Global Stocks Tick Higher Ahead of Inauguration

Global stocks and U.S. stock futures ticked higher ahead of Joe Biden's inauguration as president.

Futures tied to the S&P 500 edged up 0.2%. Contracts on the Nasdaq-100 added 0.6%.

In Europe, the Stoxx Europe 600 gained 0.3% in morning trade. Industrials and energy sectors led gains while health care and utilities sectors lost ground.

Shares of Kion Group jumped 2.8% snapping a three-day losing streak and Rotork rose 2.5%.

John Wood Group slipped 3% for a two-session losing streak.

The FTSE 100, which is dominated by large international businesses, climbed 0.1%.

Other stock indexes in Europe also mostly climbed as France's CAC 40 added 0.2%, U.K.'s FTSE 250 climbed 0.4%, and Germany's DAX added 0.3%.

The Swiss franc and the British pound strengthened 0.2% and 0.3% respectively against the U.S. dollar and the euro was flat against the dollar, with 1 euro buying $1.21.

In commodities, international benchmark Brent crude oil was up 0.8% to $56.36 a barrel. Gold was also up 0.7% to $1,853.50 a troy ounce.

The German 10-year bund yield held steady and the yield on 10-year U.K. government debt known as gilts fell to 0.289% from 0.291%. The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield was flat. Yields move inversely to prices.

Stocks in Asia were mixed as Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.9% and China's benchmark Shanghai Composite rose 0.5%, whereas Japan's Nikkei 225 index was down 0.4%.

An artificial-intelligence tool was used in creating this article.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 20, 2021 03:59 ET (08:59 GMT)

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