(Boursier.com) – The Parisian market is expected for the moment almost stable before market on Thursday. The DAX lost 0.1%, as did the Euro Stoxx 50. A barrel of WTI crude fell 0.2% to $ 76.4. Brent posted a comparable decline to $ 79. The ounce of gold is trading down 0.5% to $ 1,798. The euro drops 0.4% against the greenback at $ 1.1316. The Asian markets ended in dispersed order, with in particular a gain of 0.62% on the SSE and a decline of 0.4% for the Nikkei.
On the economic front, South Korean industrial production in November posted growth above expectations (+ 5.1% compared to the previous month). The Spanish consumer price index will be revealed at 9 a.m. The weekly US jobless claims will be revealed at 2:30 p.m. (FactSet consensus 202,500). The Chicago PMI index will be announced at 3:45 p.m. (consensus 62).
Markets remain tuned in to news of the health crisis and the extremely rapid spread of the Omicron variant, with a world record of infections. The data still suggests a virus that is less virulent than the Delta, causing fewer hospitalizations and fewer deaths. The WHO, however, is alarmed by a “tsunami of cases”, which could overwhelm health systems.
The New York Stock Exchange ended broadly higher on Wednesday, with the Dow Jones and S&P 500 indices even setting new records, while the Nasdaq retreated very slightly, against a backdrop of soaring number of coronavirus cases worldwide and tensions on interest rates. At the close, the Dow jones advanced 0.25% to 36,488 points, erasing its previous record of 36,432 pts recorded on November 8. The flagship index was supported in particular by Nike (+ 1.4%), Walgreens Boots Alliance (+ 1.6%), Home Depot (+ 1.1%) and Johnson & johnson (+ 1.1%). The large index S&P 500 on Wednesday posted its 70th record in 2021, ending up 0.14% to 4,793 pts, while the Nasdaq Composite, rich in technological and biotech stocks, fell 0.1% to 15,766 pts, the big “techs” struggling to cope with the tension observed on interest rates.
With 2 sessions from the end of 2021, the DJIA posted a positive annual performance of 19.2%, the S&P 500 jumped 27.6% and the Nasdaq climbed 22.3%. In comparison, the flagship Parisian index, the CAC 40, takes 29%.
Investors have continued to observe the spread of the Omicron variant around the world, but still expect a wave with less serious health and economic effects than previous waves. Cases of Covid-19 infection around the world have reached a record high over the past seven days, according to data from ‘Reuters’ revealed today. Almost 900,000 cases per day on average were reported worldwide between December 22 and 28. Globally, the WHO expressed concern on Wednesday about a “tsunami of cases” caused by the simultaneous circulation of the Delta and Omicron variants of the coronavirus.
In the United States as elsewhere, the number of cases continues to skyrocket, but has not yet resulted in a sharp increase in hospitalizations. The average of new cases detected over 7 days rose to a record 267,305 on Tuesday across the Atlantic, against 243,099 on Monday and has more than doubled (+ 126%) for 15 days, according to accounts kept by the ‘New York Times’. The number of hospitalizations increased in smaller proportions (+ 11% in 15 days) to reach 74,962, a little more than half of its peak since the start of the pandemic (137,516 in January 2021).
The number of new cases in France has reached a new record at 208,000 in the past 24 hours, Health Minister Olivier Véran said Wednesday during a hearing at the National Assembly, citing a “tidal wave of -tide “about the Omicron variant.
Values
Icade announces sustained asset rotation for its tertiary property company, with finalization of the 2021 disposal plan and 2022 disposal plans marked by the signing of a promise for 186 ME. Icade will remain, in 2022, “proactive and opportunistic with regard to its program of disposals of core tertiary assets, rotation of capital and of the portfolio of assets being one of the elements of its value creation strategy”.
Bluelinea, a major operator of the Silver Economy sector in France, announces the finalization, on December 31, 2021 at midnight, of the acquisition of Securitas Téléassistance. This strategic operation, the principle and modalities of which were announced on November 25, allows Bluelinea to pass the milestone of 50,000 families supported on a daily basis and to climb into the Top 5 on the French tele-assistance market. In one year, Bluelinea has grown from 28,588 families supported, day and night, thanks to the deployment of ‘HELP’ solutions and services, to 52,473 subscribers at the end of 2021, an increase of 83%.
SPAC received requests from nearly thirty shareholders for the distribution of free Company Warrants. These shareholders represent 10,746,477 SPAC shares, ie a total of 73,322,529 BSA to be distributed. These BSA mature on December 4, 2023 and each BSA allows the acquisition of 2 SPAC shares for EUR 0.05, i.e. a cost price of 0.025 per new share. This distribution, approved by the Board of Directors of the Company and reserved for shareholders holding more than 100,000 shares, aims to reward the patience and loyalty of historical shareholders.
Noxxon Pharma announced the extension of its agreement with Atlas Special Opportunities, relating to the additional provision of a maximum of € 17 million in equity-related securities and the issue of 2,419 convertible bonds (including 44 convertible bonds issued in related to transaction costs) for a total nominal value of 2.419 million euros. The capacity of the modified arrangement, including the extension of 17 million euros, is 27.5 million euros before yesterday’s issuance.
SFIT. Already present in 15 countries, Group SFIT (THOMSON Computing) announces strengthening its presence in the United Kingdom as well as in Southern Europe with the signing of a new distribution agreement in Spain and Italy, and is setting out to conquer the Scandinavia and Canada with the signing of 2 new contracts. With these new agreements, Group SFIT anticipates very strong growth in its international business volume from the second half of 2022.