EU denies FT Tweets on state aid Brexit breakthrough - report

EU officials said no “landing zones” were in sight trade talks with the UK, an official with the bloc reportedly said on Thursday after Tweets by a Financial Times reporter citing British officials saying this was the case boosted the pound.

The Tweets said progress had been made on the state aid provisions to ensure fair competition.

Sterling pushed ahead more than a cent on the report, having been lower in early trade, reaching $1.2975 at one point.

“Despite the EU launching legal proceedings against the UK over the internal market bill, officials in London are increasingly optimistic a Brexit deal. ‘We’ve gone from about 30% chance of a deal to the other way around. I think it’s almost certain we’ll enter the tunnel’,” one of a series of Tweets by the FT reporter stated.

“Officials with knowledge of the talks say a landing zone on state aid has been identified but ‘fishing is the last sticking point. We both have to jump together’. The mood in Whitehall as ‘cautiously optimistic’ but insiders warn ‘it’s going to go to the brink’.”

Asked about the Tweets by Reuters, an unnamed EU official - involved in negotiations with Britain - said on Thursday afternoon: “It’s UK spin. Unfounded. We’re not seeing any sign yet that landing zones are in sight, whether on the level playing field or fish.”