Global shares weaker as virus fears overshadow US stimulus

Global shares retreated Monday as worsening coronavirus outbreaks overshadowed news that U.S. lawmakers finally set a deal on more support for American families and businesses.

Global Shares

• Markets fell in Japan, Hong Kong and South Korea on Monday but rose in Shanghai.
• Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index lost 0.6% to 26,613.05.
• In Hong Kong the Hang Seng declined 0.5% to 26,368.23.
• South Korea’s Kospi declined 0.6% to 2,755.37.
• In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 shed 0.5% to 6,643.60.
• The Shanghai Composite index gained 0.3% to 3,406.04.
• Shares rose in Taiwan but fell in Singapore.

Bonds

• In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury was at 0.93%, down slightly from 0.94% late Friday.

Oil Prices

• U.S. benchmark crude oil lost $1.46 to $47.78 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It gained 70 cents to $49.24 per barrel on Friday.
• Brent crude, the international standard, declined $1.63 to $50.63 per barrel.

Currency

• The dollar index edged up a little to 90.147 and away from last week’s trough of 89.723, which had been the lowest since April 2018.
• The euro likewise edged back to $1.2210, while the dollar was steady on the yen at 103.33.