S&P/ASX 200 slumps 1.40% amid global concerns about new COVID-19 variant Companies S&P/ASX 200 slumps 1.40% amid global concerns about new COVID-19 variant The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield fell as low as 1.25% on Thursday, its lowest point since February, on growing concern about the pace of the global economic recovery. The decline in bond yields could be signalling that the Delta variant may slow growth. S&P/ASX 200 (INDEXASX:XJO) fell 1.40% to 7,238 points by about 12.55 pm after a rise in COVID-19 cases overnight forced Premier Gladys Berejiklian to tighten restrictions in greater Sydney. NSW recorded another 44 cases on Friday, the highest daily increase since the latest outbreak began after yesterday’s record of 38.