Hong Kong
Most markets were mixed Friday, at the end of a tough week for global equities that have been wracked by worries over a second wave of infections, rising China-US tensions and uncertainty about how long any economic recovery will take.
A generally downbeat mood was compounded by another spike in US jobless claims and overshadowed news several countries were easing strict lockdown measures that have kept billions of people holed up at home, strangling the world economy.
Oil prices surged as the dark days of April, when WTI tanked below zero, become a bad memory as demand picks up with people returning to the roads and producers pushing ahead with massive output cuts.
Signs of a slowdown in infections and deaths around the world have allowed governments to lift some restrictions that have been in place for weeks, but with that comes the risk of renewed contagions.
Donald Trump’s top virus expert this week warned about the danger of reopening too early, which he said could derail any economic recovery — a view the president disagreed with.—AFP
