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The UK’s Competition and Market Authority (CMA) is extending the deadline for its review of the Microsoft-Activion $69bn merger, in the latest twist of a complex regulatory saga. The cut off date has been moved from July 18 to August 29. “The Inquiry Group has decided to extend by six weeks… as it considers that there are special reasons to do so,” the watchdog announced on Friday. In April, the CMA had initially blocked the takeover, concluding that the purchase would give Microsoft an…

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Monday asked a court to temporarily block Microsoft from proceeding with its bid to acquire Activision Blizzard before the regulator has addressed the matter in a hearing. The FTC said Microsoft and Activision — the publisher behind franchises such as Call of Duty, Diablo, and Warcraft — had indicated that the deal could be confirmed as early as this Friday and so has asked a federal judge to block any final agreement before then, Reuters reported. Microsoft and the FTC have a…

The European Union on Monday approved British regulators have rejected it and U.S. authorities are trying to thwart it.The acquisition, sweetened by Microsoft's promises to automatically license Activision games to cloud gaming platforms, “would no longer raise competition concerns and would ultimately unlock significant benefits for competition and consumers,” said the European Commission, the 27-nation bloc's executive arm and top antitrust watchdog. The commission's approval “has removed one potential major roadblock…

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US antitrust watchdog has sued Microsoft to stop its takeover of gaming giant Activision saying the deal would enable the company to suppress its competitors and harm consumers. If the $69 billion deal is realised, it would become the biggest acquisition in Microsoft's history and for the video game industry.…

Foo Yun Chee / Reuters: Filing: the European Commission sets a provisional November 8 deadline to complete its review of Microsoft's proposed $69B Activision Blizzard acquisition — EU antitrust regulators will decide by Nov. 8 whether to clear Microsoft Corp's proposed $69 billion acquisition of “Call of Duty” … Foo Yun Chee / Reuters: Filing: the European Commission sets a provisional November 8 deadline to complete its review of Microsoft's proposed $69B Activision Blizzard…

Coco Liu / Bloomberg: Meituan reports Q1 revenue of $6.9B, up 25% YoY, and a net loss of ~$855M, propelled by a 47% YoY increase in revenue from new businesses such as ride-hailing — Meituan's quarterly revenue grew 25%, after the Chinese food delivery titan withstood the economic fallout from coronavirus-related lockdowns in cities such as Shanghai. Coco Liu / Bloomberg: Meituan reports Q1 revenue of $6.9B, up 25% YoY, and a net loss of ~$855M, propelled by a 47% YoY increase in revenue from new…