AUS
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USA
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US Markets: Broader indices in the United States traded on a mixed note - particularly, the S&P 500 index traded 12.84 points or 0.35 per cent higher at 3,700.10, Dow Jones Industrial Average Index surged by 150.85 points or 0.50 per cent higher at 30,166.36, and the technology benchmark index Nasdaq Composite traded lower at 12,801.23, down by 6.69 points or 0.05 per cent against the previous day close (at the time of writing, before the US market close at 10:45 AM ET).
US Market News: The major indices of Wall Street traded mixed amid ongoing worries over a new strain of Covid-19 pandemic spreading across the Europe. The Labor Department had reported 803,000 jobless claims, lower than the forecasted figure of 885,000. Among the gaining stocks, Palantir surged by almost 2.85% after the company received a drug contract worth US$44.4 million over three years. Apple stock grew by around 0.31% after the company revived its plans to launch a self-driving car by 2024. Pfizer stock gained around 0.24% riding on the news that it is on the verge of closing a deal with the US government to supply additional doses of its Covid-19 vaccine. Among the declining stocks, United Airlines Holdings shares dropped by about 0.46% despite its plans of bringing back furloughed employees. Shares of Interactive Brokers Group fell by around 0.07% after experiencing technical glitches on its trading platform.
US Stocks Performance*
European News: The London and European markets traded in the green due to positive investor sentiments around the Brexit deal. The UK government borrowing jumped to record levels of 240.9 billion pounds in the first eight months of this fiscal year. Among the gaining stocks, shares of Cairn Energy surged by 25.04% after it won a long-standing tax dispute with the Indian government. Whitbread gained by around 1.46% after the company asked its landlords regarding a 50% rent reduction for the next three months. Shares of British Land Company grew by 0.62% after the company sold a 75% interest in a portfolio to Allianz Real Estate for £401 million. Among the decliners, Sage Group fell by around 0.27% after the company sold its Asia and Australia units to the Access Group for £95 million. Shares of HSBC Holdings dropped the most on the FTSE-100 index.
European Indices Performance (at the time of writing):
FTSE 100 Index One Year Performance (as on 23 December 2020)
1 Year FTSE 100 Chart (Source: EODHD/Others, Thomson Reuters)
Top 3 Volume Stocks in FTSE 100*: Lloyds Banking Group Plc (LLOY); Barclays Plc (BARC); International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (IAG).
Top 3 Sectors traded in green*: Energy (2.02%), Financials (2.04%) and Real Estate (1.92%).
London Stock Exchange: Stocks Performance (at the time of writing)
Crude Oil Future Prices*: Brent future crude oil (future) price and WTI crude oil (future) price were hovering at $51.30/barrel and $48.19/barrel, respectively.
Gold Price*: Gold price was quoting at US$1,878.10 per ounce, up by 0.42% against the prior day closing.
Currency Rates*: GBP to USD: 1.3496; EUR to GBP: 0.9028.
Bond Yields*: US 10-Year Treasury yield: 0.955%; UK 10-Year Government Bond yield: 0.282%.
*At the time of writing
