In addition to the ongoing regulatory scrutiny of tech giants' acquisitions, the UK competition watchdog, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), has announced an investigation into Barratt's proposed £2.5 billion acquisition of Redrow [d007b444]. The CMA will assess whether this merger would result in a substantial lessening of competition in the UK housing market. This investigation comes as housebuilder Berkeley Group reports a 33% decrease in sales in recent months. The housing market in the UK is facing challenges, and the CMA is closely monitoring potential anticompetitive behavior to ensure fair market practices.
Furthermore, the CMA is also investigating eight major housebuilders, including Barratt and Redrow, for sharing commercially sensitive information that could influence home prices [d007b444]. This investigation aims to determine whether the housebuilders have breached antitrust laws and will take appropriate action if any wrongdoing is found. The CMA is committed to addressing anticompetitive behavior and maintaining a competitive and fair housing market for consumers.