CANBERRA, Australia: Australia’s competition regulator on Tuesday delayed for three months its decision on Google’s plan to buy fitness gadget maker Fitbit for $2.1 billion despite the European Union giving conditional approval to the deal.
The European Union regulators last week approved the deal after Google promised to restrict user data and ensure Android phones work with other wearable devices for at least 10 years.
But the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said it was not prepared to accept a similar court-enforceable undertaking from the Silicon Valley tech giant.
“We are not satisfied that a long-term behavioral undertaking of this type in such a complex and dynamic industry could be effectively monitored and enforced in Australia,” ACCC Chair Rod Sims said in a statement.
“The ACCC continues to have concerns that Google’s acquisition of Fitbit may result in Fitbit’s rivals, other than Apple, being squeezed out of the wearables market, as they are reliant on Google’s Android system and other Google services to make their devices work effectively,” he added.
The ACCC would continue its investigation and set March 25 as its decision date, he said.
Google said in a statement it was disappointed at the delay but would continue to engage with the ACCC to answer the regulators’ questions.
Sims said his concerns about the deal were aligned with those of the US Department of Justice than those of the European Union.
Australia wanted to see what the US decided before making its own decision, Sims said.
The EU decision was largely focused on Google’s use of data, he said.
“We at the ACCC and the D.o.J have a very different theory of harm,” Sims told Australian Broadcasting Corp.
“We’re concerned that if Google gets hold of Fitbit, that could mean, just like you’ve got a bit of a duopoly with apps, you’d have a duopoly with wearables, which in our view would significantly reduce competition,” he added.
Human rights and consumer groups have called on authorities to block the deal over privacy and antitrust concerns.
Australian regulator delays decision on Google-Fitbit merger
https://arab.news/jwkpk
Australian regulator delays decision on Google-Fitbit merger
- EU regulators last week approved the deal after Google promised to restrict user data
- Human rights and consumer groups have called on authorities to block the deal over privacy and antitrust concerns
Closing Bell: Saudi main index closes in red at 10,847
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index dipped on Wednesday, losing 58.51 points, or 0.54 percent, to close at 10,847.93.
The total trading turnover of the benchmark index was SR3.78 billion ($1 billion), as 73 of the listed stocks advanced, while 187 retreated.
The MSCI Tadawul Index decreased, down 7.09 points or 0.48 percent, to close at 1,472.98.
The Kingdom’s parallel market Nomu lost 178.75 points, or 0.77 percent, to close at 22,916.83. This comes as 30 of the listed stocks advanced, while 37 retreated.
The best-performing stock was the Power and Water Utility Co. for Jubail and Yanbu, with its share price surging by 8.47 percent to SR31.24.
Other top performers included Saudi Paper Manufacturing Co., which saw its share price rise by 6.13 percent to SR53.70, and Jamjoom Pharmaceuticals Factory Co., which saw a 4.58 percent increase to SR137.
On the downside, the worst performer of the day was CHUBB Arabia Cooperative Insurance Co., whose share price fell by 5.14 percent to SR17.53.
Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Co. and Arabian Internet and Communications Services Co. also saw declines, with their shares dropping by 4.87 percent and 4.43 percent to SR4.88 and SR181.40, respectively.
On the announcement front, Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Co. announced its annual financial results for 2025, with sales dropping 3.06 percent year-on-year to SR8.45 billion. The company also recorded a net loss of SR893.86 million.
In a Tadawul statement, the company said the net loss and decline in annual sales were driven by a drop in average selling prices, despite higher sales volumes.
