4 ms·

"Most of the world’s disk drives are not able to be built because Thailand is underwater” Consolidation when supply is depressed is anticompetitive.

• wmf 15y ago
  This deal was decided months ago, as was the WD/HGST acquisition.
  • chalst 15y ago
    It's not clear to me where you're going with that observation.
    • wmf 15y ago
      Should they cancel an acquisition because of a temporary manufacturing problem? IMO the flooding shouldn't affect our thinking about whether these deal are competitive or anticompetitive.
      • chalst 15y ago
        When there are few suppliers, depressed demand makes it easy for oligopolists to behave like monopolists. Should they cancel the deal? Certainly their shareholders wouldn't like them to do it out of the kindness of their hearts. I do think that competition watchdogs should be looking at HD mfers very closely now.