- The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an investigation into three major hotel chains and a data analytics firm.
- Hilton, Marriott, InterContinental Hotels Group (owner of Holiday Inn), and CoStar are being probed over suspected collusion on pricing through the sharing of sensitive information.
- The investigation focuses on whether the companies used data analytics tools and algorithms to predict rivals' actions and coordinate pricing strategies.
- This probe is part of the CMA's wider effort to ensure that new technologies, such as pricing algorithms, support fair competition and are not misused.
- The CMA has stated that, at this preliminary stage, no assumptions should be made about whether any laws have been broken.
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