INO:

Dow drops more than 200 points, posts losing week as coronavirus fears resurface; European stocks close lower as coronavirus spread curbs sentiment

Stocks fell sharply on Friday after the number of new coronavirus cases escalated, fueling worries over a pronounced global economic slowdown. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 227.57 points lower, or 0.8%, at 28,992.41. It was the Dow’s first close below 29,000 since Feb. 4. The S&P 500 slid 1.1% to 3,337.75 while the Nasdaq Composite declined by 1.8% to 9,576.59. The Dow had its worst daily performance since Feb. 7 while the S&P 500 posted its biggest one-day loss since Jan. 31. The Nasdaq recorded its worst session since Jan. 27.
IHS Markit said activity in the U.S. services sector hit its lowest level in more than six years, noting confidence was “subdued” to the coronavirus.
Traders plowed money into safe havens such as Treasurys and gold on Friday. The 30-year Treasury bond yield hit a record low, breaking below 1.9%. Yields move inversely to prices. Gold hit a fresh seven-year high, gaining more than 1%.
European stocks closed lower on Friday afternoon, as investors monitored a raft of economic data and the latest developments in the coronavirus outbreak. The pan-European Stoxx 600 fluctuated for much of the day but closed 0.6% lower, taking cues from poor sentiment over on Wall Street.
As for corporate news, Allianz reported an increase in net profit of 9.5% to 1.858 billion euros ($2.01 billion) — a better-than-expected fourth-quarter result for the German insurer. Its stock closed around 1% higher.
Source: CNBC

SERBIA:

Stock listing of public enterprise would attract investors – expert

A potential listing of a Serbian public enterprise on the Belgrade Stock Exchange would boost the quality of securities and attract the attention of large investors, says Zoran Grubisic, professor at the Belgrade Banking Academy. Most public enterprises could be candidates for becoming listed companies, Grubisic told Tanjug.Commenting on a statement by Finance Minister Sinisa Mali, who this week said he agreed that one of the public enterprises should soon be listed on the stock exchange, Grubisic said this would be big news for investors as they always liked to have quality securities in their portfolios. "So, I have no doubts that all that (the standards) has been met - it is more about making a decision and about the timing and the method," says Grubisic, who tips Telekom Srbija to become a publicly listed company.
Source: N1

Serbian January inflation 0.6% up m-o-m, 2.0% up y-o-y

Serbian inflation rose by an average 0.6% in January compared to December, the national statistical office RZS said Friday. Serbian inflation rose by an average 0.6 pct in January compared to December, the national statistical office RZS said Friday. "Consumer prices in January 2020 increased by 2.0 pct in relation to January 2019," it said in a statement. "In 2019, in relation to 2018, consumer prices increased by 1.7 pct, on average.
Source: Tanjug

Agreement on construction of Belgrade-Sarajevo-Belgrade highway confirmed

The Government of Serbia has defined the Draft Law on confirming the agreement between the Government of the Republic Serbia and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina on cooperation on the realization of the project of the Belgrade-Sarajevo-Belgrade highway/high-speed route. This is a project of considerable national, regional and international importance, as it establishes a connection not just with the Milos Veliki highway and the future Morava Corridor, but also with the pan-European corridors. Its realization will improve the road structure in the region, creating the conditions for a better economic cooperation and the connecting of the two states' economies – the government says.
Source: Ekapija