Berkshire Hathaway, led by renowned investor Warren Buffett, has long held the distinction of being the most expensive stock in the world. Its value has experienced robust growth over the past year, with only occasional periods of slowdown.

On July 17, Berkshire Hathaway stock reached its second-highest point in the past year, soaring to an astonishing $523,500 per share. Earlier that day, it even peaked at a staggering $524,820. This impressive performance reflects the stable and considerate approach for which Buffett is renowned.

In the midst of Berkshire Hathaway's remarkable stock growth, Mr Buffett yesterday made his stance clear on one of the most significant mergers and acquisitions of the year—the proposed acquisition of North American gaming company Activision Blizzard by Microsoft as late yesterday evening it emerged that Berkshire Hathaway sold 70% of its stake in Activision Blizzard.

This high-profile deal, estimated at $68 billion, has sparked controversy and faced scrutiny from US authorities. Concerns have been raised that the merger would create the largest gaming company in the world, potentially violating competition rules and pushing out games made for rival industry giants like Nintendo and Sony PlayStation due to its sheer size.

Despite the controversy, Microsoft strategists and lawyers have shown shrewdness in pursuing the deal. The company likely would not have pursued the acquisition without some confidence in obtaining regulatory approval.

Last week, Microsoft won a court battle against the US competition regulator, granting it permission to proceed with the merger. However, in Britain, the deal remains under scrutiny by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which considers it monopolistic and has yet to change its stance.

What events will affect the market going forward?

It is of great interest that Berkshire Hathaway has demonstrated a bearish view toward Activision Blizzard in light of the proposed merger, the sudden sale of such a large stake indicating a lack of confidence in the firm's future prospects should the merger with Microsoft proceed. The fact that Berkshire Hathaway's stock prices continued to rise amidst this move suggests that investors share a similar sentiment.

The situation presents a captivating scenario not only for Berkshire Hathaway but also for Microsoft and Activision.

One possible consideration is that the overtly shrewd Berkshire Hathaway may have sold its stake at the top of the market in the pre-acquisition stage and could potentially acquire it again at a lower price if Activision is left without a buyer.

This uncertainty creates intriguing possibilities for the stock prices of all involved parties. The outcome of regulatory decisions by the CMA in Britain and market developments will ultimately shape the future of these investments.

Berkshire Hathaway's skyrocketing stock valuations, coupled with its divestment from Activision Blizzard ahead of the proposed merger with Microsoft, underscore the cautious approach of legendary investor Warren Buffett. The controversial Activision-Microsoft merger has faced regulatory hurdles, but recent legal victories for Microsoft in the US have provided a glimmer of hope for the deal, meaning that the valuations could go either way!

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