What happened
European competition regulators cleared a merger between MKS Pamp and Solit, two companies that refine and process precious metals like gold and silver. The decision means these two firms can now combine their operations without facing legal obstacles, which likely reduces competition in a specialized industrial market.
Why it matters
This is a routine merger approval in a niche industry, but it signals that EU competition enforcers saw no serious risk to buyers or competitors — meaning consolidation in precious metals refining continues without structural barriers.