Prime Minister Boris Johnson and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said after a crisis call that they would 'go the extra mile' to find common ground in long-running talks. — Reuters pic
“Our negotiating teams have been working day and night over recent days,” said von der Leyen, reading a joint statement agreed with Johnson as their deadline yesterday passed, with sticking points on issues including fishing rights and fair trade regulations. “I’m afraid we’re still very far apart on some key things, but where there’s life there’s hope,” he said.
And OANDA’s Craig Erlam said: “It does seem like some progress is being made and with neither side willing to be the ones to call off the talks, a minute to midnight compromise looks likely. This is a negotiation after all and there’s nothing to be gained by showing your hand at this point.”Investors are keeping tabs on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers are still battling to hammer out a fresh stimulus for the beleaguered US economy, with hope they can reach a deal before the end of the year.
Still, the rollout of vaccines is keeping traders optimistic, even as surging infections force governments to impose strict containment measures, with Germany the latest to announce a lockdown.