Monday 19 July 2021 3:56 pm | Updated: Monday 19 July 2021 4:19 pm

Companies boosted by Covid rank among the worst market performers

The European Union has given British financial institutions more time to provide crucial clearing services to clients in the bloc

Companies boosted by the onset of the Covid crisis rank among the worst performers on the market over the last year.

Takeaway delivery company Just Eat Takeaway.com has benefitted from a surge in orders since the arrival of the virus as a result of Brits rushing to find substitutes to dining out during lockdowns.

However, the company is the worst performing share in the entire FTSE 100, plummeting 28.61 per cent.

Overall, the FTSE 100 rose 8.95 per cent over the last year.

Reckitt Benckiser, which houses Dettol, a disinfectant and antiseptic manufacturer, was among the top three worst performers, losing 15.89 per cent.

Demand for cleaning products has sharpened since the virus swept across the globe. Purchases of Dettol’s range is likely to remain elevated in the long run.

However, higher costs associated with scaling production is likely putting investors off the company’s stock.

Online grocer and middle-class favourite Ocado ranks as the fourth worst performer, down 15.06 per cent. The fall comes despite the pandemic triggering a widespread shift toward online food shopping.

Some companies are still reaping the rewards of the pandemic.

Covid has provided a boon for delivery company Royal Mail as a result of households scaling up online shopping due to store closures. Its share price is up over 200 per cent this year.

Similarly, consumers seeking to pass the time whilst being stuck for long periods at home has boosted bookmaker Entain. The company’s share price has risen 106.98 per cent annually.

Lockdowns have provided a windfall for retail group Kingfisher, which houses the home improvement store B&Q – its share price is up 60.4 per cent over the last year.

Households across the UK have sought to revamp their home’s to make lockdowns more bearable. Consumers are likely to have diverted money set aside for holidays toward re-decorating properties.

Investors will be keeping a close eye on whether changes to consumer behaviour persist after England moved to lift all remaining Covid restrictions on Monday.