US stock indexes closed higher in Wednesday's shortened trading session (December 24), maintaining strong momentum from this week amid expectations that the current economic backdrop continues to support earnings prospects for the coming year. The S&P 500 rose 0.4% and the Dow jumped 0.7%, both hitting record highs, while the Nasdaq 100 gained 0.3%. Yesterday's third-quarter GDP data was well above expectations for a 4.3% annual expansion, reflecting strong private consumption and curbing concerns that tariffs are hampering spending or fueling a surge in inflation. Meanwhile, initial...
The Nikkei 225 index opened slightly higher today (December 25th), in the range of 50,344 to 50,475 points, after Asian markets showed mixed movements in the previous session. Market liquidity tends to remain thin ahead of the Christmas holiday, reflecting a calmer and more cautious trading atmosphere. Market sentiment was influenced by the surge in gold and silver prices, indicating investors' flight to safe-haven assets, as well as positive US economic data that boosted expectations of future interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. However, the strengthening of the Japanese yen is a...
Japanese stocks rose on Thursday after the S&P 500 index posted gains in a shortened session ahead of Christmas, despite many Asian markets being closed. The Topix index rose 0.3% to 3,417.98, while the Nikkei 225 also gained 0.1% to 50,407.79. Despite the gains, trading remained thin as many European and Asian markets were closed for the holidays. Among stocks that provided positive momentum, Sony Group Corp. rose 1.2%, the largest contributor to the Topix's rise. The electrical equipment and wholesale trade sectors posted the largest gains, while banking and non-ferrous metals stocks...