The top 3 stories from today's briefing, narrated as a short audio episode.
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Briefing Notes
Energy & Tech
Houthis seize Red Sea islands near Bab al-Mandab Strait, deepening oil crunch as Brent holds above $107
Two strait closures simultaneously is an unprecedented supply shock, and the legal consequences for long-term supply contracts are immediate.
M&A
CMA Opens Pre-Notification on OCS Group's Anticipated Acquisition of Mitie Group plc
Pre-notification is open but the merger clock hasn't started yet.
Regulation
FCA and Bank of England Publish Feedback Statement on Wholesale Tokenisation and Launch Separate Call for Input on Tokenised Gold
The FCA is sequencing tokenisation policy, wholesale first, then asset by asset.
Disputes
Lucy Letby Public Inquiry Final Report Was Due to Publish as Questions Over Conviction Evidence Persist
The inquiry's findings on hospital governance matter regardless of where the CCRC goes.
Capital Markets
FTSE 250 builder Kier exits residential property entirely as online furniture retailer Dusk shelves £300m London float
London's IPO pipeline stalls as housing weakness and rate pressure deter consumer-facing listings.
Banking & Finance
UK Private Sector Wage Growth Falls to Lowest Since October 2020, Complicating Bank of England Rate Path
Weakest private sector pay growth in six years changes the Bank's calculus.
Disputes
First-tier Tribunal allows YV Enterprise's appeal against the Immigration Services Commissioner's cancellation of its registration under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
A full merits review at the hearing date, not a paper review of the regulator's reasoning, is the critical protection for regulated immigration advisers.
AI & Law
Oxford Doctoral Student Uses AI to Win Claim Against Energy Giant SSE Over Defunct Electricity Meter
AI is becoming a courthouse door-opener, not just a back-office tool.