S&P 500 Index gained on Monday. What about other indexes? 

S&P 500 Index gained on Monday. What about other indexes? 

U.S. equity futures and European stocks gained on Monday. Futures on the S&P 500 Index climbed up by 0.1%, while the Stoxx Europe 600 Index soared by 0.2%. Meanwhile, the MSCI Asia Pacific Index changed insignificantly. The MSCI Emerging Market Index lowered by 0.2%, though.

 

Investors are still waiting for new stimulus from the U.S. government. But while pressure remains on both the Democrats and Republicans to reach a more substantial compromise solution, thus far, they are nowhere near reaching a consensus.

 

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump signed four executive orders to maintain some assistance, such as unemployment benefits, eviction protection, student-loan relief, and a temporary payroll tax deferral.

 

The new stimulus provided by President Trump through executive orders is much better than none at all. At least it provides a stop-gap solution – stated Lee Hardman, a strategist at MUFG Bank in London. Furthermore, Trump’s executive actions to extend economic stimulus bolstered investor enthusiasm.

 

In Europe, bank shares rallied. Oil surged forward after Saudi Aramco announced that demand would continue to improve. Risk assets kept rising even after China declared that it would sanction American officials in retaliation over Hong Kong.

 

How did other stocks fare? 

 

Since last week’s deadly blast in Beirut, the Lebanese real estate company Solidere traded for the first time on Monday. The company’s shares plummeted down by 13%. But the stock, seen as a hedge against soaring inflation and the falling Lebanese pound, is still higher by 85% this year.

 

Furthermore, Portugal’s 30-year bond yield tumbled down below 1% for the first time since March.

 

The tension between the U.S. and China deepens. The Trump administration takes an increasingly harder line against China as the November elections near.  But treasuries and the US dollar remained steady.

 

European stocks lowered briefly after China retaliated against the United States by sanctioning eleven Americans. The list includes Senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio. However, so far, no members of the Trump administration are on it.