Covid-19 Daily Dashboard – 5 August 2020
An overview of key economic and financial metrics.
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Download an overview of key economic and financial metrics relating to Covid-19 on 5 August 2020.
Equities: In Europe, stocks are currently trading higher. The DAX and CAC 40 are both +0.9% over the morning, the FTSE 250 +0.8% and the STOXX 600 +0.7%. In the US, futures for the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average are also seeing an uplift of +0.5% and +0.6% respectively. Index performance in Asia was mixed, with the Kospi and Hang Seng gaining +1.4% and +0.9% while the S&P / ASX 200 closed -0.6% lower. The CSI 300 and Topix were broadly flat over the day.
VIX: The CBOE market volatility index and the Euro Stoxx 50 volatility price index are -1.9% and -3.9% down this morning, to 25.4 and 24.1. The European ‘investor fear gauge’ has recovered to circa the long term average of 23.9, while the US VIX remains elevated, indicating further expectations of near-term volatility.
Bonds: Yesterday, the US 10-year treasury yield closed at 0.52%, a record low. Record lows were also recorded for US 3, 5 and 7 year treasury bonds. Elsewhere, the UK 10-year gilt yield, the German 10-year bund yield and the Italian 10-year yield are 0.09%, -0.54% and 1.01%.
Currency: Both sterling and the euro remain steady at $1.31 and $1.18. Hedging benefits for US dollar denominated investors into the UK and the eurozone are 0.28% and 1.03% per annum on a five-year basis.
Baltic Dry: The Baltic Dry index gained a further +5.6% yesterday, lifting the index to 1,463 and bringing the cumulative gains over the last four trading sessions to +16%.
Oil: Brent Crude and the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) are up +1.8% and +2.0% over the morning to $45.14 per barrel and $42.37 per barrel, respectively.
Gold: The price of gold appreciated by +2% yesterday, breaking $2,000 for the first time and reaching a record high of $2,012 per troy ounce. This price is +32% higher than it was in January.
Auto Industry: New car registrations in the UK have grown for the first time since December 2019. Following the reopening of showrooms and car factories, 174,887 cars were registered in July, +11.3% on the same month in 2019.