Data

Guest view: Europe beating U.S. in antitrust race

26 Nov 2019

American regulators are getting ready to put big tech companies through their paces. But it’s Europe that has been keeping big companies in check for years – and other countries are starting to look to the EU for leadership. A new study shows the U.S. is falling badly behind.

Facebook should keep the confessions coming

22 Nov 2019

The $570 bln social network has been unveiling a steady stream of data sins. The belated proactivity is welcome. Rising compliance costs may dent profitability but if Mark Zuckerberg can keep his ad machine going, an improved reputation will pay off financially.

TikTok has escape route that Huawei lacks

18 Nov 2019

The Chinese-owned video app and its telecom compatriot are both under fire from U.S. lawmakers who fear political meddling. TikTok may have fewer allies to lobby on its behalf, but owner ByteDance could sell or spin its subsidiary off. Huawei, though, is in a long-term trap.

YouTube spinoff would be a must-watch

15 Nov 2019

The video service is stifled under parent Alphabet, which is valued more like Twitter than faster-growing Netflix. Sharing a stable with search engine Google hurts both in dealing with separate regulatory probes. And Alphabet’s siloed setup means it’s part way to a split already.

Health data’s value blooms as anxiety looms

13 Nov 2019

Google’s tie-up with a large hospital chain and purchase of wearable device maker Fitbit aren’t inherently troubling, but expose some gray areas. Laws already protect personal data gathered from the former deal, but not the latter. Google’s interest may prompt a change.

U.S. crackdown on TikTok gets help from Beijing

6 Nov 2019

A new Chinese cybersecurity law will give the government unfettered access to data that companies collect. It gives American lawmakers more excuses to probe the popular ByteDance-owned video app. The pressure could also squeeze the likes of Apple to limit their mainland exposure.

Google’s hardware mishaps may help snag Fitbit

1 Nov 2019

The internet firm’s $2.1 bln offer for the fading fitness-device firm sounds like an easy win. Yet regulators are actively pondering whether past tech takeovers were less benign than they seemed. Google’s best defense may be its poor track record with gear.

Hadas: Different rules for new corporate giants

30 Oct 2019

Cheaper information and global markets have produced a new generation of vast and entrenched companies. Abuses of competitive power are likely, but old-style breakups don’t work. Lawmakers and enforcers need to monitor behaviour – and maybe even control prices.

The clock is ticking on TikTok’s U.S. business

21 Oct 2019

A senator wants parents to delete the popular video app owned by China’s ByteDance. Even Facebook is taking potshots. TikTok, meanwhile, is building lobbying strength in Washington. But the mood in D.C. is ripe for curbs on any Chinese upstart with global ambitions.

Facebook would be wise to just give up on politics

15 Oct 2019

Over the past 90 days, political ads brought in less than 1% of forecast Q3 sales. But after presidential hopeful Elizabeth Warren showed up Facebook’s patchy vetting, they continue to garner way more in the way of negative vibes. Mark Zuckerberg can afford to exit the category.

Viewsroom: Mark Zuckerberg is stuck in 2006

3 Oct 2019

That’s when the Facebook CEO rejected Yahoo’s $1 bln takeover bid. Now he uses the decision to justify his grip on control and decisions on data, privacy and the chance of a breakup under a Democratic president. Plus: How a spat over shrubbery almost felled Credit Suisse’s CEO.

U.S. antitrust effort cries out for a monopoly

19 Sep 2019

The U.S. Department of Justice and FTC admit to squabbling over turf as they target the likes of Amazon and Facebook. Both agencies also could use more money and people to take on deep-pocketed tech giants. Pooling resources and power through a merger is a natural solution.

Data turns from asset to M&A liability

17 Sep 2019

Minority stakes in U.S. firms with sensitive information on Americans may soon be subject to national security reviews – a sensible acknowledgement that data has value. There’s a cost though. Casting the net that wide will put a chill on inbound deals, and not just from China.

HKEX bids $37 bln to halt London rival’s escape

11 Sep 2019

Hong Kong’s exchange is dangling a 23% premium to LSE shareholders if they reject a $27 bln deal with data provider Refinitiv. It’s a last-ditch attempt to snag the perennial takeover target. But the tie-up has only vague financial benefits and faces a tricky political reception.

American cities risk becoming new weak data link

10 Sep 2019

Los Angeles’ trip info program for e-scooters and bikes is expanding to other towns. It manages congestion but also sparks privacy and hacking concerns. Contractors may also try to avoid a stricter California data law. Including ride hailing makes proper controls more critical.

China’s 5G fix reflects a costly global reality

10 Sep 2019

Two of the three state telecom outfits will join forces to build a next-generation network. Cooperation could shave about $50 bln off a bill likely to be several times larger. It's a solution that suits Beijing’s ambitions, but a sensible one; overseas rivals may not be so lucky.

Data-centre IPO is safer proxy for tech bubble

4 Sep 2019

UK-based Global Switch aims to raise $1 bln in Hong Kong. Rising internet usage requires more server warehouses. Returns have been better for this type of real estate than other humdrum property, too. It’s a neat way to play the cloud and 5G era for buyers with a weaker stomach.

Viewsroom: Vicious trade cycle traps U.S., China

8 Aug 2019

The White House’s decision to brand Beijing a currency manipulator is the latest move in a conflict riven by miscommunication, unrealistic expectations and no obvious way out. Plus: Why the LSE is paying $27 bln for Refinitiv, and which of the data firm’s owners comes out on top.

U.S. exchanges have reasons to stay in their lanes

1 Aug 2019

ICE and CME show no interest in butting in on data outfit Refinitiv, the LSE’s $27 bln target. The NYSE owner is pushing into fixed-income data, while CME is dominant in futures. Exchanges may yet consolidate further, but the big players have plenty to do on their own turf.

Refinitiv’s unequal exchange

1 Aug 2019

As the London Stock Exchange reveals plans to merge with data provider Refinitiv, run the numbers to see which of the target’s backers, Blackstone and Breakingviews parent Thomson Reuters, comes off best.