Asian Stock Markets Start New Year Higher as Tech and AI Shares Drive Gains 
U.S. Stocks Slip as Gold Rebounds Ahead of Year-End, Markets Eye 2026 Outlook 
South Korean Won Slides Despite Government Efforts to Stabilize Currency Markets 
U.S. Stock Futures Slip as Year-End Trading Turns Cautious 
Gold Prices Rebound in Europe as Geopolitical Tensions and Fed Outlook Support Bullion 
Singapore GDP Growth Surges in 2025 but Outlook Remains Cautious Amid Global Trade Risks 
South Korea Exports Hit Record High as Global Trade Momentum Builds 
U.S. Dollar Slides Toward Biggest Annual Loss Since 2017 as 2026 Risks Loom 
South Korea Factory Activity Returns to Growth in December on Export Rebound 
Japanese Business Leaders Urge Government Action as Weak Yen Strains Economy 
Trump Delays Tariff Increases on Furniture and Cabinets for One More Year 
Oil Prices Slip Slightly as Markets Weigh Geopolitical Risks and Supply Glut Concerns 
Asian Currencies Trade Flat as Dollar Weakens in Thin New Year Trading 
South Korea Factory Output Misses Forecasts in November Amid Ongoing Economic Uncertainty 
China Imposes 55% Tariff on Beef Imports Above Quota to Protect Domestic Industry 
Wall Street Ends Mixed as Tech and Financial Stocks Weigh on Markets Amid Thin Holiday Trading 
Oil Prices Stabilize at Start of 2026 as OPEC+ Policy and Geopolitical Risks Shape Market Outlook 
Abortion Rights Shape State Supreme Court Elections
In the 2024 election cycle, abortion rights were a major factor in state Supreme Court races, with mixed outcomes across the nation. Republican candidates secured a majority in Ohio's top court and are leading in North Carolina, where a Democratic justice faces an uphill re-election battle.
However, Democratic-backed candidates found success in Kentucky and Michigan. In Kentucky, Pamela Goodwine, supported by Democratic Governor Andy Beshear and Planned Parenthood, made history as the first Black woman elected to the state Supreme Court. Similarly, in Michigan, Democrats increased their majority after incumbent Justice Kyra Harris Bolden and Kimberly Ann Thomas defeated Republican challengers.
Arizona Retains Conservative Justices
In Arizona, voters opted to retain two justices who had upheld an 1864 abortion ban, defying the expectations of abortion rights groups. The state's Supreme Court decisions remain conservative, as these justices' retention was confirmed in the state's election projections.
Mixed Results Reflect National Divide
The outcomes reflect the ongoing influence of abortion access in judicial elections, especially following the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade. The ruling sent the battle over reproductive rights to state courts, where elections for state Supreme Court seats are crucial for determining the interpretation of state constitutions.
In states like Missouri, voters enshrined abortion rights in their constitutions, but measures failed in others like Florida and South Dakota. In North Carolina, a recount looms in a tight race between Republican Jefferson Griffin and Democratic Justice Allison Riggs, both campaigning heavily on reproductive rights.
