Asian stocks mixed after Fed rate cut fails to lift Wall Street March 4, 2020 Asian stocks posted a mixed day of trading overnight after Wall Street dropped in dramatic fashion despite an interest rate cut intended to give the economy a break from the coronavirus fallout. Japan’s Nikkei eked out a 0.08 per cent rise today but Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index slipped 0.12 per cent over the course [...]
Robert Walters shares fall on coronavirus profit warning March 3, 2020 Economic bellwether recruiter Robert Walters’ shares sank today as it warned 2020 profit will miss expectations due to the coronavirus outbreak. The recruitment agency’s shares fell seven per cent to 494p after the coronavirus profit warning compounded a dire 2019 filled with Brexit and economic uncertainties. Profit before tax slipped three per cent to £47.4m [...]
UK coronavirus cases surge to new total of 51 March 3, 2020 The number of UK coronavirus cases rocketed to 51 today, a climb of 12 new cases, the government revealed today. Health secretary Matt Hancock confirmed the climb in parliament today after the UK recorded four more cases yesterday to take the total to 39. The government today outlined worst-case scenario measures if the UK coronavirus [...]
Japan may postpone Tokyo Olympics as coronavirus cases mount March 3, 2020 Japan may be allowed to postpone the Tokyo Olympics until the end of 2020, the country’s minister responsible for the games said today. Olympics minister Seiko Hashimoto has said Japan’s agreement with the International Olympic Committee to host the 2020 games could be deferred until the winter. “The contract calls for the games to be [...]
Coronavirus concerns see hand sanitiser sales leap 255 per cent March 3, 2020 Coronavirus fears saw sales of hand sanitiser spike 255 per cent in February, according to supermarket data released today. Sakes of liquid soaps also rose seven per cent as shoppers hit the shelves as the number of coronavirus cases outside China rose sharply last month, research firm Kantar said. Sales of household cleaners jumped 10 [...]
CMC Markets flags profit jump amid Covid-19 stock volatility March 3, 2020 Online trading platform CMC Markets today predicted that its full year profit would beat market forecasts amid higher customer trading due to the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak. Net operating income for the year to the end of March is set to beat the current estimate of £199m to £202.3m. “I am delighted that CMC’s strategy of [...]
Coronavirus: Boris Johnson to outline UK ‘battle plan’ to combat Covid-19 outbreak March 3, 2020 Boris Johnson is set to unveil a government action plan to outline the UK’s response to a growing number of coronavirus cases across Britain. The Prime Minister will reveal a six-point plan at a Downing Street later today in which he is expected to commit to school closures and event cancellations if the spread of [...]
Coronavirus live: OECD warning weighs down FTSE 100 recovery March 2, 2020 The OECD’s warning that the coronavirus outbreak could halve global growth in 2020 weighed down the FTSE 100 today, sending it back into the red before recovering marginally. Traders had initially sent London’s blue-chip index up 2.7 per cent this morning on the back of central banks saying they were ready to intervene to protest [...]
Coronavirus threat plagues Eurozone factory output March 2, 2020 Italy’s factory output slumped for the 17th month in a row in February, it emerged today, as economists warned the coronavirus outbreak could deepen the Eurozone’s manufacturing downturn. The embattled economy’s manufacturing industry activity fell from 48.9 in January to 48.7, according to IHS Markit’s purchasing managers’ index (PMI). Anything below 50 represents a contraction. [...]
Covid-19: PM convenes Cobra committee as UK coronavirus cases hit 36 March 2, 2020 Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to chair a meeting of the government’s emergency Cobra committee today after the number of UK Covid-19 (coronavirus) cases hit 36. The leap in cases came as doctors diagnosed 13 new coronavirus patients yesterday, including the first patient in Scotland. Northern Ireland and Wales reported their first cases last [...]