NEW YORK (Reuters) – A global stocks index rose on Tuesday as investors continued to look for signs of an economic recovery while Treasury debt prices were little changed amid a fog of rising COVID-19 cases.
The possible return of Libyan oil production, which has been at a trickle since the start of the year, weighed on crude prices.
World shares .MIWD00000PUS are down around 8% so far this year, including the impact of a slump of 34% between Feb. 12 and March 23, but the world equity index is up 18% this quarter – on track for its biggest three-month gain since the second quarter of 2009.
U.S. consumer confidence rose more than expected in June, following upbeat housing data on Monday.
Some traders said quarter-end flows were also supportive of stock prices. Following a steep drop in February and March, Wall Street was setting up to close the quarter with the largest gains since 1998.
“We are finishing up one of the best quarters in history, so we wouldn’t be surprised to see a little bit of window dressing taking place on the last day,” said Sal Bruno, chief investment officer at IndexIQ in New York.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 32.86 points, or 0.13%, to 25,628.66, the S&P 500 gained 29.88 points, or 0.98%, to 3,083.12, and the Nasdaq Composite added 141.35 points, or 1.43%, to 10,015.50.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index rose 0.13% and MSCI’s gauge of stocks across the globe .MIWD00000PUS gained 0.76%.
Emerging market stocks rose 0.25%. Overnight, MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS closed 0.74% higher, while Japan’s Nikkei futures NKc1 lost 0.22%.
Graphic: Global markets and the tale of two quarters – here
Rising COVID-19 cases continue to show signs of a second deadly wave of the pandemic, but markets still expect a global economic recovery as lockdown measures ease.
Brent crude slipped as traders took profits from the previous session and Libya’s state oil company flagged progress in talks to resume exports, potentially boosting supply. [O/R]
U.S. crude CLc1 recently fell 1.06% to $39.28 per barrel and Brent LCOc1 was at $41.14, down 1.37% on the day.
Graphic: World financial markets in 2020 – here
The dollar index was in and out of negative territory as upbeat U.S. and Chinese data left traders torn between optimism about global growth and fears that a surge in new COVID-19 cases could jeopardize the rebound.
The dollar index =USD fell 0.053%, with the euro down 0.04% to $1.1235.
The Japanese yen weakened 0.31% versus the greenback at 107.89 per dollar, while sterling was last trading at $1.2387, up 0.74% on the day.
Beijing unveiled the national security law it is imposing on Hong Kong, setting the stage for the most radical changes to the former British colony’s way of life since it returned to Chinese rule 23 years ago.
“This doesn’t improve Hong Kong’s status as a financial center, to say the least, coming back from the protests and the virus over the last year,” said Ilan Solot, FX strategist at Brown Brothers Harriman in London. “If anything this is a downward slope for Hong Kong’s importance as a global financial hub.”
