New York (AFP)

The New York Stock Exchange started the week in the green on Monday, encouraged by new information on the fight against Covid-19, which has boosted sectors such as air transport, and driven by the continued progress of Apple.

Its flagship index, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, gained 1.36% to 28,309.14 points.

The Nasdaq, with strong technological coloring, appreciated by 0.60% to 11,379.72 points and the extended S&P 500 index gained 1.01% to 3,431.41 points.

Both finished at all-time highs as the Dow Jones still remains more than 4% off its pre-pandemic record.

The trend was fueled on Monday by new information on a treatment and a vaccine against Covid-19, which gave a boost to the sectors most affected on the stock market by the pandemic.

American Airlines climbed 10.5%, United Airlines 9.9% and Delta 9.3%. Cruise line Norwegian Cruise Line gained 7.6%.

On the one hand, the American agency in charge of medicines has authorized urgent treatment by transfusion of blood plasma from cured people.

In addition, according to the Financial Times, the White House is considering granting a vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University a fast-track authorization procedure.

"We get yin and yang every day" on the Covid, remarks Maris Ogg, portfolio manager for Tower Bridge Advisors. Monday for example, "we learn good news about the treatment but we also learn that we can be a priori re-infected a second time by the virus. It will probably continue like this until we have a group of vaccines. considered effective ", notes the specialist.

In the meantime, activity has slowed down on the markets at the end of summer, she observes. But investors remain on a corporate earnings season "which has held rather good surprises".

"We have of course had big winners, those who have taken advantage of the shift to online activities and have been able to reach customers via the internet, the big losers who are still directly affected by the pandemic such as airlines, and those who do not. 'have not been able to play their game, like many companies in the distribution sector, "she explains.

Wall Street was also dragged down on Monday by the rise of Apple, which gained 1.2% after having already gained more than 5% on Friday. The company, which is now worth more than $ 2,000 billion on the New York Stock Exchange, will soon divide its share by four, an operation intended to make it cheaper per unit, for shareholders holding securities on Monday at the close.

On the bond market, the 10-year rate on US debt rose to 0.6542% against 0.6282% Friday night.

© 2020 AFP