THE DAILY BRIEFING

EUROZONE DIP Manufacturing in the eurozone is growing at its slowest rate in more than two years. Research group IHS Markit’s index of factory activity, where 50 is the cut-off point between growth and decline, fell from 54.7 in august to 52.8 in September.

PORK PROBE The takeover of The Real Pork Crackling Company by Tayto Group is being investigated by the Competition and Markets authority amid fears it could limit choice for customers.

ON BOARD The former kPMG managing partner Richard Bottomley, 65, has been appointed to the board and will chair Sports Direct’s audit committee.

BANKER ARREST German banker andreas Hauschild, accused of market-rigging, faces extradition to Britain to face justice. The former

Deutsche Bank trader was arrested in Italy and will appear in court next month to begin proceedings which could see him flown to the Uk.

FARGO AXE Tainted US bank Wells Fargo is axing up to 26,000 jobs in a bid to save cash as customers go online.

MORTGAGE WAR British insurer Rothesay Life is said to be the front runner in a bidding war for £900m of state-owned mortgages.

MORE VACANCIES The City jobs market picked up last month amid growing hopes that financial services can weather Brexit without major disruption, a study shows. Vacancies available climbed by 10pc to 4,590 in august, according to recruiter Morgan Mckinley.

SHELL TALKS Oil major Shell is in talks to sell its assets in a Gulf of Mexico oilfield to Focus Oil to pay for its takeover of BG Group.

CARR’S SWOOP agriculture and engineering group Carr’s is buying Suffolk-based animal health products business animax for £8.5m.