What is any effort made by competitors to establish a fixed rate or price known as?

The term that describes the effort made by competitors to establish a fixed rate or price is known as price fixing. Price fixing occurs when businesses in the same industry collude to set prices at a predetermined level, rather than allowing competition in the marketplace to determine prices through supply and demand. This practice is illegal under antitrust laws because it undermines free competition and can lead to higher prices for consumers. It is a serious violation that can result in significant penalties for the companies involved.

Title fixing, while it may sound similar, refers to a specific aspect of real estate dealing with ownership information and does not pertain to pricing strategies. Rate stabilization and cost control concern different aspects of economic management and planning within businesses and do not directly refer to the illegal agreement between competitors regarding prices. Therefore, the correct understanding of the term price fixing is crucial for both legal compliance and ethical standards in business practices.