On the Price Effects of Horizontal Mergers: A Theoretical Interpretation
GATE Working Paper No. 1222
34 Pages
Posted: 17 Jul 2012
French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) - Institute of Economic Theory and Analysis (GATE); Université de la Réunion; University of Lyon 2
University of Manchester
There are 2 versions of this paper
Date Written: July 16, 2012
Abstract
Horizontal mergers are usually under the scrutiny of antitrust authorities due to their potential undesirable effects on prices and consumer surplus. Ex-post evidence, however, suggests that not always these effects take place and even relevant mergers may end up having negligible price effects. The analysis of mergers in the context of non-localized spatial competition may offer a further interpretation to the ones proposed in the literature: in this framework both positive and zero price effects are possible outcomes of the merger activity.
Keywords: horizontal mergers, price effects, spokes model
JEL Classification: D43, L11, L13
Suggested Citation:
Suggested Citation
Dargaud, Emilie and Reggiani, Carlo, On the Price Effects of Horizontal Mergers: A Theoretical Interpretation (July 16, 2012). GATE Working Paper No. 1222. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2109149 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2109149
