Your morning briefing, the business news you need in just 15 minutes.

On today's podcast:

(1) Israel reached a deal for a 60-day cease-fire with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah after weeks of talks mediated by the US, a first step toward ending a conflict that's killed thousands of people and opening the door to fresh peace initiatives in the Gaza Strip.

(2) French Prime Minister Michel Barnier said the country faces "storm" in financial markets if an "unlikely but possible" alliance of lawmakers across the political spectrum rejects his government's budget proposals and votes it out of power.

(3) Taxes on Britain's biggest businesses jumped sharply even before Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves increased their burden in last month's budget.

(4) President-elect Donald Trump named Kevin Hassett to direct the National Economic Council and Jamieson Greer as the US Trade Representative, filling two key posts on his economic team.

(5) Bernard Arnault, CEO of LVMH, is set to testify in a criminal courtroom about an extortion attempt involving a former bodyguard and a paparazzo who demanded €300,000 in exchange for photos of him with a woman who wasn't his wife.