Your morning briefing, the business news you need in just 15 minutes.
On today's podcast:
(1) US strikes on targets in Iraq and fresh attacks by Houthi militants on shipping in the Red Sea provided the latest warning signs that the war in Gaza risks expanding into a wider conflict destabilizing the Middle East.
(2) Wall Street kicked off the final week of 2023 with gains in stocks, extending a rally that put the market on the brink of a record.
(3) Elon Musk once scoffed at the notion that BYD could compete with Tesla. Now, the automaker run by billionaire Wang Chuanfu is poised to be the new No. 1 in electric vehicles.
(4) Apple, seeking to defend a business that generates roughly $17 billion a year, is appealing a US sales ban of its smartwatches after the White House refused to overturn the measure.

Global Bond Rout Deepens, China Economy Slows, 250% UK Deals Frenzy
20:43

UK Turmoil Hits Pound, Trump-Xi Play Nice, Powell’s Term Ends, $100k A Day Wealth Tax
24:29

Xi Warns Trump Of ‘Clashes’, Rayner Cleared of Wrongdoing , £1.3 Trillion City Fight
20:39