Worldwide coronavirus cases surpass 77.68 million with over 1708,000 official deaths.
Key Points:
• 900B US bailout package unveiled by US lawmakers to aid jobless Americans.
• Asian stocks dipped today after U.S. equities joined a global decline as a new variant of the coronavirus in the U.K. and a wave of lockdowns and travel restrictions hurt sentiment.
• The UK has had its borders with most European countries closed, with no traffic passenger or freight, going across the channel by tunnel or ferry.
• Australia preliminary November Retail sales data has been released showing a much better than forecast +7%m/m against an expected +2%
• The UK looks at widening Tier 4 restrictions across the country as cases of the mutant Covid multiply at rates not seen since April.
• The US has brought in further additional visa restrictions on Chinese officials
Major Announcements last week:
- French and German Manufacturing released well
- NZ Retail Sales -1.1% for November down on -0.3% predicted
- FOMC leave rates unchanged
- Australian Unemployment drops from 7.0% to 6.80%
- US Final GDP third Q 33.1%