Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news
- Latest: markets rally as concerns over latest variant fade
- Gas prices jump on threat of US sanctions on Russia
- Food inflation pushes up cost of Christmas dinner
- UAE moves to 4.5-day week
- Quarterly house price inflation highest since late 2006, says Halifax
- China’s imports surge 32% y/y in November
The pan-European Stoxx 600 index has hit its highest level since the Omicron tumble over a week ago, up 1.4%.
Technology shares are leading the rally, with the sector up 3.1%. Miners are being lifted by hopes for China’s economy after the People’s Bank of China eased monetary policy yesterday, and firms imported more coal and metal last month.