Good morning New York,
FT ALPHAVILLE
Cardiff asks if anyone really knows how the Treasury's payment systems would work in the event of default.
NEWS
UK Financiers are the most upbeat since 1996, as lenders, insurers and brokers hire at the fastest pace in 17 years. According to a Confederation of British Industry survey more than half of respondents were optimistic about their business, while the CBI and PWC estimate that the financial industry added 10,000 jobs in the third quarter and will add another 2,000 in the remainder of the year (Bloomberg).
European aircraft manufacturer Airbus announced its first jet order from Japan Airlines for 31 wide body A350 jets with a list price of $9.5bn, breaking open a Japanese market long dominated by US rival Boeing. Larger than suggested by earlier reports, the order also includes an option for a further 25 jets. It is the second recent setback for Boeing, after South Korea delayed an $8bn tender for fighter jets the US group was expected to win (Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, Reuters).
The US lauded moves to destroy Syria's stockpile of chemical weapons and praised Assad's government for swift compliance with UN measures. Speaking at a joint news conference with his Russian counterpart, Secretary of State John Kerry said "I'm not going to vouch today for what happens months down the road, but it's a good beginning, and we should welcome a good beginning" (Reuters).
VTB, Russia's second-biggest bank, has confirmed that it will sell its entire 10 per cent stake in the Russian unit of Société Générale to the French bank. State-controlled VTB bought into SocGen's Rosbank subsidiary in 2010. However, it said it would look to dispose of its stake after its chief executive was arrested on bribery charges in May (Financial Times).
