Friday newspaper round-up: Bitcoin, Asda, Pret, Buzzfeed

Bitcoin has been likened to Dante’s Inferno by the chairman of the Royal Bank of Scotland. As the digital currency surged towards $16,000, Sir Howard Davies suggested it should carry a similarly apocalyptic warning for investors. Davies, a former head of the UK’s top financial watchdog, called on the Bank of England and other authorities around the world to launch a coordinated warning against the digital currency. – Guardian

Businesses are struggling to find the skilled workers they need, stalling firms’ growth and holding up wage increases, jobs market data has revealed. Workers won permanent jobs at the quickest pace for three months in November, according to the Report on Jobs, compiled by IHS Markit on behalf of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation. - Telegraph

Hitachi could stop funding the development of a new nuclear plant on Anglesey unless the government agrees a viable financial support package by the middle of next year, the head of the project has warned. Duncan Hawthorne, chief executive of the Horizon venture, said that its Japanese owners had already spent £2 billion and would not keep “throwing a bottomless pit of cash at a project without some certainty it can get to a successful conclusion”. - The Times

More than half of the European Union’s 619 coal-fired power stations are losing money, according to a new report. As a result, the industry’s slow plans for shutdowns will lead to €22bn in losses by 2030 if the EU fulfils its pledge to tackle climate change, the report warns. - Guardian

An activist investor has taken a stake in TLA Worldwide, the troubled global sports management agency whose clients include the Olympians Sir Chris Hoy and Rebecca Adlington. Gatemore Capital Management has bought 6.6 per cent of the shares in the Aim-quoted group, which was plunged into turmoil in June after Donald Malter, the chief financial officer, stepped down amid allegations of the misappropriation of cash and the unauthorised transfer of funds totalling about $800,000. - The Times

Hammerson could be on the hook to pay £150,000 a year to Sir Donald Gordon, the South African property grandee behind the creation of Intu Properties, if its takeover of the rival business succeeds. The UK business behind centres such as the Bullring in Birmingham surprised the market this week when it announced a £3.4 billion all-share takeover of Intu Properties, which owns the Trafford Centre in Manchester. - The Times

More than 800 Asda jobs are at risk after it emerged the Walmart-owned supermarket has launched a consultation with stores over slashing management positions. The proposals, sent to stores three weeks ago, are thought to apply to every Asda store across the UK, with a couple of people in the "section leader" position to be affected from each store.- Telegraph

Sandwich and coffee chain Pret A Manger will open more stores at motorway service stations after striking a deal with Roadchef. The chain will open at Chester services on the M56 before Christmas and at Clacket Lane West on the M25 in the spring. - Telegraph

Universities are presiding over a “mis-selling” scandal which is leaving some graduates with a lower earning capacity than people who eschew degrees, a major report finds today. Graduates have an average debt of £50,000 but they have less consumer protection than other complex products such as financial services, according to the National Audit Office's review into the higher education market. - Telegraph

Digital news and entertainment outlet Buzzfeed is now planning to cut just under a third of its UK staff after falling short of revenue targets. Staff were told on Thursday that Buzzfeed was proposing to cut 45 roles, across commercial and editorial operations, from the total 140 staff based London. Of the 76 journalists at the bureau, 23 are said to be facing redundancy. – Telegraph