Oil Prices Drop as Strait of Hormuz Shipping Recovers 
Gold Prices Rise Above $4,000 as Inflation Data and Weaker Dollar Boost Demand 
U.S. Dollar Reaches One-Year High as Tech Sell-Off and Fed Rate Hike Expectations Support Demand 
Gold Prices Fall Below $4,000 as Strong Dollar, Fed Rate Hike Bets Weigh on Bullion 
Asian Markets Rally as Micron and Qualcomm AI Outlook Lifts Global Tech Stocks 
BOJ Hawk Signals Faster Interest Rate Hikes Amid Inflation Risks 
Bank Regulation Rollbacks in the U.S. and UK Could Increase Financial Risks, Study Warns 
Iran Attack in Strait of Hormuz Pushes Oil Prices Higher 
Trump Requests $11 Billion More in Farm Aid as Rising Costs Pressure U.S. Farmers 
South Korea’s KOSPI Jumps Over 5% as Samsung, SK Hynix Rally on Micron Earnings Boost 
US Dollar Slips After PCE Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Expectations 
Oil Prices Rebound as Strait of Hormuz Tensions Return After Ship Attack Near Oman 
South Korea’s KOSPI Plunges as Apple Price Hikes and OpenAI IPO Delay Shake AI Chip Stocks 
SpaceX Eyes Starlink Mobile Phone Service to Challenge Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile 
Asian Currencies Trade Mixed as Yen Hovers Near 40-Year Low, Dollar Holds Firm on Fed Outlook 
S&P Affirms Brazil’s BB Credit Rating with Stable Outlook Amid Fiscal Challenges 
Asian stock markets opened the new year on a positive note on Friday, with technology and semiconductor stocks leading gains across the region, despite subdued trading volumes caused by holiday closures in major markets. Investor sentiment was supported by renewed optimism around artificial intelligence, data centres, and advanced chip demand, which carried momentum from the end of last year into early 2026.
Hong Kong stocks led regional performance, with the Hang Seng Index jumping around 2% as technology and internet companies rallied strongly. The index ended 2025 with annual gains of more than 27%, underpinned by robust performances from Chinese tech firms and growing investor confidence in China’s push for self-reliance in semiconductor manufacturing. Continued investment in artificial intelligence and advanced computing has helped sustain interest in the sector despite broader economic uncertainties.
South Korea’s stock market also posted solid gains, with the KOSPI rising about 1.3%. Shares of major chipmakers Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix climbed between 2.5% and 4%, reflecting strong global demand for semiconductors used in artificial intelligence, data centres, and high-performance computing. The KOSPI was one of the world’s best-performing major indices in 2025, surging more than 75% over the year, largely driven by the global AI boom and South Korea’s dominance in memory chip production.
Elsewhere in Asia, trading activity remained light as Japan and mainland China stayed closed for public holidays. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 edged up 0.2%, while Singapore’s Straits Times Index gained around 0.4%, supported by modest buying in blue-chip stocks. Futures linked to India’s Nifty 50 also pointed to a firmer open, rising approximately 0.2%.
Globally, technology stocks regained momentum toward the end of 2025 as optimism around artificial intelligence investment intensified. Strong gains in U.S. tech shares in late December helped lift Asian market sentiment, reinforcing expectations that AI-related sectors will remain a key driver of equity market performance in 2026.
