Biden pledges to tackle monopolies, supply shortages as prices rise

President Joe Biden pledged on Thursday toroot out anti-competitive business practices and ease construction materials shortages andtransportation backups that are causing price hikes across the country.

“In the coming weeks, my administration will take steps to combat these supply pressures, starting with the construction materials and transportation bottlenecks, and building off the work we’re doing on computer chips,” Biden said in a speech at Ohio’s Cuyahoga Community College.

“We’re also announcing new initiatives to combat anti-competitive practices that hurt small businesses and…