Business briefs

By The Associated Press

Bluesky has added 1 million users since

U.S. election

LOS ANGELES | Social media platform Bluesky has gained 1 million new users in the week since the U.S. election. The social media site said Wednesday its total users have jumped to 15 million.

The platform championed by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey initially was an invitation-only space. But in February it opened to the public.

Across the platform, users have posted that they were looking for a new place to share their thoughts and engage with others online.

Just Eat Takeaway sells Grubhub for $650 million

NEW YORK | European food delivery giant Just Eat Takeaway.com is selling Grubhub for $650 million, a fraction of the billions it spent to buy the U.S. platform just three years ago.

Wonder Group, a New York-based food ordering company that touts “fast fine” dining, is set to be Grubhub’s new owner. Under terms of the deal, announced Wednesday, Wonder will acquire Grubhub from Just Eat Takeaway.com for $150 million in cash and $500 million in senior notes. That’s far less than than the pricetag on Grubhub’s last sale.

Back in 2020, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic and a surge in demand for takeout meals, Just Eat agreed to buy Grubhub for $7.3 billion — in a transaction that was later finalized in 2021.

NYC bans practice of tenants paying real estate brokers hired

by landlords

NEW YORK | Tenants searching for an apartment in New York City have long been forced to pay thousands of dollars to real estate brokers. That was true even if that person was hired by the landlord.

But a new bill passed Wednesday would shift those costs to landlords, bringing New York in line with most of the rest of the country. Renters are celebrating the change.

But brokers and landlords say it could have dire consequences for an industry that employs some 25,000 agents.

The bill passed by a vote of 42 to 8, a veto-proof margin. It takes effect in six months.

—From AP reports