Your morning briefing, the business news you need in just 15 minutes.
On today's podcast:

(1) President Donald Trump said he’d prefer not to have to impose tariffs on China, his latest dovish remark toward the world’s second-biggest economy even as he continues to threaten sweeping action.

 
(2) President Donald Trump signed executive actions related to cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence, moves that could bolster two nascent industries.

(3) US President Donald Trump said he would ask Saudi Arabia and other OPEC nations to “bring down the cost of oil,” casting the push for more crude output as a way to heighten pressure on Russia and help end the nearly three-year war in Ukraine.

 
(4) The Bank of Japan raised its key policy rate Friday to the highest level in 17 years and took a more bullish view on the strength of inflation, fueling expectations for more rate hikes and supporting the yen.

(5) UK household confidence tumbled to the lowest since before Labour returned to power as the fallout from Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ budget continued into the new year.

(6) Millions of people are being told to stay home in the north of the UK due to a life-threatening storm. The UK's weather service has issued its most severe 'red' warning in Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland, with the rest of the country under either amber or yellow alerts.Monte Paschi offers to buy Mediobanca in an all share deal.

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