Activision Blizzard to be removed from Nasdaq indexes ahead of Microsoft takeover
Call of Duty publisher will be replaced by another company before markets open on Monday, July 17
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[Correction: This article originally stated Activision Blizzard will be delisted from the Nasdaq stock exchange. This is incorrect. Instead, it is being removed from the listed indexes due to the Microsoft acquisition being deemed "highly probable" and likely to have an adverse "effect on the integrity of the index," according to Nasdaq's methodology.
In preparation for its proposed acquisition by Microsoft, Activision Blizzard will be removed from four Nasdaq indexes.
The announcement by Nasdaq, spotted by Eurogamer, confirmed the publisher will be removed from the Nasdaq-100 Index, the Nasdaq-100 Equal Weighted Index, the Nasdaq-100 Ex-Tech Sector Index and the Nasdaq-100 ESG Index.
The Call of Duty firm will be replaced by digital marketing agency The Trade Desk before markets open on Monday, July 17.
The move follows the Federal Trade Commission's failed attempt to block the acquisition ahead of its administrative hearing in August.
On Tuesday, a US District Court judge ruled in Microsoft's favour, meaning the company is permitted to complete the transaction in the US ahead of its July 18 deadline. The FTC has now filed an appeal against this decision.
If the deal is not completed before July 18, Microsoft must pay a $3 billion fee to Activision Blizzard and renegotiate the deal.
According to the Xbox firm, 39 countries have approved the merger, including the EU. The key sticking point remains the UK, which blocked the deal earlier this year, although Microsoft is currently preparing proposals for a modified acquisition that will address regulator concerns.
You can keep track of Microsoft's ongoing efforts to acquire Activision Blizzard in our extensive primer.