Saudi Aramco Raises $3bn from Islamic Bonds; Pharmaceutical Giant Merck Abandons £1bn UK Investment; and France Credit Rating Downgraded to A+

🛢 Saudi Aramco raised $3bn through Islamic bonds i.e., Sukuk — attracting over $20bn in orders. We take a deep dive into how lawyers helped to structure the deal under Shariah principles, incorporating both Commodity Murabaha and Ijara elements. 💊 Merck has scrapped its £1bn UK expansion plans, following AstraZeneca’s retreat earlier this year— a blow to UK life sciences. With pricing pressures, NHS spending caps, and tighter economics, foreign direct investment in the sector has dropped nearly 60% since 2017. We discuss how Merck's move will impact the wider life sciences sector in the UK and how commercial law firms can assist clients in this sector facing similar challenges. 🇫🇷 Fitch Ratings downgraded France to A+, its lowest level on record, citing political instability and budget gridlock. The downgrade raises borrowing costs and signals growing investor concern — even some corporate debt is now yielding lower than French sovereign bonds. Tune in to find out how this is impacting debt capital markets in France and beyond. Full breakdown here 👉 https://linktr.ee/thefirmanalyst