Stocks opened the new year with artificial intelligence and chipmaking once again dominating market moves. Precious metals — another hot corner of the market in 2025 — also advanced. Asian shares climbed 0.9%, with internet and chip stocks advancing and a regional technology gauge rising to a record. Samsung Electronics Co. touched an all-time high. Baidu Inc. gained 7.5% after its chip unit filed for an IPO, while AI chip designer Shanghai Biren Technology Co. doubled on its Hong Kong trading debut. Equity-index futures for the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 Index advanced 0.7%. Spot gold rose 1.3% and silver jumped 2.5%, building on their best annual performances since 1979. Despite a recent pullback, global stocks in 2025 posted their strongest year since 2019, supported by expectations of stronger earnings and optimism around AI. Even so, uncertainty over the outlook for US monetary policy and elevated valuations among technology companies remain key risks. “AI is a major trading idea for Asian investors on the first trading day of 2026, and probably for the year too,” said Vey-Sern Ling, managing director at Union Bancaire Privee. Companies such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. and Samsung are like “picks and shovels” for the AI industry “with high earnings visibility for the year given the capex plans of US hyperscalers.” Tech stocks and AI were among the most dominating themes of 2025, helping equities recover from a slump in April caused by President Donald Trump’s century-high US tariffs. Asian companies struck joint ventures with chipmakers such as Nvidia Corp., prompting investors to cheer a wave of similar alliances. The Nasdaq 100 Index gained 20% last year, a third consecutive year of gains. Nvidia shares rose 39%, while Samsung advanced 126% and TSMC 44%. Then, in November, Wall Street chief executives said investors should brace for an equity market drop of more than 10% in the next 12 to 24 months, amid concerns about frothy valuations and bubbles among technology companies. In other corners of the market, copper and cryptocurrencies also gained, while Australia’s sovereign bonds dropped along with a gauge of the dollar. There was no cash trading in Treasuries during Asian hours due to a holiday in Japan. Markets in mainland China were also shut. While Asian stocks started off the year on a positive note, market research firm Bespoke Investment Group has cautioned against expecting solid market performance during the first trading day of the new year. Since 1953, the S&P 500’s median change to kick off a new year has been a 0.3% drop, with gains less than half the time, according to a note by Bespoke. The stock market has also traded lower on the first trading day of each of the past three years, the note said. However, investors have at least one reason to be optimistic. MSCI’s gauge for global stocks has climbed an average 1.4% in January over the last 10 years and advanced in six of those instances, data compiled by Bloomberg showed. “The end of 2025 was a fizzer in global markets but it doesn’t detract from the fact it was a very good year for investors,” Kyle Rodda, a senior analyst at Capital.com, wrote in a note. “Naturally, the start of the new year comes with the question everyone asks moving from one year to the next: will this continue? The consensus is that, yes, it will.”
Nikkei Closed Hang Seng +2.70% CSI Closed Shanghai Closed Shenzen Closed
Eur$ 1.1756 CNH 6.9740 CNY 6.9890 JPY 156.84 GBP 1.3480 CHF 0.7920 RUB 78.7500 TRY 43.0202 WTI$ 57.73 +0.54% Gold 4,378 +1.36% BTC 88,492 +0.25% ETH 3,006 +0.68% SOL 126.73 +1.14%
S&P +0.47% Nasdaq +0.74% EuroStoxx -0.43% FTSE +0.28% Dax 0.10% SMI
Macro :
- About 40 Killed in Fire at Swiss Resort of Crans-Montana
- Christine Lagarde’s pay is 50% higher than disclosed by ECB - FT
- Trump Delays New Tariff Hike on Furniture, Kitchen Cabinets
- Trump Delays New Tariff Hike on Furniture, Kitchen Cabinets
- Jack Smith Says Trump Allies Were Willing to Testify Against Him
- European Stocks Close Best Year Since 2021 Near Record Highs
- Drugmakers to raise US prices on at least 350 medicines despite pressure from Trump - NY Post
- Italy Lower House said to approve 2026 budget; vote: 216 to 126, Budget targets a budget deficit of 2.8% in 2026 ()compares to 3.0% in 2025)
Keep an eye on :
- AF FP : KLM and Unions Reach Labor Agreement for Cabin Crew
- AMP SM : Amper Rallies After Winning Two Mauritania Airport Contracts
- AAPL US : Apple cuts Vision Pro production and marketing after weak sales - FT
- BIDU US : Baidu Chip Unit Kunlunxin Confidentially Files for Hong Kong IPO
- BA US : Boeing Wins $2.73 Billion U.S. Army Contract
- BN CN : Brookfield to Start Cloud Computing Business: The Information
- 1211 HK : BYD's Sales Growth Slowed in 2025, But Still Set to Top Tesla
- CAN LN : Canal+, Warner Bros. Discovery Sign New Multi-Year Pact
- DeepSeek : DeepSeek Touts New Training Method as China Pushes AI Efficiency
- LLY US : Celltrion Signs 678.7b Won CMO Contract With Eli Lilly
- EOAN GY : Said to call for the end to gov't subsidies for solar power in Germany - German press - Source TradeTheNews.com
- ELISA FH : Finland Seizes Ship Suspected of Damaging Subsea Cable
- EMGS NO : Evaluating several alternatives to preserve value for its stakeholders, including restructuring options - Expects to require additional funding within the near term to sustain operations
- KER FP : Luxury discounting on the rise as years of price increases bite - FT
- LMT US : Lockheed Wins $328.5 Million U.S. Air Force Contract
- MC FP : Luxury discounting on the rise as years of price increases bite - FT
- MTRS SS : Munters Wins SEK2.1b of Orders for Data Center Equipment in US
- NEE US : NextEra Energy Files for $4b Shares ATM Offering
- NIO US : NIO Inc. Dec. Deliveries 48,135 Vs. 36,275 M/M
- ORSTED DC : Trump admin sued for halting work on the US’s largest offshore wind farm - Electrek
- ORSTED DC : Orsted JV to File Prelim Injunction vs US Lease Suspension Order
- 1913 HK : Prada : -0.14% : Luxury discounting on the rise as years of price increases bite - FT
- PRY IM : Prysmian May Consider Acquisitions in 2026: CEO to Repubblica
- SKAB SS : Skanska Signs Contract to Build Data Center in US for $228m
- SLB US : Adnoc Drilling Buys 70% Stake in SLB JV for Kuwait, Oman Rigs
- SPM IM : Saipem Wins Offshore Contract in Black Sea Worth About $425m
- SNCVP BB : SNCB Rail Unions Plan Strike at End of January, Belga Reports
- TSLA US : Tesla Sales Outlook Darkens Despite Musk’s Self-Driving Euphoria
- TSLA US : Tesla Cuts EV Prices By Up to $6,490 in South Korea: Chosun
- TRC LN : Revel Collective Told Bidders to Submit Offers by Jan. 9: Sky
- VLA FP : Valneva, Serum Institute of India End Chikungunya Vaccine Pact
- VOD LN : Vodafone Idea Shares Rise After Pact on Contingent Liabilities
- WBD US : Canal+, Warner Bros. Discovery Sign New Multi-Year Pact
- XPEV US : Xpeng Dec. Vehicle Deliveries 37,508 Units