Lot deemed odious in firm battle to secure foreign capital (11)

'lot deemed odious' is the definition.
(as in the phrase 'comparisons are odious')

'firm battle to secure foreign capital' is the wordplay.
'firm' becomes 'co' (a firm is a company).
'battle' becomes 'mons' (I've seen this before).
'to secure' is an insertion indicator.
'foreign capital' becomes 'Paris' (capital of France).
'mons' going around 'paris' is 'mparisons'.
'co'+'mparisons'='COMPARISONS'

'in' is the link.