- Fight night: Rubio, Cruz gang up on Trump in debate ploy (Reuters)
- Laid Bare in Shanghai: G-20 Tensions Over How to Spur Growth (BBG)
- China Flags Scope for Policy Stimulus, Tweaks Monetary Stance (BBG)
- Global Stocks Rise With Commodities as China Sees Room to Ease (BBG)
- Greece seeks to stem migrant flow as thousands trapped by border limits (Reuters)
- SocGen Swings From Biggest Bull on Europe Stocks to Most Bearish (BBG)
- How the Fed's Cold War With Congress Could Harm the U.S. Economy (BBG)
- Sharp Races to Save Foxconn Deal, as Share Price Plummets (WSJ)
- Bond Vigilantes Slap Oil CEOs With Junk Tag on $258 Billion Debt (BBG)
- Big turnout as Iran votes to shape post-sanctions era (Reuters)
- 'Big Short' Professor's Fund Swells in Past Year (BBG)
- Indonesia Weighs Forcing Foreign Resources Companies to List on Local Stock Exchange (WSJ)
- Invesco Buys Glencore, BHP Debt as Bondholder-Friendliness Grows (BBG)
- Herbalife Surges After Saying It's Discussing an FTC Resolution (BBG)
- Hedge-Fund Assets Below $3 Trillion for First Time Since 2014 (BBG)
- JPMorgan Has New Theory About What Really Caused the Flash Rally (BBG)
Overnight Media Digest
WSJ
- The biggest names in technology rallied behind Apple Inc Thursday as the company fired a legal salvo in its battle with the government over a court order that it help investigators unlock a terrorist's phone. (http://on.wsj.com/1Lgpd3S)
- SeaWorld Entertainment Inc on Thursday acknowledged it had directed an employee to pose as an animal-rights activist, months after People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals alleged the beleaguered company sent in a spy. (http://on.wsj.com/21uDo9C)
- J C Penney Co reported better-than-expected earnings for the holiday quarter, boosted by higher sales and lower expenses, and provided an upbeat profit forecast for the current year. (http://on.wsj.com/1THQf79)
- Sibanye Gold Ltd is buying many of South Africa's aging platinum deposits on the cheap, betting it can replicate a strategy that helped turn a handful of struggling old mines into one of the world's top gold producers. (http://on.wsj.com/24s3dcX)
FT
British finance minister George Osborne is pushing the Group of 20 leading economies to warn about the dangers of Britain leaving the European Union.
London-based investment firm LetterOne, controlled by Russian billionaire Mikhail Fridman, said it could not proceed with its plan to facilitate a proposed merger between Brazilian telecoms groups Oi SA and TIM Participacoes SA .
Liquor baron Vijay Mallya has agreed to give up his chairmanship and board position at India's top spirits company United Spirits Ltd, ending months of acrimony with the company's new owner Britain's Diageo Plc. As part of the agreement announced on Thursday, Diageo will pay Mallya $75 million over a five-year period, which would be provided for as exceptional
NYT
- The legal wrangling over a federal court order requiring Apple to help law enforcement break into an iPhone intensified on Thursday, with the company filing its formal response and asking the court to drop its demand. (http://nyti.ms/1UnzMEl)
- A senior Treasury official urged Congress on Thursday to help Puerto Rico restructure its debt quickly, warning that failing to do so would lead to a decade of financial decline. (http://nyti.ms/1XPiyzH)
- Taiwan's Foxconn put its takeover of Sharp on hold, after the Japanese company told its potential new owner that it could be liable for close to $3 billion in potential liabilities, according to a person with knowledge of the talks. (http://nyti.ms/1oDPBu4)
- Philippe P. Dauman, the chief executive of Viacom , has been ordered to sit for a deposition in the legal battle over the mental competency of the media mogul Sumner M. Redstone, a New York judge ruled during a hearing Thursday.(http://nyti.ms/1TaZAEQ)
Canada
THE GLOBE AND MAIL
** Ontario has driven down its deficit to C$4.3 billion ($3.18 billion), but the fiscal good news hinges on economic circumstances beyond the province's control, extra financial help from the federal Liberal government and a one-time cash injection from privatizing Hydro One Ltd. (http://bit.ly/1oMhAbZ)
** AltaGas Ltd has halted plans to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) from British Columbia's north coast amid a worldwide glut of the fuel. AltaGas and its partners in the Douglas Channel LNG project fell short of their goal of signing sufficient long-term contracts with Asian buyers to take delivery of LNG in what the industry calls "off-take". (http://bit.ly/1oMhCR7)
** Export Development Canada is designating C$750 million to provide financial services, including loans and guarantees, to small and medium-sized Canadian energy firms trying to weather the oil price drop. (http://bit.ly/1oMhKzP)
NATIONAL POST
** Bombardier Inc's biggest CSeries customer Republic Airways Holdings Inc has filed for bankruptcy protection in New York, citing a nationwide pilot shortage that has weighed on revenue. (http://bit.ly/1oMi0z2)
** Catalyst Capital Group Inc, a minority shareholder of Corus Entertainment Inc, said Corus was paying up to $858 million more than it should to acquire related company Shaw Media Inc, and has proposed a set of new terms that it says it would be willing to accept. (http://bit.ly/1oMioNU) (
Britain
The Times
* This is your last chance, BT is warned by Ofcom
Sharon White, the head of Ofcom, has refused to back down on her threat to break up BT Group Plc after proposing a series of reforms designed to speed up the UK's broadband network. (http://thetim.es/1TBTpYP)
* Vijay Mallya quits United Spirits with $75 mln payoff
The collapse of Kingfisher Airlines may have deprived Vijay Mallya of his coveted billionaire status, but the flamboyant tycoon was $75 million better off yesterday after he settled a bitter legal battle with Diageo Plc over his chairmanship of its United Spirits business. (http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/business/industries/consumer/article469967...)
The Guardian
* Britain heading for power cuts next winter, say 60 local authorities
A group representing 60 local authorities has warned that recent closures of large power stations have left Britain heading for power cuts next winter, despite assurances to the contrary from the government. (http://bit.ly/1QgvAEA)
* David Cameron boasts of 'brilliant' UK arms exports to Saudi Arabia
David Cameron has boasted of his efforts to help sell "brilliant things" such as Eurofighter Typhoons to Saudi Arabia on the day the European parliament voted for an arms embargo on the country over its bombardment of Yemen. (http://bit.ly/1Q4IAfp)
The Telegraph
* Mark Carney issues stark warning on global growth as storm clouds gather
Mark Carney has warned that Britain and other countries risk becoming trapped in a world of low growth unless governments implement vital reforms. (http://bit.ly/1oDCglH)
* BT chief warns Openreach overhaul will create 'unnecessary costs'
BT Group Plc has branded Ofcom's plan to strip it of control of the finances of Openreach unnecessary, claiming that there is a "lack of understanding" about how the network division invests one billion pounds ($1.40 billion) annually. (http://bit.ly/1Un78TW)
Sky News
* Accounting giant KPMG axes dozens of partners
Dozens of UK-based partners at the 'big four' accountancy firm KPMG are being let go in a bid to improve its performance and respond to changing demand from its clients. (http://bit.ly/1pa3Uar)
* RBS boss gives away half of 1 mln pounds allowance
The chief executive of Royal Bank of Scotland Group is to give half of a one million pounds 'allowance' to charity in an attempt to defuse what has become an annual pay row at the taxpayer-backed lender. (http://bit.ly/1LIHXnG)