Axios

The number of media mergers and acquisitions in the first quarter of 2017 rose to the highest rate in two years. While President Trump raised concerns on the campaign trail about increasing concentration in the media and communications sectors, many investors and executives are optimistic his Administration will allow many deals to proceed.

Why it matters: According to PriceWaterhouseCooper's Bart Spiegel, a partner in its Entertainment, Media and Communications Deals Practice, concern about the regulatory environment under Trump has given way to relief, making investors more confident.

Signet Jewelers, owner of Kay, Zales, and Jared, is looking to drop out of malls: it's going to close between 165 - 170 stores this year and is aiming to open 90 - 115 stores elsewhere. Signet is the largest specialty retail jeweler in the U.S., U.K., and Canada.

Breaking it down: This adds to retailers' continued exodus from malls as they eye locations with better traffic to boost sales.

Another move to boost business: Signet is outsourcing its credit portfolio, which allows customers to make purchases, for a few reasons: "eliminating material credit risk...enhancing net sales...minimizing any disruption to business," according to the earnings conference call. Last year in-house credit sales dropped by 12.6%.

U.K. officials said Manchester police will no longer share intelligence regarding the investigation into the city's terrorist attack with the U.S. following their outrage over repeated leaks to the media, reports BBC. Their latest fury comes after the NY Times released photos of debris of the blast that left 22 dead, and the name of the bomber, Salman Abedi, was leaked to the media just hours after the attack.

Yesterday, U.K. Home Secretary Amber Rudd slammed the leaks as "irritating" and said that "I have been very clear with our friends that that should not happen again." The U.K.Police Chiefs Council also released a statement, noting that when their trust is breached, "it undermines these relationships, and undermines our investigations."

British Prime Minister Theresa May said Thursday that she plans to confront President Trump at a NATO meeting in Brussels today that shared intelligence "must remain secure."

Three of Montana's biggest local newspapers — the Missoulian, the Billings Gazette and Helena Independent Record — have all rescinded their endorsements of Greg Gianforte, the state's GOP candidate running for Congress, after he allegedly bodyslammed a reporter Wednesday, the night before Montana's special election. Gianforte was charged with misdemeanor assault later that night, and is due to appear in court next month.

Cord-cutters are ditching their cable packages at the fastest rate ever, opting instead for cheaper, bundled digital TV options, according to the latest Magid Broadcast Study.

Data: Magid Proprietary Insights, April 2017; Chart: Andrew Witherspoon / Axios