This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51706225
The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 7 | Version 8 |
---|---|
Coronavirus: A visual guide to the economic impact | Coronavirus: A visual guide to the economic impact |
(30 days later) | |
The coronavirus outbreak, which was first detected in China, has infected people in 185 countries. Its spread has left businesses around the world counting the costs. | |
Here is a selection of maps and charts to help you understand the economic impact of the virus so far. | Here is a selection of maps and charts to help you understand the economic impact of the virus so far. |
Global shares take a hit | Global shares take a hit |
Big shifts in stock markets, where shares in companies are bought and sold, can affect the value of pensions or individual savings accounts (ISAs). | |
The FTSE, Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Nikkei have all seen huge falls since the outbreak began on 31 December. | The FTSE, Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Nikkei have all seen huge falls since the outbreak began on 31 December. |
The Dow and the FTSE saw their biggest quarterly drops in the first three months of the year since 1987. | |
Investors fear the spread of the coronavirus will destroy economic growth and that government action may not be enough to stop the decline. | Investors fear the spread of the coronavirus will destroy economic growth and that government action may not be enough to stop the decline. |
In response, central banks in many countries, including the United Kingdom, slashed interest rates. | |
That should, in theory, make borrowing cheaper and encourage spending to boost the economy. | That should, in theory, make borrowing cheaper and encourage spending to boost the economy. |
Global markets did also recover some ground in late March after the US Senate passed a $2 trillion (£1.7tn) coronavirus aid bill to help workers and businesses. | |
But some analysts have warned that they could be volatile until the pandemic is contained. | But some analysts have warned that they could be volatile until the pandemic is contained. |
More people seeking work | |
In the United States, the number of people filing for unemployment hit a record high, signalling an end to a decade of expansion for one of the world's largest economies. | In the United States, the number of people filing for unemployment hit a record high, signalling an end to a decade of expansion for one of the world's largest economies. |
Close to one million people in the United Kingdom also applied for benefits in just two weeks at the end of March. | |
The surge in universal credit applications followed government measures to limit the spread of the virus, including closing pubs, restaurants and non-essential shops. | |
Oil prices crash | |
Demand for oil has all but dried up as lockdowns across the world have kept people inside. | |
The crude oil price had already been affected by a row between Opec, the group of oil producers, and Russia. Coronavirus has driven the price down further. | |
Brent crude is the benchmark used by Europe and the rest of the world. Its price dipped below $20, to the lowest level seen in 18 years. | |
In the United States, the price of a barrel of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) turned negative for the first time in history. | |
Although Opec and other countries have now agreed to cut production, the world still has more crude oil than it can use. | |
Risk of recession | |
If the economy is growing, that generally means more wealth and more new jobs. | |
It's measured by looking at the percentage change in gross domestic product, or the value of goods and services produced, typically over three months or a year. | |
But the International Monetary Fund (IMF) says that the global economy will shrink by 3% this year. | |
The IMF described the decline as the worst since the Great Depression of the 1930s. | |
Although it said that the coronavirus has plunged the world into a "crisis like no other", it does expect global growth to rise to 5.8% next year if the pandemic fades in the second half of 2020. | |
Turn to technology | |
Governments around the world have urged employees to work from home where possible. | |
Shares in technology companies such as Zoom have shot up as more people rely on video conference calls and email to hold meetings or get tasks done. | |
The demand for online shopping and entertainment has also soared as people stay indoors. | |
Amazon's share price has hit new highs, while streaming platform Netflix was at one point a more valuable company than oil giant ExxonMobil. | |
Travel among hardest hit | Travel among hardest hit |
The travel industry has been badly damaged, with airlines cutting flights and customers cancelling business trips and holidays. | |
Governments around the world have introduced travel restrictions to try to contain the virus. | Governments around the world have introduced travel restrictions to try to contain the virus. |
The EU banned travellers from outside the bloc for 30 days in an unprecedented move to seal its borders because of the coronavirus crisis in March. | |
In the US, the Trump administration has banned travellers from European airports from entering the US. | In the US, the Trump administration has banned travellers from European airports from entering the US. |
Data from the flight tracking service Flight Radar 24 shows that the number of flights globally has taken a huge hit. | Data from the flight tracking service Flight Radar 24 shows that the number of flights globally has taken a huge hit. |
The effects of lockdowns are visible | The effects of lockdowns are visible |
As many countries and world capitals have been put under strict lockdown, major industrial production chains have been brought to a halt. | |
The European Space Agency has registered an impressive fall in pollution across the European skies. | The European Space Agency has registered an impressive fall in pollution across the European skies. |
The images clearly show how a strong reduction in emission is now in place over major cities across Europe - in particular Paris, Milan and Madrid. | |
A similar trend has been detected across India's industrial hubs, where strict lockdown measures have been in place since March. | |
Factories in China slowed down | Factories in China slowed down |
In China, where the coronavirus first appeared, industrial production, sales and investment all fell in the first three months of the year, compared with the same period in 2019. | |
China makes up a third of manufacturing globally, and is the world's largest exporter of goods. | China makes up a third of manufacturing globally, and is the world's largest exporter of goods. |
Restrictions have affected the supply chains of large companies such as industrial equipment maker JCB and carmaker Nissan. | |
Shops and car dealerships have all reported a fall in demand. | Shops and car dealerships have all reported a fall in demand. |
Chinese car sales, for example, dropped by 48% in March. More carmakers, like Tesla or Geely, are now selling cars online as customers stay away from showrooms. | |