Google's Antitrust Case, Trump's Frustration with Powell

<p>Google illegally monopolized some online advertising technology markets, according to a federal judge, whose ruling marked the latest antitrust setback for the company and a challenge to its main source of revenue.</p> <p>US District Judge&nbsp;Leonie Brinkema&nbsp;found on Thursday that<strong>&nbsp;</strong>the&nbsp;Alphabet Inc.&nbsp;unit<strong>&nbsp;</strong>violated antitrust law in the markets for advertising exchanges and tools used by websites to sell ad space, known as ad servers. But she said the company didn&rsquo;t meet the definition of a monopoly for a third market of tools used by advertisers to buy display ads.</p> <p>Alphabet shares quickly sank as much as 3.2% on the ruling, then slightly pared their losses. The stock was down 1.1% at $153.78 at 1:10 p.m. in New York.</p> <p>Brinkema&rsquo;s decision marked the second time in a year that Google was found by a court to be an illegal monopolist. A trial begins Monday in Washington on a remedy after the company was found to monopolize the online search market. The Justice Department is seeking to force Alphabet&nbsp;to sell off its&nbsp;Chrome browser.</p> <p>In the ad technology case, Brinkema wrote in her 115-page&nbsp;opinion&nbsp;Thursday that &ldquo;Google has willfully engaged in a series of anticompetitive acts to acquire and maintain monopoly power in the publisher ad server and ad exchange markets for open-web display advertising.&rdquo; For over a decade, Google pushed web publishers to use its tools that both placed ads on websites and help manage their advertising business, the judge found.</p> <p><br />Today's show features:</p> <ul> <li>Bloomberg News Legal Team Leader Sara Forden on Google&rsquo;s Antitrust Case and Supreme Court to Hear Citizenship Case</li> <li>Michael McKee, Bloomberg International Economics and Policy Correspondent &amp; Bloomberg Federal Reserve reporter Catalina Saraiva on whether the Fed's independence is in question</li> <li>Ken Natori, President of Natori Company, on how tariffs are impacting retail sector</li> <li>and we Drive to the Close with ReAnn Mitrione, Founder and CFA at Callan Family Office</li> </ul> <p>Hosts: Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec Producer: Sebastian Escobar</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>