Financial Regulatory Forum

   By Jonathan Stempel
NEW YORK, Nov 4 (Reuters) – Intel Corp was sued by New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, who accused the world’s largest chipmaker of threatening computer makers and paying billions of dollars in kickbacks to maintain its market dominance. The lawsuit accuses Intel of violating state and federal antitrust law through a “systematic worldwide campaign” of bullying and coercion to monopolize the market for personal computer chips, at the expense of rival Advanced Micro Devices Inc.

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BRUSSELS, Oct 19 (Reuters) – The European Union’s antitrust chief urged national courts on Monday to play a bigger role in combating illegal state aid from EU governments to companies.

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By Foo Yun Chee
BRUSSELS, Oct 1 (Reuters) – Consumers who suffer at the hands of companies that fix prices or abuse their dominant market position could soon find it easier to launch class action lawsuits to seek compensation, according to a proposed EU directive.

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AMSTERDAM, Sept 21 (Reuters) – European Union antitrust regulators are in discussions with the Dutch state over the stalled sales of assets from nationalised bank ABN AMRO under a deal mandated by the European Commission, the Dutch Finance Ministry said on Monday.

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WASHINGTON, Sept 11 (Reuters) – U.S. antitrust regulators have requested more documents in their probe of Microsoft Corp’s deal to provide search engine technology to rival Yahoo Inc, the two companies said on Friday.  Microsoft and Yahoo confirmed that the Justice Department’s antitrust division had made a second request for documents, which indicates a decision to conduct a deeper review that could take months.

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LONDON, Aug 30 (Reuters) – Lloyds Banking Group has offered to sell Scottish branches of Lloyds TSB as well as its Cheltenham & Gloucester network to ease European Commission concerns over state aid and market share, reported the Sunday Times.

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By Foo Yun Chee
BRUSSELS, Aug 3 (Reuters) – Microsoft’s offer to settle a decade-long battle with EU antitrust regulators cements the European Commission’s reputation as one of the world’s toughest watchdogs and could force other firms to follow its example.

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BRUSSELS, July 24 (Reuters) – The European Commission on Friday unconditionally approved the purchase of bankrupt U.S. automaker Chrysler LLC by Italy’s Fiat SpA, saying the transaction would not damage competition in Europe. (more…)

By Sue Zeidler
LOS ANGELES, July 22 (Reuters) – As media giants band together to reinvent themselves in the digital age, potentially sharing everything from online video sites to DVD distribution, they have to be careful not to raise antitrust hackles. (more…)

    By Diane Bartz
   WASHINGTON, July 8 (Reuters) – Telecommunications companies are being probed for potential antitrust violations. Drug company deals to delay generic entry are declared illegal. Talent-poaching among high tech firms is being investigated.  And there’s more.

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