Microsoft Plans Appeal of $2.8B UK Lawsuit as Shares Rise 1.5% to $424.16

Microsoft must face a $2.8 billion (£2.1 billion) UK mass lawsuit certified by London's Competition Appeal Tribunal on April 21, 2026, alleging overcharges on Windows Server licenses for rival clouds like AWS and Google Cloud, affecting nearly 60,000 businesses. The tribunal deemed the claim has 'reasonable prospects of success,' prompting Microsoft to plan an appeal amid separate UK CMA probes. Coverage intensified on April 22 with confirmations of the class-action trial. Shares climbed 1.46% to $424.16, with pre-market gains of 0.59%, showing muted reaction relative to Microsoft's $3.15 trillion market cap.