Global Markets Begin Week on Higher Ground

Anticipation of a deal between the Trump administration and House Democrats on a new coronavirus relief package sent global markets mostly higher Monday.

In Asia, The S&P/ASX index in Australia gained 0.5%.  Shanghai’s Composite index soared 2.4%.  The KOSPI index in South Korea was 0.5% higher, and Taiwan’s TSEC index finished up 0.5%.  However, Japan’s benchmark Nikkei index ended 0.2% lower.

In late afternoon trading, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index is 2.2% higher, while Mumbai’s Sensex is down 0.1%.

Europe is beginning the day in mixed territory.  London’s FTSE index is down 0.1%, while both the CAC-40 index in Paris and the DAX index in Frankfurt are both up 0.1%.

In commodities trading, gold is selling at $1,930.90, up 0.2%. U.S crude oil is trading at $39.91 per barrel, down 1.7%, and Brent crude is selling at $42.15 per barrel, down 1.6%.

All three major U.S. indices are trending positively in futures trading.

Source:  VOA News