- Trump’s Border Wall: A Tall Order (WSJ)
- Trump’s Hope for Rapid Reset With Russia Fades (WSJ)
- China’s Xi to meet Trump in Florida next week (Reuters)
- U.S. Softens Call for Shift on Nafta (WSJ)
- ESPN Has Seen the Future of TV and They’re Not Really Into It (BBG)
- Inside the Leadership Shakeup at Merrill Lynch (BBG)
- States’ Next Target on Sales Taxes: Sellers on Amazon (WSJ)
- South Africa’s Zuma considers stepping down early in deal to oust Gordhan (Reuters)
- Zuma to Face Mass Cabinet Walkout If He Fires Gordhan (BBG)
- U.S., Turkey Set on a Collision Course (WSJ)
- Ackman Is ‘Profoundly’ Sorry for $4 Billion Valeant ‘Mistake’ (BBG)
- ‘You Are All Liars’: Toshiba Shareholders Vent After Westinghouse Bankruptcy (WSJ)
- Malaysia mistook slain Kim Jong Nam for South Korean (Reuters)
- JPMorgan in Talks for Dublin Office That Holds 1,000 People (BBG)
- North Carolina lawmakers reach deal to repeal transgender bathroom law (Reuters)
- Chinese women golfers may shun LPGA event amid South Korea tensions (Reuters)
- This Chinese Stock Soared 4,500% on the Nasdaq and No One Knows Why (BBG)
- Amazon Wants Cheerios, Oreos and Other Brands to Bypass Wal-Mart (BBG)
- Spain’s Mom and Pops Are Hurting (BBG)
Overnight Media Digest
WSJ
– The Trump administration is signaling to Congress it would seek mostly modest changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement in upcoming negotiations with Mexico and Canada, a deal President Donald Trump called a “disaster” during the campaign. http://on.wsj.com/2nBRZ7E
– Westinghouse Electric Co filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Wednesday, setting off a showdown between the nuclear power company’s Japanese parent and a major U.S. utility, and threatening to drive a wedge between governments of two countries over the fate of industries each considers vital. http://on.wsj.com/2ni79fx
– British Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday began the UK’s path out of the European Union, highlighting her country’s security expertise as she started the clock on negotiations that will challenge ties between Britain and some of its closest allies. http://on.wsj.com/2ofj1j9
– Negotiations between New York real-estate developer Kushner Cos and a large Chinese company over a planned $7.5 billion tower in Manhattan collapsed amid an outcry over possible conflicts of interest involving the Trump administration. http://on.wsj.com/2nAiVED
– Federal regulators plan to reverse an Obama-era rule that prevented major television-station owners from buying stations or readily selling themselves, a move that could touch off a wave of deals among media companies. http://on.wsj.com/2nikcgj
– Two black women have filed a lawsuit against Fox News Channel, its parent company 21st Century Fox and a former senior executive at the cable network alleging racial discrimination. http://on.wsj.com/2oi0fIa
Canada
THE GLOBE AND MAIL
** Cenovus Energy Inc is bulking up in a C$17.7 billion ($13.3 billion) deal to more than double its production as the repatriation of Canada’s oil sands winnows control of the resource to a handful of domestic players. https://tgam.ca/2obmrX7
** Bombardier Inc said its new Global 7000 luxury jet brushed the speed of sound as it confirmed testing for the new airplane remains on track for a planned entry into service in the second half of 2018. https://tgam.ca/2obr57w
** Former Torys LLP lawyers Beth DeMerchant and Darren Sukonick are suing the Law Society of Upper Canada for damages totalling C$22 million, alleging the regulatory body was malicious in its prosecution of them over alleged errors in their work for Hollinger Inc more than 15 years ago. https://tgam.ca/2obras5
NATIONAL POST
** Britain has officially filed for divorce from the European Union, but Canadian companies with a footprint in the UK still face a lengthy period of uncertainty as the details of the split are sorted out. http://bit.ly/2obu8gd
** TransCanada Corp lost its go-to guy on tough pipeline projects with the surprise retirement of its 51-year-old chief operating officer, Alex Pourbaix. http://bit.ly/2oboBpH
** Canadians will be able to invest in a basket of marijuana companies when the first marijuana exchange-traded fund launches next week, helping investors diversify their exposure to the volatile and frothy sector. http://bit.ly/2oblNsQ
** The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan is continuing to hunt for deals in the United Kingdom, even as concrete steps were taken Wednesday to extricate Britain from the European Union. http://bit.ly/2obpr5P
Britain
The Times
* Members of parliament are demanding that banks and regulators do more to crack down on security failings that mean contactless cardholders can be defrauded months after their cards are stolen or lost. http://bit.ly/2nNnFr0
* Some of the world’s biggest sovereign wealth funds will pledge 650 million pounds (about $808.66 million) in new investments for Heathrow on Thursday in what will be regarded as a significant boost after Article 50 was triggered. http://bit.ly/2oAeKWS
The Guardian
* Lloyd’s of London will announce on Thursday that it has picked Brussels as the base for its new European Union subsidiary to secure a European foothold after UK’s departure from the EU. http://bit.ly/2nN1lOo
* German Chancellor Angela Merkel has rejected one of Theresa May’s key Brexit demands, insisting negotiations on Britain’s exit from the European Union cannot run in parallel with talks on the future UK-EU relationship. http://bit.ly/2nMEEtH
The Telegraph
* Britain’s car makers have warned that Brexit poses the “biggest threat in a generation” to the car manufacturing industry. http://bit.ly/2obnWVA
* Howard Shore, the man who set up City stockbroker Shore Capital Group Ltd at the age of 24, has stepped down as the group’s chief executive after over three decades in charge. http://bit.ly/2nNvvku
Sky News
* Prime Minister Theresa May has triggered Article 50 after her letter to European Council President Donald Tusk was delivered by Ambassador Tim Barrow in Brussels. http://bit.ly/2oxRN6S
* Sky News has learnt that James Gorman, Morgan Stanley’s chairman and chief executive, told Theresa May that other cities had made compelling approaches to lure parts of its business from London during the nine months since the EU referendum. http://bit.ly/2nicdQq
The Independent
* The London attack last week was a “wake up call” for technology companies, the head of the Metropolitan Police said on Wednesday. Tech companies including Google and Facebook have come under scrutiny recently for not doing enough to stop extremist content being hosted on their networks. http://ind.pn/2njaLhl
via http://ift.tt/2nmZiNG Tyler Durden