* Graphic: World FX rates https://tmsnrt.rs/2RBWI5E. The U.S. dollar firmed on Wednesday, rising from a seven-week low hit overnight, as broad-based weakness in stock markets triggered by a resurgence of COVID-19 cases in countries from India to Japan fuelled renewed appetite for the greenback.
Japanese shares extended losses on Wednesday as investor fears of potential lockdowns in the country's biggest cities cast doubts over the prospects of an economic reopening. Nikkei share average tumbled 2.03% to close at 28,508.55, while the broader Topix fell 1.98% to 1,888.18 - both indexes dropped the most in about a month.
Fractious geopolitics doesn't always move world markets - but the summer of 2021 may give us some glimpse about exactly where and how it does. With the new U.S. administration of President Joe Biden asserting its foreign policy priorities, this month has seen a rise in tensions with the United States' most powerful rivals - China, Russia and even Iran.
* Prefectures housing Kobe, Kyoto also seek state of emergency -media. * New infections surge stoked by more infectious virus strains. * Amid slow vaccine roll-out, concern rising with Olympics in view. * Nikkei slips 2% as worries about handling of virus spread to investors. * New state of emergency could cover close to quarter of Japan population.
Japanese shares extended a steep fall on Wednesday as fears of possible coronavirus-related lockdowns in Japan's biggest cities cast doubts over the prospects of an economic reopening. Nikkei share average tumbled 2.23% to 28,451.64, while the broader Topix fell 2.24% to 1,881.11, after losing the most in about a month in the previous session.
The dollar firmed on Tuesday
amid a mix of gains and losses against major currencies as
interest rates in the United States moved in a tight range and
the outlook for vaccinations in Europe improved.
* European stocks 1.9% weaker; U.S. indices down around 1% * Oil drops with eyes on India coronavirus cases surge. * Dollar ticks up from near lowest in weeks. By Rodrigo Campos. A gauge of stock prices across the world was on track on Tuesday for its first back-to-back losses this month, on lingering concern over rising global COVID-19 cases, while oil prices also fell.
* Kansas City Southern (KSU) surges on bid from Canadian National. * Nike (NKE) falls as Citi downgrades stock. * CBOE volatility index hits three-week high. * Indexes down: Dow 0.64%, S&P 0.66%, Nasdaq 0.91% By Shivani Kumaresan and Medha Singh.
The dollar steadied on
Tuesday amid a mix of gains and losses against major currencies
as interest rates in the United States moved in a tight range
and the outlook for vaccinations in Europe improved.
* European stocks 1.2% weaker. * Focus on U.S. tech earnings. * Dollar near lowest in nearly seven weeks. * Oil, copper prices higher. * Global asset performance http://tmsnrt.rs/2yaDPgn. * World FX rates http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh. By Tom Arnold.
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