LAST WEEK – KEY TAKEAWAYS

Markets: Vaccine developments and Biden victory boost shares

• Global shares seem set to experience one of their best months on record in November after making further gains amid optimism about a coronavirus vaccine and Joe Biden’s victory in the US presidential election.

• However, the UK’s economic outlook weighed on domestic shares (see ‘UK’ section below) last week, and the markets were also wary of rising infections in the US and tightening lockdown restrictions in Europe.

• Omnis view: The markets ha...

LAST WEEK - KEY TAKEAWAYS

Markets: Vaccine rally loses steam

• Global shares rallied at the start of the week as Moderna became the second firm to announce a successful trial of a coronavirus vaccine.

• The markets fluctuated later in the week as the optimism was tempered by concerns about an increase in new infections in the US and Europe and the subsequent tightening of lockdown restrictions.

• Omnis view: The development of a vaccine is good news for companies that are more exposed to economic developments, like the finance and ...

LAST WEEK - KEY TAKEAWAYS

Markets: More certain outlook lifts shares

• Global shares rallied at the start of the week after pharmaceutical firms Pfizer and BioNTech announced a coronavirus vaccine which they have jointly developed proved to be effective in more than 90% of trials.

• There was further certainty for investors as Joe Biden emerged as the likely winner of the close-fought US presidential election, although President Trump refused to concede.

• Omnis view: While the second wave of the virus continues to spread, and Pres...

The announcement that a vaccine for Covid-19 has been 90% effective in phase 3 trials involving more than 43,000 participants is encouraging news. It has come on the back of the US election, which will almost certainly see Joe Biden become the America’s 46th president in January next year when all the votes have been counted.!--?xml:namespace prefix = "o" ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /--

For the first time in a while, these events mean we can start to look forward with more certainty. Stock markets around the world have al...

LAST WEEK - KEY TAKEAWAYS

Markets: Shares rally as Biden closes in on White House

• Global markets rose as Joe Biden, the challenger, edged towards victory in the US presidential election which ended up being much closer than many polls predicted.

• The Democrats seem likely to remain in control of the House of Representatives, while the Republicans look set to retain the Senate (the upper house of Congress), but the results will not be confirmed until January.

• Omnis view: Although several states are still counting votes, on Satu...

LAST WEEK - KEY TAKEAWAYS

Markets: New lockdowns concern investors

• Global shares fell as the number of coronavirus infections in the US and Europe continued to rise, and many European countries were forced to reintroduce lockdown restrictions in an effort to contain the spread.

• There was further bad news for US shares as technology companies, which had been driving the markets since the correction in March and April, dropped despite beating profit forecasts.

• Omnis view: The markets are concerned that new lockdowns will slow e...

LAST WEEK - KEY TAKEAWAYS

Brexit: Talks resume between UK and EU

• The pound strengthened against the US dollar after the EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier claimed a free trade deal was within reach if the two sides are prepared to make compromises, and the UK agreed to return to talks.

• Turning to the economy, spending by UK shoppers beat expectations in September to grow by 4.7% compared to a year previously and 1.5% compared to August.

• Omnis view: It appears the UK’s threat to walk away worked as it brought both parties ba...

LAST WEEK - KEY TAKEAWAYS

Markets: Shares falter as new infections rise

• Global shares fell in the middle of the week as the number of coronavirus cases rose in Europe and the US and politicians continued talks over a further round of support for the US economy.

• However, the markets recovered some of those losses at the end of the week after an encouraging start to corporate earnings season.

• Omnis view: The second wave of infections has rattled the markets because countries have started to reintroduce lockdown restrictions whi...

LAST WEEK – KEY TAKEAWAYS

US: Trump’s change of heart boosts shares

• US markets rose as the prospects improved for a further round of support measures to help the US economy recover from the pandemic;
• The markets fell at the start of the week when US President Donald Trump, just back in the White House following his hospitalisation for coronavirus, instructed officials to halt negotiations with the Democrats until after the election on 3rd November.
• However, President Trump changed his tone hours later, tweeting that he would agr...