AstraZeneca holds talks with Bristol Myers Squibb on $400bn merger

Tie-up would be one of the biggest-ever pharmaceutical deals and create the world’s fourth-largest drugmaker Business live – latest updates Britain’s biggest drugmaker, AstraZeneca, is understood to be in discussions to take over its US rival Bristol Myers Squibb in a deal that would create a near-$400bn (£300bn) pharmaceutical group. AstraZeneca, run by Pascal Soriot, … Read more

Yen hits three-month high after Trump helps prop up currency

US and Japanese governments confirm they carried out a rare joint intervention late last week Why has Trump stepped in to prop up Japan’s currency? Business live – latest updates The yen has hit its highest level in three months after Japan and the US launched a combined operation to support the Japanese currency. The … Read more

Todd Blanche moves closer to confirmation after rescinding $1.8B fund

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche moved closer to Senate confirmation Sunday after formally rescinding a controversial $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund” and narrowing tax protections included in President Donald Trump’s IRS settlement. A spokeswoman for Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, confirmed an agreement had been reached after Cornyn and Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., held up Blanche’s nomination. … Read more

Blanche formally rescinds Trump’s $1.8bn ‘anti-weaponization fund’ ahead of nomination hearing

Todd Blanche issues formal order terminating measure widely derided as a ‘slush fund’, in move that could clear path for his nomination as attorney general Acting US attorney general Todd Blanche issued a formal order late on Sunday terminating Donald Trump’s $1.8bn “anti-weaponization fund” to compensate his political allies, a move that follows weeks of … Read more