Asia Slips, Europe Mixed On Tighter Curbs, Looming Lockdown Fears

Surging virus cases and new lockdown fears are weighing on the global markets on Tuesday. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said that the state is on the path of a second full shutdown if the virus cases uptrend continues.

The Dow and the S&P 500 futures are up by 0.30%, respectively, trading cautiously on Tuesday. Brent crude futures are down 0.66% to $49.96 and gold futures are trading higher by 0.74% at $1,845.70. Ten-year Treasury yield is flat at 0.896%, falling below the 0.90% level again.

Asia: Japan's Nikkei 225 is down by 0.17% after rising COVID-19 cases forced the government to suspend its domestic promotion campaigns. Trade balance and manufacturing PMI data are due to release today.

China's Shanghai Composite closed marginally lower by 0.06%. The nation's November industrial production grew 7% year-over-year, in-line with expectations. The country's November retail sales growth of 5% YoY missed the consensus of 5.2% growth while the unemployment rate ticked lower to 5.2%, as expected.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index fell by 0.71%, driven lower by utilities, real estate, and bank shares.

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 was down 0.43% on Tuesday's close. Mining stocks pushed the index lower on reports of China blocking coal imports from Australia.

India's Nifty 50 index is up by 0.07% at press time. Trade balance data is due to release today.

South Korea's KOSPI fell 0.19% on worries of rising COVID-19 cases.

Europe: Euro Stoxx 50 is trading higher by 0.42% at press time after the bloc's October industrial production rose 2.1% MoM, slightly better than expected 2% growth. Eurozone's reserve assets data is due later today.

London's FTSE 100 is trading higher by 0.17% at publication time. The index recovered from early losses after October's unemployment rate ticker up to 4.9%, better than the expected rate of 5.1%. The average earnings and bonus index for October rose 2.7% MoM, higher than expected 2.6% growth. The infected cases are rising in London after the discovery of a new variant of coronavirus.

Germany's DAX has advanced 0.55%, led higher by automobile and software stocks.

France's CAC 40 is trading higher by 0.51% after the nation's November consumer price index grew 0.2% MoM, in-line with expectations. 

Spain's IBEX 35 is down by 0.18%, pushed lower by technology and consumer shares.

Forex Trading: U.S. Dollar Index futures are up 0.07% to 90.718. The dollar has gained 0.02% against the Euro to $1.2141, 0.17% against the Sterling Pound at $1.3299, and 0.05% against the Japanese Yen at ¥104.09.

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