News In Brief

FTC charges Detroit car dealers with conspiracy

The Federal Trade Commission charged Friday that more than 100 Detroit auto dealers conspired to close on nights and weekends, and that dealers who tried to open suffered threats and property damage. The commission charged that some dealers also conspired not to advertise car prices and says such actions violated federal antitrust laws.

The FTC alleged that these practices reduced consumers' ability to compare prices, limited competition, and hindered the ability of new dealers to sell their products aggressively and build market share.