In case a market correction and nervous directors are not enough to stall merger and acquisition activity, Australia’s number one deal cruncher is back.

Gina Cass-Gottlieb’s Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has blindsided ports giant DP World and its ASX-listed takeover target Silk Logistics, a national “port-to-door” warehousing and distribution services provider, with the sort of spirit-breaking initial deal assessment that is hard to come back from.