Fears over coronavirus spreading and turning to a global epidemic weigh on the market sentiment on Thursday and keep risk-sensitive assets, such as stocks and emerging market currencies, on the back foot while ramping up the demand for traditional safe-havens.
The 10-year US Treasury bond yield is down nearly 3% on a daily basis, the troy ounce of gold is up more than $5 at $1,564 and the USD/JPY pair is down 0.45% at 109.35. On the other hand, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 are erasing 0.55% and 0.4%, respectively.
Latest developments regarding the coronavirus
According to the latest official data from China, there are more than 600 total cases of infection. 17 deaths have been reported in Hubei province.
Beijing News on Thursday reported that the city has decided to cancel major public events including Lunar New Year temple fairs.
China's transport ministry has announced that they have suspended all shuttle buses and ferries going to the central city of Wuhan, which is now under quarantine.
Vietnam's health ministry has confirmed two Chinese citizens in Vietnam were infected with the virus but were in good condition.
China's finance ministry said they will be allocating 1 billion yuan, approximately $145 million, in funding to help Hubei contain the outbreak.
The US State Department has issued a statement urging travellers to exercise "increased caution" and "reconsider" their travel plans.
Four people in Scotland have been tested for coronavirus after flying in from Wuhan. In response to these reports, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman explained that the measures they have taken were purely precautionary and nobody has tested positive.
Suspected cases have been reported in Mexico, Colombia and Brazil.
Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.
If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.
FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.
The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.
Recommended content
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD treads water just above 1.0400 post-US data
Another sign of the good health of the US economy came in response to firm flash US Manufacturing and Services PMIs, which in turn reinforced further the already strong performance of the US Dollar, relegating EUR/USD to the 1.0400 neighbourhood on Friday.
GBP/USD remains depressed near 1.2520 on stronger Dollar
Poor results from the UK docket kept the British pound on the back foot on Thursday, hovering around the low-1.2500s in a context of generalized weakness in the risk-linked galaxy vs. another outstanding day in the Greenback.
Gold keeps the bid bias unchanged near $2,700
Persistent safe haven demand continues to prop up the march north in Gold prices so far on Friday, hitting new two-week tops past the key $2,700 mark per troy ounce despite extra strength in the Greenback and mixed US yields.
Geopolitics back on the radar
Rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine caused renewed unease in the markets this week. Putin signed an amendment to Russian nuclear doctrine, which allows Russia to use nuclear weapons for retaliating against strikes carried out with conventional weapons.
Eurozone PMI sounds the alarm about growth once more
The composite PMI dropped from 50 to 48.1, once more stressing growth concerns for the eurozone. Hard data has actually come in better than expected recently – so ahead of the December meeting, the ECB has to figure out whether this is the PMI crying wolf or whether it should take this signal seriously. We think it’s the latter.
Best Forex Brokers with Low Spreads
VERIFIED Low spreads are crucial for reducing trading costs. Explore top Forex brokers offering competitive spreads and high leverage. Compare options for EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY, and Gold.