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In brief President Trump has issued an Executive Order (the Order) directing the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to launch investigations into the U.S. food sector, focusing on potential price-fixing, other forms of criminal collusion, and non-criminal anticompetitive conduct. The Order creates new Food Supply Chain…

On 21 November 2025, Singapore announced targeted sanctions against four Israeli settlers for involvement in violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. The measures include financial restrictions and entry bans, with compliance enforced by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).
Key terms require financial institutions to freeze all funds and assets, prohibit any transactions or services, and ensure no resources are made available to the designated individuals. Non-financial businesses have no direct obligations, but any dealings routed through Singapore’s financial system will be blocked.
This action reflects Singapore’s growing use of autonomous sanctions as part of its foreign policy, signalling stricter enforcement against individuals linked to regional conflicts.

On 24 November 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a proposed settlement with RealPage Inc. over alleged antitrust violations tied to its rental pricing algorithms. The agreement, effective for seven years, includes no fines or admission of wrongdoing.
Key terms restrict RealPage to using data at least 12 months old, prohibit real-time lease data, and ban geographic modeling below the state level. The company must avoid identical pricing recommendations, remove features discouraging price cuts, and stop sharing nonpublic, forward-looking data. A court-appointed monitor will oversee compliance.
This settlement underscores DOJ’s focus on algorithmic collusion and AI-driven pricing practices.

On 6 October 2025, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that California enacted a series of laws that included an amendment to California’s antitrust statute, the Cartwright Act. He declared that the series of bipartisan legislation “further protects families by creating stronger consumer protections and increasing affordability.” Specifically, the antitrust amendment prohibits the use or distribution of “common pricing algorithms” that rely on competitor data or facilitate coordinated pricing. Two days later, Governor Newsom signed a second bill into law dramatically increasing penalties for Cartwright Act violations—raising corporate criminal fines, individual criminal fines, and giving courts discretion to apply civil penalties for misconduct.

On 16 April 2024, the Trade Remedy Authority (TRA) of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) received a petition for an antidumping investigation (AD) regarding ceramic and porcelain tiles originating from India. The petitioners include nine companies representing domestic manufacturers. On 18 August 2025, the MOIT issued Decision No. 2333/QD-BCT to officially conduct the antidumping investigation with a case code of AD23. After that, on 25 August 2025, the TRA issued Notice No. 131/TB-PVTM regarding the issuance of a questionnaire for sampling foreign manufacturers/exporters in the AD23 case.

The Ninth Circuit dismissed antitrust claims against Las Vegas hotels and software provider Cendyn, ruling that independent use of algorithmic pricing tools doesn’t constitute unlawful price-fixing under the Sherman Act. The court found no coordinated conduct or restraint of trade, diverging from the DOJ’s broader interpretation. While businesses may adopt pricing algorithms, they must avoid collusion. The decision sets key boundaries for antitrust liability in the context of AI-driven pricing strategies.

The 2025 Export Block Exemption, introduced by South Africa’s Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, provides a five-year legal framework allowing firms to coordinate strategically in export markets — such as through joint marketing, logistics, and infrastructure development without breaching competition laws. Aimed at countering rising global tariffs and trade barriers, the exemption includes strict safeguards against anti-competitive conduct and mandates the inclusion of historically disadvantaged persons (HDPs) and SMMEs in all agreements. By enabling collective action, the exemption seeks to enhance the global competitiveness of South African exports while promoting inclusive economic participation.

At the Annual Compliance conference recently held in London, the session on ‘Supply chains – Navigating ESG and Trade-related Risks’ examined the intensifying ESG and trade-related risks facing global supply chains, shaped by shifting political priorities and evolving regulatory frameworks.

In February 2025, the European Commission presented its “Omnibus” package aiming to delay application as well as simplify certain obligations under the CSRD, CSDDD and the EU Taxonomy with the ultimate goal of reducing administrative burden and thus addressing concerns that the rules would hamper European competitiveness (see our summary of the Omnibus here). Following the approval of the “stop the clock” Directive, which delays application of the CSRD and CSDDD for certain companies, the EU institutions are now focusing efforts on the substantive proposal to simplify and streamline certain obligations under these rules. In parallel, the EU Commission is also working to publish updates to the EU Taxonomy.