Google-related risks weigh on market sentiment

Investors are feeling uneasy about the possibility of Alphabet Inc., the parent company of Google, facing antitrust scrutiny. Alphabet's stock price fell by about 1% in pre-market trading after the U.S. Department of Justice told a federal judge that it is considering recommending that Google sell off parts of its business. If implemented, this would be a historic antitrust breakup. Kevin Thozet, a member of the investment committee at the French asset management company Carmignac, stated that while concerns about regulatory scrutiny of large tech companies have been around for some time, the actual possibility of a breakup is weighing on market sentiment. However, he downplayed the ultimate impact, stating that "ultimately, when we focus on the individual value of these separate business lines within Google, it will be more beneficial for investors."