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| - Stock markets struggled Thursday as a week-long rally sputtered, with sentiment split between vaccine hopes and Joe Biden's US election win on the one side and fears of a coronavirus surge that threatens economic recovery on the other. "The near-certainty of a horrible few months ahead for the United States (and Europe) given current infection, hospitalisation and death rates, is dominating sentiment just at the moment," said National Australia Bank's Ray Attrill. In midday deals, London's benchmark FTSE 100 index was down 0.3 percent, hit also by official data showing the UK economy slowing once more after exiting a record recession. The British pound was also down, after sizeable gains in recent days on hopes of a post-Brexit trade deal between the UK and European Union. The dollar retreated versus the euro and yen but rose against sterling. Oil prices steadied after strong recent gains. The main stocks indices in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Sydney and Singapore all closed lower Thursday. Tokyo though ended with gains and Wellington was marginally up. Wall Street's Dow index ended slightly in the red Wednesday, while the Nasdaq rallied two percent as tech firms were boosted by the prospect of more stay-at-home orders. The mood across trading floors has been positive for much of the week after the former vice president toppled Donald Trump. US pharma giant Pfizer meanwhile said its vaccine candidate was 90 percent effective in trials, while rivals have also posted positive updates on their tests. Hopes that a treatment for the killer disease will be rolled out before 2021 put a rocket under stocks such as airlines that have been battered for most of the year. Analysts said massive central bank and government stimulus will help to maintain a level of positive market sentiment. "Once we have made it through what is still bound to be a winter of despair for health care concerns, it could trigger the mother of all economic rebounds boosted by unprecedented policy support," said Axi strategist Stephen Innes. Investors are also keeping tabs on developments in Washington as Trump refuses to concede last week's election, while launching legal challenges after claiming without evidence that there was massive voting fraud. His stubbornness has fuelled concerns about the transition to Biden and also led to questions about whether US lawmakers will be able to push through with their much-needed additional economic stimulus. London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.3 percent at 6,361.44 points Frankfurt - DAX 30: DOWN 0.8 percent at 13,110.52 Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 0.9 percent at 5,397.60 EURO STOXX 50: DOWN 0.6 percent at 3,445.26 Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.7 percent at 25,520.88 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng: DOWN 0.2 percent at 26,169.38 (close) Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.1 percent at 3,338.68 (close) New York - Dow: DOWN 0.1 percent at 29,397.63 (close) Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1813 from $1.1781 at 2115 GMT Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3187 from $1.3218 Dollar/yen: DOWN at 105.27 yen from 105.42 yen Euro/pound: UP at 89.59 pence from 89.11 pence West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.2 percent at $41.61 per barrel Brent North Sea crude: UP 0.3 percent at $43.94 per barrel dan-bcp/rl
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