Pfizer and Moderna Show Strength
Dow Jones Falls, Nasdaq Rises
[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended halting the administration of Johnson & Johnson (J&J)'s COVID-19 vaccine, causing ripple effects in the New York stock market.
As of 9:50 a.m. local time on the 13th, J&J's stock price has fallen by 2.2%. Meanwhile, the stocks of Pfizer and Moderna, whose vaccinations will continue, are rising by 1% and 7%, respectively.
With the J&J vaccine facing suspension among the three vaccines used in the US, travel-related industries have been immediately impacted.
Airline stocks such as Delta, United, and American Airlines have all plunged by 3-4%. Cruise operator Carnival, hotel chains Marriott and Hilton, and casino-related stocks like MGM are also showing weakness.
The Nasdaq index, centered on tech stocks, rose by 0.6%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 0.3%.
US health authorities stated that they are reviewing six cases of rare and severe blood clots among recipients of the J&J vaccine and recommended halting the use of the J&J vaccine. However, the emergency use authorization for the J&J vaccine has not been revoked. As of the previous day, 6.8 million doses of the J&J vaccine had been administered in the US.
CNBC reported the opinion of Dr. Kavita Patel, who said this measure could increase concerns about vaccination in the US. Dr. Patel warned that relying only on Pfizer and Moderna vaccines would inevitably delay the US vaccination goals and could spread vaccine hesitancy among the public. She also predicted that the US government might postpone the second doses for those who received the first doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
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