Seeking Alpha’s roundup of statements, announcements, and remarks that could impact markets, sectors, or individual stocks.
- U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren said that Netflix’s (NFLX) proposed $72 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery’s (WBD) studio and streaming operations was an “anti-monopoly nightmare” that would end up hurting consumers.
“This deal looks like an anti-monopoly nightmare. A Netflix-Warner Bros. would create one massive media giant with control of close to half of the streaming market—threatening to force Americans into higher subscription prices and fewer choices over what and how they watch, while putting American workers at risk,” Warren said in a statement.
Under the deal, Netflix will acquire Warner Bros. studios, the HBO network, and their accompanying content libraries. WBD intends to proceed with previous plans to spin out its TV networks, including CNN and TNT, into a separate company.
Netflix had been in a bidding war for WBD’s assets with Paramount Skydance (PSKY) and Comcast (CMCSA).
- The Pentagon has reportedly told European officials that it expects Europe to assume most of NATO’s defense capabilities, including intelligence and missiles, by 2027.
U.S. officials also said that if European members are unable to meet the deadline, the “U.S. may stop participating in some NATO defense coordination mechanisms”, according to Reuters, which cited sources with knowledge of the discussions.
Reuters added that some European officials view the 2027 deadline as unrealistic. It noted that some of the capabilities the U.S. provides, such as intelligence and surveillance, cannot be easily replaced and that much of the military equipment needed would take years to manufacture.