businessTuesday, July 21, 2026
Regulatory and legal pressures are reshaping big business today. Oracle's credit rating was downgraded amid a data center legal battle, and a judge blocked the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger. Meanwhile, Anthropic's $1.5B copyright settlement was approved, signaling a new era for AI liability.
Two major deals hit roadblocks, and a landmark AI settlement was finalized.
Oracle's credit rating was cut to BBB- by S&P due to AI infrastructure spending outpacing revenue, and it's fighting Wisconsin regulators over data center financial requirements. The downgrade puts Oracle just above junk status.
A federal judge temporarily blocked the $110 billion Paramount-Warner Bros. merger after 12 states sued, arguing it would create a media monopoly. The ruling is a major setback for both companies.
A U.S. judge approved Anthropic's $1.5 billion settlement of a class action copyright lawsuit over AI training data. It's one of the largest AI copyright settlements and sets a precedent for how AI companies handle intellectual property.
Alphabet's new AI chip lifted shares, while Netflix's drop and Oracle's downgrade show the market's mixed mood.
Alphabet shares rose 2.8% after news of a new internal AI chip called 'Frozen v2,' which Google engineers say could be up to 10 times more energy-efficient. The gain added billions to the net worth of co-founders Page and Brin.
Netflix reported solid Q2 results with 13% revenue growth, but the stock dropped 7% to near its 52-week low. The stock has lost over 40% in the past year, trading at 22 times profits, raising questions about market sentiment vs. fundamentals.
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