· China reports 73 new deaths on mainland from virus outbreak on February 5
Another 73 people on the Chinese mainland died on Wednesday from the coronavirus outbreak, the highest daily increase so far, bringing the total death toll to 563, the country’s health authority said on Thursday.
The National Health Commission said another 3,694 coronavirus cases were reported throughout the country on Feb. 5, bringing the total to 28,018.
· WHO says Wuhan coronavirus outbreak is not yet a pandemic
The Wuhan coronavirus outbreak is not a pandemic, World Health Organization officials said Tuesday, adding that they're hopeful transmission of the virus can be contained.
The agency acknowledges that it is challenging to contain the virus because of global mass movement.
· China virus hits cruise ships, carmakers, airlines and Airbus
Thousands of passengers and crew on two cruise ships in Asian waters were placed in quarantine for China’s coronavirus on Wednesday as airlines, carmakers and other global companies counted the cost of the fast-spreading outbreak.
· U.S. Senate acquits Trump in historic vote as re-election campaign looms
President Donald Trump was acquitted on Wednesday in his U.S. Senate impeachment trial, saved by fellow Republicans who rallied to protect him nine months before he asks voters in a deeply divided America to give him a second White House term.
The businessman-turned-politician, 73, survived only the third presidential impeachment trial in U.S. history - just like the two other impeached presidents - in his turbulent presidency’s darkest chapter. Trump now plunges into an election season that promises to further polarize the country.
· Dollar gains on strong private payrolls, report of virus treatment
The dollar gained against the safe-haven yen and Swiss franc on Wednesday, as risk appetite rose on reports of a possible treatment for the new coronavirus out of China that has gripped the world and caused major disruptions among global businesses.
The U.S. currency also benefited from a private-sector payrolls report for January that surpassed market expectations, suggesting the world’s largest economy was on a stable growth path and interest rate cuts were off the table for now.
In afternoon trading, the dollar rose 0.3% against the yen to 109.79 yen, after earlier rising to a two-week high of 109.84 yen. It also rose 0.5% versus the Swiss franc to 0.9735 franc.
The euro, meanwhile, fell 0.4% to $1.0994, pushing the dollar index up 0.3% at 98.29.
· Oil jumps 2%, snapping 5-day losing streak
Oil prices jumped more than 2% on Wednesday after media reports that scientists had developed a drug against the fast-spreading coronavirus that continues to weigh heavily on global economic activity.
The World Health Organization played down the media reports, saying there are “no known effective therapeutics” against the virus.
Lending further support to oil was news that the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its producer allies are considering further output cuts to counter a potential squeeze on global oil demand.
Brent crude oil futures were up $1.40, or 2.6%, at $55.36 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude gained $1.14, or 2.3%, to settle at $50.75 per barrel.
Prices held gains after data showed U.S. crude inventories rose by 3.4 million barrels in the week to Jan. 31, compared with expectations in a Reuters poll for a rise of 2.8 million barrels.
Reference: CNBC, CNN
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