Daily Briefing Podcast

Energy & Tech

UK household energy bills forecast to jump 16% to £1,999 a year from January as Middle East conflict depletes European gas stocks

A January cap at £1,999 means supplier debt risk and Ofgem's relief scheme become urgent legal priorities, not future ones.

M&A

Vodafone Completes Buyout of CK Hutchison from VodafoneThree JV, Becoming Sole Owner of UK Mobile Business

Vodafone is now the sole owner, and sole compliance risk, of the merged UK mobile business.

Regulation

CMA Subsidy Advice Unit publishes final report on Scotland's proposed £240m zero-emission truck fund, clearing the way for Transport Scotland to proceed

Post-Brexit subsidy control is now a live compliance hurdle for devolved public spending, not a theoretical risk.

Capital Markets

AstraZeneca agrees $2bn equity stake in Summit Therapeutics, lifting FTSE 100 pharma sector to two-month high on 29 September

Pharma's preference for equity stakes over acquisitions keeps pipelines accessible while avoiding full deal-risk and merger-control scrutiny.

Regulation

CMA Timetable Update Shows Chapter I Investigation into Fragrances and Fragrance Ingredients Supply, Open Since 2023, Still Ongoing Against Firmenich, Givaudan and IFF

A Chapter I probe, open since 2023 and now naming Firmenich, Givaudan and IFF, shows how long CMA cartel investigations can run before any findings are published.

Disputes

TCC rules on terminal dilapidations claim for Dartford office building, cutting landlord's remedial works claim in £1.6m dispute with former tenant Westbury Homes

Dilapidations quantum turns on expert evidence: the gap between landlord and tenant figures often determines whether cases settle or run to trial.

AI & Law

Legal sector confronts AI governance deficit as organisations recognise that stronger output review alone cannot ensure trustworthy AI-generated work

Lawyers remain personally liable for AI-generated advice: governance workflows are the gap between regulatory compliance and reputational risk.