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

On today's podcast:

(1) The Republican-led House rejected a temporary funding plan backed by President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday with just over 24 hours to go before a US government shutdown.

(2) Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government is talking to Britain’s election watchdog about tougher rules on political donations, amid fears that Reform UK leader Nigel Farage may secure funding from Elon Musk.

(3) Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to appoint Peter Mandelson, a veteran Labour Party figure and trade specialist, as the UK’s ambassador to the US, in an effort to spare Britain from being hit by tariffs by Donald Trump.

(4) For most of the UK’s inflation shock over the past two years, Bank of England policy reacted to swings in wage and prices data. Now it’s leaning much more prominently on its own forecasts.

(5) The UK recorded its worst November car production numbers in 44 years amid weak demand both in Britain and across Europe.