Cisco has agreed to buy software company NDS for US$5 billion to increase its presence in the video communications market, a deal that requires antitrust clearance in the US and other jurisdictions.

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Patent-pool owner Cascades Computer Innovation has filed an antitrust suit in the US, accusing Motorola, HTC, Samsung, LG Electronics and Dell of conspiring to obtain patent licensing under better terms.

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has withdrawn its administrative complaint against powder paint rivals Graco and Illinois Tool Works in favour of trying to reach a settlement agreement over the companies’ proposed merger.

A federal jury has convicted AU Optronics and two of its executives of colluding with its rivals to fix the price of liquid crystal display (LCD) monitors, securing a significant victory for the US Department of Justice’s antitrust division and leaving the company facing a potential US$1 billion fine.

US mining group Molycorp last week announced plans to acquire Canadian rare earth processor Neo Material Technologies for C$1.3 billion (€996 million). The merger will combine the owner of the largest rare-earth deposit outside of China with a leading rare earth processing technology company.

Thomas Rosch, commissioner at the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), says he plans to remain at the agency until a new commissioner is nominated and confirmed to take his place, even if that occurs after his current term expires in September.

The US Department of Justice is close to filing antitrust lawsuits against technology company Apple and five of the country’s largest book publishers unless the companies agree to alter their model for selling electronic books, press reports indicate.

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) yesterday ordered Verizon Wireless to uncensor documents relating to its deals with cable companies, following requests by companies including T-Mobile and Sprint.

US Federal Trade Commission officials have this week defended the agency against potential deep budget cuts and the loss of its landmark headquarters on Pennsylvania Avenue.

The US Department of Justice’s antitrust division has told a New York federal court that it should not require financial services company Morgan Stanley to admit liability in an antitrust case before approving the company’s settlement with the government.

T-Mobile and Sprint Nextel have asked the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to ‘stop the clock’ on its review of Verizon Wireless’s bid to buy US$3.6 billion in wireless spectrum, seeking full disclosure of the deals the company has made with cable operators.

China and the US have imposed more structural commitments on the US$4.5 billion merger between Western Digital and Hitachi, with China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) taking the tougher stance and ordering to keep the two businesses separate for at least two years.

A US appeals court has overturned a lower court’s ruling and reinstated a lawsuit claiming that copper products company Outokumpu and its affiliates conspired to fix the price of copper tubing sold in the US.

Arnold & Porter LLP has promoted antitrust specialist Ryan Watts to counsel in the firm’s Washington, DC, office, the firm announced this week.