A federal judge cleared the way for US telco AT&T’s blockbuster merger with Time Warner, rejecting antitrust concerns raised by the US government and setting the stage for a flurry of deal-making in the tech, media and telecoms sectors. The US$84.5bn cash-and-stock deal will create a vertically integrated TMT powerhouse, combining Time Warner and its vast trove of properties, which include cable TV unit CNN and premium pay channel HBO, with AT&T, the parent company of satellite TV broadcaster DirecTV. US District Court Judge Richard Leon issued a “sound and proper rejection” of...

The US has lifted a ban on ZTE that prohibited the Chinese telecoms giant from buying parts from American suppliers – a stunning about-face that may have far-reaching implications for other companies entangled in trade battles related to national security. The primary beneficiary of the move may be Chinese smartphone maker Huawei, which could find...