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Stocks, oil prices plunge as virus closes sites around world Virus closes sites around the world; stocks, oil prices sink
(about 2 hours later)
BANGKOK — The world’s largest economies delivered more worrisome cues Monday as anxiety over the virus outbreak sent stock and oil prices plunging and closed sites from the Sistine Chapel to Saudi Arabian schools. SOAVE, Italy — Anxiety over the new coronavirus epidemic sent global stock markets and oil prices plunging Monday and caused a cascading shutdown of sites and events ranging from the Sistine Chapel to Saudi schools to a Holocaust march.
Shares in Asia, the Mideast and Europe, and U.S. futures were down sharply, reports on the health of the economies of Japan and China stirred more unease, and the downturn was being felt by people around the world. While many of Beijing’s white collar workers returned to work as new cases of infection subsided in China, some 16 million people under a widespread lockdown in northern Italy struggled to figure out the new rules of their daily existence.
“Our business is one-fifth of what it was before,” said Cheng Sheng, who helps run a food stand in Beijing that sells sausages and noodles. “There’s much less foot traffic. There are no people.” Global oil prices suffered their worst losses since the start of the 1991 Gulf War. In Saudi Arabia, shares of state oil giant Saudi Aramco dropped 10%, forcing a halt to trading of the company on Riyadh’s stock exchange.
As the weakening economy was blamed at least in part on the virus that has infected more than 110,000 people, cases were reported in more than half the world’s countries and flash points were erupting around the globe. Travelers at Milan’s main train station had to sign police forms self-certifying that they are traveling for “proven work needs,’’ situations of necessity, health reasons or to return home. They also needed to provide identity documents, contact numbers and an exact reason for travel.
In the United States, where more than 500 infections have been reported, eyes were fixed on cruise ships on opposite sides of the country that were kept at bay over fears of virus threats. Italy’s financial hub of Milan and its popular tourist city of Venice were among the places under the quarantine lockdown. Across Italy, museums and archaeological sites were closed, weddings were canceled and restaurants were told to keep patrons a meter (3.3 feet) apart. The country has counted 7,375 cases of COVID-19 virus and 366 deaths, more than any country outside of Asia.
Passengers were disembarking the Regal Princess early Monday after it received clearance to dock in Florida. Tests of two crew members eyed as possible carriers of the virus came back negative. Pope Francis celebrated Mass by himself Monday at the Vatican hotel where he lives, live-streaming the event, but resumed some meetings.
The Grand Princess, meantime, was expected to dock in California with 21 people who tested positive for the coronavirus on board. Passengers were to be placed under quarantines. China’s slow re-emergence from weeks of extreme travel restrictions offers a grim sense of the longer-term effects the virus can have on a country’s economy.
Global oil prices suffered their worst losses since the start of the 1991 Gulf War. In Saudi Arabia, shares of state oil giant Saudi Aramco dropped by 10%, forcing a halt to trading of the company on Riyadh’s stock exchange. “Our business is one-fifth of what it was before,” said Cheng Sheng, who helps run a stand in Beijing that sells sausages and noodles. “There’s much less foot traffic. There are no people.”
Saudi Arabia cut off air and sea travel to and from Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Italy, Kuwait, Lebanon, South Korea, Syria and the United Arab Emirates after earlier closing off its land borders. Infections were reported in more than half the world’s countries and flashpoints were erupting around the globe. In all, more than 110,000 people have tested positive for the disease and more than 3,800 people with the virus have died around the world, most of them in China. Some 62,000 people have already recovered.
All Saudi Arabian schools and universities were closing beginning Monday. In Iran, state television said the virus had killed another 43 people, pushing the official toll up to 237 with 7,161 confirmed cases. But many fear the scope of illness is far wider there.
In Italy, the government took a page from China’s playbook, issuing a quarantine order attempting to lock down 16 million people across a swath of the country’s north. Italy’s financial hub of Milan and its popular tourist city of Venice were among the places under the order, and across the country, museums and archaeological sites were closed, weddings were canceled, and restaurants were told to keep patrons a meter (3.3 feet) apart. The country has counted 7,375 cases of COVID-19. In the United States, where more than 500 infections have been reported, attention was fixed Monday on cruise ships on opposite sides of the country that were kept at bay over fears of virus threats.
Pope Francis celebrated Mass by himself Monday at the Vatican hotel where he lives, but resumed some meetings. The Grand Princess cruise ship, which has at least 21 confirmed virus cases, was expected to dock in Oakland, California, amid elaborate anti-coronavirus protective procedures. Fleets of buses and planes were ready to whisk the more than 2,000 passengers to military bases or their home countries for a 14-day quarantine.
In Florida, passengers were disembarking from the Regal Princess after it received clearance to dock. Two crew members eyed as possible carriers had negative tests for the virus.
The Caribbean Princess cruise ship, meanwhile, cut short a Fort Lauderdale-Mexico cruise because crew members had been on another ship where people were infected.
Countries around the world showed a willingness to take tough steps to try to stop the virus’ spread.Countries around the world showed a willingness to take tough steps to try to stop the virus’ spread.
The Czech Republic said Monday that visits to hospitals and retirement homes were banned and random checks would begin of vehicles arriving at border crossings, including taking the temperature of occupants. After earlier closing off its land borders, Saudi Arabia cut off air and sea travel to and from Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Italy, Kuwait, Lebanon, South Korea, Syria and the United Arab Emirates. All Saudi schools and universities were closing beginning Monday.
Qatar cut off travel to 15 countries and announced it would shut down schools and universities beginning Tuesday.Qatar cut off travel to 15 countries and announced it would shut down schools and universities beginning Tuesday.
China reported 40 new cases of the virus Monday, its lowest number since Jan. 20. More than three-quarters of the country’s surviving virus patients have been released, according to government figures. The Czech Republic banned visits to hospitals and retirement homes and began random checks on vehicles arriving at border crossings, including taking the temperatures of occupants.
South Korea reported 165 more cases Monday, bringing its total to 7,478. Organizers of the annual Holocaust remembrance march in southern Poland postponed the event this year due to coronavirus fears, and authorities in Germany announced that a Bundesliga soccer match Wednesday between FC Cologne and Borussia Moenchengladbach will take place with no fans.
China reported 40 new cases of the virus Monday, its lowest number since Jan. 20. More than three-quarters of the country’s surviving virus patients have been released from treatment. South Korea reported 165 more cases Monday, bringing its total to 7,478.
Albania announced its first COVID-19 cases, a father and son who had returned from Italy, and the president of the Philippines declared a public health emergency.
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Contributing to this report were Ken Moritsugu in Beijing; Tong-hyung Kim in Seoul, South Korea; Carlo Piovano in London; Nicole Winfield in Rome; and Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Sedensky contributed from Bangkok. Contributing to this report were Ken Moritsugu in Beijing; Tong-hyung Kim in Seoul, South Korea; Lori Hinnant in Paris; Carlo Piovano in London; Nicole Winfield in Rome; and Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
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The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreakFollow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
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The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.