After recovering the 7,000 points on Wednesday, the Cac 40 regained 7,100 points on Thursday. Yesterday, the US markets also continued to advance, until the close, the Dow jones gaining 0.55% and the Nasdaq Composite 0.85%.
Fears about the virulence of the Omicron variant and its consequences for the economy continue to fade as US statistics released over the past two days have proven to be solid, particularly in terms of spending and household confidence. What to boost the morale of investors before Christmas.
Reassuring studies on Omicron
According to studies from South Africa, people infected with Omicron are 80% less likely to be hospitalized than with other variants. Data which cannot be extrapolated to other countries, nevertheless underline these studies, and which could be explained by a higher rate of immunity within the population.
Another study, conducted in Scotland this time, suggests that Omicron is two-thirds less likely to be hospitalized compared to the Delta. The British Health Safety Agency confirmed the results on Thursday, saying that a person with the new strain has a 50% to 70% less chance of being admitted to hospital.
Wall Street will be closed this Friday, which means that the trend should be quite erratic on the Paris Stock Exchange which will close at 2:05 p.m. Early closure also in London, but Frankfurt is keeping the doors closed. Tokyo lost a small 0.05%.
Average 0.15% increase
Half an hour from the opening, the Cac 40 is expected to be almost stable, even slightly down (-0.05%). At 7,106.15 points, it remains at high levels, less than 80 points from its historic record of 7,183.08 points on November 19. The index has gained 28% since the start of the year and 5.7% in December, its 9the months of progression in 2021.
The session leading up to Christmas is traditionally quiet at the Paris Bourse. Since its creation on December 31, 1987, the Cac 40 has grown by an average of 0.15% over this shortened day. It has advanced 18 times, with a better performance in 1994 (+ 2.07%) and retreated on 15 occasions, with a greater decline of 1.21% in 2005.
No statistics to report this day, nor of company publication in France of course.