mergers

U.S. District Court Judge Adrienne Nelson issued the ruling after holding a three-week hearing in Portland, Oregon.

A lawyer for supermarket chain Albertsons has told a federal judge that the company might have to lay off workers and close stores if its planned merger with Kroger isn’t allowed to proceed.

The Justice Department calls the ruling "a victory for American consumers" because the merger would have reduced competition in the health insurance market.

AT&T positions itself as the future competitor to cable, promising an era of experimentation and innovation. But consumer advocates raise a raft of concerns. Regulators will weigh both sides.

The two oilfield-services companies faced pressure from U.S. and European regulators concerned that a merger would stifle competition. The Justice Department filed suit in April to stop the deal.

AT&T Inc. and T-Mobile want to merge. Boards of the mobile giants agreed to a $39 billion deal, announced Sunday, according to TechFlash reporter Greg…