Eyes turn to the Federal Reserve as markets await US election result November 4, 2020 As markets nervously awaited the results of today’s chaotic presidential election, investors’ eyes turned to the US Federal Reserve’s meeting tomorrow. Traders were digesting the state of play so far, and seemed to think that the most likely outcome is a president who doesn’t have control of congress. It comes after President Donald Trump fared [...]
Oil prices jump as Trump declares victory prematurely November 4, 2020 Oil prices jumped this morning after President Donald Trump falsely claimed to have won the US election with millions of ballots still to be counted. Global standard Brent crude jumped two per cent to trade at $40.50 in the aftermath of Trump’s speech this morning. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate also climbed by the same [...]
‘Markets got what they really did not want’: The City reacts to knife-edge US election November 4, 2020 Investors didn’t want this to happen. They had bet on a Joe Biden win in the US presidential election that they hoped would unleash a big stimulus, but found themselves rapidly adjusting their positions as the race became too close to call. Bonds and the dollar rose as investors sought safety. US stocks were volatile, [...]
Brexit: UK and EU clash on share trading rules November 4, 2020 Square Mile banks and asset managers can use exchanges from the European Union to trade shares from January, creating a cross-border clash in securities rules for investors.
FTSE 100 and US stocks jump ahead of presidential election November 3, 2020 The FTSE 100 jumped and US stocks rose sharply, as investors hoped that today’s US election would lead to a big stimulus package. Traders and investors around the world are preparing themselves for the culmination of a chaotic US election campaign. Polls have Democrat challenger Joe Biden well ahead, but memories of President Donald Trump’s [...]
Frankfurt boosts euro clearing incentives for banks, escalating battle with London November 3, 2020 Deutsche Boerse is increasing the incentives for banks to shift clearing of euro-denominated derivatives from London to Frankfurt, escalating a battle between the financial hubs sparked by Brexit. The exchange will strengthen Eurex Clearing’s incentive programme, designed to encourage banks to move swaps from The London Stock Exchange’s LCH unit to Frankfurt, and extend the [...]
IP-Off? Shanghai Stock Exchange suspends Ant Group’s listing November 3, 2020 The Shanghai stock exchange has suspended Ant Group’s public listing, which was set for Thursday. The Chinese fintech firm was set to raise $34.4bn in both Shanghai and Hong Kong through the mammoth dual listing. Ant Group set the price tag for the Shanghai leg of the float at 68.8 yuan (£7.88) per share, while [...]
‘Layers of uncertainty’: The City braces for a US election unlike any other November 3, 2020 It’s been a long year for markets, but today’s US presidential election could be the longest day yet – not least because the results may not be clear for days or even weeks. Democrat challenger Joe Biden is well ahead in the polls. Yet memories of 2016, when Donald Trump came from behind to take [...]
Oil slip: Aramco profit halves as Covid batters oil demand November 3, 2020 Oil behemoth Saudi Aramco’s profit shrank 44.6 per cent in the third quarter due to the collapse in oil demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The state-owned firm said profit fell from 79.8 billion riyals (£16.5bn) last year to 44.21 billion riyals this year. The pandemic has devastated the global oil market, with lower prices [...]
FTSE 100 closes higher and US stocks rise despite fresh coronavirus lockdowns November 2, 2020 The FTSE 100 rebounded strongly from a terrible last week and US stocks jumped as investors rediscovered some optimism ahead of the US election and key central bank meetings. London’s main stock index was 1.4 per cent higher at 5,654 points by the close of trade, despite the imposition of a new national lockdown. The [...]