Google Stock Sink 4% on Alphabet EU Antitrust Risks, Sellers Target $144

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Google parent Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL) saw its stock slump nearly 4% on Friday as mounting antitrust scrutiny in Europe and competitive pressure from Apple rattled investor confidence.

Sharp Friday Sell-Off

Alphabet shares were among the biggest losers in Friday’s trading session, falling 4.06% to close at $166.64. The stock had opened at $173.95 and plunged to as low as $164.46 intraday before partially recovering.

This marks another volatile day for Alphabet following a turbulent June that saw its shares drop by 10% at one point, wiping out more than $200 billion in market capitalization. The recent weakness underscores growing investor anxiety around Alphabet’s future regulatory exposure and potential disruptions to its advertising and search dominance.

Google Stock Chart Weekly – The Bounce Higher Seems to Be Over

EU Antitrust Pressure Mounts

A major catalyst for the recent selloff has been Alphabet’s ongoing conflict with European regulators. According to newly released documents, Google has proposed further changes to its search engine results to avoid a potentially massive fine from the European Commission.

The proposed adjustments come in response to accusations that Google has violated the Digital Markets Act (DMA) by favoring its own services—such as Google Shopping, Google Flights, and Google Hotels—at the top of search results, thereby disadvantaging rival offerings.

Under the latest plan, Google would offer equal visibility to vertical search services (VSS) selected on objective, non-discriminatory criteria. These third-party results would appear in a dedicated box with identical features and design to Google’s own listings.

Still, regulators and competitors argue that the proposed changes fall short of ensuring fair competition. A hearing is scheduled for July 8 to assess the sufficiency of Google’s compliance efforts.

Apple and DOJ Add to Alphabet’s Headaches

Alphabet’s legal and market challenges are not limited to Europe. In early June, Apple hinted that it might remove Google Search as the default in its Safari browser—potentially replacing it with an AI-powered alternative. That announcement alone triggered a 10% drop in Alphabet’s stock price and revived long-standing concerns about its overreliance on search advertising revenue.

Simultaneously, the U.S. Department of Justice is intensifying its antitrust investigation into Google’s ad dominance, with court proceedings expected to unfold later this year. Together, these pressures have raised questions about Alphabet’s competitive edge and long-term growth.

Conclusion: Alphabet is navigating a period of heightened uncertainty, as regulatory risks in both the U.S. and Europe converge with emerging threats from major tech rivals like Apple. While the stock remains one of the strongest in the tech sector over the long term, near-term turbulence is likely to persist until greater clarity emerges on regulatory outcomes and market realignments. Investors will be closely watching the July 8 EU hearing and future developments with Apple.

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Skerdian Meta

Lead Analyst

Skerdian Meta Lead Analyst. Skerdian is a professional Forex trader and a market analyst. He has been actively engaged in market analysis for the past 11 years. Before becoming our head analyst, Skerdian served as a trader and market analyst in Saxo Bank's local branch, Aksioner. Skerdian specialized in experimenting with developing models and hands-on trading. Skerdian has a masters degree in finance and investment.

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