The auction house Christie’s has released a report saying it sold art and other collectibles totaling $7.1 billion in 2021, an increase of 54 percent from a year earlier and 22 percent from 2019, the year before the pandemic.

Gold prices rose on Tuesday as a weaker dollar and risks to global economic growth associated with a surge in cases of the Omicron coronavirus strain increased the metal’s appeal as a safe haven.

New Zealand on Tuesday postponed a planned border opening due to the widespread spread of a variant of the Omicron coronavirus around the world, with several other countries again imposing a social distance requirement.

European stocks are recovering on Tuesday after a sharp sell-off in the previous session, with gains in commodities stocks offsetting concerns about the omics coronavirus strain.