Official investigation: Microsoft green shares: UK Competition Commission examines Microsoft acquisition of Nuance | newsletter

As announced by the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), it has opened a formal investigation to determine whether the merger will affect competition in the UK markets. The antitrust authorities have set themselves a deadline of March 9 to make the decision after the first examination stage. The Capital Markets Authority started the preliminary examination in December.

On December 21, the European Union’s competition body unconditionally approved the merger on the grounds that it would neither significantly restrict competition nor cause concern.

Microsoft announced in April that it would acquire Nuance, a Burlington, Massachusetts-based copying technology company, for $19.7 billion, including net debt. The group thus relies on the growing demand for digital applications in the healthcare sector.

Microsoft stock at times on the Nasdaq rose 1.30 percent to $319.06.

Von Ian Walker

London (Dow Jones)

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