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 Netflix increased subscription prices for some streaming plans in the United States, Britain and France on Wednesday as it shattered expectations for new customers, sending its shares surging 13%. Almost 9 million subscribers joined Netflix around the globe in the third quarter, surpassing Wall Street analysts' forecast for 6 million, according to LSEG. Netflix said it expected a similar number of additions in the current quarter. The strong performance showed Netflix was thriving despite Hollywood labor tensions that shut down a large swath of US production. Netflix makes many of its shows and movies overseas, which accounted for the bulk of its new sign-ups. Netflix pointed to the global success of "One Piece," a live-action adaptation of the venerable Japanese manga series and an example of its hefty investment in stories with local resonance that Travel the world. The streaming giant also attracted new audiences to long-running television shows, ...

Meta Platforms Inc cut the prices of its virtual reality headset s in hopes of stirring demand for its VR hardware, as its bold bets on the metaverse have struggled to make a big splash. Its flagship Meta Quest Pro will retail for $999, down from its launch  price of $1,499, and Quest 2 256 GB version for $429 from $499, Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said in a broadcast on its social media platform Instagram on Friday. The company called out lower Quest 2 sales as the reason behind a 17% drop in fourth-quarter revenue at its Reality Labs unit, which includes VR-related offerings. The division lost $13.7 billion last year and over $10 billion in 2021. Meta is facing heat from investors for pouring money into metaverse that has not reaped benefits as expected. Late last year, the company launched Quest Pro, positioning it as its most-advanced VR headset with capabilities to push the use-cases further. Quest Pro, with its outward-facing cameras that capture 3D l...