services — Financial Times -
• Even China’s A.I. Powerhouses Can’t Figure Out How to Profit Off A.I. — The New York Times Business -
• 5 Things to Know About Meta’s Giant Data Center in Louisiana — The New York Times Business -
• The A.I. Debate That’s Driving a Wedge Through Big Tech — The New York Times Business -
• 5 Things to Know About Meta’s Giant Data Center in Louisiana — The New York Times Business -
• Chip Maker Soars 466% on Debut to Become No. 1 in China Stock Market — Wall Street Journal -
• Chinese chip champion CXMT soars 466% in market debut — Financial Times -
• AI companies spend record sums on Washington lobbying — Financial Times -
• Big Companies Are Starting to Hire Again, Defying Predictions of AI Wipeout — Wall Street Journal -

Prime Minister Andy Burnham's efforts to cut the welfare bill and address Labour unrest dominate the political landscape, alongside debates on council tax abolition, the future of Jodrell Bank funding, and the Bank of England's interest rate stance amid a tight labour market and strained UK-EU relations.

• Burnham looks to cut welfare bill by linking up schools and employers — Financial Times -
• Burnham doles out jobs in bid to avert Labour unrest — Financial Times -
• Canary Wharf holds lessons for Andy Burnham — Financial Times -

• Jodrell Bank observatory set to lose scientific funding — Financial Times -
• Burnham rejects northern Labour MPs’ call to abolish council tax — Financial Times -
• Burnham and the problem of politics by social media — Financial Times -
• Brexit ‘reset’ could constrain UK’s freedom of movement on trade — Financial Times -
• The good, the bad and the mixed of Burnham’s government overhaul — Financial Times -
• How tight is the labour market? — Financial Times -
• UK lenders accuse Bank of England of ignoring Wall Street’s capital edge — Financial Times -
• France raises questions over UK participation in EU’s €5bn tech start-up fund — Financial Times -
• BoE expected to hold rates despite jump in oil prices — Financial Times -
• The cash homebuyer is no longer king — Financial Times -
• If No 10 North is the ‘situation room for growth’ let’s get situated near it — Financial Times -

Royal Philips' sales growth, LVMH's luxury recovery, and AstraZeneca's oncology-driven expansion signal corporate health, contrasting with Porsche's job cuts, Shein's pre-IPO loss, and the paused Paramount-Warner Bros. deal amid continued private equity activity like **Ares Management's talks to buy Leonard Green & Partners**.

• Royal Philips Reports Increase in Sales, Comparable-Sales Growth — Wall Street Journal -
• Julie Masino, Cracker Barrel CEO Who Oversaw Logo Change, Steps Down — The New York Times Business -
• Ares Management has held talks to buy Leonard Green & Partners — Financial Times -

• LVMH’s Mainstay Fashion Arm Returns to Growth, Boosting Hopes of Luxury Recovery — Wall Street Journal -
• Cracker Barrel CEO Stepping Down After Logo Controversy, Activist Pressure — Wall Street Journal -
• Luxfer to Go Private in $463 Million Deal With Wynnchurch — Wall Street Journal -
• Porsche to Cut 5,000 More Jobs After Sales Collapse in China — Wall Street Journal -
• AstraZeneca Sees 2030 Goal on Track as Cancer Drugs Drive Growth — Wall Street Journal -
• Paramount Wanted to Close Its Warner Deal Quickly. Now It’s in Limbo. — Wall Street Journal -
• Shein Posts Loss as Planned Hong Kong IPO Approaches — Wall Street Journal -
• Paramount is Betting Johnny Depp Can Make a Comeback With ‘Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol’ — The New York Times Business -
• Kenneth Dart’s Candle Lake Crosses Mandatory Bid Threshold For Sweden’s Evolution — Wall Street Journal -
• Audi Cuts Guidance on China Woes and Escalating Geopolitical Tensions — Wall Street Journal -
• Vodafone Raises Guidance on Safaricom Deal — Wall Street Journal -
• Shein slumps to loss ahead of planned Hong Kong listing — Financial Times -
• TeamSystem’s private equity owners discuss stake sale at €8bn valuation — Financial Times -
• Why Paramount Paused Its Blockbuster $111 Billion Deal for Warner Bros. — The New York Times Business -

Major central banks face critical decisions, with the Fed's new chairman undergoing his biggest test, the ECB on track for another rate hike, and Indonesia's central bank chief resigning amid concerns over China's slowing industrial profits and Japan's 'lost decades' economic challenges, alongside a significant sink in Asian private credit fundraising.

• The Fed’s New Chairman Faces His Biggest Test Yet — The New York Times Business -
• Big Tech Earnings and Fed Rate Decision Put Stock Rally to the Test — Wall Street Journal -
• ECB on course to raise rates again in September — Financial Times -

• The sting in the tail of Japan’s lost decades — Financial Times -
• China’s industrial profits grow at slowest pace this year — Financial Times -
• Indonesia’s central bank chief resigns — Financial Times -
• Why economic surveys have lost their relevance — Financial Times -
• Asian private credit fundraising sinks to 12-year low amid bankruptcy fears — Financial Times -

The rise of squishy toys and fidget trading, boaters splurging on luxury yachts, and the expansion of Philip Morris's Zyn brand demonstrate evolving consumer behavior, while high-end grocery stores and micro-influencer marketing reshape retail strategies and new hotels in vintage buildings cater to unique travel preferences.

• Kids (and Adults) Are Obsessed With Squishy Toys and Fidget Trading — The New York Times Business -
• Boaters Are Splurging to Make Fishing Yachts Run Like Supercars — Wall Street Journal -
• A Son of Wealth Finds His Calling in a High-End Grocery Store — The New York Times Business -

• A Son of Wealth Finds His Calling in a High-End Grocery Store — The New York Times Business -
• Philip Morris Opens $1.2 Billion Manufacturing Campus to Grow Zyn Brand — Wall Street Journal -
• The Latest Darlings of Social-Media Marketing? Regular People With 500 Followers — Wall Street Journal -
• 5 New Hotels in Vintage Buildings — The New York Times Business -
• Where Trivet and Labombe co-founders Jonny Lake and Isa Bal eat in London — Financial Times -

A federal lawsuit alleging racism and sexual assault at JPMorgan brings workplace conduct into focus, while rising debt collection suits prompt consumer support, Andrew Tate's extradition challenge continues to draw public attention, and Italy's national football coach search stumbles over Russia links.

• Ex-JPMorgan Banker Alleges Racism, Sexual Assault in Federal Lawsuit — Wall Street Journal -
• Debt Collection Suits Have Risen Sharply. There’s Help for Consumers. — The New York Times Business -
• Andrew Tate’s extradition challenge could last almost a year, lawyers say — Financial Times -

• Italy’s search for national football coach stumbles over Russia links — Financial Times -
• Portugal’s first lobbying law faces immediate test — Financial Times -

The unexpected difficulties in restarting a U.S. nuclear power plant highlight complex energy challenges, as France and Spain brace for extreme heat and wildfires, Ford joins the race to build the next U.S. Army truck, and Waymo's autonomous vehicles accumulate parking fines in urban settings.

• Why Restarting a Nuclear Power Plant Can Be Much Harder Than Expected — The New York Times Business -
• France and Spain brace for more extreme heat as wildfires rage — Financial Times -
• Ford Motor Joins Race to Build Next U.S. Army Truck — Wall Street Journal -

• Germany’s Merz sacks transport minister in cabinet shake-up — Financial Times -
• Waymo Is Racking Up Thousands of Dollars of Parking Fines in Austin — Wall Street Journal -

An F.D.A. panel's controversial vote on peptides raises concerns about a prescribing boom, while a study questions the effectiveness of a Palantir tool in reducing hospital discharge delays in the UK.

• F.D.A. Panel’s Vote on Peptides Raises Concerns About a Prescribing Boom — The New York Times Business -
• Palantir tool has not cut hospital discharge delays, says study — Financial Times -