The FTSE 100 Futures is trading at 6,591.00  with a loss of -0.45% 9 percent or -29.50 point. The CAC 40 Futures is trading at 5,255.50 with a loss of -0.52% percent or -27.50 point. The DAX Futures is trading at 11,711.00  with a loss of -0.65% percent or -77.00 point. The EURO Stoxx 50 Futures trading at 3,296.00  with a loss of -0.30% percent or –10.00 point.

TODAY’S FACTORS AND EVENTS

“The growth of the virus may have seemed relatively gradual outside of China, yet the growth in cases outside the country has actually been an incredible 6600% over that timeframe. We are at a tipping point, where a similar month of growth for the virus will likely spark a global panic and bring severe economic consequences that have yet to be realised.”

Overnight, the number of new virus cases in South Korea had slowed noticeably, hitting 435 which was “well below” the five-day average increase of 684, Ian Shepherdson at Pantheon Macroeconomics pointed out.

YESTERDAY ACTIVITY

For the day the FTSE 100 closed at 6,705.43  with a loss of –1.62% percent or – 110.16   point. France’s CAC  40 closed at 5,361.10 with a loss of –1.90% percent or –103.79   point.Germany’s DAX closed at 11,944.72 with a loss of –1.51% percent or ?182.97  point.

WORLD MARKETS

For the day the Dow is trading at 26,121.28  with a loss of –3.58% percent or –969.58  point. The S&P 500 is trading at 3,023.94 with a loss of –3.39%percent or –106.18 point. The Nasdaq Composite is trading at 8,738.60  with a loss of –3.10% percent or –279.49  point.

In other parts of world, Japan’s Nikkei 225 is trading at 20,749.75  with a loss of –2.72% percent or –579.37  point. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng is trading at 26,156.43 with a loss of –2.28% percent or –611.44   point. China’s Shanghai  Composite is trading at 3,034.51 with a loss of –1.21% percent or –37.17  point. India’s BSE Sensex is trading at  37,419.73 with a loss of –2.73% percent or –1,050.88   point at 12:15 PM.