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Coronavirus: UK stocks fall despite stimulus plans | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
UK stocks have fallen as major UK and US stimulus plans failed to quell worries about the coronavirus pandemic. | |
The FTSE 100 index of top UK companies fell more than 3.5% in early trading, with miners, oil and gas companies and life insurers leading the declines. | |
It came after Wall Street's main indexes rebounded by more than 5% on Tuesday following Monday's steep falls. | It came after Wall Street's main indexes rebounded by more than 5% on Tuesday following Monday's steep falls. |
In the US, the Trump administration outlined a $1 trillion (£830bn) package to support the world's biggest economy. | In the US, the Trump administration outlined a $1 trillion (£830bn) package to support the world's biggest economy. |
And on Tuesday UK chancellor Rishi Sunak revealed more stimulus measures for UK firms, including £330bn of business loans. | |
It includes £20bn in other aid, a business rates holiday, and grants for retailers and pubs. Help for airlines is also being considered. | |
Mr Sunak told a news conference that it was an "economic emergency. Never in peacetime have we faced an economic fight like this one." | |
However, stimulus measures taken globally failed to buoy up Asian stocks. | |
Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 ended down by 1.7%, the Hang Seng in Hong fell by 3.3%, and China's Shanghai Composite closed 1.8% lower. US stock market futures were also indicating a weaker open for Wall Street. | |
Earlier US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he supports sending money directly to Americans as part of a $1tn stimulus aimed at averting an economic crisis caused by the coronavirus. | Earlier US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he supports sending money directly to Americans as part of a $1tn stimulus aimed at averting an economic crisis caused by the coronavirus. |
"We're looking at sending cheques to Americans immediately," he said. | "We're looking at sending cheques to Americans immediately," he said. |
The $250bn in cheques are part of a huge aid package which the White House is discussing with Congress. | The $250bn in cheques are part of a huge aid package which the White House is discussing with Congress. |
A $1tn aid package - roughly the size of the entire UK budget - would be larger than the US response to the 2008 financial crisis, amounting to nearly a quarter of what the US federal government spent last year. | A $1tn aid package - roughly the size of the entire UK budget - would be larger than the US response to the 2008 financial crisis, amounting to nearly a quarter of what the US federal government spent last year. |
In Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is reportedly forming a panel of key economic ministers and Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda to discuss measures to prop up an economy hit by the fallout from the coronavirus epidemic. | In Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is reportedly forming a panel of key economic ministers and Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda to discuss measures to prop up an economy hit by the fallout from the coronavirus epidemic. |
The move would put Japan in line with nations across the globe preparing measures to combat the impact of the coronavirus that has pushed economies around the world towards recession. | The move would put Japan in line with nations across the globe preparing measures to combat the impact of the coronavirus that has pushed economies around the world towards recession. |