Global Stocks Fall on Virus Worries, Wall St Volatility

A currency trader walks by the screens showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index  (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

BEIJING (AP) – Global stocks have fallen amid worries about rising coronavirus infections, Wall Street volatility, and U.S. economic aid plans. London and Frankfurt opened lower and Shanghai and Tokyo declined. Overnight, the S&P 500 closed 1% higher, recovering some of the previous day’s losses. But U.S. futures declined, dampening expectations the run might last. Japan’s government reported December factory output declined 1.6% from the previous month. U.S. markets were roiled by a spate of trading by small investors of video game vendor GameStop that hurt hedge funds that bet the stock would fall. Investors were watching coronavirus infection spikes in Europe and Asia and negotiations in Washington over President Joe Biden’s proposed $1.9 trillion economic aid package.