World shares mostly lower as virus cases prompt lockdowns

By ELAINE KURTENBACH
AP Business Writer

Shares have opened lower in Europe after a mixed session in Asia, as countries impose lockdowns and other restrictions to fight flare-ups of coronavirus cases. Benchmarks dropped in London, Paris, Hong Kong and South Korea. The Shanghai composite index edged higher, while Tokyo was closed for a holiday. U.S. futures were lower. On Monday, the S&P 500 lost 0.3%, the Nasdaq fell 1.3% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average eked out a tiny gain after President Joe Biden said he would ask Jerome Powell to serve another term as chair of the Federal Reserve. That signaled confidence in Powell’s handling of central bank policies during the brutal disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.