Your morning briefing, the business news you need in just 15 minutes.

On today's podcast:
(1) The French National Assembly approved a stopgap budget law for 2026 to keep the state running into January after lawmakers failed to reach an agreement on the full fiscal plan.

(2) The Trump administration on Tuesday imposed visa sanctions on former European Union Commissioner Thierry Breton and four other people for trying to make American tech companies police political speech on their platforms.

(3) Gold rose to an all-time high above $4,500 an ounce on escalating tensions in Venezuela and expectations for more US rate cuts. Silver and platinum also advanced to records.

(4) The Justice Department’s long-awaited rollout of the Jeffrey Epstein files has been a chaotic spectacle that, so far, has largely turned the spotlight back to his previously known associates, including President Donald Trump and former President Bill Clinton, while fueling frustrations.

(5) Alan Howard, co-founder of Brevan Howard Asset Management, joined the ranks of wealthy individuals exiting the UK amid tax hikes, surfacing as a resident of Switzerland.

Podcast Conversation: Five Top Tables: Where to Eat in Edinburgh for Business, Value