Dwell information updates from November 14: Amazon prepares to chop 10,000 jobs, Biden meets Xi in Bali

It’s not typically that two heads of western powers rejoice a birthday in the identical week. Much more uncommon that each are of their eighth decade. Ought to we rejoice that age is clearly now no barrier to such management jobs? King Charles III turns 74 on Monday, and will likely be honoured with a 41-gun salute and a rendition of “Completely satisfied Birthday” at Buckingham Palace’s altering of the guard. However US president Joe Biden passes a extra vital milestone, turning 80 on Sunday. He additionally has a extra urgent week of worldwide diplomacy and nationwide politics to cope with earlier than blowing out the candles on his cake.
First, there may be the G20 summit in Bali, or what one FT colleague labelled the primary international authorities gathering of the second chilly battle. Russian president Vladimir Putin will not be attending, however China’s Xi Jinping is anticipated to, so there will likely be stress for Biden to talk with him.
At residence, there may be the small matter of Donald Trump’s extensively trailed “very huge announcement” on Tuesday from his Mar-a-Lago property in Florida.
That is additionally the week for the Asia-Pacific Financial Cooperation summit in Thailand, bringing collectively 21 international locations within the area, the primary such face-to-face gathering since 2018. Once more the US, China and Russia are invited, and once more Putin is not going to be there. French president Emmanuel Macron will likely be in attendance, nevertheless, as he has been invited to talk on international commerce ties.
Fixing a gap
Throughout the Atlantic within the UK, the place potential festive roasts are having a very depressing season, crucial diary date is chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s monetary assertion on Thursday.
The nation is in a “fiscal gap” (not my phrase, Hunt’s) and the chancellor’s plan is to seek out about half the required £55bn shortfall in public spending cuts, with measures together with a delay on social care reforms, a freeze in earnings tax thresholds and a stealth raid on inheritance tax.
The FT’s parliamentary and economics group will likely be available to translate the politicians’ phrases and discover the important thing factors buried within the Treasury paperwork. Learn this explainer to grasp why the UK must act urgently. And in case you assume you are able to do a greater job than the chancellor, knock your self out with our “fill the black gap” interactive.
Sticking with UK politics, Nicola Sturgeon will on Monday full eight years as chief of the Scottish Nationwide celebration. She received the job when her predecessor and mentor Alex Salmond resigned within the wake of the 2014 independence referendum. Whereas Westminster is reducing central authorities spending, Holyrood is enacting its personal austerity drive. Will Sturgeon’s milestone spur an evaluation of her file as first minister?
The UN local weather change convention COP27 attracts to an in depth on Friday, however on Sunday we’ve got the beginning of one thing that may more than likely seize world information in addition to sports activities web page headlines for the following month — the Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022. To say that is more likely to be a contentious event could be one thing of an understatement — learn our journal reportage right here. The FT will likely be available to supply complete protection.
Lastly, we’ve got extra elections. Malaysia goes to the polls on Saturday. The Nepalese will vote for parliamentary and provincial authorities seats on Sunday and the FT’s sister title Nikkei Asia has produced this useful information to the important thing factors. Kazakhstan’s common election on Sunday is worthy of notice as a result of it represents probably the most vital constitutional change for the oil wealthy central Asian nation because it declared independence from the previous Soviet Union.
Financial information

There are some probably necessary information releases subsequent week from the US, specifically producer worth index inflation fee numbers, retail gross sales figures and additional updates on the wobbling US housing market.
The UK’s huge financial occasion is the Autumn Assertion, however earlier than that, UK unemployment information will likely be up to date on Tuesday. The British authorities has been focusing consideration on their file right here as a result of it’s one of many solely excellent news tales for them. Nevertheless, it’s not that nice.
The UK would be the solely developed economic system with employment nonetheless beneath pre-pandemic ranges at the beginning of 2023, in response to a brand new evaluation. One other “winter of discontent” can also be looming as a variety of employees — nurses are the newest — demand pay rises in keeping with inflation.
Then on Wednesday comes extra inflation information with concern that the patron worth index measure will stay in double digits. The week will finish for the UK with an replace on retail gross sales, though hopes are usually not excessive given gloomy predictions of the nation getting into recession.
The price of residing may also be a magnet for the EU this week, with inflation information out on Thursday. There may also be a third-quarter gross home product estimate on Tuesday.
Corporations
The phrases “Elon Musk is because of seize headlines once more this week” may very well be written right here any time of the 12 months, however this week an outburst is within the diary. This time it’s over his $56bn pay package deal at Tesla. A court docket in Delaware, the place the electrical automobile maker is registered, will hear the grievance introduced by a shareholder.
Vodafone, which experiences interim outcomes on Tuesday, has been underneath stress to overtake its operations. Shareholders will likely be trying on the quantity the corporate has been in a position to reduce debt after the announcement of the sale of a stake in its mast enterprise Vantage final week.
Fashions change and so do senior administration groups as British model Burberry has found this 12 months. Traders will likely be wanting to see what newish chief govt Jonathan Akeroyd has give you to spice up development when the corporate experiences first-half figures on Thursday. Analysts count on he’ll deal with enhancing revenue margins, which have traditionally lagged behind these of bigger French and Italian rivals.
Learn the complete week forward calendar right here.