United Kingdom: Inward/ Foreign Investment

The UK Government has introduced a new grant scheme to reimburse visa fees for scale-ups in Clean Energy, Life Sciences, and Digital and Technologies sectors, offering up to £25,000 annually to help these high-growth companies attract international talent. Alongside this financial support, fast-track sponsor licence processing and a bespoke concierge service have been launched to strengthen the UK's position as a destination for innovative businesses and global talent.

The UK Government's Defence Investment Plan commits £298 billion over four years and introduces fundamental reforms to defence procurement, including segmented acquisition models, new commercial pathways, and a 'buy British by default' approach. With significant emphasis on attracting private capital through new investment mechanisms and advisory groups, the Plan creates substantial opportunities across nuclear programmes, critical infrastructure, SME participation, and advanced technologies for organi

The world will look different within two to three years, and investment decisions need to account for that reality. By the end of the decade, many of today's political leaders will be leaving office, facing succession challenges, or governing with weaker mandates. Donald Trump will have left office by January 2029, closing a chapter in which American politics was defined by his influence.

Explore the forces shaping global M&A activity in 2026, from strategic acquisitions and portfolio optimization to regulatory shifts across the U.S., EU and Australia. Discover how dealmakers are navigating geopolitical pressures, capital flows into defense and AI infrastructure, and evolving antitrust frameworks.

A&O Shearman today launches M&A Insights, a cross-practice publication delivering partner-led analysis of the trends, regulatory shifts and capital flows shaping global dealmaking.

Global M&A activity in the first half of 2026 reached its highest value in five years at USD2.8 trillion, driven by strategic buyers pursuing scale and resilience despite falling transaction volumes. The analysis examines how geopolitical tensions, regulatory changes, and sector-specific trends are reshaping dealmaking across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East.

AlixPartners’ David Owusu-Gyebi, Diane Shaw, Harry Malins, and Sita Sonty wrote this opinion article about how aerospace & defense companies can stake their ground in space infrastructure.

On 12 March 2026, the UK government confirmed that important changes will be made to the National Security and Investment Act (NSIA) Notifiable Acquisition Regulations (NARs) and the scope of the NSIA mandatory notification regime.

The UK Government has published its response to the 2025 consultation on proposed amendments to the National Security and Investment Act 2021 (NSIA)...