Netflix feels the heat as pandemic boom fizzles

Netflix Inc (NFLX.O) shares lost more than a quarter of their value in premarket trading on Wednesday after the company reported its first drop in subscribers in a decade, leaving Wall Street questioning its growth in the face of fierce competition and post-pandemic viewer fatigue.
European stocks down, yen hits 20-year low as US hikes loom

European shares were lower on Tuesday, while yields on 10-year U.S. inflation-linked bonds were close to turning positive for the first time in two years, as the prospect of aggressive Fed tightening to rein in inflation kept investors on edge.
Trending now: Netflix’s forecast as competition heats up

Netflix Inc (NFLX.O) is expected to report its slowest quarterly revenue growth in nearly eight years on Tuesday, but the focus will be on its forecast in the run-up to new seasons of popular titles including “Stranger Things” and “Ozark”.
African startups drew record $5.2 billion in venture capital last year, industry group says

African start-ups attracted a record $5.2 billion in venture capital last year, bouncing back from a pandemic-induced dip in 2020 with a nearly five-fold increase in investments, according to data released by an industry group on Tuesday.
OPEC tells EU it’s not possible to replace potential Russian oil supply loss

OPEC told the European Union on Monday that current and future sanctions on Russia could create one of the worst ever oil supply shocks and it would be impossible to replace those volumes, and signalled it would not pump more.
Oil rises on OPEC warning and easing of Shanghai COVID curbs

Oil prices climbed on Tuesday as Shanghai’s relaxation of some COVID-19 restrictions eased concerns about Chinese demand and as OPEC warned it would be impossible to replace potential supply losses from Russia.
Euro slips vs dollar ahead of expected red-hot U.S. inflation

The euro fell on Tuesday unable to hold on to the post-French election gains, as the dollar held firm supported by high U.S. yields ahead of inflation data expected to reinforce bets of aggressive monetary tightening.
Sri Lanka unilaterally suspends external debt payments, says needs money for essentials

Sri Lanka’s central bank said on Tuesday it had become “challenging and impossible” to repay external debt, as it tries to use its dwindling foreign exchange reserves to import essentials like fuel.
Global bond sales to cross $10 trillion in 2022, S&P Global Ratings says

Global sovereign borrowing will reach $10.4 trillion in 2022, nearly a third above the average before the coronavirus pandemic, S&P Global Ratings said in a report.
Analysis: With capital markets jittery, private equity pounces to finance tech buyouts

When buyout firm Thoma Bravo LLC was seeking lenders to finance its acquisition of business software company Anaplan Inc (PLAN.N) last month, it skipped banks and went directly to private equity lenders including Blackstone Inc (BX.N) and Apollo Global Management Inc (APO.N). Within eight days, Thoma Bravo secured a $2.6 billion loan based partly on annual recurring revenue, one of the largest of its kind, and announced the $10.7 billion buyout. The Anaplan deal was the latest example of what capital market insiders see as the growing clout of private equity firms’ lending arms in financing leveraged buyouts, particularly of technology companies.