Dealmaking set the tone in business today. easyJet moved toward a possible £5.7 billion sale to Apollo, with its board minded to back the private equity firm’s all-cash approach after it topped Castlelake’s earlier bid, raising the prospect of a full-blown auction for the airline. In telecoms, Vodafone gained a powerful new anchor investor as French billionaire Xavier Niel agreed a roughly £4.4 billion purchase of e&’s stake, making him the group’s largest shareholder at a pivotal moment in its restructuring. In Asia, Shein cleared a major hurdle after China’s securities regulator approved plans for a Hong Kong IPO, potentially ending years of delay and giving the fast-fashion giant a new route to market despite lingering scrutiny. Elsewhere, Canadian Utilities declared dividends across several preferred share classes, while Restaurant Brands International disclosed an insider ownership filing.