The dollar strengthened in the foreign exchange market. There was a desire to evacuate with safe assets. Gold prices turned upwards. The price of digital gold, Bitcoin, has fallen to the $56,000 level.
# KOSPI’s 3,000 line collapsed.. KOSDAQ’s 1,000 line is in danger
In the domestic stock market, key support lines have collapsed or are in a precarious state. On the 26th, the KOSPI closed at 2936.44, down 43.83 points (1.47%) from the previous trading day (2980.27).
By investors, institutions net sold 375.8 billion won and foreigners 182.8 billion won, respectively, and individuals net bought 494.8 billion won. The KOSPI 3000 line collapsed.
The KOSDAQ index recorded 1005.89, down 9.77 points (0.96%) from the previous trading day (1015.66). The 1000 line is at risk. By investment entity, individuals sold 127.9 billion won, foreigners 145.1 billion won and institutions bought 10.5 billion won, respectively.
# Forex market, dollar strengthens
The dollar/won exchange rate in the Seoul foreign exchange market ended at 1193.3 won, up 3.1 won from the previous trading day (1190.2 won). The dollar is strengthening.
Overseas stock markets are also showing a downward trend. Especially Tensions rise as U.S. stocks prepare to open on Friday after Thanksgivingis becoming
# S&P futures and other big declines
S&P 500 futures are down 1.2% as of 6:55 a.m. London time. Nasdaq 100 futures also fell 0.6%.
The Topix index of the Japanese stock market also fell more than 2%. The Hong Kong stock market Hang Seng index fell 2.3 percent and the Shanghai Composite Index of China fell 0.6 percent.
# Treasury yields fall, gold prices rise
The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield is trading at 1.55%, down 8 basis points (0.08 percentage points). A fall in bond yields means an increase in bond prices.
Gold futures rose 0.7% to $1801 an ounce.
The corona virus is hitting Asia and Europe.
# New (NU) fluctuations appear, health authorities are very nervous
New cases of novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) mutations are being reported one after another in South Africa.
| A South African woman being vaccinated against COVID-19. 2021.08.20 [사진=로이터 뉴스핌] |
Singapore plans to restrict entry from South Africa and neighboring African countries. The target countries are South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
The central government of India has instructed state and local governments to thoroughly conduct COVID-19 testing and quarantine for overseas travelers who have entered South Africa and other high-risk countries.
Israel has issued an advisory not to travel to southern African countries and has announced that it will deny entry from some African countries, including South Africa.
The UK has suspended flights to six African countries, including South Africa and Botswana, where new mutant cases were reported. All British citizens returning from these countries will be required to self-isolate.
The World Health Organization (WHO) will convene a special meeting on the 26th to discuss whether the new mutation will negate the efficacy of existing vaccines and treatments.
The name of the new mutation is likely to be ‘nu’ (N v, Nu) in Greek alphabetical order.
# Concerns about incapacitating vaccines… not much is known
The South African scientific community and British health officials said that 32 mutations in the novel spike protein could significantly reduce the efficacy of vaccines and treatments.
Not much is known about the contagiousness or fatality rate. This is because there are not many confirmed cases of infection. There are 77 confirmed cases in South Africa, two in Botswana and two in Hong Kong.
In Hong Kong, a new mutant infection was confirmed in a Korean who had originally visited South Africa.
Articles to read together
A new mutation ‘new’ panic… UK flights suspended, Singapore closes border
