Alphabet, Apple Stock Soars After Judge Says Chrome Sale Not Required

Sep 3 - Alphabet GOOGL jumped on Wednesday, rising more than 7%, as investors reacted to a favorable antitrust ruling. A federal judge decided Google would not be forced to divest its Chrome browser, which remains the dominant player in global web traffic.

Instead, the ruling requires Google to share more search data with rivals and restricts exclusive contracts, but stops short of the harsher breakup prosecutors sought.

The decision also carries implications for Apple AAPL, which receives roughly $20 billion annually from Google for default search placement on its devices. Apple stock climbed about 3% after hours, with traders betting the financial arrangement will remain intact despite new limitations.

Google still faces legal battles on multiple fronts. Later this month, the Department of Justice will press its case over alleged monopolies in advertising technology, while Google continues to appeal rulings related to its Play Store practices. CEO Sundar Pichai has warned that sharing too much data could let competitors reverse-engineer Google's systems, signaling the company's intent to fight aggressively in court.

The latest outcome reassures investors in the near term but underscores the regulatory uncertainty that continues to shadow Big Tech.