For global financial markets, the second year of the COVID pandemic has been nearly as dramatic as the first.

Oil prices rose again on Wednesday as the dollar slipped, with risk appetite returning as some governments resist imposing lockdowns to curb the spread of the Omicron COVID-19 variant and as China said it would be able to sustain economic growth.

(Reuters) -Amazon Inc, Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc, Twitter Inc and Pinterest Inc will not send teams to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas as concerns grow about Omicron https://www.reuters.com/world/omicron-spreading-infecting-vaccinated-who-2021-12-20, the firms said on Tuesday.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has denied Apple Inc's bid to exclude a shareholder proposal that would require the company to inform investors about its use of non-disclosure agreements and other concealment clauses, according to a document viewed by Reuters.

Amazon Inc, Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc, Twitter Inc and Pinterest Inc all said on Tuesday they will not send teams to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas next month as concerns grow about the Omicron coronavirus variant.

Asian sharemarkets were gaining ground on Wednesday as the risk appetite of global investors rises heading into year-end, despite the surging number of Omicron variant cases around the world.