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Technology Stocks : How high will Microsoft fly? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: John F. Dowd who wrote (18769)	3/24/1999 9:12:00 PM
From: t2	Respond to of 74651

John, I think todays comments from both sides were "positive". Microsoft makes opening offer---States reject offer---that is great negotiations!!!! I am not kidding!! Makes both sides look good as they head into serious talks. Government's stance or PR is that we are being tough in enforcing anti-trust law and will not accept such an unreasonble offer. Microsoft gets to start with a minimal concession so they can meet in the middle. YUP---they are headed for an out of court settlement; maybe by the time the trial resumes but definately before a ruling. You can bet on that.

To: John F. Dowd who wrote (18769)	3/24/1999 9:25:00 PM
From: RTev	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 74651

I think you've presented the case in just the way Microsoft's management and lawyers see things: that Microsoft has not violated antitrust law. And that's why I doubt Microsoft is ready to make any kind of significant settlement offer. My reading of some of the testimony and of news reports about the case lead me to the conclusion that Microsoft did violate the law and will lose this case. But what's important is that the plaintiff lawyers seem to be convinced of that, and seem to believe they've presented a strong case. If they believe that, then they're unlikely to accept anything less than a settlement that causes some significant change in the way Microsoft does business. So I don't see much chance of a settlement. But I also agree with you, tech, Teflon and others that the trial is having virtually no effect on the price of the stock today. Once it gets over that 176 barrier, its price will have forgotten the correction made during the trial. I doubt we'll see a trial dip again until well after the restart of the trial. Even after the four rebuttal witnesses appear, it will take Jackson weeks to reach a verdict. Those will be the weeks during which serious settlement talks will be held. And those will also be the weeks when uncertainty leads to another short-term dip in the price.