antitrust

FTC Clears Bayer's Purchase of Conceptus

The German drug company Bayer AG has received antitrust clearance from the Federal Trade Commission for its approximately $1.1 billion acquisition of Conceptus.

What If AT&T's T-Mobile Buyout Gets Shot Down?

Regulators have begun to take a long, hard look at whether the AT&T buyout of T-Mobile would create a quasi-monopoly in the American cellular carrier industry. If those antitrust concerns sink the deal, AT&T could be in real trouble, because cellular is its only clear hope for growth.

Internet Rivalry: Microsoft Accuses Google of Antitrust Activity

In its first government complaint against a rival, Microsoft has accused Google of antitrust behavior in Europe. The European Commission is investigating the search giant after smaller websites alleged that Google was unfairly burying them in search results.

Steve Jobs Ordered to Testify in iTunes Antitrust Case

Apple CEO Steve Jobs has been ordered by a federal judge to answer questions in an iTunes antitrust lawsuit, according to Reuters. Jobs will respond to allegations that Apple designed its software in a way that prevented competitor RealNetworks' music files from playing on iPods.

U.S. Regulators Consider Suing Google Over ITA Deal

The clock is ticking for U.S. regulators to decide whether to sue Google to prevent its announced $700 million merger with ITA Software, the maker of the largest airfare-pricing platform. Google last month invoked a legal provision that gives the Justice Department 30 days to make a decision.

Will Net Neutrality Suffer from NBC Universal Merger with Comcast?

Comcast got an early Christmas present Thursday, when the Federal Communications Commission chairman approved its huge merger with NBC Universal. The proposal comes with conditions meant to protect net neutrality, but vagueness renders the terms nearly meaningless -- and unlikely to inspire much confidence.

In Europe, a Closer Antitrust Look at Google

The EC says it's launching a formal, in-depth investigation into Google's treatment of search rivals, setting the stage for yet another potential legal entanglement over whether Google is unfairly taking advantage of its dominant market position.

Amex Sued by Feds for Anticompetitive Merchant Rules

The Justice Department filed an antitrust lawsuit against American Express Monday, alleging that the financial institution has been engaging in anticompetitive practices. Justice also said it reached a proposed settlement with Visa and MasterCard over similar charges.

Ending Silicon Valley's 'No Poaching' Deals . . . a Few Years Late

On Friday, the Justice Department announced it had settled with six tech giants that had made anticompetitive agreements not to poach top employees from each other. That may have been an issue two years ago, but not now as a major talent war rages in Silicon Valley.

Amazon, Apple Targeted in E-Book Antitrust Probe

E-readers like the Kindle and Nook may be on a rapid descent toward rock-bottom prices, but what about the prices of e-books? According to Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, they are too high, too uniform, and look too much like a violation of antitrust practices.

Yahoo Japan Teams Up With Google Search

Yahoo Japan is hooking up with Google to handle its search and paid-search advertising, carrying off a partnership that eluded U.S.-based Yahoo, and delivering a blow to Microsoft's efforts to increase the reach of its Bing search engine.

Google Faces New EU Antitrust Allegations

Internet giant Google once again finds itself on the radar of the European Union's antitrust agency, which now is looking at allegations that the search engine demotes rivals' sites in search results.

Cerberus Sells Talecris for $3.4 Billion

Spain may be embroiled in a credit crisis, but that hasn't stopped some of its companies from striking big deals. Take Grifols SA: The medical products developer has agreed to shell out $3.4 billion to acquire Talecris Biotherapeutics Holdings from private-equity firm Cerberus.

Unilever's Sara Lee Deal Hits Speed Bump in EU

Unilever's $1.3 billion proposal to acquire Sara Lee's household and body products operation ran into a snag Monday when European antitrust regulators announced they are opening a deeper investigation into the proposed transaction.

NFL Loses Court Case Over Logo Licensing Deal

For almost a decade, Reebok has had an exclusive license to sell headwear with NFL team logos, but perhaps not for much longer. A unanimous Supreme Court just ruled that the NFL's 32 teams are not automatically exempt from antitrust rules when it comes to granting merchandising licenses.

Is Apple Becoming the Next Microsoft?

The Federal Trade Commission may be investigating Apple for anticompetitive behavior called "tying" -- an illegal technique of using power in one market to gain a monopoly in another. And that's precisely the illegal strategy that got Microsoft in so much hot water in the 1990s.

Intel Trumps AMD with a New Server Chip

Intel has launched its new server chip, the Xeon 5600, beating its smaller rival AMD to the market. The chip provides more processing power while consuming less energy.

Microsoft Publicly Takes Google to Task Over Its Practices

Microsoft criticized Google for failing to adequately respond to a recent European Commission investigation into its market share and practices. In a blog post, Microsoft's deputy general counsel wrote that Google is trying to place the blame on Microsoft, rather than take responsibility for its own actions.

Italy Convicts Google Execs of Privacy Violations

An Italian judge convicted three Google executives of privacy violations over a 2006 video depicting a child with Down Syndrome being bullied. What's more, the search giant was also facing antitrust scrutiny from European Union regulators over complaints leveled by three European Internet companies.