US Stocks Advance Even as Trump Extends Social Distancing 

Major U.S. stock indexes advanced more than 2% in early trading Monday in the hours after President Donald Trump extended the country’s social distancing guidelines through April 30 to combat the spread of the coronavirus. European exchanges edged ahead marginally in late-day trading, while those in Asia fell. The European markets had fallen most of the day on worries about the pandemic and the decision of the European Central Bank to ask banks not to pay dividends on their stock or buy back shares until October. People wearing face masks walk past a bank’s electronic board showing the Hong Kong share index at Hong Kong Stock Exchange, March 30, 2020.Asian markets closed down as investors continued to be worried by the coronavirus and its effect on the world economy. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index had lost over 330 points, or 1.45% at its closing bell, while the Nikkei in Japan was down more than 300 points or 1.57% and the Shanghai closed off nearly 1%.    
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