The Rise of Common Ownership

When the same big investors buy stakes in multiple competing companies, are those firms still competitors? When they practically have the same owner, do they set their prices differently? Do they lose their drive to innovate?

This is not a thought experiment. It’s real and widespread—a phenomenon known as common ownership. Is common ownership just smart investing, or is it reducing competition and driving up costs? And what, if anything, should be done about it?

To explain, host Curt Nickisch speaks to Florian Ederer, Allen and Kelli Questrom Professor in Markets, Public Policy & Law at BU Questrom.

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