Markets mixed, COVID-19 vaccine concern widens

Markets were mixed on Tuesday.

The S&P 500 fell 0.2 percent while the STOXX Europe 600 rose 0.9 percent and the Shanghai Composite rose 0.8 percent.

Strategists at LPL Financial said that “COVID-19 vaccines is bringing us closer to a fully reopened economy” and they “expect interest rates to fade as a threat to markets”.

The vaccination programme in Europe, however, has hit a setback, with Sweden and Latvia on Tuesday joining 11 other countries suspending the use of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine after reports of unusual blood disorders among some recipients.