UK Budget & Business Rates: Chancellor John Healey is set to cut taxes for high-street firms and overhaul England’s business rates, aiming to exempt more small businesses from the levy. EU Capital Markets: ECB vice-president Boris Vujcic says EU banks need bigger scale and deeper capital markets to compete with US rivals, as ministers in Dublin discuss banking fragmentation. Merger Control: The EU General Court upheld the Commission’s ban on Booking’s acquisition of eTraveli, backing an “ecosystem” theory of harm. Energy Shock & Shipping: Saudi Aramco will suspend next-month crude deliveries to at least some European refiners after a pipeline attack; Italy is also preparing extra naval protection for merchant ships through the Red Sea as Houthi pressure grows. Russia Business Pressure: Putin signed a decree placing Russian assets of European retailers under temporary management, including Nestlé and French Auchan/Leroy Merlin units. Health & Pharma: EMA CHMP issued a positive opinion for senaparib as first-line maintenance in advanced ovarian cancer. Payments for SMEs: Access Bank Ghana and Visa launched “Visa Accept” to help nano and small merchants take digital payments via smartphones. Trade & Policy: Mark Carney pushed Canada’s “associate member” idea with the EU amid US tariff threats, while investors weigh US Treasury risk.