Paramount Makes Hostile Bid for Warner Bros. Discovery | Bloomberg Tech 12/8/2025

President Trump has granted Nvidia permission to sell its H200 artificial intelligence chips to approved customers in China, lifting a previous export ban due to national security concerns. This decision includes a 25% surcharge on sales, marking a significant policy shift in U.S.-China tech relations.

Paramount Skydance has made a hostile bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery for $30 per share, a move that follows Netflix's recent agreement to purchase Warner Bros. Discovery for approximately $72 billion. Ross Gerber, CEO of Gerber Kawasaki, discussed this competitive landscape on Bloomberg Tech, highlighting his decision to sell his stake in Paramount Skydance while retaining his investment in Netflix.

Warner Bros. Discovery is facing antitrust scrutiny as both Netflix and Paramount Skydance have made significant bids to acquire the company, raising questions about market definition amid a shift towards user-generated content. Jennifer Huddleston from the Cato Institute discussed these concerns on Bloomberg Tech.

Andrew Ferguson, the chairman of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), has utilized the agency's consumer protection mandate to pursue investigations aligned with the interests of President Trump and his supporters. This approach reflects a shift in the FTC's focus under Ferguson's leadership, particularly in relation to issues that resonate with the Trump administration's agenda.

IBM has announced its acquisition of Confluent, a data-streaming platform, for approximately $11 billion, which is about 34% higher than its previous share price. This strategic move is aimed at bolstering IBM's data infrastructure and analytics capabilities, particularly in the realm of real-time data processing and artificial intelligence services.

Netflix has announced plans to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery for $82.7 billion, marking a significant shift in its strategy from building content to acquiring established studios. This deal is expected to enhance Netflix's library of popular movies and TV shows, including iconic franchises like Batman and Game of Thrones.

US equity futures have risen as the Federal Reserve prepares for a two-day monetary policy meeting, while Nvidia's shares have gained following President Trump's approval for the company to sell its H200 AI chips in China. This marks a significant policy shift, ending previous restrictions due to national security concerns.

At the Defending the Digital Economy event in New York, Rich Baich from AT&T, Rosa Bolger from IBM, and Alan Rosa from CVS Health discussed strategies for staying ahead of cyber threats, emphasizing the importance of proactive measures in cybersecurity.