FT News Briefing Can bankers be fired for demanding sleep?
33 snips
Feb 19, 2026 
Kay Wiggins, FT legal correspondent who covers employment and litigation, and Ian Smith, FT senior markets correspondent focused on gilts and macro, discuss a banker suing over the right to eight hours’ sleep. They also cover UK defence funding and gilt market worries. Multiple short segments explore market reaction, policy tensions and shifting banking culture.
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JPMorgan Talks With Trump's Board
- JPMorgan Chase is in talks to provide banking services to Donald Trump's Board of Peace, potentially facilitating payments and other services.
- The talks are notable given Trump's recent lawsuit against JPMorgan and the political sensitivity of the board's role in Gaza governance.
Gilt Market Wary Of Defence Carve-Out
- The UK considers carving out defence spending from fiscal rules to boost military funding without breaching limits.
- Gilt investors warn this could be seen as a ruse that raises issuance and self-defeatingly increases borrowing costs.
White House Attacks New York Fed Study
- The White House criticized a New York Fed report, with Kevin Hassett calling for the authors to be 'disciplined'.
- The dispute highlights rising political pressure on U.S. Federal Reserve-related research and institutions.