European stocks ended higher on Monday while US equities rose for a fourth day amid thin trading with the Irish and UK markets closed for a holiday.
Coronavirus infections have spiked across the globe over the weekend, with France reporting a daily record of more than 100,000 new cases. Equities in the region are having a bumpy end of year as market participants weigh economic prospects amid the spread of the new omicron variant and as central banks have turned more hawkish in response to surging inflation. With only a few sessions left in the year, Europe’s main index is up 22 per cent in 2021, and less than 1 per cent from its record high.
In the US, the SandP 500 headed toward another record close, with all major industry groups advancing. The tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 jumped more than 1 per cent, outperforming other benchmarks. The dollar weakened and the yen lagged peers. The two-year yield rose ahead of an auction while rates in the long end edged lower.“We like this, we love to see the Santa Claus rally continue,” Victoria Greene, founding partner and chief investment officer at G Squared Private Wealth, said on Bloomberg TV.
Megacap stocks contributed the most to the SandP 500 gains, with Microsoft and Meta Platforms, the Facebook parent company, among top performers. Tesla, headed for its biggest four-day gain since March.
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