Bloomberg The pound climbed towards a three-month high after European Union chief negotiator Michel Barnier rekindled optimism for a Brexit deal before the week is out. Sterling is leading gains among of Group-of-10 currencies, after Barnier said a deal is possible this week but talks remain tough. Options prices showed that investors are positioning for further wider swings in the …

Bloomberg Sales of private apartments in Singapore jumped 13% in September to the highest in more than a year even as home-price growth moderated. Developers in the city-state sold 1,270 apartments last month versus a revised 1,123 in August, according to data from the Urban Redevelopment Authority released on Tuesday. That’s the most since July 2018, when the government shocked …

Bloomberg Santos Ltd. agreed to buy ConocoPhillips’ northern Australia business for $1.4 billion in a deal that will boost the Adelaide-based oil and gas producer’s position in the growing Asian liquefied natural gas market. The transaction may allow Santos to become the country’s largest independent energy producer and capitalise on a push by Asian consumers, including China, to switch to …