- On Wednesday, equity-index futures in the United States remained stable as investors examined the economic ramifications of the omicron coronavirus outbreak. Treasury yields rose in tandem with the dollar.
- After the rise in US equities stalled on Tuesday, contracts on the S&P 500 and NASDAQ 100 edged up. Tesla surged more than 2% in pre-market trading after Musk sold another $1.02 billion in shares, bringing him closer to his goal of decreasing his holding in the electric-car maker by 10%.
- The STOXX Europe 600 index came within a hair's breadth of breaking another record, with retailers outperforming. As the UK markets reopened after Christmas, the FTSE 100 index rose to its highest level since February 2020. Following the sector's retreat in the United States and Asia, technology stocks fell. In some markets, volumes remained low into the end of the year.
- Following a 17% increase in global equities, investors are closing out the year by taking profits. COVID, tightening Fed policy, and China's outlook are among the key risks for 2022. omicron worries are diminishing as evidence mounts that the rapidly spreading strain causes milder symptoms, even as worldwide COVID cases surpassed 1 million for the second day in succession.
- UK's Prime Minister Johnson: Omicron is causing real issues, yet it is clearly milder than delta.
- Turkey will promote the conversion of gold savings into liras - Gazette.
- Russia’s Deputy PM Novak: Europe's banks' aversion to investing in upstream oil and gas projects will result in more shortages.
