The Nikkei 225 index opened lower in trading this morning, Wednesday (December 31, 2025), as investors exercised caution on the final trading day of the year. Index movements tended to be limited as many market participants chose to reduce activity ahead of the New Year holiday, resulting in thinner-than-usual trading volumes. Pressure on the Nikkei stemmed from profit-taking after positive performance throughout the year, as well as concerns about the still-uncertain global economic conditions. Export-oriented stocks were also pressured by the yen's exchange rate, while technology stocks...
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...
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 STOXX 50 index closed little changed at 5,749 during a shortened and quiet Christmas Eve trading session, while the STOXX 600 ended slightly above the flatline at 588.8, after closing at a record high the previous day. Luxury stocks outperformed, with LVMH jumping 0.8%, Hermes adding 0.6%, and L'Oreal edging up 0.3%. Iberdrola also rose 0.3%. Conversely, ASML Holding and AstraZeneca each fell 0.5%, Airbus fell 0.2%, and Unilever ended 0.4% lower. BP pared early gains to end down 0.4% after agreeing to sell a 65% stake in Castrol to Stonepeak. Elsewhere, Sanofi fell 0.7% after...
The Hang Seng Index rose 45 points, or 0.2%, to close at 25,819 on Wednesday, rebounding from a slight decline in the prior session as most sectors posted modest gains in thin holiday trading, led by financials. Sentiment was further lifted by a sixth straight advance in the Shanghai benchmark. Meanwhile, the Trump administration announced Tuesday plans to impose tariffs on Chinese semiconductor imports over Beijing's "unreasonable" push for chip industry dominance, though implementation will be delayed until June 2027, limiting near-term impact. Investors also looked ahead to November...
The STOXX 50 rose 0.1% and the STOXX 600 added 0.4% during the shortened Christmas Eve trading session, following the STOXX 600's close at a fresh record high the previous day. Trading volumes are expected to remain light, with no major economic releases scheduled in Europe. Commodity-linked stocks were among the top performers, led by energy shares amid rising oil and metal prices. BP gained 0.5% after agreeing to sell a 65% stake in Castrol to Stonepeak, while Shell rose 0.3% and TotalEnergies advanced 0.8%. The luxury sector also posted gains, with LVMH up 0.4%, Hermes adding 0.3%, and...