The Netherlands: Face masks are back, more working at home, as Dutch bring back anti-Covid rules

Netherlands is bringing in new measures to control coronavirus in a bid to reverse the sharp rise in new cases, and tougher rules are also in the pipeline if there is no improvement. The new plans were outlined by ministers at a press conference on Tuesday evening, shortly after officials raised the risk level to ‘severe’ now that the average number of hospital admissions per day is above 100.

Although social distancing will not be compulsory, it is the government’s ‘urgent advice’, prime minister Mark Rutte told a press conference on Tuesday evening .

Read more at: Face masks are back, more working at home, as Dutch bring back anti-Covid rules - DutchNews.nl

US Economy: S&P 500, Dow close at record highs, dollar gains at end of tumultuous year

All three major indexes gained ground, with the Dow and S&P 500 picking up steam in the session’s final minutes to exit 2020 at record highs. Over the course of a historic year, the indexes both roared and plummeted as economic shutdowns to contain the coronavirus brought markets to their knees.

Read more at:S&P 500, Dow close at record highs, dollar gains at end of tumultuous year | Reuters

USA: Wall Street rebounds as Cuomo sets eyes on reopening

Wall Street rebounded from early losses on Monday after New York’s governor said parts of the state — which has been the epicentre of the US’s coronavirus outbreak — were ready to open and that other regions were “very close” behind.

The comments from Governor Andrew Cuomo pushed the S&P 500 into positive territory, though it only eked out a small gain at the closing bell. The remarks also helped lift the technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite 0.8 per cent for the day.

Read more at: Wall Street rebounds as Cuomo sets eyes on reopening | Financial Times