Here comes the judge – MS verdict due tonight

MS on Trial Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson is to issue his findings of law after the US markets close tonight, around 5pm Eastern time (21:00 GMT). Jackson had originally intended to deliver his verdict last Tuesday, but had agreed a delay while mediation talks continued. Following the collapse of the talks on Saturday, however, any delay became pointless. Microsoft's stock has been taking a hammering in the markets today, and news of the imminence of the verdict will probably hit it some more, as people sell while they've still got the chance. We at The Register are almost inclined to buy some - if we did that sort of thing, of course. All that's going to happen today is that the judge will say which laws he reckons the company has broken, and then the case will proceed to the remedies stage. Microsoft will of course appeal, and there will be plenty more scope for settlement talks; it'll likely be quite some time before something seriously bad happend to Microsoft, and at some point on the way to that, the stock is likely to be seriously undervalued. Buy Bill? There's no rush yet, but look out for the right opportunity. ® Complete Register Trial Coverage