Global stocks hit new highs, as investors await US jobs data – business live

Global stocks hit new highs, as investors await US jobs data – business live

UK regulator approves Moderna vaccine; UK orders 10m more dosesEurozone jobless rate in surprise fall; youth unemployment risesStrong German industrial data fuels hopes economy can avoid double dipUK house prices rise at slowest monthly rate since JuneIntroduction: Stocks boosted by economic recovery hopes 12.53pm GMT You can read more about the Moderna vaccine approval on our coronavirus live blog: Related: UK coronavirus live: Moderna vaccine becomes third Covid jab approved for use in Britain We have already vaccinated nearly 1.5 million people across the UK and Moderna's vaccine will allow us to accelerate our vaccination programme even further once doses become available from the spring. 12.40pm GMT Futures tracking Wall Street's main indices have climbed to new highs ahead of the US jobs data at 1:30pm GMT. The Dow Jones futures are up nearly 0.3%, the S&P 500 is 0.4% higher and the Nasdaq 0.5% ahead. All three indices hit record highs yesterday and the S&P closed above 3,800 points for the first time amid expectations of a bigger stimulus package and infrastructure spending once Joe Biden takes office, triggering buying of financial, industrial and material stocks. 12.27pm GMT Oil prices continue to climb and have touched 11-month highs today,