US authorities, for the first time, have warned that institutional investors could violate federal antitrust laws by using their stakes in competing companies to influence corporate strategies that harm competition. The Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission filed a brief in a Texas court concerning a lawsuit against BlackRock, State Street, and Vanguard, alleging they conspired to manipulate energy markets by reducing coal production under the guise of green energy policies. Both State Street and Vanguard dismissed the accusations as baseless, asserting their focus remains on the long-term interests of investors.
