Wednesday, February 19

The EU’s richest states have dug in their heels over the region’s budget as European Council president Charles Michel seeks to ease the blow of spending cuts on poorer countries, Donald Trump extended clemency to several high-profile white-collar criminals on Tuesday, including former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich and financier Michael Milken, and US asset manager Franklin Templeton has agreed to buy rival Legg Mason for $6.5bn including debt. Plus, the FT’s David Crow reports on HSBC’s radical plan to downsize.  For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy