Global markets are higher after positive data over the weekend on China industrial profit took some of the investor focus off the resurgence of COVID-19 cases. Japan’s Nikkei 225 gained 1.3%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was up 1.0% and South Korea’s Kospi jumped 1.3% after only 50 new COVID-19 cases were reported in the nation today.
In Europe, the Stoxx 600 Index is up 1.4%, with France’s CAC 40, U.K.’s FTSE 100 and Germany’s DAX all comfortably in positive territory at mid-day.
U.S. stock futures are also pointing up more than 1% ahead of a light earnings and conference calendar. Underpinning some of the investor optimism are renewed hope over a new stimulus deal making its way out of Washington D.C. in the new few weeks and a wave of new M&A talk.
