Asian stocks wobble on US fears of coronavirus second wave June 22, 2020 Stocks in Asia had a rocky start to trading today, as concerns about rising coronavirus cases in the US prompted fears of a second economic lockdown on the horizon. Japan’s Nikkei index recovered from early losses to trade either side of flat, while US S&P 500 futures were at a gain of 0.3 per cent after [...]
Coronavirus deaths in the UK rise by 43 June 21, 2020 A further 43 people have died in the UK after contracting coronavirus, taking the total number of deaths to 42,632. The increase, announced today by the Department of Health (DoH), includes the number of people who have died after testing positive for Covid-19 in hospitals, care homes and the wider community as of 5pm on [...]
Coronavirus outbreak in Beijing is under control, says Chinese health expert June 18, 2020 The outbreak of coronavirus in Beijing has been brought under control, the chief epidemiologist of China’s Center for Diseases Prevention and Control has said. Wu Zunyou said today that the latest outbreak in Beijing is now under control, adding that while new cases may emerge in the coming days, these would be cases discovered during [...]
Tiktok launches €13m educational platform as company increases presence in Europe June 18, 2020 Social media giant Tiktok has announced its entrance to the education market with the launch of a new learning platform in Europe, as the company seeks to bolster its presence outside the Chinese market. The Bytedance-owned firm today unveiled its #LearnOnTiktok platform, which will see the social media company partner with universities, experts and charities [...]
China hawks risk accelerating the outcomes they are trying to avoid June 18, 2020 The Covid-19 pandemic is leading to a clear hardening of western attitudes towards China. The origins of the virus in Wuhan, coupled with suspicions that the Chinese government suppressed awareness of the initial outbreak, have emboldened sino-sceptics and heightened fears of growing Chinese influence. Yet blanket hostility risks accelerating the emergence of the aggressive and [...]
G7 urges China to reconsider Hong Kong security law June 17, 2020 Foreign secretary Dominic Raab has issued a statement alongside his counterparts in the G7 urging China not to impose a new national security law on Hong Kong. The statement called on the Chinese to reconsider their decision to implement the law, saying ministers were “gravely” concerned about it. The statement said: “The proposed national security [...]
China-India border dispute: Diplomats exchange blows as Chinese mobile firm scraps Indian launch June 17, 2020 The Indian and Chinese foreign ministers exchanged protests today in an escalation of tensions after clashes at the border yesterday left 20 Indian soldiers dead. A phone call between India’s Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and China’s Wang Ji earlier today heard both sides disagree over which country had crossed the border first. Jaishinkar claimed China tried to [...]
FTSE 100 closes higher but loses ground on second wave fears June 17, 2020 The FTSE 100 closed higher today, albeit losing some ground as markets remain jittery on fears of a second coronavirus wave in China. London’s blue-chip index climbed to trade 0.72 per cent higher during the afternoon afternoon, before closing up 0.18 per cent. The rally came despite figures released earlier today showing UK inflation falling [...]
Q&A: How can data science help investors map the route out of lockdown? June 17, 2020 We ask Mark Ainsworth, Head of the Data Insights Unit at Schroders, how data science can help investors navigate the next phase of the Covid-19 crisis. The Covid-19 crisis has brought data into our everyday lives like never before. Where once we might have checked our news apps for the football scores, we’re now looking [...]
Oil prices begin slide over coronavirus second wave fears June 17, 2020 Global oil prices slipped back this morning on rising fears over a second wave of coronavirus infections after an outbreak in Beijing. Worldwide benchmark Brent crude fell 1.5 per cent over the morning’s trading, slipping back to $40.34. Meanwhile US standard West Texas Intermediate, which was recently trading close to $40 levels, dropped 1.8 per [...]