ECB considered boosting QE, US cracks down on tax inversions and US-Malaysia relations

The daily briefing “FirstFT” from the Financial Times.

This article is published in collaboration with FirstFT.

The man who allegedly orchestrated last week’s terror attacks in Paris was killed in Wednesday’s police raid, French authorities said. Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the Belgian described as the ringleader of the group behind the attacks that killed at least 129 people, died during the seven-hour siege in Saint-Denis.

The ability of Abaaoud — a prominent jihadi figure — and some of his fellow French jihadis to fight with Isis in the Middle East and return to France unhindered has prompted concerns about how intelligence failures “allowed a second bout of terror” in the French capital. (FT, CNN)

In the news

Leaving luxury London Asian and Russian homebuyers who once made up a third of those buying property in London’s wealthiest areas have largely deserted the market this year as emerging market currencies plunged against sterling. Asian homebuyers, who last year made up 26 per cent of those purchasing homes in areas such as Kensington, Chelsea and Belgravia, only accounted for 6 per cent of sales this year. (FT)

ECB considered boosting QE Eurozone policymakers debated ramping up monetary stimulus as early as October, according to minutes from the central bank’s last meeting. The details come as the bank prepares to meet on December 3, when it is expected to unleash an enhanced version of its €1.1tn quantitative easing programme. (FT)

Donald Trump’s wall might end up keeping Mexicans in Contrary to what the Republican frontrunner argues, more immigrants from Mexico are leaving the US than coming into the country, according to a study by the Pew Research Center. The exodus marks a turning point in one of the largest mass migrations in US history. (NYT)

Shine on you crazy diamond A Canadian miner claims it has unearthed the biggest such gem to be found in more than a century, with the discovery of a 1,111 carat gem-quality stonein Botswana. (FT)

US cracks down on tax inversions The Obama administration has unveiled new measures aimed at deterring tax-cutting corporate transactions, such as Pfizer’s potential $150bn deal to buy Dublin-based Allergan. US Treasury secretary Jack Lew said the moves would make tax inversions more difficult but added that the Treasury alone could not stop such deals. (FT)

It’s a big day for

Angela Merkel The German chancellor delivers a speech to the Bavarian wing of her governing coalition that’s been very critical of her welcoming policy towards migrants and refugees. (FT)

US-Malaysia relations Barack Obama is set to raise human rights and political freedom concerns when he meets Najib Razak in Kuala Lumpur. The Malaysian government has cracked down on the country’s opposition and media in recent months amid a corruption scandal that has ensnared the prime minister. (Reuters)

Food for thought

Venom: the perfect male contraceptive If you think snake poison should have no place in reproductive process, you’re probably not alone. But researchers in Mexico would urge you to think again: they believe that substances in venom could block sperm proteins in such a way that it would stop them fertilising female eggs. Indeed, a poison pill sounds positively palatable alongside some of the more unpleasant contraceptive options on trial. (FT)

The doomsday scam For decades, aspiring bomb makers — including Isis — have desperately tried to get their hands on “ red mercury”: “precious and rare, exceptionally dangerous and exorbitantly expensive, its properties unmatched by any compound known to science”. There’s a reason they never have. (NYT)

Facebook wants to assist your break-up After permeating most other aspects of modern life, Facebook now wants a role in our relationships. Or more precisely, our break-ups. The social platform is testing a tool that will minimise your ex’s presence and help you “Take a Break”. (Gizmodo)

Putin’s cool communications strategy The downing of a Russian airliner by Isis could have become a political firestorm for President Vladimir Putin. But through a process of delay and obfuscation , the Kremlin ensured that the country’s deadliest-ever air crash did not become a political liability for his military campaign in Syria. (FT)

Men overeat to impress women Or so says new research that hypothesises that men eat more in front of women to “show off.” The Cornell University study involved professors staking out an all-you-can-eat pizza place. (The Atlantic)

Video of the day

Royal Mail delivers Lex takes a look at the now fully privatised postal service, which is facingshrinking demand and overcapacity in parcels amid competition from Amazon. (FT)

Publication does not imply endorsement of views by the World Economic Forum.

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Author: FirstFT is the Financial Times’ editors curated free daily email of the top global stories from the FT and the best of the rest of the web.

Image: The Euro sculpture is partially reflected in a puddle on a cobblestone pavement in front of the headquarters of the European Central Bank (ECB) in Frankfurt. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach.

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