Morning Bid: No Messi magic for markets

Soccer fans enjoyed an extraordinary final of the World Cup on Sunday as high emotion and intense drama gave way to Lionel Messi leading Argentina to victory against France in a penalty shootout.
China’s trade suffers worst slump in 2-1/2 yrs as COVID woes, feeble demand take toll

China’s exports and imports shrank at their steepest pace in at least 2-1/2 years in November, as feeble global and domestic demand, COVID-led production disruptions and a property slump at home piled pressure on the world’s second-biggest economy.
Sri Lanka announces budget aimed at clinching IMF deal, sees recovery by end-2023

The crisis-hit Sri Lankan economy can turnaround by end of 2023 if budget policies, which are not limited to the International Monetary Fund’s recommendations, are followed, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said in the budget speech on Monday.
Oil falls more than 1.5% on demand fears and strong dollar

Oil fell by more than 1.5% on Monday, pressured by expectations of weaker global demand and by U.S. dollar strength ahead of possible large increases to interest rates, though supply worries limited the decline.
Analysis: Sterling returns to the 1980s, and it may get cheaper still

Sterling’s slide against the dollar to a rate last seen in 1985 has sparked talk of a dramatic spiral downwards that ends in a collapse in confidence in British assets and a balance of payments crisis.
Analysis: As Ukraine war drags on, Europe’s economy succumbs to crisis

A post-pandemic spending euphoria, supported by copious government spending was set to drive the economy and help fatigued households regain a sense of normality after two dreadful years.
UK midcaps at three-week low as recession fears grow

UK midcaps hit a three-week trough on Monday while the export-centric FTSE 100 eased from its recent peak on fears of aggressive interest rate hikes by major central banks and slowing economic growth.
GLOBAL ECONOMY Global slowdown fears darken as cost of living bites

The global economy looks increasingly likely to be heading into a serious slowdown, just as central banks aggressively reverse ultra-loose monetary policy adopted during the pandemic to support growth, data showed on Friday.
Russia resumes gas flows via Nord Stream, Europe still wary

Russia resumed pumping gas via its biggest pipeline to Europe on Thursday after a 10-day outage, the operator said, allaying Europe’s immediate winter supply fears after President Vladimir Putin had warned that flows could be cut further or stopped.
Futures fall with investors wary ahead of earnings

U.S. stock index futures fell on Monday, bracing for the start of the earnings season which could see profits come under pressure at a time of growing fears of an economic downturn due to aggressive interest rate hikes.