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Oil Prices Fall in Asia After Thursday Surge: Live Updates Markets Slip as Oil Stages a Rally: Live Updates
(about 2 hours later)
Stocks fell modestly in Asia and Europe on Friday, setting the stage for a downbeat end to a turbulent week in financial markets.Stocks fell modestly in Asia and Europe on Friday, setting the stage for a downbeat end to a turbulent week in financial markets.
European markets opened mildly lower. Futures markets suggested Wall Street would open lower as well. European markets were about 1 percent lower in midmorning trading. Futures markets suggested Wall Street would open lower as well.
But oil prices rose sharply, with Brent crude gaining 10 percent, extending Thursday’s gains on word that major oil producers would meet to discuss the falling demand for petroleum.
Wall Street stocks jumped on Thursday after President Trump suggested that Saudi Arabia and Russia would call a truce in their clash over oil prices and would cut production.Wall Street stocks jumped on Thursday after President Trump suggested that Saudi Arabia and Russia would call a truce in their clash over oil prices and would cut production.
While plentiful oil supplies and low fuel prices are generally positive for the global economy, the clash over prices came at a time of declining demand as the response to the coronavirus outbreak slowed economic activity around the world. Plunging oil prices threatened to destabilize countries and regions where the local economy depends on oil production.While plentiful oil supplies and low fuel prices are generally positive for the global economy, the clash over prices came at a time of declining demand as the response to the coronavirus outbreak slowed economic activity around the world. Plunging oil prices threatened to destabilize countries and regions where the local economy depends on oil production.
Oil prices surged on Thursday after Mr. Trump’s comments sparked a rally, and on Friday the upswing continued at a more restrained pace. Bond prices rose, as investors sought to put their money in investments generally considered safe. In other markets, bond prices rose, as investors sought to put their money in investments generally considered safe.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 index was flat. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index fell 0.4 percent. In mainland China, the Shanghai Composite index fell 0.6 percent, while South Korea’s Kospi was flat. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 index was flat. The Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong fell 0.4 percent. In mainland China, the Shanghai Composite index fell 0.6 percent, while the Kospi in South Korea was flat.
In London, the FTSE 100 opened 1 percent lower. France’s CAC 40 index was down 0.6 percent, while the DAX in Germany was down 0.3 percent. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, under pressure to end a price war with Russia that has thrown oil markets into turmoil, is planning to hold a teleconference on Monday to discuss world oil supplies, an OPEC delegate said on Friday.
Oil prices surged on Thursday, setting off a rally in shares of energy companies, after President Trump said that he expected that Saudi Arabia and Russia would substantially cut their oil production to halt the collapse of prices. The meeting will include the OPEC+ group of producers, which includes Russia, and other countries “if they wish,” the delegate said.
Crude oil futures, which had already been climbing on Thursday, surged and shares of oil and gas companies rallied. West Texas Intermediate, the U.S. crude benchmark, rose about 25 percent, and Occidental Petroleum was the best performing stock in the S&P 500, with a gain of about 19 percent. Apache rose nearly 17 percent, and Halliburton gained more than 13 percent. It was not clear if the United States would take part in the meeting.
The rally bolstered the stock market, with the S&P 500 ending the day up more than 2 percent. Oil prices rose sharply on Friday, after a surge on Thursday that extended to a rally in shares of energy companies, after President Trump said he expected that Saudi Arabia and Russia would substantially cut their oil production to halt the collapse of prices. The price of Brent crude rose about 10 percent on Friday to about $32 a barrel.
Oil prices had been hammered as the coronavirus pandemic all but eliminated travel and damped demand for energy. A price war that broke out between Saudi Arabia and Russia last month intensified the decline. After the countries failed to reach a deal on production cuts, both instead increased output in an effort to gain market share. Saudi Arabia on Thursday called for an “urgent” OPEC meeting after President Trump spoke with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s chief policymaker. President Trump has been leaning on Saudi Arabia and Russia to end the damaging price war that the Saudis launched after Russia declined to agree to new production trims at a meeting in Vienna in early March.
The combination of slumping demand and the contest between two of the world’s largest oil producers had pushed crude oil prices down by 55 percent in March alone, wreaking havoc on the energy industry, with oil companies slashing budgets, and refineries cutting production of gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. The jousting between the two major producers has accelerated the collapse of oil prices, which fell about 55 percent in March, and put the future of many shale drillers in the United States in jeopardy, creating a political problem for the Trump administration.
The possibility of some relief to the industry was also welcomed by stock investors looking for some good news. Earlier on Thursday, a report on jobless claims showed that 6.6 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week in the latest sign of the economic damage wrought by the coronavirus pandemic. Analysts say that the Saudis and Russia will want production cuts from a wider circle of producers, including the United States. While there are likely to be strong objections to organized production trims in the United States, the Railroad Commission of Texas, a regulatory body which played a role in coordinating production in the United States in the 20th century, has signaled cautious interest in the idea.
Grants, low-interest loans and other government support might seem like manna for businesses under financial strain. But some chief executives and corporate boards might balk at the offer of billions of dollars in aid to help them ride out the coronavirus pandemic and keep the economy from sliding into a deep recession.
Already, some corporate leaders are bristling at the potential terms of the grants and loans authorized by the stimulus legislation President Trump signed last week. Boeing’s chief executive, David Calhoun, for one has suggested that the aerospace company could raise money elsewhere if it found the government’s terms too onerous.
The Treasury Department, led by Steven Mnuchin, a former investment banker, might try to avoid imposing conditions that companies find burdensome. But if the aid appears too lenient, popular support for the rescue could evaporate as it did with the bailout of banks and other businesses after the 2008 financial crisis. And some lawmakers and experts argue that Mr. Mnuchin ought to resist the temptation to cut businesses too sweet a deal to prevent them from walking away from the government’s offer.
Google said it is using the data it collects about where people go to help governments and public health officials evaluate the effectiveness of policies — like sheltering in place and working from home — designed to thin crowds in public places.Google said it is using the data it collects about where people go to help governments and public health officials evaluate the effectiveness of policies — like sheltering in place and working from home — designed to thin crowds in public places.
In a blog post early Friday, Google said it is publishing so-called “mobility reports” for 131 countries based on aggregated and anonymized location data from Google Maps users to show recent changes in travel patterns. There are also regional breakdowns. In the United States, Google will detail data for all 50 states and counties within those states.In a blog post early Friday, Google said it is publishing so-called “mobility reports” for 131 countries based on aggregated and anonymized location data from Google Maps users to show recent changes in travel patterns. There are also regional breakdowns. In the United States, Google will detail data for all 50 states and counties within those states.
The reports derive from how Google Maps taps into location data to offer users information about how busy restaurants or stores may be on a certain day of the week or time of day. Google said it is using “Location History” data provided by users. The feature is not on by default, and users must opt in to share location data with the company. The company said it will share the data in aggregate so individual movements are not revealed.The reports derive from how Google Maps taps into location data to offer users information about how busy restaurants or stores may be on a certain day of the week or time of day. Google said it is using “Location History” data provided by users. The feature is not on by default, and users must opt in to share location data with the company. The company said it will share the data in aggregate so individual movements are not revealed.
“We have heard from public health officials that this same type of aggregated, anonymized data could be helpful as they make critical decisions to combat Covid-19,” Jen Fitzpatrick, a senior vice president for Google Maps, and Karen DeSalvo, chief health officer at Google Health, wrote in the blog post.“We have heard from public health officials that this same type of aggregated, anonymized data could be helpful as they make critical decisions to combat Covid-19,” Jen Fitzpatrick, a senior vice president for Google Maps, and Karen DeSalvo, chief health officer at Google Health, wrote in the blog post.
Another measurement of the economic devastation wrought by the coronavirus pandemic across the United States will be coming on Friday. It may not be a big number, but it is likely to be a milestone.Another measurement of the economic devastation wrought by the coronavirus pandemic across the United States will be coming on Friday. It may not be a big number, but it is likely to be a milestone.
The figure, from the Labor Department’s employment report for March, is expected to show a net loss of jobs for the first time since late 2010. The data was mostly collected in the first half of the month, before the wave of business closings and layoffs that have led to nearly 10 million new unemployment claims in the past two weeks.The figure, from the Labor Department’s employment report for March, is expected to show a net loss of jobs for the first time since late 2010. The data was mostly collected in the first half of the month, before the wave of business closings and layoffs that have led to nearly 10 million new unemployment claims in the past two weeks.
Economists on Wall Street are looking for the report to show a loss of 100,000 jobs, with a rise in the unemployment rate to 3.8 percent from a half-century low of 3.5 percent in February.Economists on Wall Street are looking for the report to show a loss of 100,000 jobs, with a rise in the unemployment rate to 3.8 percent from a half-century low of 3.5 percent in February.
But double-digit figures for joblessness may be coming soon. The Congressional Budget Office said on Thursday that it expected unemployment to top 10 percent for the second quarter of 2020 — as high as the peak in the last recession — and to remain at 9 percent at the end of 2021.But double-digit figures for joblessness may be coming soon. The Congressional Budget Office said on Thursday that it expected unemployment to top 10 percent for the second quarter of 2020 — as high as the peak in the last recession — and to remain at 9 percent at the end of 2021.
Before the pandemic upended normal commerce, the economy had created jobs for 113 months in a row, more than twice the previous record. In that time, a net total of 22.2 million jobs were created in a steady if not always spectacular expansion.Before the pandemic upended normal commerce, the economy had created jobs for 113 months in a row, more than twice the previous record. In that time, a net total of 22.2 million jobs were created in a steady if not always spectacular expansion.
Reporting was contributed by Daisuke Wakabayashi, Nelson D. Schwartz, Jim Tankersley, Carlos Tejada and Daniel Victor. Reporting was contributed by Stanley Reed, Peter Eavis, Niraj Chokshi, David Gelles, Daisuke Wakabayashi, Nelson D. Schwartz, Jim Tankersley, Carlos Tejada and Daniel Victor.