Asia-Pacific stock markets are expected to open mixed on Friday, marking a cautious start to the new year. This movement follows the New Year's Eve close of US markets, where the three major Wall Street indexes weakened, although overall they still posted positive performance for 2025. Several major Asian markets remain closed for the New Year holiday, including Japan and mainland China. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 index opened relatively stable with no major movements. Meanwhile, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index futures were at 25,648, slightly higher than the last close of 25,630.54,...
The S&P 500 and Dow rose 0.1%, closing at record highs as strength in the technology and energy sectors offset caution related to strong growth data. The Nasdaq also rose 0.1%. Nvidia rose 1% after announcing a licensing deal with AI startup Groq, reviving demand for AI-related stocks and supporting the broader megacap complex. Energy stocks also found support as renewed U.S. action and rhetoric against Venezuelan exports helped support crude oil prices. At the same time, investors digested the delayed BEA release showing third-quarter GDP grew at a strong annualized pace of 4.3%,...
US equity futures remained sluggish on Friday (December 26th), expected to remain in thin trading after the market closed for a holiday. Contracts tracking the S&P 500 and the Dow held near their record highs amid expectations that continued economic growth and more accommodative monetary policy are supporting earnings prospects. Despite optimism that corporate earnings will remain strong, skepticism about the magnitude of the Fed's interest rate cuts next year and lingering concerns that excessive capital spending on AI infrastructure prevented a sharper "Santa Claus rally" as the new...
The Nikkei 225 rose 267 points, or 0.5%, to end at 50,675 on Friday, rebounding from three muted sessions and posting a second straight weekly gain of 0.7%, lifted by strength in several heavyweight blue chips. Meanwhile, Japan's broader Topix index briefly hit a record high before easing. Sentiment was lifted by cabinet approval of a record budget for FY 2026, aimed at balancing proactive fiscal support with long-term debt management, and set to be submitted to the Diet in January. Markets also reacted to plans that Tokyo may reduce issuance of super-long bonds next year, pulling benchmark...
Japanese stocks rose on Friday, though market movements were thin as many foreign investors were absent for holidays. The Topix index rose 0.1% to 3,423.06, while the Nikkei index rose 0.7% to 50,750.39. The gains were driven by technology and export stocks. Nintendo contributed the most to the Topix's rise, rising 2.3%, while AI companies like Disco Corp. and SoftBank Group also posted significant gains. Export stocks in Japan received a boost after the yen weakened slightly against the US dollar, which has boosted the competitiveness of Japanese companies in the global market. Masahiro...
Asian markets opened trading on December 26, 2025, with mixed movements after the Christmas holiday. Market liquidity remained relatively thin, and most exchanges moved slowly, amid positive sentiment from Wall Street, which recorded a new record close before the holiday. Despite reduced trading volume, investors remained cautious and cautious. Major stocks on the Nikkei 225 and Chinese markets remained in focus, while several exchanges in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia remained closed or traded flat due to the holiday. In commodity markets, gold and silver prices continued to hit record...