by Marc Angrand
PARIS (Reuters) – The main European stock markets are expected without much change on Thursday at the opening and volumes should remain limited in a context which remains marked both by long-term optimism on the economic recovery and by related questions the impact of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
Index futures suggest an increase of 0.08% for the CAC 40 in Paris and 0.07% for the EuroStoxx 50, virtual stability for the Dax in Frankfurt and a decline of 0.14% for the FTSE 100 in London.
New Wall Street records on Wednesday show that the Omicron variant, despite the rapidity of its spread and the surge in the number of new cases it is causing in many countries, does not call into question the prevailing risk appetite for a few days.
In Asia, investors appreciated the news of a 5.1% increase in industrial production in South Korea in November, which appears to reflect improved supply chains.
Trade volumes should however remain limited for this penultimate session of the year in Europe. Investors present will monitor at 13:30 GMT the weekly figures of claims for unemployment benefits in the United States, expected to rise very slightly.
AT WALL STREET
The Dow Jones index and the Standard & Poor’s 500 set closing records on the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday, in retail and consumer goods stocks, such as Walgreens (+ 1.59%) or Nike (+1 , 42%), having benefited from data suggesting strong Christmas sales in the United States, relegating concerns about the Omicron variant of the coronavirus to the background.
The Dow Jones gained 0.25%, or 90.42 points, to 36,488.63, the S & P-500 gained 6.71 points, or 0.14%, to 4,793.06. For its part, the Nasdaq Composite fell 15.51 points (-0.10%) to 15,766.22.
If the Nasdaq finished in the red, the Dow Jones experienced a sixth consecutive day of rise, its longest streak since March 15 (seven sessions in a row in the green between March 5 and March 15) .
Index futures for now suggest a slight pullback at the opening.
IN ASIA
On the Tokyo Stock Exchange, the Nikkei index fell 0.4% in weak volumes for its last session of the year, with Japanese markets remaining closed on Friday.
It rose 4.91% over the whole of 2021 and, at 28,791.71 points, it posted its highest annual close since 1989.
In China, the rise in consumer-related and high-tech stocks enabled SSE Composite in Shanghai to gain 0.62% and CSI 300 to gain 0.78%.
The trend was driven, among other things, by statements from the Ministry of Commerce underlining its desire to promote the continued upturn in consumption and foreign investment in 2022.
CHANGES / RATES
The dollar appreciates slightly against the other major currencies (+ 0.19%), regaining a small part of the ground given up on Wednesday, but still in very reduced volumes.
The euro thus returns to 1.1314 dollars after rising the day before to 1.1368, its highest level since November 30. The yen hit a one-month low against the greenback.
In the bond market, the yield on ten-year US government bonds, at 1.5393%, retains most of its gains from Wednesday, as weak demand at a seven-year auction carried it down. at its highest level since November 29.
Its German counterpart is virtually unchanged in early trading at -0.185%.
OIL
The oil market is almost stable the day after the rise which welcomed the announcement of a drop in crude and fuel inventories in the United States, an apparent sign of good resistance in demand despite the impact of the Omicron variant. .
Brent trades at $ 79.24 a barrel and US light crude (West Texas Intermediate, WTI) at $ 76.56.
(Edited by Matthieu Protard)