The top 3 stories from today's briefing, narrated as a short audio episode.
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Briefing Notes
M&A
Apollo Global Management agrees to acquire UK carrier EasyJet in a deal valuing the airline at around £5.7 billion
An 81% premium take-private tests whether Takeover Code timelines can absorb complex aviation regulatory clearance.
Banking & Finance
UK Treasury designates Google Cloud as a critical third party to the financial sector, placing it under direct Bank of England, PRA, and FCA oversight
A cloud provider under direct Bank of England oversight reframes outsourcing risk as a systemic regulatory question, not just a contract one.
Disputes
High Court overturns arbitral award in Songa v Gardsea, ruling that banking day payment deadlines run to midnight at the place of performance, not the most westerly jurisdiction
Songa confirms that a multi-jurisdiction banking-days clause does not stretch a 'day' to Hawaii time: place of performance controls.
Energy & Tech
Australia's AEMC publishes a four-point framework requiring large data centres to fund new renewable energy and register as grid market participants
Mandating data centres to fund new renewable build rather than buy existing certificates resets the economics of every large-scale data centre deal.
Regulation
FCA makes 28 enforcement announcements in Q2 2026, targeting payment and money-transfer firms including restrictions on Bazar Money Transfer and cancellation of Taj Exchange
Twenty-eight FCA enforcement actions in one quarter against payment firms signals a systemic AML compliance failure across the sector, not isolated misconduct.
AI & Law
EU AI Act transparency obligations now in force, and disability and AI ethics expert warns UK businesses face extraterritorial compliance exposure regardless of Brexit
Brexit is no shield: a UK recruiter whose AI shortlists for an EU client is inside EU AI Act scope from day one.
Capital Markets
Global giants are said to be outpacing domestic leaders in the Netherlands as international law firms expand their capital markets and corporate presence
Global platform firms winning Dutch mandates signals clients now price cross-border integration above local market depth.