Showing results for: “price gouging”
The pro bono problem
Law Blog notes, reporting on the AmLaw A-List issue, that last year, as AmLaw 100 firms enjoyed solid profitability growth overall, their pro bono output declined. Many lawyers, it appears, were too busy representing paying clients to counsel non-paying ones. * * * AmLaw. . . reports a 10.8% decline in the average number of ... The pro bono problem
Ralph Nader, investor
So how is Ralph Nader, the former scourge of GM and all things corporate, doing with his retirement fund? The WSJ takes a peak: In 2000, his Cisco stake was valued at $1 million, about one-third of his $3 million portfolio. As Cisco’s share price swooned in the years that followed, it has represented a ... Ralph Nader, investor
Debiasing: Firms Versus Administrative Agencies
Daniel Kahnemann and co-authors discuss, in the most recent issue of the Harvard Business Review (HT: Brian McCann), various strategies for debiasing individual decisions that impact firm performance. Much of the advice boils down to more conscious deliberation about decisions, incorporating awareness that individuals can be biased into firm-level decisions, and subjecting decisions to more ... Debiasing: Firms Versus Administrative Agencies
Predatory Output Reduction?
The conventional predation claim involves a monopolist reducing price and increasing output. Here’s a creative theory involving a claim that a decision to close down factories injures competition: A federal judge in Texas is hearing testimony from farmers who contend that poultry producer Pilgrim’s Pride closed plants and ran them out of business to manipulate ... Predatory Output Reduction?
Cheap Donuts, Expensive Broccoli and Soda Taxes
David Leonhardt’s NY Times column laments the fact that the price of healthful foods has increased relative to unhealthful foods. He presents this useful chart: The fact that relative prices have changed is often invoked in support of various “fat taxes,” e.g. consider the recent salvo of proposed soda taxes (For example, here and here). ... Cheap Donuts, Expensive Broccoli and Soda Taxes
Brantley and its Implications for the Proposed Consumer Choice Antitrust Standard
Thom‘s excellent post highlights the Ninth Circuit’s recent decision in Brantley and describes its implications both in terms of rejecting Professor Elhauge’s claim that metering ties and mere surplus extraction amount to competitive harm for the purposes of antitrust and also for the future of the quasi-per se rule of tying. Thom, in my view ... Brantley and its Implications for the Proposed Consumer Choice Antitrust Standard
What’s really motivating the pursuit of Google?
I have an op-ed up at Main Justice on FTC Chairman Leibowitz’ recent comment in response the a question about the FTC’s investigation of Google that the FTC is looking for a “pure Section Five case.” With Main Justice’s permission, the op-ed is re-printed here: There’s been a lot of chatter around Washington about ... What’s really motivating the pursuit of Google?
Of Small Dealers and Worthy Men, South Korea Antitrust Edition
The South Korea Fair Trade Commission has begun an investigation of the Hyundai Motor Group surrounding allegations that Hyundai has, as the WSJ reports, “forced its auto parts suppliers to lower product prices.” The story comes on the heels of a related fine of 1.6 trillion won ($1.48 billion). What really jumps out in the ... Of Small Dealers and Worthy Men, South Korea Antitrust Edition
Manne on insider trading as compensation
Henry Manne has a new version of the arguments he’s been making for years for insider trading as an efficient compensation mechanism. It’s Entrepreneurship, Compensation, and the Corporation. Here’s the abstract: This paper revisits the concept of entrepreneurship, which is frequently neglected in mainstream economics, and discusses the importance of defining and isolating this concept ... Manne on insider trading as compensation
Ninth Circuit Moves Tying Doctrine in the Right Direction. Will SCOTUS Follow?
The Ninth Circuit recently issued a decision that pushes the doctrine governing tying in the right direction. If appealed, the decision could provide the Roberts Court with an opportunity to do for tying what its Leegin decision did for resale price maintenance: reduce error costs by bringing an overly prohibitory liability rule in line with economic learning. First, some ... Ninth Circuit Moves Tying Doctrine in the Right Direction. Will SCOTUS Follow?
Betting against the market on lawsuits
Ted Frank’s making a big play on Wal-Mart. He’s very confident that Wal-Mart v. Dukes will result in a reversal of the class certification in the enormous multi-billion dollar class action against it. But the things that make me confident in that result—the briefs, the tenor of the oral argument, the language in AT&T Mobility ... Betting against the market on lawsuits
Gretchen Morgenson’s latest scandal
Gretchen Morgenson (with Louise Story), in today’s front-page NYT “newsatorial” reports on and complains about the fact that the SEC’s civil case against Goldman’s Fabrice Tourre (“Fabulous Fab”) in connection with the Abacus deal has not been accompanied by other civil and criminal prosecutions. The story notes that Tourre worked closely with others at Goldman ... Gretchen Morgenson’s latest scandal
