THE DAILY BRIEFING

FLYING HIGH

West Sussex hub Gatwick Airport enjoyed its busiest ever December with a record 3.2m passengers travelling through the airport. in 2017, 45.6m used it, 5.2pc higher than a year earlier.

BOOK BATTLE

The boss of bookseller Waterstones believes that competing with Amazon online is impossible. James Daunt said Amazon’s business meant Waterstones would stick to doing what it did best – selling books on the High Street.

ROCK ON

investment titan Blackrock took in a record £269bn last year – meaning it looks after £4.6 trillion of savers’ assets. Profits climbed 18pc 18p to £3.9bn.

JUNK DEMAND

Bailed-out italian ian bank Monte dei Paschi di Siena attracted strong st demand for £667m high-risk bonds b it issued to boost its finances. finance The fundraising was nearly three-and-a-half thre times oversubscribed subscribed despite being ultra-lowrated rated junk debt.

FIRM SA SACKED

The South African can arm of Coca-Cola has dumped consultant consultan McKinsey over its involvement involvemen with the controversial Gupta family, fam which has been accused of corruption.

FIELDS OPEN

Oil major BP has restarted production p at its Bruce, Keith and R Rhum fields in the north Sea. They were w closed due to a crack in the For Forties Pipeline System, which carries carr oil to the UK mainland, land, which has now been repaired.

SHALE SUCCESS

Fracking firm Cuadrilla has drilled a pilot well through its shale gas site in Preston new Road, lancashire, and said the results were encouraging.

JOINING UP

ex-Screwfix boss Andrew livingston, liv 49, will start as boss of Howdens How Joinery Group, the kitchens supplier, su on January 29, replacing founder fo Matthew ingle, 63.

VALUE BOOSTED

Shares in Amazon soared above £948 ($1,300) for the first time. They climbed by 2pc, bumping up the company’s market valuation to more than £456bn.