How the coronavirus has SUNK your investments

The sustained rout rattling global markets has wiped billions off the value of Britain’s best-known companies. 

Although the FTSE 100 rebounded yesterday – rising 2.8 per cent – it is still down 28.5 per cent since coronavirus fears really began to grip investors on February 24. 

Here we look at some of the sectors and businesses that have been hit. 

Grounded: British Airways owner IAG has seen its shares fall 62 per cent in the past 17 days of trading

AIRLINES 

Companies have been left fighting for their future as demand for flights collapses, planes are grounded and travel bans are imposed. 

British Airways owner IAG has seen its shares fall 62 per cent in the past 17 days of trading. 

Easyjet is down 61 per cent and Ryanair 42 per cent, while Eastern Europe-focused Wizz Air is down 45 per cent and Jet2 owner Dart has taken a 75 per cent dive.

TRAVEL COMPANIES 

Tour operator Tui and cruise company Carnival are sailing dangerously close to the rocks. 

Tui, down 67 per cent since February 24, has cancelled most of its customers’ holidays, while Carnival, down 69 per cent, has suspended all voyages. 

On The Beach has been noticeably quiet on the impact of Covid-19 since February, but traders are clearly fearing the worst as its shares are down 64 per cent. 

HOTELS 

Intercontinental Hotels has yet to say much on the impact, but brokers have begun reducing their expectations and shares are down 42 per cent. 

Hostelworld, the booking platform for hostels, has warned its customers that Covid-19 has had an ‘enormous impact on the hostelling industry’, and its shares are down 64 per cent. 

Easyhotel, down 37 per cent, called the disruption ‘unprecedented’. 

TRANSPORT 

With fewer commuters out and about, bus and train operators are firmly in the firing line. Shares in South Eastern rail operator Go – Ahead have slumped 76 per cent, and TransPennine Express firm First Group is down 77 per cent. 

National Express has tumbled 70 per cent, and booking platform Trainline is down 58 per cent. 

SHOPS 

Laura Ashley, which has been teetering on the brink for some time, finally announced it would appoint administrators yesterday. 

Primark’s decision to close several European stores has knocked shares in its owner, Associated British Foods, which are down 30 per cent since February 21. 

Card Factory has plummeted 62 per cent and JD Sports by 61 per cent. 

BOOKIES 

The suspension of all horse racing, just weeks before the Grand National, was an added kick in the teeth for gambling firms who were already trying to cope with a litany of sports cancellations. 

The suspension of all horse racing, just weeks before the Grand National, was a kick in the teeth for gambling firms who were already trying to cope with a litany of sports cancellations

The suspension of all horse racing, just weeks before the Grand National, was a kick in the teeth for gambling firms who were already trying to cope with a litany of sports cancellations

William Hill has suspended its dividend. Shares are down 75 per cent since the coronavirus crisis began. 

GVC, which owns Ladbrokes Coral, said the horse racing suspension would drag down its profits by £20million-£25million each month, if no mitigating actions were taken. Its shares have sunk 62 per cent. 

Paddy Power owner Flutter is down 37 per cent. 

PUBS 

The latest Government advice is warning punters to stay away from their local. 

The City Pub Group is down 73 per cent, Marston’s has sunk 79 per cent, and even cheap and-cheerful Wetherspoons is trading 56 per cent lower than it was less than a month ago. 

Wagamama owner The Restaurant Group has lost 80 per cent of its value as diners stay away. 

Closed: Cineworld was already suffering from the delayed release of the latest James Bond

Closed: Cineworld was already suffering from the delayed release of the latest James Bond

CINEMAS 

Nearly all of the UK’s cinemas shut their doors yesterday. 

Cineworld was already suffering from the delayed release of the latest James Bond film, and investors took fright at dire North American box office takings last weekend, meaning its shares are now down by 88 per cent. 

Indie rival Everyman has fallen 65 per cent after it too agreed to stop showing movies. 

OIL 

Coronavirus worries were already pushing down the price of oil, as traders feared reduced manufacturing output in China would lessen demand. 

Then, on top of that, major oil producing nations Russia and Saudi Arabia kicked off a price war. 

The impact on London-listed oil and gas firms has been devastating. Premier Oil has tumbled by 85 per cent. Tullow Oil, down 78 per cent, has warned it could go bust. 

Even oil titans BP and Shell are down 43 per cent and 46 per cent respectively. 

SUCCESS STORIES 

Despite the market gloom, there have been a few notable outliers. 

Shares in Ocado are up 20 per cent since the outbreak gripped markets, and 26 per cent in the last three days, as investors think online grocery deliveries could boom. 

On the medical side, Tekcapital is up 25 per cent after announcing one of its portfolio companies was patenting a ventilation system to help patients with respiratory problems caused by Covid-19. 

Inspiration Healthcare is up 3 per cent after the NHS ordered £1.25million worth of ventilators from it. 

And Novacyt has climbed 20 per cent in the past 17 days, and 869 per cent since the start of the year, amid demand for its coronavirus tests.

Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence.

Source link