UK regulator launches Broadcom, VMware probe
United Kingdom's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched on Wednesday an inquiry into Broadcom Inc.'s proposed acquisition of VMware for around $61.8 billion. A decision in the first phase should be made by March 22, which could result in further investigations in phase 2.
The CMA announced in November that it is considering starting a probe and determining whether the merger "may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition within any market or markets in the United Kingdom for goods or services." The European Union opened its own probe in December, stating that it is concerned the transaction "would allow Broadcom to restrict competition in the market for certain hardware components which interoperate with VMware's software."