The spread of Omicron worries the European equity markets, expected to fall sharply. Eurostoxx 50 opens at 4,161.35 points (-0.96%), the CAC 40 at 6,926.63 points (-1.12%), the DAX 40 at 15,531.69 points (-0.67%), the FTSE 100 at 7,269.92 points (+0.13%), the SMI at 12,715.48 points (-0.59%), the AEX at 771.70 points (-1.27%), the BEL 20 at 4,171.16 points (+0.05%), the IBEX 35 at 8,311.60 points (-0.82%), the DJIA at 35,365.44 points (-1.48%), the Nasdaq at 15,169.68 points (-0.07%), the S&P 500 at 4,620.64 points (-1.03%) and the Nikkei 225 at 27,937.81 points (-2.13%).

With regard to exchange rates, the variation compared to the closing in New York, EUR/USD at 1.1252 (+0.12%), EUR/JPY at 127.65 (-0, 11%) and USD/JPY at 113.46 (-0.23%).

European equity markets are expected to open sharply lower on Monday, weighed down by concerns surrounding the Omicron variant of the coronavirus and its potential impact on the global economy. At 7:45 a.m., the CAC 40 futures contract was down 157 points, or 2.3%, according to data from broker IG Markets. The DAX 40 contract lost 347 points, or 2.2%, and the FTSE 100 contract lost 120 points, or 1.6%. In Asia, the main stock markets are in the red. In Tokyo, the Nikkei index lost 2.1%. The Hang Seng of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange also dropped 2.1% at the end of the session. The Shanghai Composite dropped 1.1%. The People's Bank of China (PBOC) lowered one of its benchmark interest rates in an attempt to revive an economy hit hard by the crisis in the real estate sector. Wall Street ended sharply lower on Friday, weighed down by the tightening of monetary policy initiated by many central banks in the face of inflation. The Dow Jones Index (DJIA) lost 1.5% to 35,365.44 points, while the S&P 500 dropped more than 1% to 4,620.64 points. The Nasdaq, rich in technology stocks, limited its decline to less than 0.1%, to close at 15,169.68 points.

The yield on the 10-year US Treasury bond continued to slide Monday morning, after falling to its lowest level in two weeks on Friday. The yield curve flattened on Friday, due to the rise in the two-year bond rate, after a week marked by numerous monetary policy decisions. At 7:45 am, the yield on the ten-year Treasury bond stood at 1.366%, against 1.407% on Friday evening.

The euro gained some ground against the dollar on Monday morning, but remained close to its lows for the year amid risk aversion sparked by the spread of the Omicron variant.

Oil prices fell sharply on Monday morning, weighed down by growing concerns about the spread of the Omicron variant. At 7:35 a.m., the February contract on Brent North Sea oil lost $2.69, or 3.7%, to $70.91 a barrel. The same-maturity contract on light sweet crude oil (WTI) listed on the Nymex fell back $2.79, or 4%, to $67.95 a barrel.