Global Markets:
- Asian Stock Markets : Nikkei down 0.37%, Shanghai Composite up 0.00%, Hang Seng up 2.18% ASX up 0.15%
- Commodities : Gold at $4,389.20 (+1.09%), Silver at $72.973 (+3.41%), Brent Oil at $61.17 (+0.53%), WTI Oil at $57.74 (+0.56%)
- Rates : US 10-year yield at 4.177, UK 10-year yield at 4.4740, Germany 10-year yield at 2.8557
News & Data:
- (USD) Unemployment Claim 199K to 219K expected
Markets Update:
Asian stocks traded mostly higher on Friday after closing out 2025 on a subdued note, with regional trading volumes remaining thin due to holidays in major markets such as Japan, China and New Zealand.
The U.S. dollar stayed weak following its sharpest annual drop in eight years, as growing economic uncertainty kept investors cautious. Market participants are closely watching the Federal Reserve leadership outlook, with expectations that the next Fed chair may favor deeper interest-rate cuts. Current Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s term ends in May, and President Donald Trump has already reiterated his preference for interest rates to be reduced to around 1 percent.
Gold prices climbed nearly 1 percent after posting their strongest annual rise since the 1979 oil crisis in 2025. With expectations building around two additional Federal Reserve rate cuts in 2026, investors are now awaiting key U.S. economic data next week, including payrolls and jobless claims, for further guidance on the interest-rate trajectory.
Oil prices were little changed on the first trading day of 2026, following their steepest annual decline since 2020. An upcoming OPEC+ meeting and lingering geopolitical concerns remain in focus.
In Asia, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rose 1.3 percent after ending 2025 with a gain of nearly 28 percent, its best performance since 2017. Seoul stocks advanced, with the Kospi up 0.65 percent as technology shares rallied on retail buying. Australian markets were largely flat, with mining and gold stocks slipping after Northern Star Resources cut its annual production guidance.
U.S. and European markets were closed on Thursday for the New Year holiday, while U.S. stocks ended lower on Wednesday, marking a fourth straight session of declines amid policy uncertainty.
Upcoming Events:
- 02:45 PM GMT – USD Final Manufacturing PMI
