competition – Antitrust Intelligence

Microsoft’s Acquisition of Inflection AI: What the CMA Found and What It Means

September 4, 2024Editorial

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has completed its investigation into Microsoft’s acquisition of assets from Inflection AI, Inc. The CMA determined that while this deal falls under its merger control jurisdiction, it does not pose a significant threat to competition in the UK market. The main concern was whether this acquisition might reduce […]

UK Competition Authority Launches Probe into Vodafone and Three Merger: Implications for Consumers and Market Dynamics

March 22, 2024March 22, 2024Editorial

The United Kingdom’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has initiated a formal investigation into the proposed merger between Vodafone and Three UK, two major players in the UK’s telecommunications sector. Valued at $19 billion, the merger has sparked concerns over potential impacts on consumer prices and future investments in mobile infrastructure. “Our initial assessment of […]

DG Competition Probes Amazon’s $1.7 Billion iRobot Deal

July 7, 2023July 10, 2023Editorial

The European Commission has initiated an extensive antitrust investigation into Amazon’s proposed acquisition of iRobot, a leading smart vacuum manufacturer. This move by the European Union (EU) comes after the United Kingdom’s antitrust regulator approved the acquisition, highlighting the divergent views on the potential impact of the deal. The investigation aims to evaluate whether the […]

EU Raises Concerns over Orange-MasMovil Tie-Up

June 30, 2023July 4, 2023Editorial

The European Commission has issued a Statement of Objections to Orange and MasMovil, expressing preliminary concerns about their proposed joint venture in Spain. The Commission believes that the merger may lead to a reduction in competition in the retail supply of mobile and fixed internet services, as well as multiple-play bundles. Orange and MasMovil are […]

Broadcom’s $61 Billion VMware Bid May Get EU approval, Sources

June 16, 2023June 19, 2023Editorial

Broadcom, a prominent U.S. chipmaker, is poised to receive conditional approval from the European Commission for its proposed $61 billion acquisition of cloud computing firm VMware, according to Reuters. However, this clearance is contingent upon Broadcom addressing concerns related to competition and interoperability with its rivals. While the EU’s decision is scheduled for July 17, […]

U.K. Regulator Signals Concerns in Hitachi-Thales M&A

June 16, 2023June 19, 2023Editorial

The proposed acquisition of Thales’ Ground Transportation (GTS) business by Hitachi, valued at 1.7 billion euros, has raised concerns about the potential negative consequences for digitalisation, cost, and service quality in the UK’s rail industry. The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) conducted an investigation and provisionally concluded that the merger could lead to a […]

US Judge Halts Microsoft-Activision Amidst FTC Challenge

June 14, 2023June 15, 2023Editorial

In a significant setback for Microsoft’s ambitious $75 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, a US federal judge has temporarily blocked the deal in response to a request from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The move comes as the FTC pursues a legal challenge against the acquisition, citing concerns about potential anticompetitive practices and a breach […]

Google, Facebook, Amazon Push For New Antitrust Markets

May 24, 2019December 13, 2019Editorial

Internet companies, and regulators for that matter, are increasingly using the word “ecosystem” to describe their business models. Those days where these companies operated just in one market are long gone. Google’s self-driving car unit, Waymo, has driven more miles than any other company, Facebook is planning to launch GlobalCoin, a crypto currency. Apple partnered with Goldman Sachs and Amazon isn’t a bookstore anymore. How this is going to affect market definitions?