At least one-third party in China has expressed its worries about Microsoft’s (NASDAQ:MSFT) planned $69 billion acquisition of videogame giant Activision (NASDAQ:ATVI).
The third party expressed its concerns to China’s antitrust regulator, the State Administration for Market Regulation, according to a Dealreporter item on Friday. The publication previously reported that two Chinese game operators, including Tencent (OTCPK:TCEHY), were supportive of the transaction.
The companies initially filed the transaction with SAMR in April under a “simplified procedure,” though they were forced to file it under normal procedure, media outlets reported in November.
China is the least worry of investors involved with the Activision/Microsoft deal as the transaction is already seeing extensive antitrust reviews and challenges in the U.S., UK and the European Union.
On Tuesday CNBC reported on speculation that Activision (ATVI) hired Morgan Stanley for activism defense. The Activision (ATVI) CFO told investors on Monday that the company could use its cash for a dividend, buybacks or even mergers & acquisitions, if a deal fails to close, according to CNBC.
On Tuesday PaRR reported that the European antitrust regulator is set to hold a hearing next week as part of its in-depth review of Microsoft’s (MSFT) planned $69 billion acquisition of Activision (ATVI).