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Briefing Notes
International
UK Announces Largest-Ever £10bn Ukraine Support Package at Budget 2026, Including £3bn Increase in UK Export Finance Capacity
UKEF guarantees let the UK deploy £6.5bn of Ukraine support without equivalent upfront cash, making export finance a key instrument of defence diplomacy.
Banking & Finance
Thames Water Creditors Poised to Vote on Emergency Loan as Cash Runs Low, Campaigners Warn of Higher Bills
Emergency creditor votes signal the last stop before special administration.
Energy & Tech
OBR Warns Rising Energy Prices Are Biggest Near-Term Risk to UK Economy as Budget 2026 Forecasts Cut Growth to 1% in 2027 and Push Inflation to 3.8%
An OBR-forecast inflation peak of 3.8% reshapes every energy contract, project finance model, and regulatory tariff review currently in progress.
Regulation
CMA Forces Aramark to Divest Entier After Court of Session Rejects Final Appeal Against Divestiture Order
Miss the section 120 deadline by a day and no court will save you.
Banking & Finance
Chancellor Resets MPC Remit at Budget 2026 Under Bank of England Act 1998 as Interest Rates Expected to Rise
A forecast rate path to 4.5% will stress-test every leveraged finance covenant written at 3.75% assumptions, pushing amendment work to the top of lenders' agendas.
AI & Law
Freshfields Lands Underwriter Role in Anthropic's $1.5 Trillion Nasdaq IPO as Wilson Sonsini, Cravath, Orrick and Cleary Gottlieb Also Advise
Anthropic's IPO shows AI companies are now reshaping who law firms' biggest clients are.
Disputes
SRA Withdraws Multiple Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal Cases After Concluding Dishonesty Cannot Be Established
The SRA withdrawing multiple dishonesty cases at once is an unusual and significant regulatory signal.