London’s stock market declined 0.4 per cent as investors digested news on the latest Covid-19 restrictions that will be imposed after England’s current four-week partial lockdown ends next week. ― Reuters pic
In the eurozone, both Paris and Frankfurt shed less than 0.1 per cent, shrugging off a broadly positive session in Asia that followed this month’s vaccine-fuelled markets rally. “There is always a certain weariness about European markets on Thanksgiving Day, knowing that they are almost certainly condemned to a directionless session with little volume and not much movement,” said analyst Chris Beauchamp at trading firm IG.
Most Asian stocks rose but traders moved cautiously, with an eye on rising virus infections that are forcing governments to impose containment measures across the globe. Minutes from the Federal Reserve’s latest policy meeting warned that the country’s recovery would be tougher without a new stimulus package.
“The Fed minutes did not directly hint at more bond buying in December but given the Covid-19 spike and lack of a fiscal response, it is still looking very likely.”