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The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is conducting a market investigation into cloud services, with a focus on Microsoft and AWS. The investigation was initiated by the Office of Communications (Ofcom) due to concerns about limited competition in the cloud infrastructure market. The CMA has identified four theories of harm, including technical barriers to switching providers, egress fees, committed spend discounts, and software licensing practices. The CMA has published working papers and a market research report, and is considering potential remedies. The investigation is part of a broader global trend of regulatory scrutiny on cloud services. [Extracted from the article]

This article discusses a case brought before the UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) by Sports Direct against Newcastle United Football Company Limited. Sports Direct claims that Newcastle United abused its dominant position in the market for replica football kits by terminating its supply arrangements with Sports Direct and granting exclusive rights to another retailer. Sports Direct sought an interim order to continue the supply of replica kits, but the CAT ruled against it. The CAT considered factors such as market definition, prior supply arrangements, and the balance of convenience in making its decision. The implications of the case include the definition of dominance, the importance of prior supply arrangements, and the possibility of an appeal. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the United Kingdom's Competition and Markets Authority's (CMA) decision to block the proposed acquisition of Figma by Adobe. The CMA concluded that the merger would result in a significant loss of competition, specifically in the market for all-in-one product design software. The CMA applied the theory of dynamic competition, which focuses on the potential for future competition, to assess the impact of the merger. The European Commission also reached a similar conclusion, referring to the merger as a "reverse killer acquisition." The article highlights the importance of considering dynamic competition in merger assessments and suggests that parties involved in potential transactions should carefully consider their actions to avoid negative implications from competition authorities. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the Competition and Markets Authority's (CMA) initial report on AI foundation models (FMs) in the United Kingdom. FMs are AI technologies trained on large amounts of data that can be adapted to various tasks. The report examines the impact of FMs on competition in markets and identifies concerns about potential anti-competitive conduct and the concentration of market power. The CMA also sets out principles to guide the development and deployment of FMs, emphasizing choice, flexibility, and fair dealing. The article highlights international perspectives on AI and competition policy, including the FTC's focus on AI-related competition issues and the European Commission's concerns about collusion and anti-competitive strategies in the AI sector. The OECD is also active in addressing AI and competition policy. The article concludes by acknowledging the speculative nature of the report and the need for further research and case studies to inform regulatory decisions. [Extracted from the article]

The FCA's Approach The FCA reviewed each of the retail financial services markets in turn, considering the factual background, particularly Big Tech's entry in the market to date. Keywords: Financial Conduct Authority; FCA; discussion paper; Big Tech; financial services EN Financial Conduct Authority FCA discussion paper Big Tech financial services 59 63 5 04/04/23 20230101 NES 230101 In October 2022, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) issued a discussion paper on the potential competition impacts of Big Tech entry and expansion in retail financial services (the Discussion Paper). Part II describes the purpose of the Discussion Paper and Big Tech's activities in the financial services markets in the UK to date, and summarises the FCA's conclusions. [Extracted from the article]

Thus, for example, the current interchange fee for Mastercard in the United Kingdom for a contactless consumer credit card transaction is 0.3%.[6] The current Mastercard interchange fee for government payments is 0.2% with a fee cap of £1 per transaction. United Kingdom • Follow-On Damages Actions: An Example of When They Might Not Occur? Keywords: follow-on damages; sector regulator; card services; cartel; private litigation EN follow-on damages sector regulator card services cartel private litigation 345 349 5 12/27/22 20221001 NES 221001 The Payment Systems Regulator (PSR), a sector regulator in the United Kingdom, has powers to apply provisions of the Competition Act 1998. The essence of the cartel related to the interchange fee.[11] Based on the information provided in the CAT Sainsbury case, the counterfactual interchange fee was on average 56% of the cartel interchange fee for credit cards. [Extracted from the article]

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2009.11.005 Byline: Satyanarayana Parayitam (a), Kiran J. Desai (b), Mayur S. Desai (c), Mary K. Eason (b) Keywords: Computer anxiety; Attitude towards computers; Job satisfaction; Career satisfaction; Stress Abstract: The present study empirically examines the relationship between computer anxiety, job satisfaction, career satisfaction, and stress. Based on self-efficacy theory and self-worth theory of achievement-motivation, it is hypothesized that the relationship between computer anxiety and job satisfaction is curvilinear and attitude towards computer moderates such relationship. The relationship between computer anxiety and career satisfaction and job stress were empirically examined in this study. Two hundred and thirty undergraduate students (125 female and 105 male students) at a university in south-western part of Louisiana completed computer anxiety, computer attitude, job satisfaction, career satisfaction and stress surveys. Hierarchical moderated regression results support that the attitude towards computer acts as a moderator in the relationship between (i) computer anxiety and stress, (ii) computer anxiety and job satisfaction, and (iii) computer anxiety and career satisfaction. Implications for management are discussed. Author Affiliation: (a) Department of Management and Marketing, Charlton College of Business, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, 285 Old Westport Road, North Dartmouth, MA 02747, USA (b) Department of Management, Marketing, and General Business, McNeese State University, Lake Charles, LA 70609, USA (c) JHJ School of Business, Texas Southern University, 3100 Cleburne Avenue, Houston, TX 77004, USA

We adopted green synthesis of multifunctional Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2 NPs) by low temperature solution combustion route employing Aloe vera (L.) Burm f. leaf gel as a fuel. The synthesized CeO2 NPs were characterized by PXRD, SEM, and TEM. Results showed that size of NPs between 40 and 50 nm and they found highly crystalline. These NPs were tested in vitro for their antimicrobial activity against four bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter aerogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli) and three fungi (Aspergillus niger, A. clavatus and A. flavus). Results showed toxicity against both the tested bacteria and fungi. Maximum zone of inhibition from bacteria and fungi was obtained from 75 µg/ml CeO2 NPs against E. aerogenes (21.67 ± 1.21) and A. flavus (19.00 ± 1.73) respectively. Current investigation explores the green facile method for synthesis of multifunctional rare earth CeO2 NPs with interesting structural and surface morphological and biological studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It follows that the acquisition of a non-UK company that has a UK subsidiary is also a qualifying acquisition and so caught by the Act. If the non-UK target entity has a UK hub which acts as an exporter of goods supplied by the non-UK target entity, this might not be a qualifying acquisition. I. Description of the Act The United Kingdom introduced a new regime, from 4 January 2022, that gives the UK government the ability to "call in" for review on national security grounds transactions in any sector of the economy. Keywords: UK; National Security and Investment Act 2021; CMA EN UK National Security and Investment Act 2021 CMA 271 277 7 10/07/22 20220701 NES 220701 The National Security and Investment Act 2021 (the Act)[1] received significant attention by lawyers prior to the date when the mandatory filing regime under the Act took effect on 4 January 2022. [Extracted from the article]

On 30 November 2021 the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) delivered its report (the Report) in relation to the completed acquisition of GIPHY by Facebook (now Meta)[1]. In response to the parties' argument that the hypothetical monopolist test (HMT) should be used, the CMA responded that since social media services are provided for free, this test would only work if a qualitative factor were the variable. As regards GIPHY's potential scale in the UK, the parties argued based upon CMA and EU precedent that a small actual increment in market share can occur, yet a transaction be cleared. In the Guidelines the CMA has noted that it cannot be speculative, thus where the CMA's competitive assessment considers a loss of dynamic competition ... the CMA may not conclude ... on whether entry or expansion would ultimately occur, but rather may conclude on whether or not such efforts would have continued absent the merger[30]. [Extracted from the article]

Keywords: national security; M--amp--A; Guidance; NSI; Definition EN national security M--amp--A Guidance NSI Definition 416 422 7 12/28/21 20211001 NES 211001 The National Security and Investment Act 2021 (the Act) will impose a regulatory process on many hundreds of transactions that have a connection with the UK, with a significant number being subject to a substantive assessment. Thus, a government is bound by the contextual definitional meaning of that phrase (whatever it may be) as well as cases to date where the phrase has been key to government decisions. The government did not issue a national interest notice when the target business was acquired by the Japan-based Softbank in 2016.[29] For three reasons the government does not have a free hand to define what national security means. There is an exception under section 59 (Special Public Interest Regime) by which the government is able to intervene in a merger that does not meet the usual tests, on a public interest ground, in cases involving businesses that include government contractors who hold or receive confidential defence-related information. [Extracted from the article]