Covid-19 Daily Dashboard - 14 October 2020

An overview of key economic and financial metrics.
Written By:
William Matthews, Knight Frank
2 minutes to read

Download an overview of key economic and financial metrics relating to Covid-19 on 14 October 2020.

COVID-19: The total number of cases recorded globally has surpassed 38 million, with circa 1.1 million reported deaths according to Johns Hopkins University & Medicine.

Equities: In Europe, stocks are higher this morning, with the STOXX 600, CAC 40 and the DAX all +0.2%, while the FTSE 250 is up +0.5%. In Asia stocks were mostly lower, with the Kospi (-0.9%), Topix and S&P / ASX 200 (both      -0.3%), all down on close. Despite the CSI 300 closing -0.7% lower, the total market capitalisation of shares listed in Shanghai and Shenzhen hit $10.08 trillion, a new record high, according to Bloomberg. In the US, futures for the S&P 500 are up +0.4%.

VIX: After increasing +4.0% yesterday, the CBOE market volatility index is down -1.5% over the morning to 25.7. The Euro Stoxx 50 volatility index has also decreased, contracting -0.2% to 22.9. While the CBOE vix remains elevated compared to its long term average (LTA) of 19.9, the Euro Stoxx 50 vix is below its LTA of 23.9.  

Bonds: The UK 10-year gilt yield has compressed -2bps to 0.22, while both the US 10-year treasury yield and the German 10-year bund yield have contracted -1bp to 0.72% and -0.57%. The Italian 10-year bond yield is down -3bps to 0.64%. 

Currency: Both sterling and the euro have depreciated to $1.29 and $1.17, respectively. Hedging benefits for US dollar denominated investors into the UK and the eurozone are at 0.37% and 1.20% per annum on a five-year basis. 

Oil: The West Texas Intermediate (WTI) is currently $40 per barrel this morning, while Brent Crude is now at $42.31. 

Baltic Dry: The Baltic Dry decreased for the fifth consecutive session yesterday, down -4.2% to 1,732. This brings cumulative declines over the last six trading sessions to -17%, albeit the index remains +59% higher than it was at the start of January. Declines were driven by the capsize rate, which has also fallen for the fifth straight session, down -6.7% yesterday.

Gold: The price of gold declined -1% yesterday to $1,894 per troy ounce. Gold is -8% lower than its record high in August, but remains +24% higher than it was at the start of the year.