Resurgent Covid-19 and Brexit stalemate drive stocks lower

Little sign of breakthrough in UK-EU trade talks

Hopes for pre-election US fiscal package fizzle out. Picture: iStock

Global shares fell this morning as governments across Europe tightened restrictions to battle an accelerating second wave of COVID-19 infections, dampening the prospects for economic recovery.

Stocks in Europe fell for a third consecutive session in early trading, taking their queue from weaker markets in Asia overnight, and a Wall Street pulled lower on Tuesday by Amazon and Microsoft as the earnings season gathered momentum.