Here is a rundown of Cheddar News' top market stories of the day.
BED BATH & BEYOND SEEKS BUYER
Bed Bath & Beyond is reportedly in talks with a number of potential buyers and lenders to help pull the retailer back from the brink of bankruptcy. The goal is to find a buyer that will keep the Bed Bath & Beyond name, as well as its buybuy Baby chain. Funding-wise, the company is seeking $100 million to stave off bankruptcy, which could still occur in the coming weeks.
APPLE INTRODUCES NEW HOMEPOD
Apple has announced the second generation of the HomePod. The original was discontinued almost two years ago, and Apple is touting a number of improvements in the new version, from sound quality to the ability to send notifications when a smoke or carbon monoxide alarm goes off. The company is calling the product "groundbreaking," but one critic from The Verge noted that the new model was strikingly similar to the last one.
AMAZON FINED FOR WORKER VIOLATIONS
U.S. regulators have fined Amazon more $60,000 for violations of workplace safety law. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration charged the company with overworking its employees at warehouses in Deltona, Florida, Waukegan, Illinois, and New Windsor, New York. "Each of these inspections found work processes that were designed for speed but not safety, and they resulted in serious worker injuries," said Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker in a news release.
NEW TWITTER PLAN
Twitter Inc has announced a new $11 price for a Twitter Blue subscription per month and a cheaper annual plan as well. The price is the same for Android and iOS subscribers, despite the latter coming with higher app fees.
Disney content has gone dark on YouTube TV, leaving subscribers of the Google-owned live streaming platform without access to major networks like ESPN and ABC. That’s because the companies have failed to reach a new licensing deal to keep Disney channels on YouTube TV. Depending on how long it lasts, the dispute could particularly impact coverage of U.S. college football matchups over the weekend — on top of other news and entertainment disruptions that have already arrived. In the meantime, YouTube TV subscribers who want to watch Disney channels could have little choice other than turning to the company’s own platforms, which come with their own price tags.
President Donald Trump said he has decided to lower his combined tariff rates on imports of Chinese goods to 47% after talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on curbing fentanyl trafficking.
Universal Music Group and AI platform Udio have settled a copyright lawsuit and will collaborate on a new music creation and streaming platform. The companies announced on Wednesday that they reached a compensatory legal settlement and new licensing agreements. These agreements aim to provide more revenue opportunities for Universal's artists and songwriters. The rise of AI song generation tools like Udio has disrupted the music streaming industry, leading to accusations from record labels. This deal marks the first since Universal and others sued Udio and Suno last year. Financial terms of the settlement weren't disclosed.
