The leading stock platforms across the world finished the previous week with a positive result. The US stock indices are confidently finishing the year with a gain of more than 10%, while the British FTSE 100 Index is trying to finish the year without losses.

Last week, the issues of government incentives for the leading economies across the world returned in the focus of investors’ attention again. In its Beige Book report, the US Federal Reserve System (FRS) noted large-scale growth of employment in all 12 regions across the US in October and November 2014. Business activity in all regions across the US continued expanding in October and November, while a number of districts also registered optimism as regards future business activity. Such a positive report gives grounds to the US central bank to speak more confidently about the forthcoming increase in the rates, that is, about tapering of incentives on the part of the government.

Financial markets survey 08.12.2014