Government intervenes in Inmarsat deal on national security grounds July 22, 2019 The UK government is to investigate the sale of London-listed satellite company Inmarsat to a private-equity and pension fund group on national security grounds, it said today. Read more: Inmarsat bidders look to appease government Inmarsat, Britain’s biggest satellite company, agreed in March to be bought by an international group including buyout firms Apax and [...]
Competition watchdog seeks to find Viagogo in contempt of court July 4, 2019 The UK’s competition watchdog is to launch proceedings to find online ticket marketplace Viagogo in contempt of court, it announced today. Read more: MPs warn consumers against using ticket reseller Viagogo The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said the move comes after Viagogo allegedly failed to overhaul the way it presents information on its website [...]
Competition watchdog urges Facebook and Ebay to crack down on fake review market June 21, 2019 The competition watchdog has called on Facebook and Ebay to step up their efforts to prevent the sale of fake reviews through their sites. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) today wrote to the two platforms asking them to conduct a review amid concerns there is a “thriving” marketplace for fake and misleading online reviews. [...]
CMA launches investigation into Non-Standard Finance’s hostile takeover of Provident May 29, 2019 The competition watchdog has launched a merger inquiry into Non-Standard Finance’s (NSF) hostile takeover of rival sub-prime lender Provident. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) called in the offer this morning to investigate whether the merger would create a “substantial lessening of competition” in the market, a week before the takeover bid could be declared [...]
Competition watchdog launches probe into tech giants over digital advertising dominance July 3, 2019 The competition watchdog has launched an inquiry into major tech firms amid fears about their dominance in the digital advertising market. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) today said it has launched a market study into online platforms such as Facebook and Google, which are funded almost entirely by digital advertising. Read more: Hammond calls [...]
Google suspends Viagogo from advertising amid claims ticket site has not changed its ways July 17, 2019 Google has today dealt a blow to controversial second-hand ticketing company Viagogo by suspending its website as an advertiser. It is the second setback for the firm this month. Earlier in July, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it would take Viagogo to court. Read more: MPs warn consumers against using ticket reseller Viagogo [...]
Energy group Wood to sell nuclear arm for £250m August 20, 2019 British energy services firm Wood is to sell its nuclear business for about £250m ($301m) to a subsidiary of US company Jacobs in a drive to reduce its debt. Read more: EDF seeks guarantee for nuclear project The firm made the announcement as it released its half-year results, which showed a rise in pre-tax profit [...]
O2’s £31bn Virgin Media merger ‘will help UK pandemic recovery’, says CEO February 25, 2021 O2’s proposed £31bn tie-up with Virgin Media will accelerate investment in telecoms infrastructure and bolster the UK’s post-pandemic recovery, the mobile network’s boss has said. The mega-merger, agreed last year by O2 owner Telefonica and Virgin Media parent Liberty Global, is facing an in-depth probe by regulators amid concerns it could harm competition. But O2 [...]
Facebook ‘still flooded with fake reviews’ despite regulator warning August 6, 2019 Facebook is failing to crack down on a “thriving” marketplace of fake reviews on its website, despite being told by regulators to tackle the problem, a new investigation has revealed. Consumer group Which found dozens of groups on the social media site that recruit people to write fake reviews on ecommerce sites such as Amazon [...]
Competition watchdog gives green light for Paypal’s $2.2bn merger with iZettle April 30, 2019 The competition watchdog has given provisional approval to Paypal’s $2.2bn (£1.7bn) takeover of payments firm iZettle. Read more: Watchdog launches in-depth probe into Paypal-iZettle merger The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched a probe into the merger last year amid concerns it would lessen competition between payment platforms in the UK. But in a provisional [...]