Telecom Shares Slide as Consumer Spending Worries Mount

Vivendi shares took a significant hit following a Paris court ruling that denied the family of investor Vincent Bollore de facto control over the French conglomerate. This decision effectively ended market speculation regarding an imminent full takeover, leaving the firm in a state of strategic uncertainty.

Simultaneously, major American carriers face a new threat from the sky. Analysts at Wells Fargo signaled that T-Mobile US, AT&T, and Verizon are bracing for increased competition as SpaceX prepares to expand its Starlink unit into mobile phone and broadband services, potentially disrupting the long-standing dominance of terrestrial networks.