Two of the highest-quality stocks investors can own are Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) and Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL). Soaring inflation and rising interest rates were the key drivers of this latest decline, as traders worried about whether consumers would have less spending power and impact many businesses' financial performance. The deal would open the door to new opportunities for the Xbox platform, but the government is concerned it will harm the competitive landscape in the gaming industry by making Microsoft too dominant.