ANTITRUST

 Antitrust laws are regulations that promote competition and protect consumers by limiting the market power of individual firms and preventing anticompetitive practices[1][6]. In the United States, antitrust laws exist at both the federal and state levels and are enforced by agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ)[1][3].

The three core federal antitrust laws in the United States are:

- The Sherman Antitrust Act: This law, passed in 1890, prohibits specific conduct deemed anticompetitive, such as agreements to fix prices or divide markets (Section 1) and monopolization or attempts to monopolize a market (Section 2)[1][4].

- The Clayton Act: Enacted in 1914, the Clayton Act regulates mergers and acquisitions, complemented by guidelines published by the DOJ and the FTC[4]. It also prohibits certain anticompetitive practices, such as tying arrangements and exclusive dealing contracts[1].

- The Federal Trade Commission Act: This law, also passed in 1914, created the FTC and prohibits unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices that affect commerce[1].

State antitrust laws often parallel the federal laws and aim to prevent anticompetitive behavior within individual states[4]. The primary goal of antitrust laws is to protect the process of competition for the benefit of consumers, ensuring strong incentives for businesses to operate efficiently, keep prices down, and maintain quality[1][2].

Citations:

[1] ftc

[2] ftc

[3] justice

[4] cornell

[5] wikipedia

[6] investopedia