Day: October 15, 2021

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World shares gain after technology-powered rally on Wall St

New York, Shares were mostly higher in Europe and Asia on Friday after technology companies powered the biggest rally on Wall Street since March, reports AP.

Investors have been encouraged by strong earnings reports, as every S&P 500 company that has reported earnings this week has beaten forecasts.

“Overall, it is safe to say that the U.S. equity market is fully in a risk-on mode and traders aren’t afraid in backing riskier assets,” Naeem Aslam of Avatrade said in a commentary.

Inflation remains a key concern, and Friday will bring an update on how higher prices may be affecting consumer spending when the Commerce Department releases retail sales for September.

TSMC, the world’s biggest chip maker, climbed 4.7% after its CEO confirmed reports it plans to open a semiconductor fabrication plant in Japan.

The Shanghai Composite index picked up 0.4% to 3,572.37. China will report its last quarter growth on Monday in another indicator of how the recovery from the pandemic downturn is progressing.

In other trading on Friday, U.S. benchmark crude oil topped $82 per barrel, gaining 72 cents to $82.03 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It surged 87 cents to $81.31 per barrel on Thursday.

Brent crude, the standard for international pricing, added 83 cents to $84.83 per barrel.

The U.S. dollar strengthened to 114.27 Japanese yen from 113.67 yen late Thursday. The euro rose to $1.1606 from $1.1596.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

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FIFA, Qatar Help Evacuate Afghan Football Players, Families

World soccer’s governing body FIFA said on Friday it had worked with the Qatari government to evacuate almost 100 football players and their families from Afghanistan.

The Taliban seized control of Afghanistan’s capital Kabul on Aug. 15 and announced a new government last month after U.S.-led foreign forces withdrew and the Western-backed government collapsed.

Qatar’s assistant foreign minister, Lolwah al-Khater, had said the players and their families were among the passengers to arrive on a flight from Kabul on Thursday.

FIFA said in a statement that the group, which included female players, were deemed to have been “at the highest risk.” It thanked Qatar for its support and for “ensuring the safe passage” of the players and families.

“The FIFA leadership has been closely coordinating with the government of Qatar since August on the evacuation of the group and will continue to work closely on the safe evacuation of further members of the sporting family in the future,” it added.

Cycling’s world governing body UCI said on Monday it helped in the evacuation of 165 refugees from Afghanistan, which included female cyclists, journalists and human rights campaigners.

The International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said last month that the organization had helped around 100 members of the “Olympic community” in Afghanistan to leave the country on humanitarian visas.

Australia evacuated more than 50 female Afghan athletes and their dependents in August, while several players from Afghanistan’s national female youth soccer squad were granted asylum in Portugal last month.

Source: Voice of America