Global markets lower after Wall Street falls on virus fears

BEIJING (AP) — Global stocks were mostly lower Thursday after Wall Street slid amid anxiety over the economic fallout from rising coronavirus infections in the United States and Europe.

Markets in London, Tokyo, Frankfurt and Hong Kong declined, while Shanghai advanced.

On Wall Street, the benchmark S&P 500 index lost 1.2% on Wednesday, erasing early gains after Pfizer and BioNTech reported more promising vaccine data. Losses accelerated after New York City said it would close its public schools to in-person learning following a surge in infections there.

“Concerns over the near-term impact of the recent spike in cases overshadowed additional positive developments on the vaccine front,” Prakash Sakpal and Nicholas Mapa of ING said in a report.

In early trading, the FTSE 100 in London lost 0.7% to 6,340.69 while the DAX in Frankfurt shed 0.7% to 13,114.12. The CAC 40 in Paris fell 0.5% to 5,484.10.

On Wall Street, futures for the benchmark S&P 500 index and the Dow Jones Industrial Average were little changed.

In Asia, the Nikkei 225 in Tokyo fell 0.4% to 25,634.34 and the Hang Seng in Hong Kong lost 0.7% to 26,356.97.

The Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.5% to 3,363.09 and the Kospi in Seoul added less than 0.1% to 2,547.42.

The S&P-ASX 200 in Sydney added 0.2% to 6,547.20 after the government reported an increase of 178,800 jobs in October, well above forecasts of fewer than 30,000.

India’s Sensex lost 0.5% to 43,949.20. New Zealand declined while Southeast Asian markets gained.

Investor optimism about vaccine development has been tempered by rising case numbers in the United States and other countries. American state governors and mayors are grudgingly issuing mask mandates, limiting the size of gatherings, banning indoor restaurant dining, closing gyms and restricting the hours and capacity of other businesses.

Newly confirmed U.S. virus cases are running close to 160,000 per day. Deaths are averaging more than 1,155 per day, the highest in months.

On Wednesday, Pfizer and BioNTech reported data suggesting their potential COVID-19 vaccine may be 95% effective. The companies said they plan to ask U.S. regulators within days to allow emergency use of the vaccine.

Even with those encouraging figures, there is no guarantee a vaccine will be approved or, if it is, how long it will take to be widely distributed.

In energy markets, benchmark U.S. crude fell 15 cents to $41.86 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, used to price international oils, added 1 cent to $44.35 per barrel in London.

The dollar strengthened to 103.95 yen from Wednesday's 103.84 yen. The euro retreated to $1.1835 from $1.1865.