1 Donald Trump predicted a “tremendous” increase in trade between the US and the UK in an intervention that has encouraged Downing Street to believe he is picking up the tempo in striking a post-Brexit trade deal. Meeting Theresa May in Davos, the president dismissed rumours of a falling out after he shared videos posted by a British far-right group as a “false rumours”, telling the prime minister: “We love your country.”
2 Doubts have been raised about the scale of the shortfall in GKN’s pension fund amid questions over whether it could serve as a poison pill for the engineer against a £7.4 billion hostile takeover by Melrose Questions were being asked in the City about the relationship between GKN, a FTSE 100 engineering giant, and trustees of its £4 billion retirement schemes, amid speculation that the schemes’ deficits could be less than half what was thought.
3 The euro soared to a three-year high driven by a bullish eurozone outlook and despite clear hints that the European Central Bank would not raise interest rates this year.
4 The soaring share price of Renishaw, one of Britain’s most specialist precision engineers, has come to an abrupt halt despite its half year numbers putting it on track to hit City estimates.
5 The pound briefly pushed through $1.43, its highest since plunging after the Brexit referendum in June 2016, boosted by growing confidence about the British economy.
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6 High street banks approved the smallest number of mortgages in nearly four years last month — 36,115 — adding to signs that the market is in the grip of a slowdown. That was 19 per cent lower than a year earlier and the lowest figure since April 2013, according to the trade body UK Finance.
7 Apple is to embark on trials that, if successful, would enable American customers automatically to download and view their medical records on their iPhones through Apple’s Health app, which will be tested by 12 hospitals and clinics.
8 A try-before-you-buy offer and same-day delivery have helped Asos report bumper sales growth and outpace high street chains. The online fashion retailer boasted a 30 per cent jump in total retail sales to £790.4 million in the four months to the end of December.
9 Diageo, the world’s biggest drinks group, has revealed that sales in China have recovered from a slump caused by the government’s anti-corruption drive.
10 Aurora Cannabis is to buy CanniMed Therapeutics, Canada’s No 3 grower, for C$1.1 billion (£626 million), creating a C$7.2 billion company, putting Aurora ahead of Canopy Growth Corporation, which is worth about $6.4 billion.