| schema:articleBody
| - Investors pushed stock markets higher Friday on continued optimism over vaccines and signs of progress on a new US stimulus, though surging infections and deaths highlighted the painful reality of the coronavirus crisis. In foreign exchange, the pound held its own even as European doubts over a post-Brexit trade deal with Britain boiled over on Friday. France has threatened a veto as intense negotiations entered what could be their final hours. The euro meanwhile rose versus the dollar as US jobs data showed that the world's biggest economy added just 245,000 new jobs in November, far fewer than analysts had expected. Brent crude oil hit its highest level since March, at close to $50 a barrel, after OPEC and its oil-producing allies struck a deal on Thursday to offer flexibility over changes to production in the coming months. Elsewhere, the Bombay Stock Exchange's Sensex index passed the 45,000 points mark for the first time after India central bank chief Shaktikanta Das expressed confidence in the local economy. Das said Asia's third-largest economy was recovering faster than expected from the pandemic shock, adding that gross domestic product would fall by 7.5 percent this year instead of the 9.5 percent as previously forecast. "There's plenty of enthusiasm around at the moment, whether that be vaccine results or stimulus talks on Capitol Hill," noted Oanda market analyst Craig Erlam. "For the first time this year, things are looking up and that optimism can be felt throughout these markets." While the consensus is that next year the world can begin returning to normal as people are inoculated, observers warn lockdowns and other containment measures currently in place are crippling businesses and jobs. The United States recorded more than 210,000 new cases in a 24-hour stretch to Thursday evening, and more than 2,900 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. Italy registered 993 deaths, an all-time high. The figures reinforce the need for governments to maintain restrictions that hobble economic activity. Attention also focused on Washington as US lawmakers appeared to be inching towards an agreement on more stimulus before the Christmas break. Democratic leaders have backed a $908-billion bipartisan proposal as a starting point for discussions, and some top Republicans are warming to the idea. Wall Street stocks rose modestly in early trading Friday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 0.4 percent. London - FTSE 100: UP 0.4 percent at 6,530.44 points Frankfurt - DAX 30: UP 0.2 percent at 13,283.64 Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.4 percent at 5,597.62 EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.4 percent at 3,530.44 New York - Dow: UP 0.4 percent at 30,076.22 Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.2 percent at 26,751.24 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng: UP 0.4 percent at 26,835.92 (close) Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.1 percent at 3,444.58 (close) Euro/dollar: UP at $1.2162 from $1.2147 at 2150 GMT Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3519 from $1.3453 Dollar/yen: UP at 104.04 yen from 103.84 yen Euro/pound: DOWN at 89.98 pence from 90.28 pence West Texas Intermediate: UP 1.1 percent at $46.14 per barrel Brent North Sea crude: UP 1.1 percent at $49.22 per barrel bur-bcp/wai/dl
|
![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)
![[cxml]](/fct/images/cxml_doc.png)
![[csv]](/fct/images/csv_doc.png)
![[text]](/fct/images/ntriples_doc.png)
![[turtle]](/fct/images/n3turtle_doc.png)
![[ld+json]](/fct/images/jsonld_doc.png)
![[rdf+json]](/fct/images/json_doc.png)
![[rdf+xml]](/fct/images/xml_doc.png)
![[atom+xml]](/fct/images/atom_doc.png)
![[html]](/fct/images/html_doc.png)