The European market declined sharply on Monday, as the increase in the number of cases of the new omicron strain Covid-19 led to stricter restrictions on mobility, and this threatens the recovery of the region's economy. In particular, the DAX index in Germany fell to 15.241.35 points, the CAC 40 in France fell by 1.9% to 6.853.66 points, and the British FTSE 100 fell to 7.191.58. On Sunday, a full quarantine regime was introduced in the Netherlands: all stores except the main ones were closed in the country until at least January 14. These measures have served as a guideline for the Governments of a number of other European countries. For example, the UK and Italy have not ruled out the possibility of introducing additional restrictions before Christmas in the hope of avoiding a surge in infections during the festive period. The World Health Organization said on Saturday that the number of cases of omicron infection doubles in 1.5-3 days in areas where transmission occurs within communities. Oil prices are also declining (Brent $69.69 per barrel), as concerns related to omicron put pressure on oil demand.
