Sector movers: Auto and Oil&Gas stocks pace losses

Some of the most cyclical areas of the stock market, such as Autos&Parts and Oil&Gas, were the worst hit at the end of the week as a raft of negative news headlines hit the wires, especially those around Brexit talks with the European Union.

Sorely testing investors' nerves again, the head of the European Commission and the UK Prime Minister both sounded warnings that a no-deal Brexit was still possible.

Several analysts pointed out that talks could yet drag on until year-end and, in the case of RBC, an extension past 31 December didn't seem to be a stretch.

Nonetheless, with the year-end just over two weeks ahead, the risks did indeed appear to be rising fast.

Across the Pond meanwhile, talks on Capitol Hill to agree on a fourth stimulus package appeared to hit an unexpected snag overnight, as Republicans pushed for firms to be shielded from lawsuits arising from the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Making matters worse, there was a fair bit of 'market chatter' to be heard regarding "frothy" valuations and investor sentiment, although the main UK and US stock market gauges remained comfortably in the black for the month-to-date.

Top performing sectors so far today

Leisure Goods 25,465.52 +2.77%

Industrial Transportation 2,400.31 +1.00%

Industrial Engineering 14,456.98 +0.90%

Personal Goods 37,467.44 +0.65%

Electronic & Electrical Equipment 9,646.80 +0.37%

Bottom performing sectors so far today

Automobiles & Parts 3,642.56 -5.15%

Oil & Gas Producers 4,839.83 -3.17%

Aerospace and Defence 3,678.51 -2.98%

Fixed Line Telecommunications 1,597.24 -2.85%

Mobile Telecommunications 2,990.24 -2.10%