Third consecutive day of gains for global markets
The Nikkei and other Asian stocks had pushed roughly 1% higher and Europe also made a steady start ahead of several central bank meetings
London — Santa delivered his traditional end of year rally on Thursday as world stocks made a third day of gains and the pound and the euro both stayed strong after the latest bout of Brexit drama. UK Prime Minister Theresa May's survival in a late night no-confidence vote has not changed the markets' views on Brexit but along with signs of a tentative truce in the US-China trade war and progress in Italy it was enough to keep them jolly. The Nikkei and other Asian stocks had pushed roughly 1% higher and Europe also made a steady start ahead of several central bank meetings including a landmark one for the ECB, which was set to end its quantitative easing programme. The euro rose 0.2% to $1.1394 having largely traded in a $1.16 and $1.12 range since August. That made the dollar a touch softer while the pound was up for a second day at $1.2670. "All eyes will be on the ECB," said Morgan Stanley forex strategist Hans Redeker. "It may revise its growth projections lower but continue to...
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