ANTITRUST REGULATORS
Democratic wins in state Attorney General races give Donald Trump a new headache
Democrats have achieved significant victories by winning attorney general races in five traditionally Republican-leaning states. This shift may hinder conservative legal strategies and provide resistance to President Donald Trump's policies. Incoming Democratic attorneys general plan to refocus on consumer protection and environmental issues while reviewing previous legal actions by their Republican predecessors.
Crazy economics gets a stop button
After the US midterm elections, stock futures show a positive reaction despite ongoing economic uncertainties. Trump's legislative agenda faces gridlock, impacting his trade and immigration policies significantly. The focus will shift to regulating AI, potentially stalling infrastructure growth in the US economy. India's position in trade negotiations may improve due to Trump's need for success overseas.
Tesla misled South Korean customers about automated-driving tech, consumer group alleges
Tesla has marketed Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software to prospective buyers in South Korea for years, often collecting lump-sum payments of 9.043 million won ($6,726).
Tesla misled South Korean customers about automated-driving tech, consumer group alleges
Tesla is facing a consumer complaint in South Korea over allegedly misleading customers by selling its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software to buyers whose vehicles cannot legally use it. The software, which was sold for a one-time payment of 9.043 million won ($6,726), is compatible with only about 20% of Tesla cars registered in the country, mainly US-made models.
Brazil presidential election results: Five economic challenges facing re-elected President Lula
Brazil's economy is encountering significant challenges as President Lula starts his fourth term in January. Soaring public debt and rising mandatory spending limit budget flexibility, complicating fiscal management. High interest rates and persistent inflation hinder economic growth, impacting household and business debt levels. Lula's ability to implement reforms may be constrained by a conservative Congress, complicating his agenda.
India probing Pernod, Diageo Scotch imports under India-UK trade pact, sources say
Indian tax officials are investigating Pernod Ricard and Diageo for how they classified bulk Scotch imports. These companies may have improperly benefitted from reduced tariffs under a recent trade agreement. Tax inspectors made surprising visits to both companies' offices to gather information about their practices. The investigations are part of a broader scrutiny faced by foreign investors in India.
- Go To Page 1
Online festive sales fizzle; Snowflake CEO on AI’s impact on software
Happy Monday! Festive ecommerce sales have slowed down this year, we tell you why. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.
Apple names Meta veteran Scott Tucker as litigation chief in legal team shake-up
Apple has hired former Meta litigation chief Scott Tucker as vice president of global litigation and financial services, strengthening its legal leadership amid mounting antitrust, patent and other lawsuits. The appointment is part of a broader reorganisation under General Counsel Jennifer Newstead, as the iPhone maker faces legal setbacks threatening its services business.
Microsoft stock (MSFT) falls as US targets green card filings for H-1B workers and Italy probes gaming business
Microsoft stock fell nearly 2% as the US targeted Microsoft’s green card filings for H-1B workers, while Italy opened an investigation into Microsoft-owned gaming companies over virtual currencies, consumer protection and gaming practices.
Italy launches EU-backed probe into Microsoft-owned gaming companies
Italy's probe is aimed at Activision Blizzard, among other companies of the Microsoft group, the antitrust authority said in a statement, without naming the others
Italy regulator probes AI music startup Suno over terms of service
The regulator said the licence granted by users was excessively broad and included a waiver of moral rights that may conflict with Italian copyright law.
Polish regulator suspects Google abused dominant position in publisher payment talks
The Office of Competition and Consumer Protection, known by its Polish abbreviation UOKiK, said the charges relate to how Google negotiates remuneration for displaying articles and snippets in its search results, Google News and Discover services.
Alaska Airlines takes its battle for Seattle with Delta overseas
Alaska Airlines is expanding aggressively into long-haul international travel from Seattle, using widebody aircraft acquired through Hawaiian Airlines to challenge Delta for premium passengers. The airline plans at least 15 intercontinental destinations by 2030, betting that higher-margin international, premium-cabin and loyalty revenue can offset fuel pressures and narrow the profitability gap with larger US rivals.
Finland's Kone prepares sale of TK Elevator's European business to tackle antitrust concerns, sources say
Kone intends to initiate the sale of most of TK Elevator's European operations this fall. This decision is aimed at addressing regulatory concerns related to Kone's acquisition deal. The sales process is expected to commence in November, according to sources familiar with the situation. Kone previously indicated that divestments could be necessary for regulatory approval of the acquisition. Both Advent and Cinven have declined to comment on these developments.
Inside McDonald's push to have AI price your Big Mac
McDonald's has implemented artificial intelligence to optimize pricing strategies across its restaurants and franchises. This pricing model analyzes customer willingness to pay, creating variations in prices for identical menu items. Franchisees report pressure to adopt these AI-driven pricing recommendations despite the company's claims of their independence. Concerns regarding antitrust implications are raised as franchises may be seen as competitors.
College sports gets its Congress moment: Inside the Senate-passed Protect College Sports Act
The Protect College Sports Act was passed by the US Senate, setting federal rules for college athletics. This legislation governs how athletes can earn money, transfer schools, and receive revenue. The bill now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration and potential amendments. Supporters argue that federal law is necessary to stabilize college sports and prevent further litigation.
Senate passes 'Protect College Sports Act' that would rein in athlete payments and transfers
The Senate has passed a bipartisan bill that aims to regulate college sports and athlete payments. This legislation seeks to address the chaos in the industry caused by increased athlete payments and frequent transfers. New protections for student athletes are included, such as caps on agent fees and health insurance guarantees. Critics argue that the bill does not do enough to protect athletes or limit excessive spending.
CCI seeks more info on Adani Energy's IntelliSmart deal
Adani Energy Solutions has proposed an acquisition of IntelliSmart Infrastructure for ₹3,050 crore. The Competition Commission of India has deemed the combination's status as information incomplete after two months. The acquisition aims to establish Adani Energy Solutions as India’s leading smart metering platform. IntelliSmart is among the top players in smart metering, providing over 2.2 crore smart meters across several states.
Microsoft President Brad Smith to lead communications department
Microsoft President Brad Smith will oversee the company's communications department, a company spokesperson confirmed on Thursday.
Amazon to bet $3 billion on India's fast-delivery boom, sources say
Amazon has announced plans to invest $3 billion in its quick commerce business in India by 2030. This investment aims to expand its network of small neighborhood warehouses to improve delivery efficiency. Amazon is focusing on daily essentials rather than one-off purchases in this sector. Current competitors have established loyalty among customers, making competition more challenging for Amazon.
AI firms should not get regulatory waivers, says Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang
In a nearly two-hour interview with New York Times podcast host Ezra Klein, Huang, CEO of the world's most valuable publicly listed company, had an extensive discussion about OpenAI agents that hacked Hugging Face, the open-source AI software hub that Nvidia purchased for $13 billion this month.
AI leaders called for a slowdown; now they're being sued over it
AI leaders’ calls for slowing the pace of artificial intelligence development have triggered a fresh debate over safety, competition and regulation. Now, a lawsuit accusing major AI companies of antitrust violations has added another twist to the debate.
Paramount Skydance settles with 12 states, clearing hurdle to $110 billion Warner Bros deal
Paramount Skydance has settled with California and 11 other states that sued to block its proposed $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery, removing a major US antitrust hurdle to the deal. Under the settlement, CNN and CBS would get independent editorial boards, while Paramount would face a $30 million penalty per film for falling short of its commitment to release 30 movies annually. The deal still faces remaining regulatory and closing steps, with Paramount also seeking to avoid a $7 million-a-day fee tied to delays beyond September 30.
Anthropic, OpenAI, SpaceXAI, Google face federal antitrust lawsuit over calls to slowdown AI development
According to a news report by Politico, the complaint filed in the Northern District Court of California, claims that public statements made earlier this month amounted to an illegal business agreement between competitors under US antitrust law. The matter began with Anthropic Chief Executive Officer Dario Amodei issuing a public plea for "industry-wide coordination" to "pace the frontier" of artificial intelligence advancement.
Europe's AI firms, playing catch-up, challenge US calls for slowdown
Anthropic's CEO Dario Amodei in an online essay urged firms to slow the pace at which they improve AI model capabilities and called for an antitrust waiver allowing leading developers to jointly develop safety measures after researchers warned about the dangers of AI, including that it could wipe out humanity.
AI rivals found rare agreement on safety. Putting it into practice is harder
But obstacles including domestic and global competition, profit motivations and pushback from President Donald Trump all stand in the way of a coordinated effort to pace AI's development.
Meta's Mark Zuckerberg says AI labs have enough incentive to build safely
Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on Tuesday that competition and liability give AI companies enough reason to act individually on safety, appearing to break from calls by leaders of top AI firms for a coordinated slowdown in AI development.
Indian consumer regulator escalates probe into Apple's software warranty terms
India's consumer regulator is investigating Apple's software warranty terms. The iOS 18 update allegedly damaged iPhone functionality and required costly repairs. Apple contests these accusations, citing global industry standards for software warranties. The regulator has escalated the matter for a detailed investigation into consumer rights violations. Apple could face fines or be forced to change its business practices.
Global Market: Euronext, Deutsche Boerse shares rise on renewed merger talks
Euronext and Deutsche Boerse shares rose around 2% after Euronext CEO Stephane Boujnah said a potential combination could make strategic sense. His comments revived merger speculation between Europe’s two largest exchange groups, though no talks are currently underway.
Load More
