US markets end lower on Friday on concerns about spike in coronavirus cases

21 Nov 2020 Evaluate

The US markets ended lower on Friday on concerns about the near-term economic outlook amid a continued spike in new coronavirus cases in the US. The latest data from John Hopkins University showed nearly 188,000 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, while the daily death toll topped 2,000 for the first time. The continued surge in new cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the US has raised concerns new restrictions and lockdowns will dampen the economy recovery. While there continues to be upbeat news on the vaccine front, traders seem worried about an economic downturn the months leading up to the widespread distribution of a vaccine.

Adding to the economic uncertainty, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced a decision to allow five of the Federal Reserve's nine emergency lending programs to expire at the end of the year. The Fed responded to the decision in a rare public statement, saying it would prefer that the full suite of emergency facilities established during the coronavirus pandemic continue to serve their important role as a backstop for the still-strained and vulnerable economy.

Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 219.75 points or 0.75 percent to 29,263.48, Nasdaq declined 49.74 points or 0.42 percent to 11,854.97 and S&P 500 was down by 24.33 points or 0.68 percent 3,557.54.

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