Sterling slipped on Wednesday as expectations for tumult in the currency markets have swelled with talks between UK and EU negotiators set to resume in a final push for a Brexit deal.

Chinese technology group Huawei added more 5G customers in the third quarter in the face of efforts from Washington to sanction the company amid the US-China trade dispute.

Online retailer Asos has failed to offer any guidance on sales or profitability for the current financial year after what it described as a “disappointing” set of results that included a 68 per cent drop in profits.

Latitude Financial has abandoned its second attempt at an initial public offering due to concerns that shares in Australia’s largest non-bank lender would tumble on debut, scuppering what was set to be the country’s largest listing this year.

EU regulators are expected to announce on Wednesday interim measures to force Broadcom to suspend alleged anti-competitive behaviour while it is being investigated, in the latest sign of a clampdown against big US tech companies.

Rio Tinto’s flagship iron ore business in Western Australia bounced back in the third quarter, reporting a 10 per cent increase in production of the key steel-making ingredient.

United Airlines raised its full-year earnings forecast thanks to robust travel demand, further easing concerns over the financial impact of the Boeing 737 Max’s grounding.

US and European stocks jumped, government bonds sold off and the pound leapt as investors remained hopeful British and EU negotiators were close to a draft deal on Brexit.

Sterling shot to its highest level in five months on Tuesday while banking and building stocks jumped as hopes of a last-minute Brexit deal rose.

Royal Mail is facing the threat of national strikes in the run-up to Christmas after postal workers overwhelmingly backed industrial action in a dispute over conditions, job security and alleged bullying. 

Hunter Biden has pushed back against Donald Trump’s criticisms of his business dealings in Ukraine and China, saying it was “poor judgment” on his part but that he “did nothing wrong at all”.

Wells Fargo reported the latest in a string of low-growth quarters on Tuesday, as the bank prepares to welcome a new CEO later this month after a protracted search.

Revenue growth remains scarce at Citigroup, but a strong third quarter performance in its credit-card business, and resilience in its investment banking operation, kept the bank’s financial targets within reach.

Goldman Sachs suffered a worse-than-expected 27 per cent fall in net income during the third quarter, with trading emerging as the one bright spot in the bank’s four core divisions*.

Naturgy, a Spanish utility, and Sonatrach, Algeria’s state-owned oil and gas company, have agreed to buy Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala’s just over 42 per cent stake in the Medgaz gas pipeline between Algeria and Spain.

BlackRock achieved a record profit margin last quarter, as lower costs and new client money swelled assets at the world’s largest fund manager to almost $7tn.

Investor sentiment about the German economy declined less than expected in October, while remaining subdued over worries about the US-China trade war and the potential for a disruptive Brexit at the end of this month.

Thomas Cook’s chief executive said the failure of the UK government to back a last-ditch rescue deal led to the travel company’s collapse as he described having no contact with ministers in the days leading up to its liquidation.

The UK’s major lenders would be able to cope with being shut out of currency markets for up to three weeks if Brexit developments trigger big swings in the value of the pound, according to the Bank of England governor. 

UK pub and brewing group Marston’s said it expected a fall in profit this year as it took a hit from lower food sales, sending its share price sharply down.

Seplat Petroleum is to acquire London-listed Eland Oil & Gas for £382m, the companies have agreed, in a bid to scale the business and grow in Nigeria.

Oscar-winning visual effects company DNEG has announced plans to float on the London Stock Exchange, aiming to raise £150m to tap into the “golden age” of filmmaking being propelled by streaming services.

London-listed drugmaker Indivior has raised its guidance for this year’s earnings for a second time following the strong performance of a drug used to treat opioid addiction, sending shares 10 per cent higher in early trading.

The UK’s energy regulator has proposed cutting funding by £80m for the project that links the new Hinkley Point C nuclear reactor to the electricity grid after rejecting some of the National Grid’s requests for cash.