CMA clears probe into Microsoft’s OpenAI investment March 5, 2025 After months of scrutiny, Microsoft’s $13bn (£11bn) partnership with OpenAI has been cleared by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The antitrust watchdog ruled that Microsoft‘s investment did not meet the threshold for a full-scale merger investigation, despite concerns over the tech giant’s influence on the AI startup. The CMA acknowledged that Microsoft gained [...]
The Co-op admits blocking rivals from opening competing stores March 5, 2025 The Co-op has become the latest major UK supermarket to fall foul of a targeted campaign by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to stop the use of ‘unlawful land agreements’ in grocery retailing. The group has admitted to 107 breaches of an order to stop supermarkets imposing restrictions that block rivals from opening competing [...]
Pets at Home shares surge on takeover and watchdog rumours February 26, 2025 Pets at Home shares surged more than 14 per cent this morning as evidence grows that the UK’s competition watchdog is moving toward a positive conclusion for the industry, as well as speculation that private equity firm BC Partners was preparing a bid. A series of bidcos were registered on 24 February with pug in [...]
Mark Kleinman: Bonfire of the regulators just beginning February 13, 2025 Mark Kleinman is Sky News’ City Editor and the man who gets the Square Mile talking in his weekly City AM column. This week, he tackles churn at the regulators, bankers’ bonuses and dilemmas at Deliveroo. Bonfire of the regulators is just beginning For Marcus Bokkerink, read Abby Thomas? The chief executive of the Financial Ombudsman Service last [...]
Ousted CMA chair Bokkerink defends tenure February 8, 2025 Marcus Bokkerink, the sacked chairman of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), has given a staunch defence of his tenure at the regulator. Bokkerink was ousted by the government last month in what lawyers described as the “most overtly political” regulatory intervention of recent years. The move, which saw Bokkerink replaced by former Amazon exec [...]
CMA boss sacking must signal the end of regulatory overreach February 7, 2025 The CMA has damaged business with its trigger-happy approach to blocking mergers and acquisitions. The appointment of Doug Gurr is a good start, but will a new chairman be enough to turn around an organisation set in its ways? Asks Matthew Lesh In recent years Britain’s competition regulator has enjoyed a surge in taxpayer funding [...]
CMA shake-up set to drive resurgence of UK M&A activity February 5, 2025 Merger and acquisitions (M&A) in the UK are expected to strengthen in 2025, aided by the recent shake-up at the competition regulator
Chancellor Rachel Reeves ‘won’t apologise’ for reforming UK regulation January 29, 2025 Rachel Reeves has said that she “won’t apologise for wanting to reform how regulation works in Britain” after a major economic speech which saw her back a third runway at Heathrow. The Chancellor unveiled a suite of policies the Treasury said would “kickstart” economic growth, including an “action plan” intended to instil a pro-growth approach [...]
The Famous Grouse sale to billionaire’s empire on the rocks January 29, 2025 A deal which saw whisky giant The Famous Grouse sold to one of the UK’s richest men is to be investigated by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). Drinks business Edrington sold the brand, which been owned by its 1887 Company, to William Grant & Sons in September last year for an undisclosed sum. William Grant & [...]
Probe launched into £2.1bn takeover of Electricity North West by ScottishPower owner January 29, 2025 The competition watchdog has launched a probe into a £2.1bn deal to takeover Electricity North West by the owner of ScottishPower. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is looking into the deal which was first announced by Iberdrola in August last year. The watchdog said it was investigating whether the deal may affect competition in [...]