FirstFT: Harris and Trump make ultimate appeals as race goes right down to wire

Right this moment’s agenda: Wall Avenue’s ‘neocloud’ AI wager; China pressures wealthy to cough up taxes; BoE set for price reduce; Hamas after Sinwar; and Buffett slashes Apple stake

Good morning. It’s the eve of the world’s most essential election. Each candidates spent their weekends campaigning in swing states, with Donald Trump making unfounded claims of electoral fraud at a Pennsylvania rally whereas Kamala Harris fastidiously pushed an upbeat closing message in Michigan after showing on the comedy present Saturday Night time Dwell. Right here’s the newest from the ultimate days of the US presidential race.

The place the polls stand: Harris and Trump stay in a lifeless warmth, with the Monetary Occasions ballot tracker displaying they’re nonetheless locked in a statistical tie within the seven battleground states. However one ballot gave the vice-president an surprising three-point lead in Iowa, a state her Republican rival received by 9 factors 4 years in the past. The survey breakdown suggests a late surge in help from ladies voters, a demographic Harris has centered on persistently by campaigning on reproductive rights.

What to anticipate in markets: Bankers, merchants and traders are making ready for an extended interval of excessive volumes and elevated volatility. The early focus because the polls shut shall be on bond and foreign money markets, which commerce by means of the night time. Whereas inventory futures may even be shifting, they usually turn out to be extra dependable indicators within the morning, earlier than the New York market opens. The Federal Reserve continues to be anticipated to decrease charges by a quarter-point when it declares its rate of interest resolution on Thursday, with the election outcomes doubtlessly not but recognized.

In tomorrow’s publication, I’ll convey you extra updates on what to look out for as polls shut within the night within the US. For now, listed below are some really useful reads. You may also discover all of our protection right here.

• What if Trump wins? The previous president might really feel emboldened to implement a radical agenda, with fewer checks and balances than throughout his first time period.

• What if Harris wins? A authorized and knowledge battle waged by Trump’s workforce to cease her victory from being licensed might drag out the method for days and even weeks.

• Ignore the noise: Traders ought to tune out, writes Richard Bernstein. The fact is presidents have traditionally had comparatively little affect on returns.

• America’s power future: Few industries stand to achieve — or lose — extra with the election than renewable sources of energy.

Be sure you’re signed up for our US election publication to get updates tomorrow. Right here’s what else I’m maintaining tabs on as we speak:

• Financial information: The EU has its manufacturing buying managers’ index.

• Oil: The annual Adipec business occasion begins in Abu Dhabi with Opec’s secretary-general attending. The cartel has delayed a plan to start elevating oil manufacturing till the top of the 12 months.

• China: High lawmakers have begun a week-long assembly that’s anticipated to approve a long-awaited fiscal stimulus bundle.

• Moldova: President Maia Sandu is on track to win a second time period, in response to preliminary outcomes.

Specialists led by Monetary Occasions editor Roula Khalaf will talk about their predictions for the world in 2025 in a digital occasion on December 11. Register as we speak.

5 extra high tales

1. Unique: Wall Avenue’s largest monetary establishments have loaned greater than $11bn to a distinct segment group of tech corporations primarily based on their possession of the world’s hottest commodity: Nvidia’s synthetic intelligence chips. Blackstone, Pimco, Carlyle and BlackRock are amongst those who have created a profitable new debt market over the previous 12 months by lending to so-called neocloud corporations.

2. Chinese language authorities are demanding corporations and the rich double-check their taxes for unpaid liabilities as native governments hunt for income to refill coffers depleted by a property stoop. The transfer threatens to additional dent investor confidence forward of this week’s anticipated fiscal stimulus. Right here’s extra on the tax “self-inspections”.

3. The Financial institution of England is anticipated to vote for its second rate of interest reduce this 12 months regardless of predictions that the UK Funds will enhance near-term demand and result in greater inflation. However economists mentioned the near-term stimulus was unlikely to be substantial sufficient to derail a extensively anticipated price reduce on Thursday.

4. A bitter authorized dispute prompted by an inside ethics code has damaged out amongst Germany’s high financial advisers. Because the Council of Financial Specialists places the ultimate touches on its report due this month, one of many 5 teachers on the panel has taken the opposite colleagues to courtroom. Olaf Storbeck has extra particulars from Frankfurt.

5. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was evacuated from Spain’s flood catastrophe zone yesterday as livid locals pelted mud at him and the Spanish king over a string of failures that left folks helplessly uncovered to a lethal deluge. Some residents of Paiporta, a city that was residence to almost one-third of the 214 recognized victims, shouted “murderers” because the leaders visited the realm.

Information in-depth

Israel’s navy has already wrested a lot of Gaza from Hamas, killing hundreds of its fighters and assassinating its chief, Yahya Sinwar. However the political motion has at all times been rather more than its navy wing, and what stays will show far more durable to destroy. “Everywhere there is the smell of Hamas,” mentioned one Gazan. “They’re not going anywhere.”

We’re additionally studying . . . 

• Financial mirage: The US financial system appears unusually robust, however its current progress has been lopsided, brittle and closely reliant on authorities spending and borrowing, writes Ruchir Sharma.

• Argentine politics: Javier Milei’s deregulation minister speaks to the FT about his mission to create the world’s freest financial system by taking a chainsaw to its statute e book.

• Mattel after Barbie: With the movie’s success, CEO Ynon Kreiz now plans to show the corporate’s different toy manufacturers right into a “playground” for filmmakers.

• Gen Z’s woes: Does the youthful era actually have it more durable than earlier ones? Amy Borrett finds out.

Chart of the day

Warren Buffett has continued to slash his stake in Apple as a part of a promoting spree that has seen his Berkshire Hathaway dump $166bn price of shares over the previous two years. Over the weekend, the conglomerate disclosed it had decreased its place within the iPhone maker to $69.9bn within the third quarter, indicating it had shed an extra 100mn shares.

Take a break from the information

An e mail introduction ought to produce a gathering that’s helpful, mutually useful and enjoyable, writes columnist Pilita Clark. However far too many break these fundamental guidelines that an introducer ought to nearly at all times comply with.