It really is Black Friday. But not for the shopping spree Black Friday, but because fear has returned to frequent the markets of the whole planet, without making a distinction between shares, bonds or safe haven assets. To unleash the ghosts is the emergence of a new variant of Covid-19, of which little or nothing is known at the moment, starting from the possible resistance to vaccines. It is a variant, baptized for now 1.1.529, discovered in the province of Gauteng, the most populous in the South Africa, where Pretoria and Johannesburg are located. Here, 22 cases of the thirty discovered so far have been reported between Botswana (four), Israel (a traveler arriving from Malawi) plus two patients in quarantine in Hong Kong, perhaps the most worrying because they have already been vaccinated. The new scourge could turn out to be a Sars Cov transmission vehicle 2 completely different from the Delta variant, thanks to an "extremely high" number of mutations: at least thirty, according to South African scientists, against the two of the Delta variant. These are the first news, vague and worthy of verification, but sufficient to unleash the emergency on the market front, stressed by the long war against Covid-19 but now resigned to managing the emergency phases. At all latitudes. After the red start of Asia, the emergency was transmitted to Europe.
MILAN LEAVES ALMOST 1.000 POINTS, UNICREDIT COLLAPSES
Business Square (-3%) immediately adapted to the new alarm. For now, the index has lost just under a thousand points, falling to just over 26 thousand points, in line with the other European markets which are on course to experience their worst session for over a year. Leading the race to the bottom are obviously travel and leisure stocks. But the oil companies and the banking sector are also under pressure, which yields more than 4% under the pressure of the lower value of the bonds in the portfolio.
FLY DIASORIN, TAMPONS ARE BACK
In Milan they appear in positive territory only Diasorin, which jumps by 7,7% on the wave of the probable new request for kits and swabs and Telecom Italy +1,3% just a few hours after the showdown in the board of directors between the shareholder Vivendi and the outgoing CEO Luigi Gubitosi. But driving the purchases is the prospect of an agreement between KKR and the CVC fund in view of an increase in the offer for the control.
The Bear's paw has hit hard in all sectors. Among the blue chips he pays the highest price Unicredit -6%, despite entering Goldman Sachs' favorite list, followed by Intesa Sanpaolo -4,22%. In deep red Tenaris -4,49% ed Eni –4,64% weighed down by the collapse of the prices of Petroleum – in free fall below 78 dollars in the Brent version – and in full harmony with the descent of the airlines (Iag -9%) and cruises (Carnival -11%). In Piazza Affari Enav leaves 7% on the ground
AUTOGRILL LANDSLIDE, MONTEPASCHI SINKS
The black jersey of the day belongs to Rest -8,13%, penalized by the prospect of new travel restrictions. Bad Saras –5,49% e Monte Paschi Bank - 2,79%.
CHINA CLOSES: FERRAGAMO UNDER FIRE
Luxury under fire: Moncler -3,3%, plummets Salvatore Ferragamo -5,45% more sensitive to Asian price lists. This morning, in an attempt to save the Winter Olympics, China canceled hundreds of flights, closed schools and suspended tourist activities after the discovery of some cases of Covid-19 in Shanghai (of the already known strain).
Recovers the title compared to the first exchanges Juventus: the 400 million euro capital increase will start next Monday.
IN DEEP RED THE WALL STREET FUTURES
The markets thus embark on a weekend of ordinary fear. Even Wall Street, which will close its doors at the end of the morning in the US, does not bode well.
Il S&P500 index futures marks a decline of more than 2%. Pharmaceutical stocks rose in the pre-exchange, while those linked to travel, especially cruises, and oil stocks fell. Among the first: Pfizer + 5%. Merck + 2%.
Among cruise passengers: Norwegian Cruise -8% and Royal Caribbean -10%. As regards oil, it is particularly penalised Occidental Petroleum -8%.
DOWN THE RAND AND THE BITCOIN
The consequences on the other markets are serious: risk aversion once again dominates the scene. And the increase in interest rates fades away, meagre satisfaction. Safe haven assets such as gold, bonds and currencies considered safe are appreciated.
they collapse i market rates. Australia's 1,77-year bond yield fell nine basis points to 1,55%. US Treasury Notes up 7%, -1 basis points. The 0,98-year BTP ends up under 1,07% at XNUMX% from XNUMX% yesterday. Border of South Africa loses 1,5%. The Russian ruble and the Turkish lira are also declining. salt thegold up 1,0% above $1.800. The Bitcoin instead it loses 6% to 55 thousand dollars.
