The Stock Surge of The Places It 235th in Trading Volume Ranking

The stock of The, a prominent player in the advertising and media industry, saw a significant surge on March 31, 2025, with a trading volume of 4.61 billion, marking a 244.41% increase from the previous day. This substantial rise placed The among the top performers in the stock market, ranking 235th in terms of trading volume for the day.

New Zealand's Commerce Commission has raised concerns about the proposed merger between Omnicom and Interpublic Group (IPG), which could consolidate media buying under a single entity. The commission expressed fears that the deal might reduce competition in New Zealand's advertising and media buying markets, potentially leading to higher prices, reduced service quality, or diminished innovation. While Omnicom and IPG argue that strong competition from other players will remain, the scrutiny from New Zealand could influence how other regulators worldwide assess the deal. With nearly 20 jurisdictions currently reviewing the merger, including the U.S., EU, and Australia, a challenge from New Zealand could complicate or delay global clearance. Submissions from interested parties are due by April 9, with a decision targeted for May 1.

Meta, Google, and other tech giants are seeking support from the Trump-led U.S. administration to push back against Australia’s News Media Bargaining Code. This code forces digital platforms to pay local publishers for using their content, redirecting about $200 million annually to Australian media companies. The tech companies claim the law is a “coercive and discriminatory tax” on U.S. firms, hoping Trump’s protectionist stance will support their cause. This leaves New Zealand media companies in limbo, as the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill has been put on hold to observe the outcome of similar Australian legislation.

If California lawmakers pass the AB 1355 bill this month, it could significantly restrict advertisers’ ability to use location data for targeted marketing. The bill would ban collecting or using consumers’ location information without explicit consent and prohibit selling or inferring data unless necessary to provide a requested service. Ad industry groups argue this would severely limit personalised advertising and make it harder and costlier for businesses to deliver relevant, local content. Privacy advocates, however, say the bill would protect Californians from data misuse and predatory targeting practices by data brokers. The bill’s broad definition of location data could have sweeping implications across the digital advertising ecosystem.