Microsoft Gets Date Boost in Appeal of $69 Billion Deal Ban
- Judge agrees to July hearing on substance of veto appeal
- CMA said a later hearing won’t cause incremental delay to deal
Microsoft Corp.’s fight against Britain’s veto of its $69 billion Activision Blizzard Inc. takeover got a boost when a judge said the court case can start weeks before the UK antitrust regulator’s preferred kick-off date.
Judge Marcus Smith said at the Competition Appeal Tribunal in London that hearings into the substance of the US software firm’s appeal can be penciled in for the week beginning July 24. Microsoft and Activision had both demanded a quick turnaround during an initial case-management session at the tribunal on Tuesday.