US: Microsoft case may be closing in on a settlement

Microsoft and the government may be closer to settling their landmark antitrust case amid word that the trial judge could rule as early as tomorrow, legal experts say.

US District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson on Tuesday called representatives from the government and the software giant to his chambers to see how far settlement talks have progressed, according to reports in The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post today. Legal experts have long speculated that Jackson would call both sides together shortly before his ruling to determine how far settlement talks had progressed.

Reports indicate that both sides have softened their respective positions for a possible settlement. The government has backed away from demands that the software giant be broken up, while Microsoft is now more willing to accept restrictions on how it manages its business.

Microsoft shares soared on the news, making the stock one of the most heavily traded issues on the Nasdaq market, gaining more than 6 percent in early trading.

Full Content: ITB News

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