LONDON MARKET EARLY CALL: Stocks seen higher as Omicron fears ease

(Alliance News) - Stock prices in London are seen opening higher on Tuesday as investors take ...

Alliance News 7 December, 2021 | 6:58AM
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(Alliance News) - Stock prices in London are seen opening higher on Tuesday as investors take heart from a strong close on Wall Street overnight, amid hope the newest coronavirus variant will prove less severe than earlier strains.

IG futures indicate the FTSE 100 index is to open 24.32 points higher at 7,256.60. The blue-chip index closed up 109.96 points, or 1.5%, at 7,232.28 on Monday.

The Omicron variant has been detected across the globe, but no deaths have yet been reported, with authorities worldwide racing to determine how contagious it is and how effective existing vaccines are.

In New York on Monday, the Dow closed up 1.9%, S&P 500 up 1.2% and Nasdaq Composite up 0.9%.

"Futures in the US and Europe are up after the Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped as investors reassessed risks associated with the Omicron variant while accounting for a more hawkish Federal Reserve. Looking at new cases, it does not appear that the Omicron variant is particularly severe, as the number of hospitalizations did not significantly ramp up, as South African authorities had previously indicated. As a result, investors' appetite for riskier assets returned, fuelling the rise in stock market indices," said AvaTrade analyst Naeem Aslam.

The Japanese Nikkei 225 index closed up 1.9% on Tuesday. In China, the Shanghai Composite was down 0.2%, while the Hang Seng index in Hong Kong was up 1.9%. The S&P/ASX 200 in Sydney closed up 1.0%.

Export growth in China lost some steam in November as holiday demand from abroad faded, official data showed, but demand for overseas fuel pushed up imports to spike above expectations.

Strong exports have helped to boost growth in the world's second-largest economy since mid-2020, with China containing domestic outbreaks through tough lockdowns and mass testing - after the coronavirus was first detected in the central city of Wuhan.

Despite recent power outages caused by emissions-reduction targets, the surging price of coal, and supply shortages, factories kept the goods flowing and the power crisis has been winding down.

But experts have warned that the export boom is likely to fade as the world gradually returns to normalcy. In November, exports rose 22% on-year, better than analysts expected but below the 27% growth clocked in October, according to the latest customs data.

Imports, however, rose an unexpected 32% - well above the 22% increase tipped by a Bloomberg consensus poll.

The pound was quoted at USD1.3281 early Tuesday, up from USD1.3253 at the London equities close Monday.

The euro was priced at USD1.1294, higher against USD1.1278. Against the Japanese yen, the dollar was trading at JPY113.70, up from JPY113.46.

Brent oil was quoted at USD73.94 a barrel, up sharply from USD71.92 late Monday. Gold stood at USD1,782.05 an ounce, firm from USD1,780.00.

The international economic calendar on Tuesday has the Germany ZEW indicator and eurozone GDP at 1000 GMT and US trade data at 1330 GMT.

The UK corporate calendar has a trading statement from British American Tobacco, first-quarter results from Ferguson and Renalytix, and full-year results from Premier Miton and GB Group.

By Arvind Bhunjun; arvindbhunjun@alliancenews.com

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