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[1/2] A customer leaves an Albertsons grocery store, as Kroger agrees to buy rival Albertsons in a deal to combine the two supermarket chains, in Riverside, California, U.S., October 14, 2022. It is unclear if the FTC will try to stop the transaction or when a decision would be reached. "Kroger and the FTC are focused on ensuring that any divested stores are positioned for success," the company said in a statement. Between them, Kroger and Albertsons operate nearly 5,000 stores with more than 800 in California. FTC staff spoke with the group in April.

Persons: Kroger, Biden, I'm, Rob Bonta, Chris Jones, We're, we're, Jones, Dan Waldvogle, Waldvogle, Sara John, Mayor Diego Plata, Diane Bartz, Chris Sanders, Anna Driver Organizations: Albertsons, REUTERS, Federal Trade Commission, Staff, FTC, Kroger, National Grocers Association, Walmart, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, Center for Science, Safeway, Mayor, Thomson Locations: Riverside , California, U.S, Colorado, California, COVID, Colorado's Rocky, Gunnison, Plata

☆ PayPal is diving deeper into crypto by launching its own stablecoin—what investors should know
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

PayPal has added a new cryptocurrency to its roster: PayPal USD (PYUSD). On Monday, the online payments service became the first major U.S. financial company to launch its own U.S. dollar-backed stablecoin. PayPal USD is "100% backed by U.S. dollar deposits, short-term U.S. Treasuries and similar cash equivalents," according to a Monday press release. Additionally, PayPal's stablecoin is redeemable 1:1 for U.S. dollars, which means one PayPal USD can be redeemed for one U.S. dollar and vice versa. Notably, Paxos was ordered to stop issuing Binance's dollar-pegged stablecoin, BUSD, by the New York State Department of Financial Services in February.

Persons: PYUSD, Paxos, PayPal's, Dan Schulman Organizations: PayPal, U.S ., U.S, Paxos Trust Company, New York State Department of Financial Services

☆ ICE cuts tortuous path through frosty trustbusters
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Jonathan Guilford | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A screen displays the logo for Black Knight on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., May 4, 2022. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission agreed on Monday to drop a lawsuit against Intercontinental Exchange’s (ICE.N) $11.7 billion acquisition of mortgage technology provider Black Knight (BKI.N). ICE, as the New York Stock Exchange operator is known, said in May 2022 that it would snap up Black Knight for $13.1 billion. ICE’s Encompass processes nearly half of originations in the United States, with Black Knight’s Empower in second place, according to the FTC. ICE originally said on May 4, 2022, that it had agreed to buy Black Knight for $13.1 billion.

Persons: Knight, Brendan McDermid, Black, Lina Khan, Khan, litigate, Black Knight, Jeffrey Goldfarb, Oliver Taslic Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Reuters, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, Intercontinental, Black, FTC, ICE, UnitedHealth, Change Healthcare, Exchange, Constellation Software, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, United States

☆ PayPal becomes first major fintech to launch dollar-backed stablecoin
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Jaiveer Shekhawat | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch/File PhotoAug 7 (Reuters) - Payments giant PayPal (PYPL.O) said on Monday it has launched a U.S. dollar stablecoin, becoming the first major financial technology firm to embrace digital currencies for payments and transfers. Prior attempts by major mainstream companies to launch stablecoins have met fierce opposition from financial regulators and policymakers. Meta's (META.O), then Facebook, 2019 plans to launch a stablecoin, Libra, were foiled after regulators raised fears it could upset global financial stability. PayPal's stablecoin, dubbed PayPal USD, is backed by U.S. dollar deposits and short-term U.S Treasuries, and will be issued by Paxos Trust Co. Argus Research Corp analyst Stephen Biggar said PayPal's brand name makes the stablecoin launch significant but the company has been associated with crypto previously so it's not a surprise.

Persons: Fabrizio Bensch, PayPal's stablecoin, Stephen Biggar, PayPal's, Jaiveer Singh, Manya, Tom Wilson, Nivedita Bhattacharjee, Shounak Dasgupta, Shinjini Organizations: PayPal, REUTERS, European Union, U.S . House Financial Services, U.S, Paxos Trust, Argus Research Corp, Visa, Manya Saini, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany, Britain, United States, Bengaluru, London

[1/2] An American Airlines aircraft flies past JetBlue and United Express aircraft as it lands at Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., January 24, 2022. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/File PhotoBOSTON/WASHINGTON, July 26 (Reuters) - A federal judge on Wednesday rejected the Justice Department's bid to restrict JetBlue Airways (JBLU.O) and American Airlines (AAL.O) from entering into any partnerships with other carriers akin to their now-scrapped Northeast Alliance. JetBlue and American Airlines are winding down their arrangement announced in 2020, in which they joined forces for flights in and out of New York City and Boston. While the Northeast Alliance is set to be fully wound down by January, the Justice Department has been pushing for further restrictions on the two airlines. Daniel Wall, a lawyer for American Airlines, called the appointment of monitor highly unusual and said restrictions on deals with other airlines was a step too far.

Persons: Joshua Roberts, Department's, Judge Leo Sorokin, William Jones, Sorokin, Jones, Daniel Wall, Nate Raymond, David Shepardson, Richard Chang, Diane Craft Organizations: American Airlines, JetBlue, United Express, Reagan National Airport, REUTERS, BOSTON, JetBlue Airways, Alliance, Massachusetts, Justice Department, Spirit Airlines, Department, Northeast Alliance, Airlines, Thomson Locations: Arlington , Virginia, U.S, WASHINGTON, New York City, Boston ., Boston, Washington

Tesla, which accounted for more than 60% of U.S. EV sales last year, has the largest network of fast-chargers with almost 18,000 Superchargers. Tesla said earlier this year it would open part of that charging network to EVs from rivals in order to be eligible for a share of funding from $7.5 billion in federal subsidies. The new charging company will support both charging standards but will compete with Tesla's network. CEOs of the seven auto brands said a charging network built out like gas stations with restrooms, food service and retail operations would support a faster EV rollout. Automakers, however, lack the necessary electricians or experience working with retailers, said Andres Pinter, co-CEO at installation and maintenance company Bullet EV Charging Solutions.

Persons: Tesla, Mercedes Benz, Akshay Singh, Karine Jean, Pierre said, Biden, TESLA, Carlos Tavares, Steve Marcus, –, Andres Pinter, Andre Barlow, Doyle Barlow, Mazard, Abhirup Roy, Jarrett renshaw, Kevin Krolicki, Ben Klayman, Paul Lienert, Diane Bartz, Chizu Nomiyama, Bernadette Baum, Marguerita Choy Organizations: General Motors, Hyundai Motor, Kia, Honda, BMW, EV, Tesla, Industry, White House, U.S, REUTERS, GM, Hyundai, BMW –, American, Solutions, VW, Daimler, Ford, Justice, Justice Department, White, Thomson Locations: U.S, North America, Las Vegas , Nevada, America, Europe, San Francisco, Washington

BOSTON, July 26 (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday urged a judge to restrict JetBlue Airways (JBLU.O) and American Airlines (AAL.O) from entering into any partnerships with other carriers akin to their now-scrapped Northeast Alliance, which the judge deemed anticompetitive. JetBlue and American Airlines are winding down their arrangement announced in 2020, in which they joined forces for flights in and out of New York City and Boston. JetBlue subsequently decided to terminate the alliance, while preparing to defend a planned $3.8 billion purchase of Spirit Airlines (SAVE.N) in court in a separate Justice Department antitrust case seeking to block that deal. While the Northeast Alliance is set to be fully wound down by January, the Justice Department has been pushing for further restrictions on the companies. Daniel Wall, a lawyer for American Airlines, called the appointment of monitor highly unusual and said restrictions on deals with other airlines was a step too far.

Persons: Leo Sorokin, William Jones, Sorokin, Jones, Daniel Wall, Wall, Department's, Nate Raymond, Richard Chang Organizations: BOSTON, U.S . Department of Justice, Wednesday, JetBlue Airways, American Airlines, Alliance, JetBlue, Boston . U.S, District, Justice Department, Spirit Airlines, Department, Northeast Alliance, Thomson Locations: New York City, Boston ., Boston

NEW YORK, July 26 (Reuters) - British billionaire Joe Lewis has surrendered to U.S. authorities in Manhattan and is expected to appear in court later on Wednesday to face insider trading charges, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's office in Manhattan said. Two of Lewis' pilots, Patrick O'Connor and Bryan Waugh, were also charged with insider trading securities fraud. Joe Lewis is a wealthy man," Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney in Manhattan, said in a statement. Insider trading has long been a focus of Williams' office, dating to 2009 when a crackdown began under one of his predecessors, Preet Bharara. Separately on Wednesday, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil insider trading case against Lewis, O'Connor, Waugh and Lewis' then-girlfriend Carolyn Carter.

Persons: Joe Lewis, Lewis, Patrick O'Connor, Bryan Waugh, David Zornow, O'Connor, Waugh, O'Connor texted, Mirati, Daniel Levy, Dylan Martinez, Damian Williams, Williams, Preet Bharara, Carolyn Carter, Carter, Gurbir Grewal, Luc Cohen, Jonathan Stempel, Chris Prentice, Chizu Nomiyama, Daniel Wallis Organizations: YORK, U.S, Tottenham Hotspur, Tottenham, Prosecutors, Mirati Therapeutics, Southampton Premier League, Reuters, Tavistock Group, Forbes, Attorney, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, SEC, Thomson Locations: British, U.S, Manhattan, United States, New York, Virginia

☆ Stone: There's a good possibility that July won't be the last rate hike by the Fed
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailStone: There's a good possibility that July won't be the last rate hike by the FedBill Stone, The Glenview Trust Company CIO, discusses the Fed, the equity market, and fixed income.

Persons: Fed Bill Stone Organizations: Fed, Glenview Trust Company

☆ British billionaire Joe Lewis to appear in U.S. court on insider trading charges
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Joe Lewis at a Tottenham vs. Arsenal soccer match in north London in 2011. British billionaire Joe Lewis has surrendered to U.S. authorities in Manhattan and is expected to appear in court later on Wednesday to face insider trading charges, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's office in Manhattan said. Two of Lewis' pilots, Patrick O'Connor and Bryan Waugh, were also charged with insider trading securities fraud. They reaped millions of dollars in illegal profit from Lewis' tips, prosecutors said. After Mirati announced the positive results, its share price increased 16.7% in one day, and both pilots repaid Lewis for his loans.

Persons: Joe Lewis, Lewis, Patrick O'Connor, Bryan Waugh, David Zornow, O'Connor, Waugh, O'Connor texted, Mirati Organizations: Tottenham, Arsenal, U.S, Tottenham Hotspur, Prosecutors, Mirati Therapeutics Locations: London, U.S, Manhattan, United States

Companies Mirati Therapeutics Inc FollowNEW YORK, July 26 (Reuters) - The British billionaire Joe Lewis pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to orchestrating what prosecutors called a "brazen" insider trading scheme by passing tips about companies in which he invested to friends, private pilots and a former girlfriend. Two of Lewis' pilots, Patrick O'Connor and Bryan Waugh, also pleaded not guilty to related insider trading charges, after being accused of making millions of dollars in illegal profit from Lewis' tips. British billionaire and Tottenham Hotspur owner Joe Lewis exits the United States Courthouse in Manhattan, following his appearance on insider trading charges, in New York City, U.S., July 26, 2023. Insider trading has long been a focus of Williams' office, dating to 2009 when a crackdown began under one of his predecessors, Preet Bharara. Separately on Wednesday, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil insider trading case against Lewis, O'Connor, Waugh and Lewis' former girlfriend Carolyn Carter.

Persons: Joe Lewis, Lewis, Valerie Figueredo, Nicolas Roos, Patrick O'Connor, Bryan Waugh, David Zornow, O'Connor, Waugh, O'Connor texted, Mirati, Amr Alfiky Mirati, Prosecutors, Damian Williams, Williams, Preet Bharara, Carolyn Carter, Carter, Gurbir Grewal, Luc Cohen, Jonathan Stempel, Jody Godoy, Chris Prentice, Chizu Nomiyama, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Mirati Therapeutics, Tottenham Hotspur, Aviva, Tavistock Group, Forbes, Tottenham, Prosecutors, United, REUTERS, U.S, Attorney, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, SEC, Thomson Locations: British, Manhattan, United States, New York City, U.S, New York, Virginia, South Korea

☆ French antitrust watchdog issues statement of objection over Apple app tracking
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, July 25 (Reuters) - France's antitrust watchdog on Tuesday said it had issued a statement of objection against Apple (AAPL.O), citing concerns the U.S. technology company could have used "discriminatory and non-transparent conditions" for using user data for advertising purposes on iPhones. The statement triggers a proper antitrust procedure during which the company will be able to express its point of view, the watchdog said. The mechanism "gives users more control by requiring all apps to ask permission before tracking them," Apple said in an e-mailed statement, adding that it will "continue to engage constructively" with the French antitrust regulator. The four associations - IAB France, MMAF, SRI and UDECAM - said the changes brought by Apple did not meet European Union privacy rules, which Apple denies. Reporting by Tassilo Hummel and Mathieu Rosemain; Editing by Susan Fenton and Mark PorterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Apple, Tassilo Hummel, Mathieu Rosemain, Susan Fenton, Mark Porter Organizations: Apple, ., IAB, SRI, Thomson Locations: IAB France, MMAF

☆ Exclusive: Microsoft hit with EU antitrust complaint by German rival
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, July 20 (Reuters) - Microsoft (MSFT.O) was hit with an EU antitrust complaint by German rival alfaview on Thursday, the second so far over its bundling of video app Teams into its Office product. The U.S. software giant has been on the EU competition enforcer's radar since 2020, when Salesforce-owned (CRM.N) workspace messaging app Slack complained about the tying of Teams with Office. Alfaview, based in Karlsruhe in south-western Germany and with a 500-strong workforce, said it had filed a similar complaint to the European Commission. Microsoft added Teams to Office 365 in 2017 for free, with the app eventually replacing Skype for Business. Alfaview urged the EU antitrust watchdog to open a formal investigation, saying remedies offered by its U.S. rival to the Commission were insufficient.

Persons: alfaview, Slack, Niko Fostiropoulos, Alfaview, Foo Yun Chee, David Evans, Emma Rumney Organizations: Microsoft, Regulators, EU, European Commission, U.S ., Skype, Business, Reuters, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, U.S, Karlsruhe, Germany

☆ Two factors shape the 'bifurcated' US banking market: Glenview’s Bill Stone
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailTwo factors shape the 'bifurcated' US banking market: Glenview’s Bill StoneBill Stone, Chief Investment Officer at Glenview Trust Company, explains why the large banks in the U.S. are performing asia "significantly better" than the smaller lenders.

Persons: Bill Stone Bill Stone Organizations: Glenview Trust Company Locations: U.S, asia

[1/2] Microsoft logo is seen on a smartphone placed on displayed Activision Blizzard logo in this illustration taken January 18, 2022. Nonetheless, Microsoft, which makes the Xbox gaming console, has been seeking the contract extension to ensure that Activision is not wooed by another potential acquirer or has a change of heart, the source said. The terms of the extension under negotiation and whether it would come with more financially advantageous terms for Activision could not immediately be learned. Microsoft and Activision did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Microsoft and Activision are negotiating potential remedies with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) which they hope will appease its antitrust concerns.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Anirban Sen, Matthew Lewis, Stephen Coates Organizations: Microsoft, Activision, REUTERS, Microsoft Corp, Competition, Markets Authority, CMA, Sony Group, Sony, U.S . Federal, Thomson Locations: Britain, U.S, New York

☆ These are the 3 key things that will impact the stock market in the week ahead
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

A lot was riding on these important measures of inflation after the scorching-hot ADP jobs report last week. Here are 3 things you need to know for the week ahead: 1. Industrial production and capacity utilization, also out Tuesday, shines a light on manufacturing, which attributes about 12% to U.S. GDP. Six months is generally considered to represent a balance between supply and demand in the housing market. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio.

Persons: Stocks, Morgan Stanley, Johnson, Jeff Miller, Lockheed Martin, Charles Schwab, JB Hunt, Goldman, Baker Hughes, Ally, Kinder Morgan, Zions, Philip Morris, Abbott, ABT, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim, Scott Olson Organizations: Nasdaq, Dow Jones Industrial, Housing, CPI, Halliburton, HAL, Johnson, of America Corp, Lockheed, Lockheed Martin Corp, Novartis International AG, PNC Financial Services Group, Inc, PNC, Charles Schwab Corp, Bank of New York Mellon Corporation, BK, Synchrony, Interactive, Goldman Sachs Group, U.S . Bancorp, ASML, Citizens Financial, T Bank Corp, Northern Trust Corporation, Horizon National Corp, Business Machines Corp, IBM, United Airlines, Netflix, Steel Dynamics, Alcoa, Discover Financial Services, Crown, International Corp, Equifax Inc, Las Vegas Sands Corp, Liberty Energy Inc, Philip Morris International Inc, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, American Airlines Group Inc, Travelers Companies, SAP, Nokia Corp, Truist Financial Corporation, Company, McLennan Companies, Infosys Technologies Ltd, Newmont Mining Corp, Fifth Third Bancorp, Pool Corporation, Alfa Laval, Webster Financial Corp, Blackstone, Financial Corp, PPG Industries, CSX Corp, CSX, Berkley Corp, Swift Transportation Holdings Inc, American Express Co, AutoNation Inc, Interpublic, of Companies, Autoliv Inc, Huntington Bancshares, Financial Corporation, Roper Technologies, Comerica, Jim Cramer's Charitable, CNBC, Getty Locations: U.S, Las, ZION, Horton, Freeport, Marsh, ALFVY, W.R, Lemont , Illinois

☆ The value of office buildings is sinking – but turning 'zombie' offices into apartments is harder than you think. Here's why.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

About $800 billion may be wiped off the value of offices in major cities this decade, per McKinsey. Converting New York offices into residences is possible but has its challenges, Bloomberg reported. Buildings in the financial district are only eligible if they were built before 1977, while it's 1961 for Midtown structures, Chilelli told Bloomberg. Structural issues must also be considered, Chilelli told Bloomberg. Repurposing a structure can as much as double the price per square foot for a building, Chilelli said.

Persons: Joey Chilelli, Chilelli, Eric Adams —, Maria Torres, Springer, Michael Cohen, Jeff Bezos, Mukesh Ambani, Mukesh Ambani's, Danish Siddiqui, Lilla Smith, Macklowe Organizations: McKinsey, Bloomberg, Service, Vanbarton Group, Williams, Flatiron, Danish, Irving Trust Company, Sixth Locations: New York, Wall, Silicon, Midtown, Manhattan, Mumbai, Lower Manhattan, York

☆ EU Commission sticks to US economist pick for senior antitrust job
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, July 14 (Reuters) - The European Commission stuck to its guns on Friday, saying it was not reconsidering EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager's pick of a U.S. economist to a senior job helping to oversee Big Tech despite criticism from French ministers and EU lawmakers. Fiona Scott Morton, 56, the former chief economist at the U.S. Department of Justice during former President Barack Obama's tenure, will take up her three-year stint on Sept. 1 when the current chief economist, Pierre Regibeau, retires. She will be the first non-EU national, first U.S. national and first woman for the job. They cited the strategic importance of the post, potential conflicts of interest due to Scott Morton's previous work with Big Tech, and her previous public antitrust comments. Head of the centre-right group European People's Party Manfred Weber, president of the liberals' group Renew Europe Stephane Sejourne, head of the socialists group Iratxe Garcia Perez and the heads of the green party Philippe Lamberts and Terry Reintke said they opposed the new hire.

Persons: Margrethe Vestager's, Fiona Scott Morton, Barack Obama's, Pierre Regibeau, Vestager, Scott Morton's, Dana Spinant, European People's Party Manfred Weber, Europe Stephane Sejourne, Iratxe Garcia Perez, Philippe Lamberts, Terry Reintke, Scott Morton, Foo Yun Chee, Jan Harvey Organizations: European Commission, Big Tech, U.S . Department of Justice, EU, European People's Party, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, U.S, Europe

☆ High wages are going to keep inflation higher than the Fed wants, says Glenview's Bill Stone
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailHigh wages are going to keep inflation higher than the Fed wants, says Glenview's Bill StoneBill Stone, chief investment officer at Glenview Trust Company, joins 'The Exchange' to discuss wage inflation and the Federal Reserve.

Persons: Bill Stone Bill Stone Organizations: Fed, Glenview Trust Company, Federal Reserve Locations: Glenview

WASHINGTON, July 14 (Reuters) - Microsoft (MSFT.O) urged an appeals court in sometimes scathing language on Friday to reject the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) request to pause its $69 billion deal to buy Activision (ATVI.O). The agency asked the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals late on Thursday to require the companies to delay consummating the transaction while the court considered the FTC's broader appeal. Microsoft said on Friday the agency had been slow to file in federal court, and thus it was inappropriate to press for a delay so late in the game. "The district court’s consideration of the FTC's primary claim at trial shows that the court did not misapply the law," Microsoft said. Legal experts have said the agency faced an uphill fight in convincing the appeals court to overturn Corley's ruling.

Persons: Jacqueline Scott Corley, Corley's, Biden, Diane Bartz, David Shepardson, Josie Kao Organizations: Microsoft, U.S . Federal Trade Commission's, Activision, FTC, Sony, PlayStation, Markets Authority, Big Tech, Thomson Locations: San Francisco, Britain

WASHINGTON, July 11 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge ruled on Tuesday that Microsoft may go forward with its planned acquisition of videogame maker Activision Blizzard, turning aside antitrust enforcers' request for a preliminary injunction to temporarily stop the $69 billion deal. The FTC had originally asked the judge to stop the proposed deal, arguing it would give Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O), maker of the Xbox gaming console, exclusive access to Activision (ATVI.O) games including the best-selling "Call of Duty." The deal would be the largest for Microsoft and the biggest in the history of the videogame business. The FTC's complaint had cited concerns about loss of competition in console gaming, as well as subscriptions and cloud gaming. And while much of the testimony in the recent trial focused on "Call of Duty," Activision produces other bestsellers like "World of Warcraft," "Diablo" and the mobile game "Candy Crush Saga."

Persons: Jacqueline Scott Corley, Douglas Farrar, we'll, Brad Smith, Bobby Kotick, Satya Nadella, Diane Bartz, Caitlin Webber Organizations: Microsoft, Activision, Britain's, Markets Authority, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Microsoft Corp, Sony PlayStation, Nintendo, Sony Group, Activision Blizzard, PlayStation, Thomson Locations: U.S, San Francisco

Activision shares surged 10% on the day, as the U.S. and Britain have been the two countries opposed to what would be Microsoft's biggest deal ever and the largest transaction in the videogame industry's history. Microsoft shares rose 64 cents to $332.47. Microsoft logo is seen on a smartphone placed on displayed Activision Blizzard's games characters in this illustration taken January 18, 2022. "It does seem like the Microsoft and the CMA could work out a deal within the next couple of weeks," said D.A. The FTC's complaint had cited concerns about loss of competition in console gaming, as well as subscriptions and cloud gaming.

Persons: Jacqueline Scott Corley, ”, Joost Van Dreunen, University's, Corley, Douglas Farrar, we'll, Dado Ruvic, Biden, Brad Smith, Franco Granda, Satya Nadella, Diane Bartz, David Shepardson, Jaspreet Singh, Aditya Soni, Chris Sanders, Caitlin Webber, Matthew Lewis David Gregorio, Muralikumar Organizations: Activision, Microsoft, Biden, U.S, Markets Authority, University's Stern School of Business, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, Nintendo, Sony Group, FTC, Sony PlayStation, REUTERS, FOCUS Gaming, CMA, Davidson &, PlayStation, Thomson Locations: WASHINGTON, U.S, British, Britain, San Francisco, New, Washington, Bengaluru

☆ The American banking landscape is on the cusp of a seismic shift. Expect more pain to come
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Hugh Son | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

But even as the dust settles from a string of government seizures of failed midsized banks, the forces that sparked the regional banking crisis in March are still at play. What is coming will likely be the most significant shift in the American banking landscape since the 2008 financial crisis. JPMorgan shares are up 7.6% this year, while the KBW Regional Banking Index is down more than 20%. Some of those pressures will be visible as regional banks disclose second-quarter results this month. "The fundamental issue with the regional banking system is the underlying business model is under stress," said incoming Lazard CEO Peter Orszag.

Persons: Jamie Dimon, Brian Graham, Banks, KeyCorp, Matt O'Connor, Peter Orszag, SVB, Chris Wolfe, Wolfe, you've, You've, Goldman Sachs, Lazard's Orszag, Orszag, Janet Yellen, Sen, Elizabeth Warren, Klaros, Graham Organizations: First, JPMorgan, Silicon Valley Bank, CNBC, Klaros, Deutsche Bank, Federal Reserve Bank of New, Justice Department Locations: First Republic, Silicon Valley, SVB, KBW, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Republic

☆ Meta could become even more dominant in social media with Threads
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Washington CNN —In less than 48 hours, Meta’s Twitter rival Threads has surpassed 70 million sign-ups, upended the social media landscape and appears to have rattled Twitter enough that it is now threatening legal action against Meta. By promoting Threads through Instagram, and by sharing Instagram user data with Threads to let people instantly recreate their social networks, Meta has significantly greased the onboarding process. The issue isn’t limited to the realm of social media. Rather than viewing it through the lens of a social media market, one helpful way to look at the issue is from the perspective of the advertising market, he said. That could lead to further antitrust scrutiny for Meta even if the question about competition in social media is ambiguous.

Persons: Elon, Meta, Mark Zuckerberg, ”, Instagram, Musk, ” Reddit, Alexis Ohanian, Ohanian, Agustin Reyna, Reyna, Adam Mosseri, Geoffrey Manne, ” Manne, Zuckerberg, Manne, Jeff Blattner, Mosseri, Charlotte Slaiman, “ Organizations: Washington CNN, Meta, Twitter, EU, Google, Center for Law Locations: Europe, Brussels, Portland , Oregon, Washington

In its lawsuit filed in March aimed at stopping JetBlue's purchase of Spirit, the U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) cited as evidence JetBlue's alliance with American at airports in New York and Boston several times. Calling the partnership a "de facto merger," the DOJ argued that JetBlue's proposed purchase of Spirit, a Florida-based ultra-low cost carrier, would lead to further industry concentration. On Wednesday, JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes said ending the partnership with American has taken the DOJ's "misplaced" concerns off the table and would help when the Spirit case goes to trial in October. New York-based JetBlue, however, views the Spirit deal as a way to expand its domestic footprint amid persistent labor and aircraft shortages. American, Delta (DAL.N), United (UAL.O) and Southwest Airlines (LUV.N) control nearly 80% of the U.S. airline industry.

Persons: JetBlue's, Robin Hayes, Eleanor Fox, Fox, William Kovacic, James Speta, Speta, Rajesh Kumar Singh, Diane Bartz, David Shepardson, Richard Chang Organizations: JetBlue Airways, American Airlines, Spirit Airlines, U.S . Justice Department, DOJ, Wednesday, JetBlue, American, New York University School of Law, Spirit, Former Federal Trade, George Washington University, Virgin America, Alaska Air Group, LaGuardia, Frontier Group Holdings, Northwestern University, Northeast Alliance, Southwest Airlines, U.S, Thomson Locations: CHICAGO, WASHINGTON, American, New York, Boston, Florida, Boston . New York, New, U.S, Chicago, Washington

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