July 16 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories in

the Wall Street Journal. Reuters has not verified these stories

and does not vouch for their accuracy.

- Apple ( AAPL ) has signed a $500 million deal with

Pentagon-backed MP Materials ( MP ) to supply rare earth

magnets, becoming one of the first tech companies to ink a U.S.

supply agreement after China curbed exports earlier this year.

- Investment firm Aquarian Holdings is in exclusive talks to

acquire U.S. life insurance company Brighthouse Financial ( BHF )

.

- Tesla's top sales executive in North America,

Troy Jones, has left the electric vehicle maker in the latest

senior departure at the company.

- U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to sign an

executive order in the coming days designed to help make

private-market investments more available to U.S. retirement

plans.

- The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has pushed out

the head of the U.S. watchdog that oversees public company

auditors.

(Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom)