Overnight headlines about the emergence of a new COVID-19 variant in South Africa seem to have spooked investors, with a risk-off pulse sending global shares and U.S. stock futures tumbling, and safe-havens like U.S. Treasurys and gold benefiting from the outflows.
Asia stocks outside Japan slid over 2 percent, Europe and U.S. stock futures are down sharply, and crude oil prices fell over 5 percent.
