LONDON (Reuters) – World stocks were mixed on Thursday, as the death toll from coronavirus rose and economic pain deepened, with another record week of unemployed claims expected in the United States.
Investors sought the security of the U.S. dollar, which held on to current gains. Oil futures surged after U.S. President Donald Trump stated he anticipated Saudi Arabia and Russia to reach a deal quickly to end their oil rate war.
In Japan, the Nikkei index ended down 1.37%, taking its losses to 25%up until now this year. European stocks made tentative gains, with the pan-European STOXX 600 gaining 0.5%. Wall Street futures included 1.8?ter plunging overnight.
” U.S. jobless claims are anticipated to rise once again, and in this environment we can not speak about a healing in equities in the short term. The best you can wish for is stabilisation in the present environment,” said Francois Savary, primary investment officer at Swiss wealth manager Prime Partners.
In Europe, oil and gas stocks gained, with Royal Dutch Shell, Overall SA and BP leaping 4%to 9.0%, thanks to the rise in oil rates.
Brent crude futures increased 11.0%, or $2.72, to $2746 U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures increased 10.14%or $2.08, at $2239
Trump stated he had talked just recently with the leaders of both Russia a