OPENING CALL: The Australian share market is to open higher.
Australian Market
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 index ended the session down 1.7% to 6051.0, with every sector losing ground as the benchmark index posted a fourth straight loss for the first time in five weeks. Shares opened lower after U.S. stocks dropped on stimulus and coronavirus worries and continued falling to their lowest close since Oct. 7.
US Market
U.S. stocks wobbled after worries about the coronavirus pandemic sent markets tumbling to start the week.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.8%. The S&P 500 wavered for most of the day but finished 0.3% lower, and the Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.6%.
Commodities
Gold futures ended higher as data revealed a decline in consumer confidence over the U.S. jobs market and economy, boosting the precious metal’s haven appeal.
December gold for delivery on Comex tacked on $6.20, or 0.3%, to settle at $1,911.90 an ounce following a modest 50-cent gain Monday. The settlement was the highest for a most-active contract since Oct. 21 and prices tallied a sixth gain in seven sessions.
Oil Futures
Oil futures ended higher as another major storm cut energy output in the Gulf of Mexico by roughly half, though worries about the pandemic’s impact on demand continue to hang over the market.
West Texas Intermediate crude for December delivery rose $1.01, or 2.6%, to settle at $39.57 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, following a loss of 3.2% Monday. The global benchmark, December Brent crude, gained 74 cents, or 1.8%, to end at $41.20 a barrel on ICE Futures Europe.
Forex
Major currencies were firmer against the US dollar in European and US trade. The Euro rose from lows near US$1.1795 to highs near US$1.1837 and was near US$1.1810 at the US close. The Aussie dollar rose from lows near US71.16 cents to highs near US71.46 cents and was near US71.35 cents at the US close. And the Japanese yen rose from 104.83 yen per US dollar to JPY104.37 and was near JPY104.45 at the US close.
European Markets
European sharemarkets closed lower on Tuesday. The panEuropean STOXX 600 fell by 1% with oil and gas shares shedding 2.1%. Oil major BP’s shares also fell 2.1% after warning of pandemicrelated uncertainties. HSBC shares added 3.4% following its convincing third-quarter profit beat. The German Dax index lost 0.9% and the UK FTSE index fell 1.1%. In London trade, shares of Rio Tinto fell by 1.3% and shares in BHP lost 1.6%.
Asian Markets
Japanese stocks closed largely unchanged as concerns over the global economic outlook and Covid-19 continue to weigh.
China’s major stock benchmarks ended the session higher, as the market recovered from recent declines. The Shanghai Composite Index rebounded from a four-session losing streak to settle 0.1% higher at 3254.32. The Shenzhen Composite Index rose 0.5% to 2223.92, while the emerging-industries benchmark ChiNext Price Index gained 1.2% to 2650.76. The medical and health-care industry, one of the top winners on Monday, extended its strength.
Access 10,000+ financial instruments