1. Shell knocks AstraZeneca off FTSE top spot
Shell is again the most valuable company in the FTSE 100, surpassing drug maker AstraZeneca, as the oil share has been bought up amid rising fuel prices.
2. What to make of US$3 trillion Apple?
But the largest blue chips in London still pale in comparison with the size of those in New York, with Apple now worth more than Walmart, Disney, Netflix, Nike, Exxon Mobil, Coca-Cola, Comcast, Morgan Stanley, McDonald’s, AT&T, Goldman Sachs, Boeing, IBM and Ford combined!
3. Pandemic spending boom for UK streaming
Spending on subscription streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and NowTV soared by 28% to £3.16bn in the UK last year.
4. FTSE flops
The FTSE 100 dropped around 66 points, or 0.89%, to close at 7,450.37
5. Next rewards investor loyalty with special dividend
Next binned regular dividends in 2020-21 as the Covid-19 pandemic took hold but it has made it up with two special payouts.
...and one for luck
The new boss at Greggs, Roisin Currie, has a hard act to follow as her predecessor steps down after almost a decade.