London Stocks Growth in Holiday Trade

London stocks rose during the holiday trading session on Friday, just before the Christmas break. The FTSE 100 index UKX, 0.38% rose 0.3% to a total of 7,399. About 1.8% per week to date. The index has grown by 14% since then. Pound GBPUSD, 0.01% was stable at $1.3407. The London Stock Exchange will close around noon and remain closed until Wednesday. US markets will open on Monday. The UK index is enjoying its fourth day of trading, trading at six-week highs and approaching the key threshold of 7,400 after resistance. The index was mainly supported by the profits of pharmaceutical groups, banks, miners, and energy names.

Scholars highlighted Ashtead AHT, -0.13%. Shares of an industrial equipment rental company have risen more than 70% since the FTSE 100; The best rate on the FTSE 350 NMX, + 0.50% over the past decade. He set record highs in his most recent earnings—updated year-round guidelines on rental income that will benefit from the global economic reopening. Shares of Ashtead fell 0.4% on Friday.

As for Ocado, “Although the year started positively, stocks fell by almost 40% after the peak in February as the reopening of the trade hit the food supply business. Ocado OCDO, 1.50% stock rose 1.7%.

Travel Stocks

Travel promotions continued to grow and repeat activities for most of the week. IAG, 2.31% up 2.3%, while InterContinental Hotels IHG, + 1.25% IHG, 1.59% up 1.8%. Carnival CCL, 2.73%, TUI TUI, 3.50%, and EasyJet EZJ, 2.17%, increased by 2.5% or more.

This occurs even when holiday travel delays appear due to industrial influence on some parts and the spread of COVID-19 among workers. In the US, Delta DAL, + 0.43%, United Airlines UAL, + 0.67% have already canceled dozens of flights over the weekend; Partly due to cases of impact on crews.

A preliminary study by the UK Health and Safety Agency published on Thursday; Showed that the coronavirus Omicron variant resulted in 50% to 70% fewer hospitalizations than the Delta strain. However, he also showed that vaccine boosters declined after about ten weeks. However, it is believed that protection from hospitalization and severe illness persists.

The UK recorded another record high of 119,789 on Thursday. Fear has hit the hospitality sector hard due to the cancellation of gatherings and holiday parties. The government may announce new restrictions after the Christmas holidays.

Asia-Pacific Stocks

Asia-Pacific stocks were mixed on Friday. Some major markets in the region, including Singapore and Hong Kong, closed earlier on Christmas Eve. The Hang Seng Index closed at 23,223.76, up 0.13% overall. Shanghai Composite fell to 3.618.05, for a total of 0.69%. The Shenzhen component fell to 1.033% from 14.710.33.

The Nikkei 225 closed lower at 28,782.59. The Topix index fell 0.13% to 1986.78. Kospi rose 0.48% and ended the trading day at 3.012.43. The S&P/ASX 200 rose to 7.420.30 and closed 0.44% higher. The Straits Times Index closed 0.37% higher at 3.108.28. MSCI Asia-Pacific Wide Index rose 0.06%.

The S&P 500 rose 0.62% and closed a new record at 4.725.79. Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped to 35.950.56, 196.67 points. Nasdaq Composite to 15.653.37, up 0.85%. The US dollar index fell to 96,019. The Japanese yen was trading at $114.38. The Australian dollar was at $0.7234. Oil prices fell in the afternoon of Asian trade. Brent’s international benchmark price was $76.50, down 0.46% overall.