Asian stocks advanced, tracking gains on Wall Street, as data showing the US economy grew at its fastest pace in two years improved prospects for corporate earnings. The dollar weakened to hover around levels last seen in September. MSCI’s regional equities gauge extended its gains into a fourth day, rising 0.2%, with technology stocks leading. That came after the S&P 500 Index closed at a record high, amid low volume ahead of the Christmas holiday. Moves were more pronounced in commodities, with gold rallying to a record above $4,500 an ounce before paring gains. Gold’s haven appeal has been amplified recently by the US blockade of oil tankers linked to Venezuela. Platinum and silver both reached all-time highs, while copper topped $12,000 a ton for the first time. Risk appetite has remained firm heading into year-end, with tech stocks in demand even as strong US growth data scaled back bets on near-term Federal Reserve easing. After earlier concerns over high valuations and the billions pouring into artificial intelligence, traders are regaining confidence that companies will deliver solid earnings growth in 2026. Inflation-adjusted US GDP expanded in the third quarter at a 4.3% annualized pace, higher than all but one estimate in a Bloomberg survey. The economy maintained momentum through the middle of the year as consumers powered ahead and the most punitive of President Donald Trump’s tariffs were rolled back. While the October-November US government shutdown is expected to weigh on fourth-quarter growth, economists expect a modest rebound in 2026. Attention in Asia was also on the currencies market. The yuan extended its gains, edging closer to the key 7.0-per-dollar level, after the People’s Bank of China set a stronger fixing. The yen rose for a third day as traders remained on watch for signs of currency intervention following Tokyo’s warning against excessive moves. Groundwork Collaborative Chief of Policy and Advocacy Alex Jacquez discusses the US economy and the Fed. The South Korean won strengthened after authorities warned against excessive weakness in the currency. The increased rhetoric comes as the currency neared the psychologically important 1,500-per-dollar level — a threshold breached only during the global financial crisis and the Asian currency meltdown in 1997. Also, India’s central bank announced fresh measures aimed at boosting banking liquidity with government bond purchases and foreign-exchange swaps aimed at supporting a weakening rupee, which has emerged as Asia’s worst-performing currency this year. In other corners of the market, Treasuries edged up ahead of a 7-year note auction, while a Bloomberg gauge of the dollar extended its slide into a third day. The dollar is heading for its worst annual performance in eight years, and the options market is signaling that traders are preparing for more downside in the final sessions of 2025 and beyond. The session after Christmas has historically been the most consistently positive day of the year for stocks, according to Bespoke Investment Group. In the 39 years since 1953 when the market was open Dec. 26, the S&P 500 has only declined six times. Meanwhile, Trump said he expects his Fed chair to lower rates if the market is doing well, the latest signal that the president is eager for a nominee committed to borrowing cost cuts as he nears an announcement of his choice to replace Jerome Powell. Money markets see a less than 20% chance of a Fed reduction in January. Elsewhere, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent backed the idea of reconsidering the Fed’s 2% inflation target once the US has sustainably brought price increases back down to that pace. US After Hours PATH +4.3% on news it will join S&P MidCap 400; NKE +0.5% ticks higher on insider purchases.
Nikkei -0.14% Hang Seng +0.17% CSI +0.21% Shanghai +0.46% Shenzen +0.93%
Eur$ 1.1793% CNH 7.0115 CNY 7.0249 JPY 155.82 GBP 1.3516 CHF 0.7871 RUB 77.9900 TRY 42.8487 WTI$ 58.41 +0.05% Gold 4,499 +0.30% BTC 87,215 -0.58% ETH 2,939 -1.20% SOL 121.8118 -2.15%
S&P -0.09% Nasdaq -0.07% EuroStoxx / FTSE -0.04% Dax / SMI /
Macro :
- Hedge fund Arnott Capital ramps up bets against shipping stocks
- Citadel to Return $5 Billion of Hedge Fund’s Profits to Clients
- Jane Street Hires DC Lobbyists as India Probe Presses On
- Jane Street Hires DC Lobbyists as India Probe Presses On
- Billionaire Tory donor quits Britain for Switzerland
- China’s Battery Giant Needs New Markets After Dominating at Home
- Bolivia Clears SpaceX, Amazon to Operate in Country: President
- US Investors Put Millions in Mexican Soccer Before World Cup
Keep an eye on :
Keep an eye on :
- AAPL US : Apple to Pause App Age Verification Plan After Texas Law Blocked
- 3407 HK : Asahi Kasei Treatment Granted Orphan Drug Status by FDA
- BYW6 GY : BayWa Sells Cefetra Group for About €125m
- BME LN : B&M Faces a Long Road to Recovery After Stock’s Worst Ever Year
- BP/ LN : BP Nears Sale of Castrol Stake to Stonepeak, WSJ Reports
- 1 HK ; CK’s Panama Deal at Risk After Cosco Demands Majority Stake: FT
- DVAX US : Sanofi to Buy Dynavax for $15.50/Share in Cash
- 489 HK : Carmakers BAIC, Dongfeng’s Spanish Partner Aims for Local Supply
- EBS AV : Erste Bank to Start Rebranding of Its New Polish Unit in 2Q
- 489 HK : Carmakers BAIC, Dongfeng’s Spanish Partner Aims for Local Supply
- EBS AV : Erste Bank to Start Rebranding of Its New Polish Unit in 2Q
- FM US : First Quantum Minerals Sells Cobre Las Cruces Mine
- GM US : GM Investigating Air Bag That Exploded in Recalled-But-Unrepaired Pickup Truck -- WSJ
- GOOGL US : Waymo to Update Software Across Fleet After Major Power Failure
- NWG LN : Barclays, NatWest Through to 2nd Round of Evelyn Auction: Sky
- PSKY US : Ellison’s Vow to Backstop Paramount Bid Would Reshape Wealth
- PUMA CN : Puma Exploration Announces Increase in Kinross' Equity Stake (to 14.8%)
- SAN FP : Sanofi Says FDA Issued Complete Response Letter on Tolebrutinib
- SAN FP : Sanofi to Buy Dynavax for $2.2 Billion to Add Shingles Vaccine
- SNOW US : Snowflake in Talks to Buy App Monitoring Startup Observe Inc. For Around $1 Billion
- TWE AU : Treasury Wine Rises as Billionaire Goudet Becomes Major Holder