FINANCIAL TIMES NOVARTIS AGREES DEAL FOR CHOLESTEROL DRUG MAKER Novartis has agreed a $9.7bn (£7.6bn) cash deal to acquire The Medicines Company, betting that the US drug maker will come good on a new drug designed to control cholesterol levels. The takeover marks the latest attempt by Novartis chief executive Vas Narasimhan to reshape the Swiss pharmaceutical company, which has a market value of $203bn, through a series of disposals and takeovers.

PARIS PROMISES 'UNIQUE' DEAL IF THE UK PLAYS FAIR The EU is ready to broker a "unique" trade partnership with the UK after the country leaves the bloc, but only if Britain commits to complying with EU labour and environmental standards, France's trade minister has said. Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, the French minister for commerce, said both sides needed a future trading relationship that was "very close".

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH GATWICK INVESTOR MULLS SALE OF HOLDING Gatwick's second-largest shareholder is exploring a sale of its remaining stake less than a year after infrastructure giant Vinci took control of the airport. US investment manager Global Infrastructure Partners is in talks to sell its 21 per cent holding in the world's busiest single-runway airport.

FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM TO ENFORCE NEW RULES Facebook and its sister app Instagram are to block under-18s from viewing sexual content. The online platforms will hide suggestive adverts and pictures such as art depicting sexual activity, which are otherwise allowed, to children as part of a new policy.

(c) 2019 City A.M., source Newspaper