The EU is planning to relax rules on its rules on corporate mergers, giving greater weight to innovation, investment and resilience of the internal market to build champions to compete with US and Chinese rivals, the FT reports citing a draft

The EU's intention to relax corporate merger rules marks a significant regulatory shift aimed at fostering innovation and strengthening its internal market against US and Chinese competition. This could have direct implications for major sectors, particularly in technology and manufacturing, as it may encourage consolidation among European firms, enhancing their competitive stance globally. Watch for potential reactions in equity markets, especially in affected sectors, as this could signal a growing EU appetite for supporting regional champions.