Alphabet Stock Surges as Google Avoids Forced Chrome Divestiture in Antitrust Ruling

Alphabet shares rallied more than 8% after a federal judge rejected demands to break up Google's Chrome browser business, marking a pivotal victory in the tech giant's antitrust battle. The ruling preserves Google's lucrative default search agreements, including its $20 billion annual payment to Apple for Safari placement.

Judge Amit Mehta's decision underscores the judiciary's cautious approach to structural remedies, emphasizing behavioral fixes instead. "Plaintiffs failed to demonstrate why Chrome divestiture was necessary," the opinion stated, while still requiring Google to share critical search data with competitors.

The outcome sent ripple effects through tech markets, with Apple gaining nearly 3% on sustained revenue assurances. Legal observers note the precedent may influence pending cases against Amazon and Meta, as courts increasingly distinguish between anticompetitive conduct and legitimate monopoly growth.