In BIG PICTURE NEWS, the French farce continues, Starmer sets out milestones, investors buy US stock funds and Qatar buys Typhoons from the UK while Equinor and Shell merge their UK oil and gas assets. In M&A NEWS, Thames Water attracts bidders, the Vodafone/Three merger gets approval and Aviva raises its offer for Direct Line. In MISCELLANEOUS NEWS, EV brands offer big discounts, the 60% tax trap gets real, Frasers has a profit warning and M&S is finally allowed to demolish its Oxford Street store. AND FINALLY, I bring you the joys of mouse jigglers...