Dow Jones gains wiped out
Both the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 endured losses on Tuesday that saw their 2018 balance turn negative. CNBC cited the founder of Icon Funds as saying investors appeared worried about economic slowdown. “I think these people are wrong, but they're in control at this time,” said Craig Callahan. The so-called “FAANG” trade--Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix and Google-parent Alphabet--also closed low. The Guardian says they have lost a combined $1trn in value since their year highs.
Carney throws weight behind May’s Brexit deal
Bank of England governor Mark Carney is the latest economic heavyweight to show public support for the Brexit agreement announced by Theresa May last week. Speaking to a parliamentary treasury select committee, Carney said the deal would “support economic outcomes” that would be positive for the British economy, The Guardian reports.
May in Brussels
Meanwhile, the BBC says that May’s visit to Brussels on Wednesday, where she will meet with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, is an attempt “to show she is fighting until the very last moment to get the best Brexit deal possible out of the EU.” But in an analysis by Europe editor Katya Adler, May faces a number of EU countries who “are suddenly pushing for a lot more from the British prime minister.”
Trump faces backlash over Saudi statement
US president Donald Trump has come under bi-partisan fire following a statement that cast doubt on CIA reports that crown prince Mohammed bin Salman had ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. CNBC says at least five members of the Senate foreign relations committee criticised the decision to continue relations with Saudi Arabia as normal. Marco Rubio tweeted that it was in the “national interest to defend human rights”, while Tim Kane called Trump’s statement “a slap in the face to the American intelligence officers who work daily to protect our country.”
Call for investigation into Ivanka Trump emails
A Democrat member of the Senate judiciary committee has called for an investigation into Ivanka Trump’s email use, CNN reports. A White House report revealed she had sent hundreds of emails to government officials, via a personal account on a domain she shares with husband Jared Kushner. “There’s no way that she had no knowledge of the rules,” Richard Blumenthal said. The President later defended his daughter, acknowledging the use of personal email, but saying they weren’t classified and weren’t deleted, “like Hilary Clinton”.
Dead whale full of plastic
A dead sperm whale washed ashore in Indonesia had nearly 6kg of plastic waste in its stomach, the BBC reports. The whale, found at the Wakatobi National Park on Monday, was found to have ingested, among other things, 115 drinking cups, four plastic bottles, 25 plastic bags and two flip-flops.
Scotland clinch Nations League playoff
A hat trick from Celtic winger James Forrest gave Scotland a 3-2 win over Israel in the Uefa Nations League on Tuesday evening. The result sees Scotland top their Group C1 table and advance to play offs with Finland, Norway and Serbia. Sweden beat Russia 2-0 to win GroupB2 in dramatic fashion on goal difference. The BBC has good coverage of all the Nations League results and standings.
Today’s breakfast briefing was written by Duncan Roberts