The FT News Briefing is supported by Equinole, the UK's energy partner.

Learn more at equinole.co.uk

Good morning from the Financial Times.

Today is Wednesday, November 23rd, and this is your FT News Briefing.

British borrowers are seeing some signs of relief.

US retailers, though, are bracing for a tricky holiday shopping season,

and we'll look at how things are going in cutter,

as the tiny Gulf State hosts the world's biggest sporting event.

I'm Mark Philippineau, and here's the news you need to start your day.

British home borrowers are enjoying a bit of a reprieve.

Mortgage rates on five-year fixed deals dip below 6% for the first time in nearly two months.

It's a sign that the UK's home loan market is stabilizing after the disastrous rollout

of the previous government's mini budget.

The ensuing financial chaos sent mortgage rates spiking.

Mortgage brokers told the FT they expect rates to continue falling as the housing market cools.

In the US, this Friday is known as Black Friday.

Huge sales and department store frenzies mark the informal start to the holiday shopping season.

This is a critical season for retailers, and consumer demand has been holding up.

The FT's Andrew Edgecliffe Johnson says retailers expect higher sales,

but they're also bracing for the first real-term drop since the 2008 financial crisis.

They're expecting anything from a sort of four to five percent increase in headline sales,

so maybe an eight to nine percent increase depending on how the season goes.

...