Covid-19 Daily Dashboard – 28 April 2020
An overview of key economic and financial metrics relating to Covid-19 on 28 April 2020.
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Highlights today across key economic and financial indicators:
Equities
Equity markets have largely shrugged off further declines in West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil this morning, with global equity indices broadly up 1% plus.
VIX
The “investor fear gauge”, the VIX volatility index, continues to settle, currently at 33.1, closer to levels seen during the Eurozone currency crisis, than the GFC.
Oil
Oil prices remain volatile, with the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) contract for June delivery falling 18% to $10.45 a barrel. This comes after a 25% decline in the price of the same contract yesterday, due in part to the world’s largest oil bank, ETF, offloading short term contracts. Meanwhile, Brent crude is priced at $23.60 this morning, after closing at $20.00 yesterday.
Currency
Sterling has slightly increased to $1.25, with hedging benefits for US dollar denominated investors into the UK circa 0.17% per annum on a five-year basis.
Baltic Dry
Weakened global demand continues to impact the Baltic Dry index, falling to $661 yesterday, a decline of -0.6% from the day prior.
UK Small Businesses
New support for the UK’s smallest businesses was announced yesterday, with new government backed loans available up to £50,000, which will be interest free for the first year. The loans will be available from next Monday, after a ‘quick standard form’ is completed.
We have introduced a country-by-country analysis of lockdown measures at the end of this dashboard.
Download an overview of key economic and financial metrics relating to Covid-19 on 28 April 2020.