Morning Briefing: Amazon, Obamacare repeal dominate world markets

Amazon, Obamacare repeal dominate world markets... Bored with Brexit? It could take another 5 years says minister...

Morning Briefing: Amazon, Obamacare repeal dominate world markets
Steve Randall
Amazon, Obamacare repeal dominate world markets

Amazon missed its earnings forecast Thursday, hitting the Nasdaq on Wall Street and sending tech stocks lower in world markets.

Along with the defeat of the ‘skinny’ reforms to Obamacare, another blow for President Trump’s administration, the markets are wobbling so far Friday.

Asia’s major markets closed mostly lower with Shanghai the main exception. Sydney was off by 1.4% while the Seoul KOPSI was down 1.7%. Regional earnings were in focus along with matters in the US.

Europe’s investors are also focused on regional earnings while tech stocks have reacted to the Amazon shock with some poor performance for the sector so far. The downward trend for European stocks Friday is being led by Paris despite stronger-than-expected GDP figures.

Data showing growth in European business confidence is doing little to stem the downbeat mood.

Wall Street and Toronto are expected to open lower. GDP data for Canada and the US are due.
 

 

Latest

1 month ago

1 year ago

 

North America (previous session)

US Dow Jones

21,796.55 (+0.39%)

+1.59%

+18.10%

TSX Composite

15,191.36 (+0.13%)

-1.07 %

+4.39%

 

Europe (at 5.00am ET)

UK FTSE

7,391.00 (-0.70%)

+0.04%

+9.97%

German DAX

12,126.23 (+0.70%)

-4.12%

+18.02%

 

Asia (at close)

China CSI 300

3,721.89 (+0.26%)

+2.08%

+15.55%

Japan Nikkei

19,959.84 (-0.60%)

+0.85%

+21.14%

 

Other Data (at 5.00am ET)

Oil (Brent)

Oil (WTI)

Gold

Can. Dollar

51.75

(+0.50%)

49.04

(+0.00%)

1259.00

(-0.08%)

U$0.7970

 

Aus. Dollar

U$0.7956



Bored with Brexit? It could take another 5 years says minister

The UK’s finance minister Philip Hammond said Friday that a transition period of three years could follow the completion of Brexit talks.

That would mean it would be 2022 before the UK was freed from EU trade agreements, pushing free trade agreements with non-EU nations further into the future.

Mr Hammond said that the transition period is needed to protect the British economy from the impact that a sharp break would create.

He said that that period would need to end before the UK’s next election in 2022.

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