Sector archive - The Capitol Forum

Financials Friday: Fed Vice Chair Says Fed Officials Are Defying Silicon Valley Bank Investigation; Illinois Swipe Fee Deadline Averted but Legal Fight Continues; Bessent Testifies Before House; Dems Introduce Bill to Fund CFPB

Bowman says Fed staff are defying Silicon Valley Bank investigation. Unnamed Federal Reserve officials are refusing to comply with an outside investigation into the causes of the Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) collapse, Fed Vice Chair of Supervision Michelle Bowman said...

Jun 05, 2026 Read Now >

Verisign: Interisle Study Finds Malicious Actors Registered 10-20% of New Domain Names in 2025, Accounted for ‘Significant Share’ of Market

A new study by Interisle Consulting Group suggests that cybercriminal demand represents “a significant share of the domain name market”—the digital ecosystem where domain registrars and registry operators facilitate the buying, selling, and management of web...

Jun 05, 2026 Read Now >

Four Years After OTC Hearing Aid Rule, Competition in Hearing Aid Market Remains Limited Due to Deep Vertical Integration, Sources Say

In 2022, the Food and Drug Administration finalized a rule expected to increase competition in the hearing aid market by giving patients with mild-to-moderate hearing loss access to over-the- counter hearing aids, a potentially cheaper alternative to expensive prescription...

Jun 05, 2026 Read Now >

Paramount Skydance/Warner Bros. Discovery: EC Questions Cinemas on Film Supply, Sector Negotiations and Merger Impact, Sources Say

The European Commission has sent new requests for information to cinemas across Europe as it steps up its review of Paramount Skydance’s proposed $81 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, according to two people familiar with the...

Jun 05, 2026 Read Now >

Compass Inc: Following Anywhere Acquisition, Company Pressures ‘Preferred’ Photographers in Boston Area for Rebates

The January acquisition of Anywhere Real Estate gave Compass (COMP) several major real estate brands, including Century 21, Coldwell Banker, Sotheby’s International Realty, and Better Homes, making it the country’s largest real estate brokerage by agent...

Jun 04, 2026 Read Now >

Union Pacific/Norfolk Southern: DOJ Economist Leading Review is Skeptical of Transcontinental Rail Benefits, Sources Say

Union Pacific (UNP) is facing a fresh obstacle to its $71.5 billion effort to create the nation’s first transcontinental railroad by acquiring rival Norfolk Southern (NSC): the DOJ economist leading the antitrust division’s analysis of the deal has previously expressed skepticism of...

Jun 04, 2026 Read Now >

Electronic Arts Buyers Expected to File Under EU Foreign Subsidy Rules Before Summer, Sources Say

The bidding consortium involved in the proposed $55 billion takeover of videogame publisher Electronic Arts (EA) is expected to notify its transaction to the European Commission under the EU’s Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) before the summer, according to two people familiar with...

Jun 04, 2026 Read Now >

Bayer: Commitment to DOJ on Loyalty Programs is Opaque and Insufficient, Market Participants Say; ‘The Damage Has Already Been Done’

Bayer CropScience’s (BAYN) commitments to DOJ that purport to end anticompetitive restrictions in the company’s loyalty programs has industry participants doubtful about its enforceability, transparency, and...

Jun 04, 2026 Read Now >

EU Proposal on Aluminum Scrap Curbs Faces Delay Over India Concerns, Sources Say

The European Commission is likely to delay its proposal to curb exports of aluminum scrap until early summer, three people familiar with the matter told The Capitol Forum. A main reason for the postponement is officials’ concerns that the proposal might strain relations with India after...

Jun 04, 2026 Read Now >

Health Care Weekly: Whistleblower Suit Accuses Corcept of Off-Label Marketing; CMS Finalizes Long-Awaited Rule on NSA Dispute Process; Democrats Seek Congressional Disapproval of WISeR; FDA Publishes More Draft Guidance on Reducing Animal Testing; Optum Close to Settling FTC Insulin Case; MultiPlan, Insurers Face Price-Fixing Lawsuit in AZ; FDA 483s

Recently-unsealed whistleblower lawsuit accuses Corcept of off-label marketing. Originally filed in February 2017 on behalf of the United States of America, almost 30 states, and unnamed insurance policyholders, the just-unsealed lawsuit alleges that Corcept (CORT) engaged in off- label...

Jun 03, 2026 Read Now >

Apple Case May Alter Indian Regulator’s Approach to Antitrust Settlements, Lawyers Say

Apple’s (AAPL) court challenge to an Indian antitrust regulator’s authority to demand financial data in a dispute over its App Store’s business practices could alter how India resolves cases involving multinational corporations, legal observers...

Jun 03, 2026 Read Now >

Saipem/Subsea7: Parties Could Offer Divestitures to Secure Approval, Sources Say

Saipem (SPM) and Subsea7 (SUBC) are considering offering divestitures in Northern Europe, if necessary, to secure phase 1 approval from the European Commission for their $4.6 billion merger, according to sources close to the...

Jun 03, 2026 Read Now >

Zillow: Democratic Reps Urge FTC Probe of Real Estate Giant’s Referral Practices

Two Democratic lawmakers last week urged Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson to investigate Zillow (Z) and other real estate platforms over their referral practices, according to a letter obtained exclusively by The Capitol...

Jun 02, 2026 Read Now >

Tech/Media/Telecom Weekly: Survival of Texas App Store Accountability Act Could Encourage Other States; FCC Poised to Lift Ownership Cap; Vietnam Trade Probe Could Trigger Increased Tariffs on Electronics; Student-athletes Left Out of Cruz-Cantwell NCAA Antitrust Discussion; Vermont Passes Privacy Measure, But Will Governor Sign?

The TMT Weekly is a forward-looking tipsheet that covers tech policy across The Capitol Forum’s U.S. policy coverage universe, from Congress to the Courts. If you have any feedback, feel free to email...

Jun 02, 2026 Read Now >

Medline: Company Receives Warning Letter from FDA Over Bacterial Contamination in Infant Surgical Wipes

Earlier today, the FDA published a warning letter that the agency sent to Medline (MDLN), citing the company for several systemic failures in how it has responded to bacterial contamination in its ReadyPrep Chlorhexidine Gluconate (CHG) antiseptic wipes, which are used to prepare...

Jun 02, 2026 Read Now >

EU to Open China Dumping Probe into Key Chemical Imports, Sources Say

The European Commission is set to open a new anti-dumping investigation into Chinese imports of polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT), a biodegradable plastic, according to two sources familiar with the matter. The move aims to shield EU production of another key chemical in the value...

Jun 02, 2026 Read Now >

The European Antitrust Agenda: Von der Leyen Urged to Greenlight Google Penalty; JD.com Stands Against FSR Probe

Welcome to The European Antitrust Agenda, brought to you by Europe Executive Editor Javier Espinoza and Senior Correspondents Lydia O’Neal, Barbara Pianese, Joanna Sopinska and Catherine Stupp. This week, we look at fresh pressure on the European Commission to move ahead with a fine...

Jun 02, 2026 Read Now >

Paramount Skydance/Warner Brothers Discovery: States Increasingly Persuaded Merger Would Harm Competition in Blockbuster Movie Market

A group of state attorneys general reviewing Paramount Skydance’s (PSKY) proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is increasingly convinced that the $81 billion deal would harm industry workers, movie theater operators and streaming services by combining two of the...

Jun 01, 2026 Read Now >

EU Preparing Anti-Dumping Probe into Chinese Welded Mesh Fiber Imports, Sources Say

The European Commission is poised to open a new anti-dumping investigation into imports of welded mesh fibers from China, according to two people familiar with the matter. The move is part of a broader push by Brussels to curb a surge in low-cost Chinese goods that officials say is...

Jun 01, 2026 Read Now >

Medline: FDA, Industry Experts Raise Concerns Over Company’s Oversight of Contract Manufacturers and Ability to Monitor Device Malfunctions

A Capitol Forum investigation has found that poor oversight of its suppliers and post-market surveillance practices by the medical device company Medline (MDLN) is leading to patient harm and delayed recalls of dangerous products. Over the last several years, FDA inspectors have...

Jun 01, 2026 Read Now >

Paramount Skydance/Warner Bros. Discovery: Merger to Heighten Collusion Risks, European Cinema Group Warns

A major European cinema trade group is warning that Paramount Skydance’s (PSKY) proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) would make tacit collusion among Hollywood studios easier by leaving just three dominant players, according to a 65-page white paper recently sent to the...

May 27, 2026 Read Now >

Orange/Iliad/Bouygues: French Telecom Merger to Lead to Higher Prices, Consumer Group Warns

The proposed €20.35 billion split of French telecommunications operator SFR among the country’s three other major national peers will lead to higher prices and more consumer complaints, a leading French consumer organisation...

May 27, 2026 Read Now >

NextEra/Dominion: Watchdogs and State Senator Call for Virginia Regulator’s Recusal From Review of Largest-Ever U.S. Utility Merger

The chair of the Virginia utility regulator that would review NextEra Energy’s (NEE) $66.8 billion acquisition of Dominion Energy (D) should recuse herself because of previous employment at the acquirer, utility and consumer watchdogs...

May 26, 2026 Read Now >

Universal Health Services: Sexual Assaults and Runaways Persist at South Carolina Facility Despite Federal Sanction

This article contains descriptions of sexual assault. Last year, government inspectors placed multiple immediate jeopardies (IJs) on Three Rivers Behavioral Health, a psychiatric facility operated by Universal Health Services (UHS) in West Columbia, South Carolina, after finding the...

May 26, 2026 Read Now >

Ocean Carriers Breaking Federal Law to Raise Profits Amid Iran War, Industry Groups Claim

Major ocean carriers are using Iran-war-related disruptions as cover to charge fees that exceed their increased costs in defiance of U.S. shipping laws. The practice mirrors the carriers’ behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Red Sea crisis, when carriers exploited disruptions...

May 22, 2026 Read Now >

Cintas/UniFirst: Cintas Hires Trump-Linked Miller Strategies for Merger Lobbying

Cintas (CTAS) has hired Trump-connected lobbying firm Miller Strategies to navigate antitrust scrutiny of its proposed $5.5 billion acquisition of uniform rental rival UniFirst (UNF), according to newly filed federal...

May 22, 2026 Read Now >

Corteva: Justice Department Filing Highlights Unique Seed Industry Consolidation Vulnerabilities

A Department of Justice filing in a legal battle that could determine whether competitors can break into the concentrated seeds industry underlined the patent system’s role in entrenching dominant players at the top of the...

May 19, 2026 Read Now >

EU Rules Aimed to Help Users Fight Platform Censorship—But Activists, Businesses Say It’s Getting Worse

Republicans in Washington often call the EU’s digital platform rules online censorship. For those working in adult industries, sex education and women’s health, the rules should be a tool to combat suppression of lawful speech online – but many say restrictions on their posts and...

May 19, 2026 Read Now >

DOJ Launches Criminal Antitrust Probe into Claritev

DOJ’s antitrust division has launched a criminal price-fixing investigation into Claritev (CTEV), previously known as MultiPlan, a pricing intermediary that major health insurers use to set reimbursement rates for out-of-network medical claims, sources familiar with the matter...

May 14, 2026 Read Now >

Live Nation: Democrats Plan Hearing on Controversial DOJ Settlement, Which Could Preview Oversight They’ll Conduct If Mid-Terms Return Them to Power

Democratic congressional leaders are planning a Monday hearing in Washington, D.C., to examine the alleged political maneuvering that led to DOJ’s settlement with Live Nation Entertainment (LYV), sources familiar with the matter said. The hearing could provide a glimpse of the future...

May 13, 2026 Read Now >

Roblox: Additional Child Exploitation Lawsuits Consolidated in State and Federal Court as Attorneys Say Thousands of Similar Cases Being Investigated

Thousands of potential cases of child sexual exploitation allegedly facilitated by gaming platform Roblox (RBLX) are still under investigation, according to plaintiffs’ attorneys, as federal multidistrict litigation (MDL) against the company continues to...

May 08, 2026 Read Now >

Paramount Skydance/Warner Bros. Discovery: State AGs Ask Movie Theater Owners About Sitting for Depositions, Testifying in Court

A group of Democratic state attorneys general have taken another step toward challenging Paramount Skydance’s (PSKY) proposed Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) acquisition by asking movie theater owners if they’d be willing to sit for depositions and testify in court about what the...

May 06, 2026 Read Now >

The European Antitrust Agenda: Merger Guidelines Offer Clarity to Startup Buyers and Consider Workers’ Rights

Welcome to The European Antitrust Agenda, brought to you by Europe Executive Editor Javier Espinoza and Senior Correspondents Lydia O’Neal, Barbara Pianese, Joanna Sopinska and Catherine Stupp. This week, we look at the leaked draft of the EU’s forthcoming merger guidelines. A boon...

Apr 28, 2026 Read Now >

Publishers Urge EU to Take ‘Immediate’ Measures to Tackle Meta Scam Ads Under Digital Rules

European publishers are urging EU officials to act quickly to force Meta (META) to stop the proliferation of fraudulent advertisements impersonating reporters and media outlets across its platforms in a memorandum to the European Commission seen by The Capitol...

Apr 22, 2026 Read Now >

JD.com/Ceconomy: JD.com Set to File EU Foreign Subsidies Notification Shortly for Ceconomy Takeover, Sources Say

China’s e-commerce group JD.com (9618: HK) plans to file a notification shortly under the EU’s Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) of its takeover bid for Germany’s electronics retailer Ceconomy (CEC: GY), according to two people familiar with the matter. The move forms part of the...

Apr 20, 2026 Read Now >

European Proposals for Social Media Bans Create Pressure on VPNs

Plans to restrict children’s access to social media have been sprouting around Europe in the last few months, raising questions about whether kids could easily get around such bans. The attention is making virtual private network (VPN) providers...

Apr 16, 2026 Read Now >

IonQ/SkyWater: Quantum Computing Tie-up Draws Industry Questions Over Foundry Access, Information Firewalls, But DOD Support Could Ease Antitrust Path

Quantum computing chipmaker IonQ’s (IONQ) pending $1.8 billion acquisition of specialty foundry SkyWater Technology (SKYT) raises red flags about post-merger access to SkyWater’s R&D-friendly manufacturing platform, industry sources...

Apr 16, 2026 Read Now >

Medline: Company Apparently Did Not Disclose Systemic Problems Identified in Multiple FDA Inspections in Year Prior to IPO

Last December, Medline (MDLN), one of the largest suppliers of medical and surgical products in the country, went public in the biggest IPO of the year, raising over $6 billion. In the 12 months prior to the IPO, Medline received four Form 483 inspection...

Apr 16, 2026 Read Now >

Dismissal of News Publisher Suit Against Google’s AI Summaries Is Setback, Not Death Knell, For Parallel Penske Case; European Regulators Eye Opt-outs

Google’s (GOOG) victory over a lawsuit from two local news publishers accusing the company of leveraging its search monopoly to misappropriate online news content is a clear setback for Penske Media Corporation’s parallel lawsuit before the same judge: U.S. District Judge Amit...

Apr 16, 2026 Read Now >

Google: EFF Asks California, New York to Investigate Google’s Failure to Notify User of ICE Subpoena Despite Company’s Promises

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is asking the California and New York attorneys general to investigate Google (GOOG) for deceptive trade practices after alleging that the company broke its promise to give users advanced notice before providing their information to law...

Apr 16, 2026 Read Now >

Paramount Skydance/Warner Bros. Discovery: Booker Schedules Wednesday Hearing on Deal Featuring Labor, Media Witnesses

This article has been updated to include Paramount Skydance’s response to Booker’s invitation for CEO David Ellison to testify. Senator Cory Booker, a critic of Paramount Skydance’s (PSKY) proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), has scheduled a hearing today on the $81...

Apr 13, 2026 Read Now >

Next Head of EU Competition Watchdog Faces Souring U.S. Relations, Telecoms’ Consolidation Push

The frontrunner to head the European Commission’s competition watchdog, a nearly three-decade veteran of the EU executive, will have to perform some tricky balancing acts if he ultimately takes the helm – from conflicting views of how the bloc should achieve “competitiveness” to...

Apr 03, 2026 Read Now >

Privacy Policy: California Data Broker Registry Reveals Dozens of Brokers Selling Consumers’ Data to Foreign Actors, Law Enforcement, Federal Government

Last week the California Privacy Protection Agency (CalPrivacy) published its 2026 Data Broker Registry, revealing that dozens of brokers have sold or shared consumers’ personal data to the federal government, law enforcement, and even foreign adversary countries over the past...

Apr 01, 2026 Read Now >

Booking CEO Warns Google’s Gemini, ChatGPT Could Squeeze Out Small Hotels

Booking (BKNG) CEO Glenn Fogel raised fresh concerns about the influence of artificial intelligence tools like Google’s (GOOG) Gemini on how people find hotels online and said he’s happy regulators are scrutinizing the search giant’s AI-generated answers to search queries under...

Mar 25, 2026 Read Now >

Paramount/Warner Bros. Discovery: Democratic AGs Seek Outside Counsel for Anticipated Suit Against Merger

A group of Democratic state attorneys general preparing an antitrust suit to block Paramount Skydance’s (PSKY) proposed $81 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery is searching for outside counsel to litigate the case, sources familiar with the matter said. The search is ongoing,...

Mar 20, 2026 Read Now >

Skyworks/Qorvo: SAMR Expresses Bundling Concerns; Overlaps in Key Components Could Also Drive Review

China’s antitrust authority has expressed some initial concerns that Skyworks Solutions’ (SWKS) proposed acquisition of rival electronic components maker Qorvo (QRVO) could lead to illegal bundling practices and unfair disadvantages for home-grown competitors, sources familiar with...

Mar 20, 2026 Read Now >

Live Nation: State AGs Present Settlement Counterproposal, Await Company’s Response

The coalition of 33 states continuing the monopolization lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment (LYV) delivered today a counterproposal for a settlement to the company earlier this week, their counsel told the judge overseeing the trial. Live Nation confirmed it’s reviewing the offer...

Mar 20, 2026 Read Now >

Federal Reserve Policy: Warsh’s Pursuit of Quantitative Tightening Faces Myriad Political and Market Constraints

Kevin Warsh, President Donald Trump’s nominee to chair the Federal Reserve, has said that he wants to reduce the Fed’s “bloated” portfolio of assets and has asserted that quantitative easing (the Fed policy of buying assets like Treasuries and mortgage securities) has led to...

Mar 19, 2026 Read Now >

Paramount Skydance/Warner Bros. Discovery: California Closely Scrutinizing Deal After Failure of Trump Administration Enforcement, State AG Bonta Says

California Attorney General Rob Bonta today said that his office is conducting a vigorous review of Paramount Skydance’s (PSKY) proposed $81 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) to ensure a vital state industry remains competitive because the Trump administration has...

Mar 13, 2026 Read Now >

Paramount Skydance/Warner Bros. Discovery: A Closer Look at Potential State AG Theories of Harm, Litigation Risk

Paramount Skydance (PSKY) in the days since inking its $81 billion agreement to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) has projected “absolute” confidence in the deal’s closing prospects. But that confidence is in some tension not only with the politics surrounding the transaction,...

Mar 09, 2026 Read Now >

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