Antitrust, the process: America’s competition cops

<p>This week’s court battle involving Microsoft and Activision, giants of tech and gaming, reflects a sea change under way in America’s trustbusting machinery; it <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/06/21/why-joe-bidens-trustbusters-have-fallen-short-of-their-ambitions?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">may not go as far</a> as the top competition cop might like. A boom in China’s post-pandemic economy now seems to be <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/06/18/chinas-economy-is-on-course-for-a-double-dip?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sputtering</a> (11:29). And a paean to the <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/06/15/a-potato-can-have-no-finer-fate-than-ending-up-as-an-irish-crisp?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tayto crisp</a>—cheese-and-onion flavour, naturally (18:29).</p><br /><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to <a href="https://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p><hr /><p style="color: grey; font-size: 0.75em;"> Hosted on Acast. See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: grey;" target="_blank">acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>