Wednesday newspaper round-up: FTSE, Just Eat, Netflix, Asda, European Super League
The FTSE 100 endured its worst day for two months yesterday as concerns about rising Covid-19 infections hit travel companies and the threat of new nicotine rules in the United States led to sharp falls for tobacco stocks. London’s main index was part of a global stock market sell-off, ending the day down 140.21 points, or 2 per cent, to 6,859.87. The fall pushed it back below the 7,000 point mark that it had broken through last week for the first time since February last year. - The Times
Just Eat is to offer 1,500 takeaway couriers in Liverpool minimum pay, sick pay and holiday pay by the end of the year as it shifts away from using independent contractors. The food delivery group, which recently began building its own courier network in the UK alongside putting customers in touch with takeaways that carry out their own delivery, said it would expand a worker model for couriers that it was already operating in London and Birmingham, where 2,000 riders had signed up. - Guardian
Netflix shares tanked as the streaming giant revealed it had signed up 12m fewer subscribers in the first three months of the year than in 2020, signalling the pandemic-induced box set binging boom may be coming to an end. The streaming giant booked revenues of $7.2bn (£5.2bn) but signed up just 4m new people, the lowest first quarter figure for four years, and shy of its 6m forecast made three months ago. - Telegraph
The competition watchdog has warned that the takeover of Asda by the billionaire Issa brothers and TDR, the buyout firm, could lead to higher prices at the pumps for motorists. The Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) said that the sale of the supermarket had raised “local competition concerns”, with car owners in some parts of Britain at risk of paying more to fill their tanks. Asda operates 323 petrol stations, while EG Group, which is owned by Mohsin and Zuber Issa and TDR, operates 395 forecourts. - The Times
The European Super League was collapsing on Tuesday night after all six English clubs dramatically signalled their intention to withdraw from the competition after being taken aback by the furious backlash from fans and the government. It left the £4.5bn league dead in the water less than 48 hours after it was launched, with Chelsea the first to go followed by Manchester City and then, shortly before 11pm, by Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham. - Guardian
Apple has made a push into paid-for podcasts, allowing users to subscribe to advertising free versions of the audio shows and intensifying its rivalry with Spotify. The iPhone maker announced that it would allow podcast creators to sell subscriptions through a redesigned app, with Apple itself taking a cut of up to 30pc, from next month. - Telegraph