Tuesday newspaper round-up: No-deal Brexit, LSE, online shareholder forums, Pizza Express

Emergency tax cuts and higher public spending to offset the impact of a no-deal Brexit would send government debt to its highest level in more than half a century, according to Britain’s leading experts on the public finances. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said the scale of the government response required to firefight a flatlining economy in the event of a disorderly departure from the EU would come with a hefty price tag for the public purse. – Guardian

The US Commerce Department said on Monday it was putting 28 Chinese public security bureaus and companies – including video surveillance company Hikvision – on a US trade blacklist over Beijing’s treatment of Uighur Muslims and other predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities. - Guardian

Hong Kong's bourse on Tuesday dropped its unsolicited $39 billion bid for London Stock Exchange Group (LSE), conceding it hadn't won over LSE management for a move that could have transformed both global financial services businesses. The surprise approach, made last month, had threatened to upend the LSE's own $27 billion plan to buy data and analytics company Refinitiv. The Hong Kong exchange had said the LSE would have to ditch the Refinitiv purchase for its offer to go ahead. - Telegraph

Online shareholder chat forums are a “disgrace” and should be shut down, the boss of Sirius Minerals has claimed. Chris Fraser said that the Financial Conduct Authority should investigate the bulletin boards where retail shareholders in Sirius and other companies discuss their investments. – The Times

Pizza Express is set to hire financial advisers before negotiations with its creditors, which are expected to result in an eventual debt-for-equity swap or change of ownership. The Chinese-owned chain is understood to be at the beginning of the process and rumours that it could become the next victim of the malaise in casual dining were dismissed by experts. – The Times