Covid-19 Daily Dashboard – 24 April 2020
An overview of key economic and financial metrics relating to Covid-19 on 24 April 2020.
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Highlights today across key economic and financial indicators:
Equities
Equity markets have declined this morning, in part, a response to a potential antiviral drug to treat COVID-19 being unsuccessful in its first randomised clinical trial. Frankfurt’s DAX contracted -1.1% this morning, followed by the FTSE 100 (-1.0%) and STOXX 600 (-0.7%).
VIX
The “investor fear gauge”, the VIX volatility index, is currently at 39.0, down from 40.0 the day prior. This is the first time since last week that the index has been below 40.0.
Oil
Brent crude is broadly stable over the course of this morning, currently at $21.36 a barrel. Pricing remains subdued, following volatility earlier in the week due to continued supply and demand imbalances and storage issues.
Baltic Dry
Despite some evidence of cautious reopening of business in Europe, the Baltic Dry index has declined a further -3.2% to $672, its lowest level since April 13th due to weakened global demand.
US Jobless claims
An additional 4.4 million people filed for unemployment benefits over the last week. In the five weeks since containment measures began, total unemployment benefit claims have reached a record 26 million. Those who have filed successfully and have been approved for unemployment insurance equate to circa 11% of the American workforce.
Download the key economic and financial metrics relating to Covid-19