- U.S. jobs market seen fairly healthy despite slowing economy (Reuters)
- China State Funds Said to Buy More Shares After Market Rout (BBG)
- Global Stocks Gain Some Respite (WSJ)
- U.S. Jobs Data Take on Added Importance With Markets in Turmoil (BBG)
- GOP Health Plans Are Works in Progress (WSJ)
- For economy czar of crisis-hit Venezuela, inflation 'does not exist' (Reuters)
- Germany Says Asylum Seekers Among Suspects in Cologne New Year’s Eve Assaults (WSJ)
- Two Middle East refugees arrested in U.S. on terrorism charges (Reuters)
- United Faces Questions Over CEO’s Health (WSJ)
- Shock, Laughter Greet Plan for Saudi Arabian Sale of the Century (BBG)
- Oregon occupation leader rejects sheriff's bid to end standoff (Reuters)
- Missing U.S. Missile Shows Up in Cuba (WSJ)
- GM Ignition Nightmare Won't Go Away -- for Victims or Company (BBG)
- Gun owners grill Obama at town hall, NRA sits it out (Reuters)
- Dollar Tree says Family Dollar CEO Howard Levine to leave company (Reuters)
- Mining's $1.4 Trillion Plunge Like Losing Apple, Google, Exxon (BBG)
- U.S. Marshals Raid Hoverboard Booth at CES (BBG)
- Trump likes to sleep in his own bed and it may cost him votes (Reuters)
- World's Biggest Dam Has `Extremely Dangerous' Low Water Levels (BBG)
Overnight Media Digest
WSJ
- Saudi Arabia is said to be considering offering a small slice of its state-owned oil company, Saudi Arabian Oil Co., in an initial public offering that could raise billions of dollars for the government at a time when global oil prices continue to slide. (on.wsj.com/1PN3UWf)
- Apple shares closed below $100 for the first time in 15 months, gripped by Thursday's sharp market decline and signs of slowing growth in the two pillars of the company's recent success: the iPhone and China. (on.wsj.com/1OehtLQ)
- United Continental Holdings Inc on Thursday said its CEO Oscar Munoz was in good health following a heart transplant and gave details regarding his contract in a regulatory filing. (on.wsj.com/1PRvOSO)
- Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc is defending its recent agreement with drugmaker Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc, saying the arrangement will result in lower costs for customers and could even be used as a model for future deals. (on.wsj.com/1ZR3Byr)
FT
Royal Dutch Shell's purchase of rival BG Group has got a boost after Institutional Shareholder Services, a proxy advisory body, is expected to recommend that investors support the deal.
GlaxoSmithKline Plc has become the first big drugmaker to stop remunerating doctors to push its products. The company will no longer pay medics anywhere in the world to make presentations on its behalf at medical seminars.
Co-operative Group's former procurement director, Kathleen Harmeston, has told an employment tribunal that she was dismissed after she applied whistleblowing procedures to show alleged "corporate malpractice". She is seeking 5 million pounds ($7.31 million) in damages for her "humiliating" and unfair dismissal.
NYT
- Breaking from its industry rivals, Campbell Soup Co will become the first major food company to begin disclosing the presence of genetically engineered ingredients like corn, soy and sugar beets in its products. Campbell is also breaking with its peers by calling for federal action to make mandatory a uniform labeling system of foods that contain such ingredients, commonly known as GMO labeling. (nyti.ms/1kReqAD)
- Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn disclosed on Thursday in a court filing that a brokerage account containing $45 million had been used to secure a $5 million bond posted by former Turing Pharmaceuticals chief Martin Shkreli, after his Dec. 17 arrest on securities fraud charges. (nyti.ms/1mK0WYM)
- The Obama administration said Thursday that 11.3 million people had signed up for health insurance so far during the Affordable Care Act's third open enrollment period, with indications of a strong desire for coverage among young adults and others who were not enrolled last year. The current open enrollment period ends Jan. 31. (nyti.ms/1K1esfQ)
- Samsung Electronics Co Ltd on Friday said its operating profit rose about 15 percent in the fourth quarter, far less than the almost 80 percent during the third quarter. The results showed that the South Korea-based company was vulnerable to the global weakness in demand for electronics despite dominating the crucial memory-chip and display markets. (nyti.ms/1ITTFQo)
- Relativity Media on Thursday said actor Kevin Spacey would become chairman of its Relativity Studios unit and Spacey's business partner, Dana Brunetti, would become president. (nyti.ms/1ZRbbJs)
Canada
THE GLOBE AND MAIL
** The Liberal government is refusing to make public a recently completed assessment of the state of human rights in Saudi Arabia even as it endures criticism for proceeding with a $15-billion deal to ship weaponized armoured vehicles to the Mideast country. (bit.ly/1JyzlUL)
** Dozens of University of British Columbia professors have signed an open letter apologizing for not doing more to protect students and alumni from sexual assaults, amid continued scrutiny of the school's handling of such cases. (bit.ly/1PNszd8)
** Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd is facing a lawsuit by a salesman who alleges he was dismissed after refusing to sign an affidavit the company prepared in connection with a corporate espionage case launched by rival Canadian National Railway Co. (bit.ly/1S7ZvQV)
NATIONAL POST
** Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz on Thursday said policymakers in this country will continue to follow their own path for setting lending levels, despite the recent - and long awaited - increase in U.S. rates and the ongoing weakness of this country's currency. (bit.ly/1Phwj3O)
** Detectives in Toronto believe a ring of crooked cab drivers has stolen dozens of bank cards from bleary, late-night riders and emptied their accounts over the past month. (bit.ly/1ZRzA1u)
Britain
The Times
* Marc Bolland is to step down as Chief Executive of Marks and Spencer as the retailer again reported a mixed Christmas trading performance with "disappointing" general merchandise sales. (http://thetim.es/1OQeP4o)
* UK's Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne will warn of "a cocktail of new threats" to the economy as he tells Britons to avoid complacency, weeks after he softened the scale of spending cuts over the parliament. (http://thetim.es/1OQeZss)
The Guardian
* The acting boss of the Financial Conduct Authority, Tracey McDermott, is to face a grilling from MPs later this month about whether the watchdog is softening its stance towards bankers even though it has emerged that she has withdrawn as a candidate to take over the helm of the regulator. (http://bit.ly/1OQfyT8)
* New car sales reached an all time high in Britain in 2015 as improving consumer confidence, wage growth and low interest finance deals from manufacturers boosted the market, according to figures provided by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. (http://bit.ly/1OQfJhg)
The Telegraph
* Atterley, the fashion website backed by Terry Leahy, has collapsed into administration despite being tipped to be one of the most successful British retail brands. (bit.ly/1S70Mrq)
* A bumper year for blockbusters drove cinema ticket sales in the UK and Ireland to an all-time high in 2015, according to Rentrak. (bit.ly/1PhUbo7)
Sky News
* Shares in Poundland slumped by more than 10 percent after the shift to online shopping hurt sales growth and earnings in the run up to Christmas. The discount retailer said it had seen "disappointing" festive sales as consumers deserted the high street in favour of the Internet. (http://bit.ly/1OQgabu)
* Saudi Arabia is mulling the sale of shares in Aramco, the country's deputy crown prince Mohammed bin Salman told The Economist. (http://bit.ly/1OQgE17)
The Independent
* UK's most cheerful employees are living in Norwich, Liverpool and Birmingham according to new research by business psychologists OPP. (http://ind.pn/1OQgS8z)
* Budget airlines Easyjet and Ryanair have seen their passenger numbers grow despite the militant attacks in Paris. (http://ind.pn/1OQhnj5)