SLOVENIA
Slovenian companies ramping up production of sanitiser
Slovenian makers of disinfectants are working around the clock to meet the spike in demand, in particular for hand sanitiser, caused by the coronavirus epidemic. Production has been ramped up despite some disruptions in the supply of raw materials. (STA)
Drug makers working hard to secure undisturbed supply
The two main pharmaceutical companies in Slovenia, Krka and Lek, have assured the public that they are making the greatest possible effort to keep production and supply of the market at the normal level, while introducing measures to contain the spread of the new coronavirus. (STA)
INTERNATIONAL MARKETS
Dow drops 1,300 points, S&P 500 loses 5% as coronavirus market sell-off reaches new low; European shares close 4% lower despite multi-billion dollar stimulus pledges; oil stocks down 10%
Stocks tumbled on Wednesday, reaching a new coronavirus crisis low as investors worried about the economic damage from the pandemic. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1,338.46 points, or 6.3% to 19,898.92, marking its first close below 20,000 since February 2017. The Dow was down more than 2,300 points at the lows of the session. The S&P 500 dropped 5.2% to 2,398.10 and closed nearly 30% below a record set last month. The Nasdaq Composite slid 4.7% to 6,989.84. Virtually no market was safe from the selling wave, with crude prices having their third-worst decline on record.
Stocks came off their lows in the final minutes of trading after the Senate obtained the votes to pass a coronavirus relief plan to expand paid leave.
European stocks close 2.2% higher after a day of choppy trading; travel sector slides 6%
European markets sank Wednesday, despite Western governments promising to unleash billions of dollars to help businesses and citizens get through the coronavirus pandemic.
Plane manufacturer Airbus fell 20% after Reuters reported that the U.S. is set to boost tariffs on its planes by 50% on Wednesday. (CNBC)
